Revolution is a word that when most people think of they think of violence. Most people. The winner of the Best Picture in 1982 depicts a different type of revolution. It depicts a revolution that has lots of protests, but peaceful and nonviolent ones. It depicts a man who sought the best for his people but didn't want to cause a war. Gandhi was that man. He changed an entire world and got the best for his people by showing the world that peace and kindness can have just as much, if not more, change on the world the killing and threating people can. This marvelous film show the life of Gandhi and how he chose to change the world. It starts off with the injustice that kicked off his crusade. He was kicked off a train because he held a first class ticket. The train only allowed white first class passengers on the train. Since Gandhi is Hindu he was not allowed to be in that compartment even though he paid for the ticket. He told train line that was not going to third class. They threw him off the train at the next stop. This lead to him realizing how much injustice there was in India under the United Kingdom rule and decided he was going to change it in a peaceful way. It shows all of the great things he accomplished in his life before he was assassinated in 1948.
The mastermind behind this film is a man by the name of Richard Attenborough. This man produced and directed this film. This film was his passion project. This movie was released in 1982 but he had been waiting for 18 years before that to make the film. I can say that I had more than paid off. He, along with Columbia, took home the top honors of the night over: Columbia's own Tootsie; Universal's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Missing; and 20th Century Fox's The Verdict.
This film is so touching ever time I have seen it. Gandhi's life and his way of working are so inspiring! I don't know of anyone else in history that want able to unit a whole country of people in peaceful way the he has. Telling a story about one person can be very hard, especially if they are as loved as Gandhi is. Attenborough did a magnificent job of bringing Gandhi's story to the world and showing a glimpse into the man that Gandhi was.
Tuesday, November 7, 2017
Best Picture of 1981: Chariots of Fire
The Summer Olympics of 1924 was one of the most anticipated events to happen that year. For many it was to cheer on their nation in the games, for a select few it would be to compete. Chariots of Fire follows the story of two young men who are competing in the track and field potions of the races. Eric Liddell, who competes to give glory to God, and Harold Abrahams, who hopes his races help to overcome prejudice.
Nominated for seven Academy Awards Chariots of Fire would soon prove to be the best Enigma Film Productions had to offer. They took home the top prize after beating out: Cine-Neighbor's Atlantic City; ITC's On Golden Pond; Lucasfilm's Raiders of the Lost Ark; and Paramount's Reds.
I have to say this was a very inspiring movie. I was totally into from the first second the film came on. Everyone has heard that song either in a cartoon or another movie. Once the song comes on you want to know what happens. I loved the characters in this film. The fact that they are based off of real people is something that makes this film even more special. The research that went into this film is crazy! They went into film archives and real letters from the people that they are based on. I think that this film's research is what made it such a great film to enjoy.
Nominated for seven Academy Awards Chariots of Fire would soon prove to be the best Enigma Film Productions had to offer. They took home the top prize after beating out: Cine-Neighbor's Atlantic City; ITC's On Golden Pond; Lucasfilm's Raiders of the Lost Ark; and Paramount's Reds.
I have to say this was a very inspiring movie. I was totally into from the first second the film came on. Everyone has heard that song either in a cartoon or another movie. Once the song comes on you want to know what happens. I loved the characters in this film. The fact that they are based off of real people is something that makes this film even more special. The research that went into this film is crazy! They went into film archives and real letters from the people that they are based on. I think that this film's research is what made it such a great film to enjoy.
Monday, November 6, 2017
Best Picture of 1980: Ordinary People
Every family will suffer a heartache at some point. When is comes to the Jarretts theirs is almost too hard to handle. They are the ideal upper-middle class family looks like. Great house, happy marriage, they live comfortably with two sons. That is until one day when the kids go out on the boat and it starts to storm. Their oldest son doesn't make it home. Their family situation is now trying to reach a new normal, but with Beth, the mother, still trying to act like nothing has changed at all it sends their younger son into a crisis. Conrad just got back from the hospital from a suicide attempt. His father now feels like he is walking on eggshells around Conrad where his mother acts like he never was in the hospital. Conrad starts working with Dr. Berger, a therapist, to deal with his emotions about his brother's death and how his mother is treating him. When Conrad's father starts to see Dr. Berger as well they start to see that things have to change and they need to start to deal with the new normal.
Paramount really did well with Ordinary People. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won four of them. It was also one of the first times in film that psychiatric practice was shown in a positive light and the film received many praises for it! Ordinary People took home the Best Picture Award over: Universal's Coal Miner's Daughter; Paramount's own The Elephant Man; United Artists Raging Bull; and Renn Productions Tess.
This film takes a look at life after loss in a different way. Most films that deal with lost have a happy ending and this long process of getting to the issue. While some issues do still take a while to get to in this film, and some are never resolved in the short timeline, the big issue of getting help is taken care of rather quickly in the film. We start to see a development in the character early on rather than about half way through the film. We really see how every handle loss differently and how you handle loss can effect others. It does an amazing job at tackling big issue that movies haven't really done before like child loss and suicide. I think this is a movie that is underrated and need to be seen an appreciated more often.
Paramount really did well with Ordinary People. It was nominated for six Academy Awards and won four of them. It was also one of the first times in film that psychiatric practice was shown in a positive light and the film received many praises for it! Ordinary People took home the Best Picture Award over: Universal's Coal Miner's Daughter; Paramount's own The Elephant Man; United Artists Raging Bull; and Renn Productions Tess.
This film takes a look at life after loss in a different way. Most films that deal with lost have a happy ending and this long process of getting to the issue. While some issues do still take a while to get to in this film, and some are never resolved in the short timeline, the big issue of getting help is taken care of rather quickly in the film. We start to see a development in the character early on rather than about half way through the film. We really see how every handle loss differently and how you handle loss can effect others. It does an amazing job at tackling big issue that movies haven't really done before like child loss and suicide. I think this is a movie that is underrated and need to be seen an appreciated more often.
Best Picture of 1979: Kramer vs. Kramer
One of the darkest days of anyone's life is that day you find that your marriage is over. It's even harder when you don't see it coming. Ted Kramer was on of the ones that didn't know there was problems that his wife was having in their marriage until him came home from work and she said she was leaving. Confused and angry Ted spends the next few days in denial that Joanna was coming back. After a few weeks he realizes that she is not and starts getting his life back on track and creating a new routine and relationship with his son Billy. Fifteen months after Joanna leaves Ted finds that she is back in town. After not telling him where she was, and having hardly any communication with their son, Joanna says that she wants custody. Ted does not want this because she gave him fully custody in their divorce. Taking the issue to court is the only path they can take to come to agreement, but this a path is filled with sadness and heartache.
With this film being as heartfelt and emotional as it is you could think there would be some backlash or craziness in the making of this film. However, there doesn't seem to be. The only thing that I could see that shocked me is that this film has yet to be selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. However, I hope they do add it because I personally think that any film that wins Best Picture needs to be preserved. Columbia seemed to be the underdog in the Best Picture category this year because 20th Century Fox had 3 out of 5 nominations with: All That Jazz, Breaking Away, and Norma Rae. The other underdog was a company called Zoetrope and their movie nominated for Best Picture was Apocalypse Now.
Now this is a movie I can get behind. With the most of the 70's Best Picture Winners I did not like I was not thrilled to really watch this one. However, it took me by surprise. This movie was about so much more than divorce. This movie really showed a single dad life. Like their real life not the "ideal" single dad life. It a side that you don't even see much about today in films let alone a whole movie. Dustin Hoffman is spectacular in this film and really hits home on how much he loves this his kid and what he is willing to sacrifice for him. I some of the film is him finding and trying to keep his job because no one in his building understand what it means to be a single father. They are all so used to the mother taking care of the kid that having a full time father on their hands confuses them and they cut him no slack for all of the effort he is putting into his family life. I think this is a beautiful movie that really shows a shift in family dynamics.
With this film being as heartfelt and emotional as it is you could think there would be some backlash or craziness in the making of this film. However, there doesn't seem to be. The only thing that I could see that shocked me is that this film has yet to be selected for preservation by the National Film Registry. However, I hope they do add it because I personally think that any film that wins Best Picture needs to be preserved. Columbia seemed to be the underdog in the Best Picture category this year because 20th Century Fox had 3 out of 5 nominations with: All That Jazz, Breaking Away, and Norma Rae. The other underdog was a company called Zoetrope and their movie nominated for Best Picture was Apocalypse Now.
Now this is a movie I can get behind. With the most of the 70's Best Picture Winners I did not like I was not thrilled to really watch this one. However, it took me by surprise. This movie was about so much more than divorce. This movie really showed a single dad life. Like their real life not the "ideal" single dad life. It a side that you don't even see much about today in films let alone a whole movie. Dustin Hoffman is spectacular in this film and really hits home on how much he loves this his kid and what he is willing to sacrifice for him. I some of the film is him finding and trying to keep his job because no one in his building understand what it means to be a single father. They are all so used to the mother taking care of the kid that having a full time father on their hands confuses them and they cut him no slack for all of the effort he is putting into his family life. I think this is a beautiful movie that really shows a shift in family dynamics.
Best Picture of 1978: The Deer Hunter
War changes people. That is what everyone who has ever experienced war first hand will tell you. You come out different that who you were when you went in. The Deer Hunter is a movie that takes you on this journey or change. The story is about two brothers and their friends who experience the Vietnam War first hand. They go in young men with the idea of that war is a game and come back learning that they didn't know as much as they thought.
While this movie gives, what many people have said, a very realistic look at what was going on during the Vietnam War this movie did create controversy. One of the themes that plays through this movie is Russian Roulette. This very dangerous game was controversial in the movie not because of the game itself but because that is was used a "technique" by the Vietnamese in the movie. However, according to many historians there has never been any recorded instances of them using Russian Roulette at all. Regardless of the controversy Universal took home Best Picture that year beating out: United Artists' Coming Home; Paramount's Heaven Can Wait; Columbia's Midnight Express; and 20th Century Fox's An Unmarried Woman. The Deer Hunter also got the honor of being selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 1996.
Ok, this movie has been way better than the last three. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. What I did love was seeing all of these actors that I have grown up with in some of their very first roles. Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, and Robert Di Nero among some of them. I love to seeing the famous people in these roles and knowing what they have done since then. I may not have liked the movie totally over all but I did love the acting.
While this movie gives, what many people have said, a very realistic look at what was going on during the Vietnam War this movie did create controversy. One of the themes that plays through this movie is Russian Roulette. This very dangerous game was controversial in the movie not because of the game itself but because that is was used a "technique" by the Vietnamese in the movie. However, according to many historians there has never been any recorded instances of them using Russian Roulette at all. Regardless of the controversy Universal took home Best Picture that year beating out: United Artists' Coming Home; Paramount's Heaven Can Wait; Columbia's Midnight Express; and 20th Century Fox's An Unmarried Woman. The Deer Hunter also got the honor of being selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 1996.
Ok, this movie has been way better than the last three. I enjoyed it but I didn't love it. What I did love was seeing all of these actors that I have grown up with in some of their very first roles. Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken, and Robert Di Nero among some of them. I love to seeing the famous people in these roles and knowing what they have done since then. I may not have liked the movie totally over all but I did love the acting.
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Best Picture of 1977: Annie Hall
To be in love is an interesting thing. Never is it more interesting when it's between two completely different people. That is never more true than the story of Annie Hall. Annie and Alvy are two people on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Annie is outgoing and hopeful about the world around her. Where Alvy is a bit more introverted and doesn't see everything in sunshine. Yet, they fall in love and try to work through their problems together... if only for a little while.
Woody Allen and United Artiest made a great combination in 1977 with this film. Annie Hall beat out: 20th Century Fox's Julia and The Turning Point; MGM's The Goodbye Girl; and Lucasfilm's Star Wars. In 1992 Annie Hall was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.
Like I said in the last post 70's films seem to not be my jam. I was not a fan of this movie either. I found it very boring and way too long. I am more than shocked that this film beat out Star Wars for Best Picture.
Woody Allen and United Artiest made a great combination in 1977 with this film. Annie Hall beat out: 20th Century Fox's Julia and The Turning Point; MGM's The Goodbye Girl; and Lucasfilm's Star Wars. In 1992 Annie Hall was selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.
Like I said in the last post 70's films seem to not be my jam. I was not a fan of this movie either. I found it very boring and way too long. I am more than shocked that this film beat out Star Wars for Best Picture.
Best Picture of 1976: Rocky
The World Heavyweight Championship is an honor in boxing that only a handful have achieved. Many spend years working their way to be able to compete for such a title. When Apollo Creed puts his championship on the line his contender can no longer fight due to an injury. When he finds that all other fighters are unable to compete he announces that a unknown local will have the opportunity to fight for the belt. Rocky Balboa is the lucky boxers that gets the chance to step into the ring and face Apollo Creed. He has five weeks to go from second rate boxer to one of the greatest of all time.
Rocky is a film that was lovingly put together by Sylvester Stallone. He wrote the screenplay in about three days and sold the script to United Artist. Taking up after he character Rocky Balboa, Stallone had to fight for his movie to be made how he saw fit. United Artist wanted to cast someone like Robert Redford or Burt Reynolds for the part of Rocky. Stallone wanted the role for himself. It ended up paying off. Rocky made Stallone a huge star almost over night, was the highest grossing film in 1976, and went on to produce six sequels for the franchise. Rocky knocked out United Artists' own Bound for Glory; Warner Brothers' All the President's Men; MGM's Network; and Columbia's Taxi Driver. In 2006 Rocky also had the honor of being selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.
I am just going to think I hate all 70's movies. I don't think I have liked any of the Best Picture Winners so far in the 70's except The Sting. Other than that nothing. This film I felt was just a boring as the rest of them. I know that is a film that people totally love and totally relate to but I don't. I don't see the appeal in this film. I don't see why it's so loved by many. I also can not tell you if I thought it was just the movie as a whole or the acting. With The Godfather I can tell you that I did not like how the movie was set up. I loved the acting and the actors but I did not like the screenplay. This movie I think it was just all of it. I am not fond of Stallone to begin with and the fact that he wrote it really shows. I don't think it was a well put together film and I do not think it should have won this award.
Rocky is a film that was lovingly put together by Sylvester Stallone. He wrote the screenplay in about three days and sold the script to United Artist. Taking up after he character Rocky Balboa, Stallone had to fight for his movie to be made how he saw fit. United Artist wanted to cast someone like Robert Redford or Burt Reynolds for the part of Rocky. Stallone wanted the role for himself. It ended up paying off. Rocky made Stallone a huge star almost over night, was the highest grossing film in 1976, and went on to produce six sequels for the franchise. Rocky knocked out United Artists' own Bound for Glory; Warner Brothers' All the President's Men; MGM's Network; and Columbia's Taxi Driver. In 2006 Rocky also had the honor of being selected for preservation by the National Film Registry.
I am just going to think I hate all 70's movies. I don't think I have liked any of the Best Picture Winners so far in the 70's except The Sting. Other than that nothing. This film I felt was just a boring as the rest of them. I know that is a film that people totally love and totally relate to but I don't. I don't see the appeal in this film. I don't see why it's so loved by many. I also can not tell you if I thought it was just the movie as a whole or the acting. With The Godfather I can tell you that I did not like how the movie was set up. I loved the acting and the actors but I did not like the screenplay. This movie I think it was just all of it. I am not fond of Stallone to begin with and the fact that he wrote it really shows. I don't think it was a well put together film and I do not think it should have won this award.
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