1997 Oscars: Best Supporting Actor

Was it inevitable that Robin Williams would triumph at the Academy Awards?:

In addition to three previous nominations in Best Actor and being a beloved industry titan at the time, he was also only one of two Supporting Actors from Best Picture nominees, the other being As Good As It Gets' Greg Kinnear, at the time best known as the host for E!'s Talk Soup, for which he won two Daytime Emmys. L.A. Confidential and Titanic were better represented in the actress categories. And while The Full Monty won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast (or Best Ensemble, as some call it), none of its individual performers were ever able to gain a foothold in the awards race; only the BAFTAs, as one might expect, nominated Mark Addy and Tom Wilkinson, with the latter winning in a category that also included Rupert Everett for My Best Friend's Wedding (also a Golden Globe nominee) and Burt Reynolds for Boogie Nights (the only one of the nominees below so honored by the Brits). Reynolds found himself in the unfamiliar position of being the critics' pick all season, but while Boogie Nights was called his big comeback, Reynolds hated the movie: he fired his agent and publicly dismissed writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson and his experience working on it. The category's other big comeback story, Robert Forster, had a better time with Jackie Brown, praising his experience and crediting it with revitalizing his career (even on Wikipedia, his bio has a section called "Career Slump" before one labeled "Jackie Brown").

The performances, as I rank 'em: 

Casting Coup: The Elephant Man

NOMINATIONS

Best Picture, Jonathan Sanger

Best Director, David Lynch

Best Actor, John Hurt
Best Adapted Screenplay, Christopher De Vore/Eric Bergren/David Lynch
Best Music - Original Score, John Morris

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Stuart Craig/Robert Cartwright/Hugh Scaife

Best Film Editing, Anne V. Coates

Best Costume Design, Patricia Norris

The Elephant Man is inspired by the true story of Joseph Merrick (called John in Treves' memoir), a curiosity of Victorian London who went from the sideshow to stardom when eminent surgeon Frederick Treves took an interest in his unique case and moved him into London Hospital. It is a life that has inspired books, television specials, social studies (Ashley Montagu's, for example), even primetime animation.

And, of course, it has inspired dramatists. Bernard Pomerance's Broadway play debuted in 1979, won three Tony Awards including Best Play, was adapted for a 1982 ABC TV movie, and has been revived on the stage twice more. On stage, the role has been played by David Bowie, Bruce Davison, Mark Hamill, Billy Crudup, and Bradley Cooper, the latter two getting Tony nominations for their efforts. Pomerance was famously peeved about the film The Elephant Man, which had no relation at all to his play and probably hurt the film sales for it. And worse yet, if anyone were to finally adapt Pomerance's Elephant Man for cinemas, you know it would be reported as a remake of this version.

Of course, we today are not imagining a cinematic adaptation of Pomerance's work, but a remake of David Lynch's Oscar-nominated classic. Still. There's precedent for multiple versions of the story. Here's ours.

For the Boys: Actor, 1993

Hello, fellas.

Surely this needs no explanation

As Long As Kate Hudson Stays Away...

So, Sony Pictures Classics has acquired US distribution rights for Woody Allen's just-completed You Will Meet a Tall, Dark Stranger, slated for release this fall. The cast includes Antonio Banderas, Naomi Watts, Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Freida Pinto and Lucy Punch. That's cool and all.

Meanwhile, however, casting has begun on his next project, and hoo-boy, what a cast.

Owen Wilson? In a Woody Allen film? This is a pairing I never would have seen coming, but God knows I'm interested. I rarely see Wilson in a movie and think, "Meh." He's a talented actor with great comic instincts, but The Royal Tenenbaums had me itching to see him in a great drama. His layering of Eli Cash was subtle and intriguing.

Marion Cotillard? Well, that makes sense. Allen seems to making his way through the Nine cast -- Lucy Punch, after all, replaced Nicole Kidman. Hopefully this means we'll soon see neurotic versions of Judi Dench and Fergie. To see the beautiful Cotillard in a movie from my favorite living director would be a dream come true.

Rachel McAdams? How did she not get into one earlier? What could this movie be about, that it has two sexy screen sirens like McAdams and Cotillard? What roles would re-team the co-stars of Wedding Crashers? You have me intrigued!

Also, there's the rumor that pop star/first lady of France Carla Bruni will be in the movie as well. She also appears in You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, so it's possible.

Filming will take place in Paris, where Woody's wanted to make a movie for years.

The Weary Movie Kind

So, I've not been letting the grass grow beneath my feet. I've actually been to the movies!

CRAZY HEART

Well, Jeff Bridges is great. It's a natural, lived-in performance that understands the man, with every gesture as natural as breathing. The music is fantastic, a marvelous soundtrack, and "The Weary Kind" deserves to win over the other nominees. But I'm still coming to terms with that ending, so different from the novel's, yet just as sincere. The novel's seemed to have a bitter ending for the sake of bitterness; the movie has an uplifting one just because, too. Can't we have the bittersweet one that this story seems to call for? It's choppy and does not completely deliver.

Maggie Gyllenhaal is fine, playing a vulnerable young woman who always seems to be attracted to the wrong guy. She does not want to love Bridges, but she falls for him, and takes the risk. Sometimes, though, she looks like she wishes she could do more. It doesn't help that the editing, or maybe the screenplay itself, seems to cut most developments, including what attracts her to Bad Blake.

SPOILERS
And I don't buy that final moment, either. It could end with him walking off as Colin Farrell sings "The Weary Kind". For Gyllenhaal to approach him after telling him to leave her alone, revealing that she's married, and everything's OK now...it just doesn't ring true for the narrative. It's like everyone thought it was just too depressing that they couldn't be together, so they at least needed a friendly interview. And then she offers to let him see her son, who he lost in the middle of fucking Houston?!? NO. Bad mom.
END SPOILERS

It's an all right movie, with plenty of moments that work because of what Jeff Bridges does. I can't find room for him on my ballot, to be honest.


THE WOLF MAN

After the debacle that was my first attempt to see it, my roommate and I finally caught the movie we'd been following since pre-production. And so, here I am, almost willing to apologize to AMC, because clearly they were trying to spare me. The werewolf sequences are cool. There's plenty of mayhem to go around. But it does nothing to serve the story. It just gathers a bunch of people together in order to off them in the grisliest manner possible. Which I'm not completely against, but it does get tedious after the fourteenth kill. Not only that, they do not work with the non-werewolf scenes.

To be fair, the non-werewolf scenes don't work at all. It's hard to believe this was Benicio del Toro's pet project, for he seems to have shown up with a gun to his head. He looks miserable, poor soul, and it's hard to detect whether he's trying for realism or camp since his line readings don't go together. And he just looks ill, like he's about to throw up. We are told he is a great Shakespearean actor in the movie, but there's no point to that detail, other than to allow Anthony Hopkins to make a few theatre jokes. The character of Lawrence Talbot is dull and lifeless, and Del Toro, with his American accent frequently losing the war with his Hispanic one, is probably the worst part of the movie. At least Hopkins and Hugo Weaving are having fun with the story, though it must be said that Hopkins appears to have too much of it. It's Hopkins hamming it up, not Sir John. Emily Blunt tries to instill some life into her stock caricature, but to no avail. Only Weaving gives a performance that perfectly balances the disparate tones of the film.

And man, do those tones work against each other. Joe Johnston even admitted that he just wanted to make a fun creature feature, while the studio wanted a more serious take on the story. And, hey, that's how the script is written. Johnston's enthusiasm for one aspect of the story causes the other, larger one to suffer. Only the asylum sequence works 100%, for like Weaving, it's the one section that knows just how serious to be and how much fun to have. But hey, at least the VFX are fine and the makeup and sound design are incredible. At least I can say that.

Have You Never Been Impeached?

My life is full of planned projects that may or may not yield results. I suppose most everyone's is, but let's take some time to focus on me, shall we? Besides the film school stuff (two docs, an F2, an F3, thesis), besides the new drafts I should write (two), besides the screenplays I have in mind (three right now, and one beginning to work its way into an idea), there's one project in particular that I'm gravitating towards.

Hint: It's nothing to do with movies.

Hint 2: Okay, it does, but only insofar as adapting one goes.

Hint 3: Song and dance.

YesyesYES!

Yes, it is my dream to jump on the bandwagon and write a musical based upon a film. Now, friends and I have discussed this before. Will the success of the new Priscilla, Queen of the Desert musical inspire me to begin To Wong Foo: The Musical? Is it time to transfer Bullets Over Broadway to the stage? Should Ben and I finally get to work on Henry Fielding's Tom Jones, featuring songs made popular by Tom Jones? Eh, maybe.

But the one that really intrigues me. The one that gets my brain a-going. The one that makes me go, "YES! It is time!"

Oh, hell yes. So far, we have stage adaptations of cult classics, Razzie winners, and The Wedding Singer, but why oh why has no one written a musical based on a biopic yet? It just means combining two amazing things. Look, Broadway loves musical bios (The Sound of Music) as much as it loves a good movie musical (not the MGM kind). Hell, they love Nixon.

Tony AND Oscar noms? Frost/Nixon, you slut!

So all three elements are in place. They are tried and true formulas. This is just the next logical step. And you know who would agree? Richard Nixon. Don't believe me? See for yourself:

Aw yeah.

What is Nixon if not a theatre piece filmed for the cinemas? The acting, the music, the set design, the lighting, all of it screams "STAGE ME!" Even Oliver Stone decided to approach it as a Shakespearean melodrama. The beats are there; all one needs is to set the sequences to music, throw in a dance number...

Wait, it's already there? Now that's just eerie...

The only question is this: shall it be a musical or an opera? Because as a musical, it could be quite a diversion, even a treat. But as an opera with music by Philip Glass? Whew. The mind reels.

Although I did once have the idea of just basing some songs after ones that have already met with public approval:

"A place where nobody dared to go
The scandal we came to know
They call it Watergate..."

Too much?

What about you? Sound like a plan? What biopic would you like to see done as a musical, and how?

Across the Pond, and Holy Crap

It seems strange to think that Whatever Works is a stand-out for Woody Allen due to its use of New York as the setting (remember Manhattan?). Hell, I was sure he would stay in New York for at least another one. This is, alas, not to be, and the Woodster is returning to London for his latest, tentatively titled, "Untitled Woody Allen London Project". Catchy.

But wait wait wait. What is this? One of the kick-assiest casts ever has been lined up? Do tell!

Casting couch, indeed

Remember Hot Blonde ScarJo? Well, this time around, Woody's gotten Incredibly Beautiful and Super Talented Blonde, Academy Award Nominee Naomi Watts. I haven't been this happy about an Allen casting since Patty Clarkson's back-to-back awesomeness. I know, I know -- Whatever Works isn't out yet, but I have faith! Anyway, Naomi Watts is in a Woody Allen movie and holy shit that rocks.

Lordy, I'm gettin' the vapors!

Academy Award Nominee Josh Brolin returns for another Woody go-round! Yes, he previously had a small role in Melinda and Melinda, an experiment that I remember not being fond of. Between you, me, and the fly on the wall, I find it bizarre that out of everyone in that movie, it's Brolin who Allen gets back. I mean, we're talking about a cast that included Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Arija Bareikis. But hey, I'm a Brolin fan, so this is pretty cool.

Really?

Freida Pinto. Her first movie won Best Picture, and her second movie is by Woody Allen. Does he just watch the Oscars in search of hot young babes to cast? Penelope Cruz, Freida Pinto, Patricia Clarkson...

Please tell me he's the neurotic...

Antonio Banderas?!? Does this mean he might have a career again? Outside of Shrek? I certainly hope so. This is certainly turning out to be Woody's sexiest cast since...well, since Vicky Cristina Barcelona, which featured Latin lover Javier Bardem. Huh. Is this going to be a continuing trend?

Just as confused as I am.

Oscar Winner Sir Anthony Hopkins. The mind boggles.

For your consideration

Ok, I've read nothing that would even suggest that Patricia Clarkson is in this one, too. But I would absolutely LOVE it if she was. Please, God, if she finally gets an Oscar, let it be for Woody Allen!

Casting Coup: Lawrence of Arabia

*Oh, man, this is so funny. I call Alec Baldwin under-appreciated, I ask if Javier Bardem is going to win the Oscar, and I even use the phrase "whatever happened to..." in regards to Colin Firth. These are just three cast members in my remake of Lawrence of Arabia. I hadn't looked at this in a long time, but I like it. I don't think I'd change it at all.*

CASTING COUP MONTH finally gets to all-male epics, proving you don't need romance to be a great movie.

Lawrence of Arabia came out the same year as the first Bond flick, Dr. No. Clearly, 1962 was a bad-ass year, as this was also the time of To Kill a Mockingbird and Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?.

The film is a legend, and rightly so. First of all, despite its three hour-plus length, it goes by quickly and leaves you wanting more. It's the movie that made Peter O'Toole a star, and Lord knows that can never be considered a sin. And also, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quinn, Anthony Quinn. HE IS AMAZING.

Let's just say it scored big at the Oscars. That it almost made Oscar its sobbing bitch. Can we say that? I think so. After all, it was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning seven. Film Editing went to Anne Coates (well-earned), Sound to John Cox (thumbs up), Art Direction to John Box, John Stoll and Dario Simoni (hell yes), Score to Maurice Jarre (THERE IS NO GREATER SCORE IN ALL OF HUMANITY), Cinematography to Fred A. Young (of course), Direction to David Lean (he has a BAFTA named for him--that's how bad-ass he is), and Best Picture of the Year. Which it undoubtedly was.

Yet much is made of its losses. Not that people complain--that's the remarkable thing. Well, okay, some people want to crucify Ed Begley (Sweet Bird of Youth) for beating out Omar Sharif for Best Supporting Actor, but I can't judge that myself. I should, however, say whether or not I agree Horton Foote (To Kill a Mockingbird) beating out Robert Bolt in the Adapted Screenplay category, or if I'm pissed about Peter O'Toole losing Best Actor to Gregory Peck for To Kill a Mockingbird.

And yet, I can't. Both films are too dear to me, too close to my heart for me to really give an opinion. This much I'll say: Lawrence of Arabia is getting the casting coup treatment.

GENERAL SIR ARCHIBALD MURRAY
Who is He: A real character. Not liked by his troops, he commands from Cairo as opposed to getting down and dirty in the field. He sends Lawrence to Arabia.

Originally played by: Donald Wolfit


My Choice: Willing to put up a British stiff upper lip, despite his Australian-ness.

Academy Award Winner Geoffrey Rush (Shine, Shakespeare in Love)


JACKSON BENTLEY
Who is He: A fictional character. An American reporter, Bentley follows Lawrence throughout his military career and becomes disenchanted and cynical with the whole charade. Based on Lowell Thomas, who liked Lawrence.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Arthur Kennedy (Champion, Bright Victory, Trial, Peyton Place, Some Came Running)


My Choice: Yes, he is underappreciated.

Academy Award Nominee Alec Baldwin (The Cooler, The Cat in the Hat)


MR. DRYDEN
Who is He: A fictional reporter. A politician who looks at things with a dry, amused demeanor. Kind of prickish, but he's looking at the Arab Situation from a London/civilian/political point of view.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee/God among men Claude Rains (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Casablanca, Mr. Skeffington, Notorious)


My Choice: One with more luck, Oscar-wise.

Academy Award Winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs, Elephant Man)


COLONEL BRIGHTON
Who is He: A fictional character. Admires Lawrence, but is a little repulsed by his showboating. Does not get along with the Arabs. David Lean called him "the only honorable character".

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Anthony Quayle (Anne of the Thousand Days)


My Choice: Where did this guy go?

Colin Firth (Love Actually, The Importance of Being Earnest)


TURKISH BEY
Who is He: A character who may or may not be real. Lawrence said yes, historians said they don't think so. Anyway, he captures and tortures Lawrence.

Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Jose Ferrer (Cyrano de Bergerac)


My Choice: Another Latin man, to keep with tradition.

Academy Award Nominee (Winner?) Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Before Night Falls)


GENERAL LORD EDMUND ALLENBY
Who is He: A real character. Manipulative and cold, Allenby gets Lawrence involved for military glory. In real life, they were apparently great friends.

Originally played by: Jack Hawkins


My Choice:

Academy Award Winner Jim Broadbent (Iris, Moulin Rouge!)


AUDA ABU TAYI
Who is He: A real character. A Bedouin tribe leader, he helps Lawrence in Arabia, but lets blood-feuds and greed control him. The best fucking character in the movie.

Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Anthony Quinn (Viva Zapata!, Lust for Life)


My Choice: An actor of actual Middle Eastern descent!

Shaun Toub (Crash, Iron Man)


PRINCE FEISAL
Who is He: A real character. Royalty, obviously. He fights against the Ottomans, and happens to be a direct descendant of Mohammed. He wanted the Arab countries to be united and independent of the imperialists.

Originally played by: Academy Award Winner Alec Guinness (The Bridge on the River Kwai)


My Choice: Actually, this guy played Prince Feisal in the 1990 TV movie Lawrence After Arabia.

Alexander Siddig (Syriana, Poirot: Cards on the Table)


SHERIF ALI
Who is He: A fictional character. He is a loyal adviser/friend/companion to Lawrence, but is able to see him for what he truly is, and not just as some sort of deliverer.

Originally played by: Academy Award Nominee Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia)


My Choice: Come on. Who the fuck else?

Naveen Andrews ("Lost", The Brave One)


T.E. LAWRENCE
Who is He: The guy who tried to unite the Arabs. A kick-ass Brit with little humility and much fighting skills.

Originally played by: Academy Award/Hollmann Nominee Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia, Becket, The Lion in Winter, Goodbye Mr. Chips, The Ruling Class, The Stunt Man, My Favorite Year, Venus, Ratatouille)


My Choice: In a perfect world?

But since he's at least five years too old for the part...

Academy Award Nominee Jude Law (Cold Mountain, The Talented Mr. Ripley)


And there you have it. I think it's relatively good. But what do you think?

Casting Coup: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians

*Originally a post for the Hollmann Holiday Extravaganza, this bizarre look at one of the most notoriously awful movies to be shown on Mystery Science Theater 3000 was a lot of fun. It was also the first time I made Tuesday the official Dream Casts day. If some pics look more recent, they probably are -- the ones I hot-linked to in my LJ are hit-and-miss now, so I played it safe.*

Lately, I've spent Tuesdays (and one Friday) on presenting my casting choices for adaptations of novels, novellas, or already-filmed movies. I see no reason to stop, especially since the Christmas Season provides me with an opportunity to recreate the Single Greatest Christmas Special of All Time:




SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS!!!

Clearly, the original was not big-budget. Even on the poster, Santa and the children laugh at the stupid fake robot. But this only means that there is a lot of room for improvement.

Like, say, a sky's-the-limit budget featuring Oscar-caliber performances and a crew made up of the most respected people in the business?

SANTA CLAUS
Who is He: According to SCCTM, Santa is a confused alcoholic who thinks he can solve everyone's problems by chuckling inappropriately and giving in to ludicrous demands.



My Choice: Academy Award Nominee Albert Finney (Erin Brockovich [Supporting Actor], Murder on the Orient Express [Actor], etc.)




KIMAR
Who is He: Martian commander and pushover, suckered into kidnapping Santa by his over-demanding children. Also, "Kimar" is a type of gun.



My Choice: Academy Award Winner George Clooney (Syriana [Supporting Actor])




VOLDAR
Who is He: Martian douchebag, hates the idea of kidnapping Earth's mightiest senior citizen just to satisfy two kids that do absolutely nothing. Yes, the only sensible character is the villain.



My Choice: Academy Award Winner Kevin Spacey (American Beauty [Actor], The Usual Suspects [Supporting Actor])




DROPO
Who is He: The laziest man on Mars, he also takes care of Kilmar's children. Which explains a lot. He is also the unfunniest comic relief in movies.



My Choice: The second unfunniest comic relief was in The Scorpion King, and he was played by Academy Award Nominee Grant Heslov (Good Night, and Good Luck [Picture, Original Screenplay])




BILLY AND BETTY
Who are They: Little children who manage to butt into the Martians' plans, getting kidnapped along with Santa. Their parents never seem to worry, and Santa seems to forget they have any.



My Choice: Let's get some glamor in here. Billy is going to be college student who believes in aliens and Santa. Betty is his skeptical best friend (and maybe more!) who learns to follow her heart. As played by Academy Award Nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Brokeback Mountain [Supporting Actor]) and Academy Award Nominee Natalie Portman (Closer [Supporting Actress])




BOMAR AND GIRMAR
Who are They: The Martian children who somehow shanghai their father into kidnapping a beloved holiday icon. They sit in front of the television all day and complain. Then they laugh hysterically at almost nothing. They might be potheads.



My Choice: Children they shall remain, so that Billy and Betty can become foster parents (lord knows Kimar and his wife aren't attentive--they trust Dropo, for Scrooge's sake). I'm thinking future Academy Award Nominee Freddie Highmore and actual Academy Award Nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine [Supporting Actress]).






MOMAR
Who is She: Kilmar's wife. A waste of space.



My Choice: Academy Award Nominee (I frostin' hate that) Virginia Madsen (Sideways [Supporting Actress]), also a waste of space.




CHOCHEM
Who is He: The wise Martian elder who lives in the mountains, speaks in riddles, and whose lines were scripted by a senile scizophrenic while tripping on acid and mushrooms and Heaven knows what.



My Choice: Academy Award Nominee Peter O'Toole (Venus [Actor], My Favorite Year [Actor], etc.)




ANDY HENDERSON
Who is He: Television interviewer who, judging by his behavior, is about to be cancelled at any moment unless he comes up with something worthwhile.



My Choice: Radio personality Don Imus




MRS. CLAUS
Who is She: The power-mad, publicity-hungry matriarch of the North Pole. (I found it impossible to locate a photograph of the actress in this role. Did the pictures kill themselves out of shame?)

My Choice: Academy Award Winner Vanessa Redgrave (Julia [Supporting Actress]




THE POLAR BEAR
Who is He: Undoubtedly the greatest movie character of all time.



My Choice: Academy Award Winner Anthony Hopkins (The Silence of the Lambs [Actor])




What a cast! We can't miss!

We'll even have a cover of the original theme song (seen here: http://www.senortonto.com/christmas) as performed by Academy Award Nominee Dolly Parton (Transamerica [Original Song], Nine to Five [Original Song])!

Even a score by Academy Award Nominee Philip Glass (Notes on a Scandal [Original Score], The Hours [Original Score], etc.), whose music you can hear at various places, but most beautifully here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2a2he_koyaanisqatsi_music.

Directed by Martin Scorcese, it's a sure-fire hit!

*This is, of course, notable for being the first and only time I named a possible crew for a film as well. I never did it again. This is CASTING coup, not CREWING coup. Also, I misspelled Scorsese and originally had a song with lyrics and stuff. But, eh.*