Best Supporting Actress – 1982

Official Nominations: Jessica Lange. Glenn Close. Teri Garr. Kim Stanley. Lesley Ann Warren.

A solid if unremarkable list this year, with Jessica Lange picking up the win for Tootsie as a struggling actress in a dodgy relationship with her director. The weird thing is… it should be a Best Actress nomination, not a support. The support pick should stay with Teri Garr in the same movie as a somewhat more ditzy up and coming actress enamoured with Dustin Hoffman’s character. Both are good – Lange especially. Close is great in her debut, The World According To Garp, playing Robin Williams’ mother while Kim Stanley plays the mother of Frances Farmer (Lange again). She’s fine, but it’s a Lange vehicle. Finally, we get our mandatory musical nomination with Leslie Ann Warren as the somewhat unhinged gal to a local gangster. Fine.

My Winner: Jessica Lange

My Nominations: Sean Young. Adrienne Barbeau. Phoebe Cates. Karen Allen. Linda Hunt.

Lets get the silliness out of the way first – Linda Hunt wins this very award for The Year Of Living Dangerously in 1983. It’s a 1982 movie, so I’m sticking her here instead, for yet another gender/race-bending role. Questionable these days for numerous reasons, but she’s great.

Beyond Hunt, all of my nominations are new picks. Sean Young is the glassy eyed replicant, foil to Harrison Ford’s Deckard in Blade Runner and it remains the performance she is most remembered for – somehow more human than the people and machines around her, but with the same coldness which is so pervasive throughout the film. Phoebe Cates appears in her most iconic role as the literal girl of your dreams, but as with many of the characters in Fast Times, the writing and performances are such that she is elevated above a one note caricature into a well rounded coming of age icon.

Karen Allen attempts to break free of her Raiders Of The Lost Ark fame by playing as Albert Finney’s mistress in the gloomy Shoot The Moon, a film in which the wrong stars got the attention. Finally, I’ll allow myself a bit of a personal preference for Adrienne Barbeau as she gives one of the most memorable performances in any anthology movie, that of the sneering overbearing wife Wilma in Creepshow. She has a whale of time, as do we watching her.

My Winner: Linda Hunt

Let us know your winner in the comments!

Walk Of Fame Inductees – February 2015

To check the dubious reasoning behind these posts, check the original here:

https://carlosnightman.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/walk-of-fame-a-celebration-of-heroism/

In this new series of posts I’ll be selecting a Star at random from every decade (who was born in that decade) starting from the 1880s up until the 1990s to be interred in this land of magic and wonder, who will for ever more see their name set in stone far beyond the places where Gods dare to tread. Each name will have a unique star placed and statue built-in their honour. Often accompanying these additions will be news of a new store or museum to go alongside those stars whose work is of particular genius, and you too can visit and see the place of your dreams, simply by closing your eyes….

1880s: FW.Murnau: For contributions to Film. Murnau is the most famous of all the German Expressionists and a director whose European films were popular enough that he moved to Hollywood and continued success. Although many of his films are not lost, what remains are regarded as classics, including Nosferatu, Faust, and A Song Of Two Humans.

1890s: Mae West: For contributions to Film, Theatre, and Music. Mae West was one of the most versatile and controversial stars of early Hollywood, a popular name on the Vaudeville circuit before she began making movies. After being a major draw in the 1930s she continued on Radio and Broadway, giving risque performances filled with innuendo – once a new generation of filmmakers emerged in the 60s and 70s she became an icon again for her liberal views. Her works include I’m No Angel, Klondike Annie, and Belle Of The Nineties.

1900s: David Lean: For contributions to Film. Known primarily for his epics late in his career, Lean started out as an editor and eventually began directing a string of renowned British films before moving to Hollywood. Earning a Knighthood and two Oscar wins for Best Director, Lean is unquestionably one of Britain’s most successful directors whose influence remains today thanks to works including Lawrence Of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, and Brief Encounter. 

1910s: Frank Sinatra: For contributions to Film and Music. Although I can’t stand the man’s music, Sinatra also carved out possibly the most impressive filmography of any singer turned actor with works including From Here To Eternity, Ocean’s Eleven, and The Manchurian Candidate.

1920s: Blake Edwards: For contributions to Film, Theatre, and Television. Beginning his career as an actor before turning to writing and directing, most of his films were lighthearted fare but became immensely successful and his TV credits span five decades. He is remembered for works including The Pink Panther Series, Breakfast At Tiffany’s and Days Of Wine And Roses. 

1930s: Warren Beatty: For contributions to Film. One of the most successful stars of New Hollywood, Beatty has been nominated for 14 Oscars as actor, Director, Writer, and Producer and has had a string of enviable hits since the early 1960s. With charismatic performances in iconic films, Beatty is sure to be remembered as one of the most important figures of Cinema in the 20th Century thank to works such as Bonnie And Clyde, Reds, and Heaven Can Wait. 

1940s: Linda Hunt: For contributions to Film, Television, and Theatre. Successful as an actress in whatever field she has tried, it wasn’t until she was 35 that she became famous, leading to a long (Oscar Winning) career where her voice, stature, and performances have all combined to create memorable characters. She is known for works including Kindergarten Cop, The Year Of Living Dangerously, and NCIS. 

1950s: Miguel Ferrer: For contributions to Film and Television. Coming from Hollywood royalty, Ferrer nevertheless carved his own path starting out in one-time roles on 80s TV shows before greater success in movies. Ferrer continues to move between TV and movies and is known for works such as Robocop, Twin Peaks, and The Stand.

1960s: Michel Gondry: For contributions to Film, Television, and Music. Starting out as a musician and directing music videos for his band, Gondry began to film for other bands and make his own short films and commercials, gaining recognition for a unique visual style and snappy storytelling – it wasn’t until the turn of the century that he began making movies and picked up an Academy Award. He is known for works such as Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, The Science Of Sleep, and The Green Hornet. 

1970s: Gina Lee Nolan: For Contributions to Television. A career in modelling led Nolin to the small screen as one of the models on the US version of The Price Is Right. This exposure led Nolin to wider success as an actress, TV host, and blogger in works sich as Sheena and Baywatch. 

1980s: Emilie De Ravin: For contributions to Film and Television. Starting out with a promising dance and ballet background, Ravin landed a number of high profile roles in successful Television shows and has continued to act in both indie and mainstream movies. She is known for works including Lost, The Hills Have Eyes, and Once Upon A Time. 

1990s:  Rachel Hurd Wood: For contributions to Film. Alongside a career in modelling, Wood is known for successfully transitioning between child and adult acting thanks to performances in works including Peter Pan, An American Haunting, and Tomorrow When The War Began.

In addition to the Stars and Statues erected in honour of the people above, the following attractions have also been created:

In honour of Miguel Ferrer’s induction: the crime ridden New Detroit attraction has been created. This interactive real world video game sees the New Detroit of the Robocop series being built, with you entering the world as any type of person you wish to be. Spend a few nights or a few weeks in this world as you fight crime as a cop, or a Robocop or become a criminal and get all of those law-breaking murderous urges out of your system.

In honour of Emilie De Ravin’s induction: the Lost Experience has been created. Based on the hit TV show, you can explore full scale replicas of the Islands featured on the show. Decide how you arrive on the island – by boat, by helicopter, or for the fearless, by a virtual plane crash. While on the Island you can team up with others to gather supplies and camp together, spending lazy days on the beach in the sun, or the more adventurous can venture inland in search of the Island’s many mysteries – beware of the Smoke Monster.

What attractions can you dream up in honour of any of the inductees above? Let us know in the comments!