So far in this challenge we've seen Harrison Ford play the all-action hero both as Han Solo in Star Was and as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Although he's played a supporting role in other genres, such as small roles in American Graffiti and The Conversation, for the most part he's been all abut the action. However, towards the end of the decade, Ford began to broaden his repertoire playing a cop desperate to protect a young boy and a businessman who has his head turned in an unlikely direction.
Ford received his only ever Oscar nomination for his role in Best Picture nominee Witness where he played a by-the-book police officer. Ford's John Book is drafted in to investigate the murder of a fellow officer in the toilets of 30th Street Station in Philadelphia. The murder's only witness is eight-year-old Samuel Lapp, a member of the Amish community who has rarely been outside of his family's farm. His widowed mother Rachel is unhappy with the way that Book is using Samuel to find the killer and wants to get out of the city as soon a possible. Samuel later discovers that the man he saw was a police officer which leads to Book finding out about a number of corrupt officers including his own boss. Realising that these corrupt officers will try to get to Samuel, an injured Book drives them to safety as they return to their family home. Rachel's father-in-law agrees to take Book in until heals, partly as he wants to protect Samuel. Rather predictably Rachel starts developing feelings for Book, however this doesn't sit well with the elders of the community who feel she may be shunned as a result of this relationship. Book is similarly attracted to Rachel but realises that any romance would cost her a way of life that both she and Samuel have become accustomed to. A violent altercation soon alerts the corrupt officers to Book's whereabouts which leads to an intense showdown in a cow barn.
In the wrong hands, Witness could have just been a paint by numbers thriller that was nothing more than a bit of mindless entertainment. Luckily writers Earl W. Wallace and William Kelley alongside director Peter Weir had a vision for the film that they more than successfully pulled off. Weir excels at putting together several set pieces which perfectly drive along the action of the film. These set pieces include the brilliantly choreographed opening murder scene in the bathroom and later the rather tender moment where Book and Rachel dance in the barn. It's this romance between Book and Rachel that raises Witness above the simple thriller story and really offers up some interesting themes about desire and community. The way the Amish community is treated in modern society is another area that the film looks at it great detail. Due to their horse-drawn carts and distinctive costume, the Amish are treated as fools by some and as tourist attractions by others. It's arguably Book's understanding of the Amish culture that helps him get through his difficult time and even aids him in bumping off one of his attackers. Ford is really great in the role of Book as he transforms him over the period of the film into someone who is a lot more tolerant of others' beliefs. Ford shares brilliant chemistry with Kelly McGillis as the naive Rachel who herself puts in an excellent performance. McGillis was cruelly overlooked in the Best Actress category which is a shame as I feel her role is the more sympathetic and she was particularly brilliant during the more tender moments. Young Lukas Haas' wide-eyed expressions lent a believability to the role of Samuel as he was able to portray his innocence of modern life with ease. The film was bolstered by some fantastic cinematography from John Seale who let his camera capture every detail of Amish country. Similarly beneficial was the Oscar-nominated score from the legendary Maurice Jarre which perfectly suited the tone of the film. Witness did have a few minor problems, most notably the fact that the corrupt officers felt a little clichéd, but I found it involving from beginning to end. More than anything it proved that Ford could thrive in a role in which he was able to do more than simply run around and offer the odd quip when needed.
Ford later proved that he was the perfect comedy straight man as the only central male figure in another Best Picture nominee, Working Girl. The film itself primarily focused on Tess McGill, a young working-class woman who is hoping to rise from her position as a secretary. Tess has a business degree from night school but still isn't taken seriously by her male superiors who view her mainly as a piece of skirt. Fired from yet another position, Tess is given the job of assistant to financial executive Katharine Parker. Katharine initially seems like the perfect boss and wants her and Tess to work as a team. Tess comes to Katharine with the idea of having their client Trask Industries invest in a radio station with Katharine seemingly on board with the idea. Katharine later tells Tess that the idea was rejected by her superiors but she later discovers that her boss is simply going to pass the idea off as her own. When Katharine is injured on a skiing holiday, Tess gains access to her home and dresses up in her clothes to transform herself into an executive. Posing as one of Katharine's colleagues, Tess goes to a party in the hope of meeting Ford's Jack Trainer with whom she will later have a meeting with. Their initial meeting ends up with Tess waking up in Jack's bed but she later discovers that his team are on board with her idea. As Tess and Jack begin working together, an attraction grows between the pair and they are soon able to convince Trask to meet with them after crashing his daughter's wedding. However, Katharine's return brings with it a whole heap of problems not least the fact that she and Jack were involved in a relationship prior to her injury. At the end of the day it's up to Tess to break through the class barrier and prove that she does belong in a boardroom with the other financial executives.
I was almost immediately charmed by Working Girl during its opening sequence which featured commuters on the Staten Island Ferry making their daily trip into work. The whole sequence was accompanied by Carly Simon's 'Let the River Run' which would later go on to win the Oscar for Best Song. One of the film's greatest attributes is Kevin Wade's brilliantly paced script which engrosses you from the word go. He creates four or five characters who feeling incredibly realistic and all of whom you're willing to spend just under two hours with. Tess in particular is a character that I'm sure a vast majority of people can identify with namely a lowly worker who is a lot smarter than those who are promoted above her due to who they know rather than what they can do. Melanie Griffith is fantastic as Tess and excels in a film in which she appears in almost every scene. She brings a certain sense of style to the role which is perfect for a character who sometimes thinks before she acts. Sigourney Weaver is equally fantastic as Katharine a woman who appears to be everybody's friend but in actuality is simply out for herself. Weaver's cool exterior is the perfect balance with Griffith's more zany antics which makes you believe that they are complete polar opposites. Joan Cusack lends great support as Griffith's similarly wacky friend Cynthia whilst Alec Baldwin puts in a memorable turn as Tess' cheating boyfriend. Griffith, Weaver and Cusack all received nominations for their roles in the film as did director Mike Nichols who here presents another perfectly constructed piece of work. Meanwhile, though not recognised by the Academy, Ford was able to showcase another side of his personality and was the perfect foil for both Griffith and Weaver's romantic affections. At points it seemed that Ford was simply there to act as eye candy but I felt he held his own and has some wonderful chemistry with his leading ladies. Ultimately I found Working Girl to be an intelligent comedy which had a lot to say about class and gender whilst at the same time making a star out of its leading lady.
In the coming years, Ford would mainly be known for more roles in action films which is a shame as both Witness and Working Girl demonstrate that he's an actor who can turn his hand to many different genres.
Next time we have a Best Picture winner that really struck a chord with the Academy voters.
Showing posts with label Danny Glover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Danny Glover. Show all posts
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Thursday, 20 March 2014
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 276-277: Field of Gold
In my last post I looked at On Golden Pond which featured the final Best Actress winning performance from Katharine Hepburn. Hepburn is famous for being the only woman in history to win the Best Actress prize a total of four times a record that has never been matched. Despite all her nominations, Meryl Streep has only won the prize twice as have Elizabeth Taylor, Jane Fonda and Luise Rainer.
One name whose missing from that list is Sally Field, whose two wins both came during ceremonies in the 1980s. In fact Field's first win came for a film up for Best Picture at the 1980 ceremony in which she played the title character of Norma Rae. Based on the story of Crystal Lee Sutton, Norma Rae Webster is a cotton mill worker in a small Southern town. When we meet her she has two children by two different men and lives with her parents both of whom work alongside her. We learn early on that Norma Rae makes ill-advised decisions as we see her conducting an affair with a married man. However she soon finds love with Sonny, a man with a young daughter who Norma Rae soon raises as her own. At the same time as meeting Sonny, Norma Rae also has several encounters with Reuben Warshowsky, a union organiser who has come to the town hoping to unionise the mill employees. However a lot of the residents are set in their ways and view the union as bad news especially considering how the mill bosses generally treat those who wish to join. But Norma Rae is unmoved in her determination and soon agrees to help Reuben in anyway she can, a move that upsets certain people around her. As she begins to devote more of her time to helping Reuben, Sonny begins to feel neglected and their relationship suffers as a result. But finally, after the death of her father, Norma Rae takes the biggest stand imaginable and this results in some really tear-jerking scenes.
There are a lot of films like Norma Rae being made to this day and their sole intent is to be nominated for as many awards as possible. In fact films such as Erin Brockovich and North Country owe a enormous debt to the film as they share both a similar structure and a story about a single mother attempting to rise above the system and do the right. I feel that if I'd watched Norma Rae when it was first released I might have a bit less of a cynical attitude than I do it in 2014. However I have to admit that the film did move me in its final moments as the factory employees agree to be unionised. The film does do exactly what is says on the tin as this is a story about Norma Rae first and foremost. Screenwriters Harriet Frank, Jr. and Irving Ravetch make Norma Rae feel like a real person as she's a woman who has her faults but has a genuine heart of gold. In addition they paint the picture of the close-knit community perfectly a theme heightened thanks to Martin Ritt's assured direction. But, at the heart of Norma Rae, is the outstanding central performance from Sally Field who at the time was a relative newcomer. Field combines a strength and vulnerability to create a heroine that we just want to succeed at whatever she decides to do. Her performance is what makes the film so captivating and without her I feel Norma Rae could have lapsed into melodrama fairly easily. Ultimately, while not a classic, Norma Rae is a solid feelgood film that has a cracking central performance from an actress who would receive more accolades later in the decade.
Field's second Best Actress win was for her performance as a struggling widow in Places in the Heart. The film, set during the American depression, sees Field's Edna Spalding become a widow when her sheriff husband is accidentally shot and killed. Realising that her husband was still repaying money he borrowed to buy the family farm, Edna is faced with the prospect of moving of splitting up her family. Instead of leaving the house, Edna decides to grow cotton on the land with help from black drifter Moze. Edna gets another lodger when the banker who she owes money to suggests that his blind brother-in-law Mr Will moves in. Mr Will is initially hostile to Edna, and even scolds her children, but later he bonds with the Spalding brood. Edna's new ramshackle family eventually realise that they need to harvest the cotton as soon as possible and get the price for it so Edna can keep the farm. But soon Moze faces difficulty from the racist townsfolk and Will is forced to use all of his facilities to help his new found friend. If this were the only story in Places in the Heart then I may have enjoyed the film a lot more but unfortunately there was a subplot involving Edna's siter and her philandering husband. Edna's brother-in-law Wayne is seen to be having an affair with the local schoolteacher Viola and their story plays out alongside Edna's. However, I found this plot to be utterly pointless and it should have been written out of the film altogether.
In fact one of Places in the Heart's main issues is its script, so it makes it all the more surprising that the other Oscar it won was for Best Adapted Screenplay. Whilst I understand that the screenwriters wanted to remain faithful to the original story, I found the Wayne subplot really didn't fit in with what the rest of the film was trying to do. Like Norma Rae, Places in the Heart is another story of a single woman trying to cope in a male-dominated society. The theme of the outcast is quite prevalent throughout as we have a woman, a black man and a blind man all living together and trying to make the best of a bad situation. Although the story is disjointed, Places in the Heart more than makes up for it with some wonderful cinematography. The period detail is wonderfully realised and cinematographer Néstor Almendros shoots the Texas landscape beautifully. I personally feel that Field's performance isn't a patch on her turn in Norma Rae and she really didn't make me care about the character of Edna very much at all. The performance of the film actually came from John Malkovich as Mr Will as I found his transformation to be utterly believable. Danny Glover similarly excelled as the likeable Moze and his turn here was a million miles away from his performance in The Color Purple. Oddly, Places in the Heart's lasting legacy isn't anything in the film but rather Field's Oscar Speech in which she let out the iconic line, "I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!" Unfortunately, I didn't like the film as much as the academy like Field's performance as I found it overly sentimental with a disjointed story albeit one that has some fine supporting turns and some brilliant cinematography.
Next up we take it back a century with an adaptation of a classic piece of English Literature.
One name whose missing from that list is Sally Field, whose two wins both came during ceremonies in the 1980s. In fact Field's first win came for a film up for Best Picture at the 1980 ceremony in which she played the title character of Norma Rae. Based on the story of Crystal Lee Sutton, Norma Rae Webster is a cotton mill worker in a small Southern town. When we meet her she has two children by two different men and lives with her parents both of whom work alongside her. We learn early on that Norma Rae makes ill-advised decisions as we see her conducting an affair with a married man. However she soon finds love with Sonny, a man with a young daughter who Norma Rae soon raises as her own. At the same time as meeting Sonny, Norma Rae also has several encounters with Reuben Warshowsky, a union organiser who has come to the town hoping to unionise the mill employees. However a lot of the residents are set in their ways and view the union as bad news especially considering how the mill bosses generally treat those who wish to join. But Norma Rae is unmoved in her determination and soon agrees to help Reuben in anyway she can, a move that upsets certain people around her. As she begins to devote more of her time to helping Reuben, Sonny begins to feel neglected and their relationship suffers as a result. But finally, after the death of her father, Norma Rae takes the biggest stand imaginable and this results in some really tear-jerking scenes.
There are a lot of films like Norma Rae being made to this day and their sole intent is to be nominated for as many awards as possible. In fact films such as Erin Brockovich and North Country owe a enormous debt to the film as they share both a similar structure and a story about a single mother attempting to rise above the system and do the right. I feel that if I'd watched Norma Rae when it was first released I might have a bit less of a cynical attitude than I do it in 2014. However I have to admit that the film did move me in its final moments as the factory employees agree to be unionised. The film does do exactly what is says on the tin as this is a story about Norma Rae first and foremost. Screenwriters Harriet Frank, Jr. and Irving Ravetch make Norma Rae feel like a real person as she's a woman who has her faults but has a genuine heart of gold. In addition they paint the picture of the close-knit community perfectly a theme heightened thanks to Martin Ritt's assured direction. But, at the heart of Norma Rae, is the outstanding central performance from Sally Field who at the time was a relative newcomer. Field combines a strength and vulnerability to create a heroine that we just want to succeed at whatever she decides to do. Her performance is what makes the film so captivating and without her I feel Norma Rae could have lapsed into melodrama fairly easily. Ultimately, while not a classic, Norma Rae is a solid feelgood film that has a cracking central performance from an actress who would receive more accolades later in the decade.
Field's second Best Actress win was for her performance as a struggling widow in Places in the Heart. The film, set during the American depression, sees Field's Edna Spalding become a widow when her sheriff husband is accidentally shot and killed. Realising that her husband was still repaying money he borrowed to buy the family farm, Edna is faced with the prospect of moving of splitting up her family. Instead of leaving the house, Edna decides to grow cotton on the land with help from black drifter Moze. Edna gets another lodger when the banker who she owes money to suggests that his blind brother-in-law Mr Will moves in. Mr Will is initially hostile to Edna, and even scolds her children, but later he bonds with the Spalding brood. Edna's new ramshackle family eventually realise that they need to harvest the cotton as soon as possible and get the price for it so Edna can keep the farm. But soon Moze faces difficulty from the racist townsfolk and Will is forced to use all of his facilities to help his new found friend. If this were the only story in Places in the Heart then I may have enjoyed the film a lot more but unfortunately there was a subplot involving Edna's siter and her philandering husband. Edna's brother-in-law Wayne is seen to be having an affair with the local schoolteacher Viola and their story plays out alongside Edna's. However, I found this plot to be utterly pointless and it should have been written out of the film altogether.
In fact one of Places in the Heart's main issues is its script, so it makes it all the more surprising that the other Oscar it won was for Best Adapted Screenplay. Whilst I understand that the screenwriters wanted to remain faithful to the original story, I found the Wayne subplot really didn't fit in with what the rest of the film was trying to do. Like Norma Rae, Places in the Heart is another story of a single woman trying to cope in a male-dominated society. The theme of the outcast is quite prevalent throughout as we have a woman, a black man and a blind man all living together and trying to make the best of a bad situation. Although the story is disjointed, Places in the Heart more than makes up for it with some wonderful cinematography. The period detail is wonderfully realised and cinematographer Néstor Almendros shoots the Texas landscape beautifully. I personally feel that Field's performance isn't a patch on her turn in Norma Rae and she really didn't make me care about the character of Edna very much at all. The performance of the film actually came from John Malkovich as Mr Will as I found his transformation to be utterly believable. Danny Glover similarly excelled as the likeable Moze and his turn here was a million miles away from his performance in The Color Purple. Oddly, Places in the Heart's lasting legacy isn't anything in the film but rather Field's Oscar Speech in which she let out the iconic line, "I can't deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me!" Unfortunately, I didn't like the film as much as the academy like Field's performance as I found it overly sentimental with a disjointed story albeit one that has some fine supporting turns and some brilliant cinematography.
Next up we take it back a century with an adaptation of a classic piece of English Literature.
Friday, 14 March 2014
Matt's Big Oscar Challenge Days 272-274: The King of the Blockbuster
Back in the mid-1970s we saw that rise of the blockbuster film with Best Picture nominees such as Jaws and Star Wars leading the way. It would be the directors of these two films, Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, who would become synonymous with the blockbuster throughout the following decades. Spielberg in particular would be hailed as the king of the blockbuster after helming four of the 1980s top ten grossing films, two of which were nominated for Best Picture.
In fact the first of these two major blockbusters was a combination between Lucas and Spielberg with the former creating the character of Indiana Jones and the latter helming his first big screen adventure - Raiders of the Lost Ark. According to folklore, the idea was cooked up after Spielberg voiced his desire to direct a James Bond film. Lucas informed his friend that the 'Indiana' character he'd been working on, based on Stuart Grainger heroes of the 1950s, would be an ideal fit. Alongside the film's eventual screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, the pair hammered out various ideas for what would become Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Indiana Jones character eventually became an archaeology professor and treasure hunter who, in this first instalment, is tasked by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant. The reason for their haste is due to the fact that the Nazis are also after the Ark and conveniently have hired Jones' arch rival Belloq as their head archaeologist. Jones soon runs into his old flame Marion in a bar in Nepal and she has an encounter with the dreaded Nazis before teaming up with Indiana. The majority of the action takes place in Cario where Jones must outwit Belloq and the Nazis and keep Marion safe at the same time.
After the success of Star Wars, you would think that anything with George Lucas' name attached to it would be snapped up instantly. But once again the major studios turned down the Indiana Jones franchise as they felt the story was too over-the-top. Whilst they were right there's no denying that Raiders of the Lost Ark is an incredibly enjoyable watch and is still entertaining over thirty years later. Part of the charm of the Indiana Jones character is the old-fashioned nature of the plot and the square-jawed look of the central character. Playing a slight variation on the Han Solo character, Harrison Ford is perfectly reserved when he needs to be but also shares great chemistry with Karen Allen as Marion. The swashbuckling nature of the plot is neatly counterbalanced by the amount of special effects that were available to film-makers in the 1980s. Indeed, Raiders of the Lost Ark did go on to win the Visual Effects Oscar, which I believe it deserved for the face-melting scene alone. The film won a further four Oscars, all in the visual and technical categories, however unfortunately composer John Williams didn't win an award for his score. Like with all of the Spielberg films he's worked with, Williams' score enhances the mood of the film and helps to convey the character's emotions. Despite it not being as deep as other Best Picture nominees, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a thoroughly enjoyable romp with a well-written story and some great visuals. It's a shame that not more action adventure films get nominated for Oscars but then a lot of them today are simply cheap carbon copies of this brilliant Spielberg original.
One year later, Spielberg had another film in the Best Picture category and this offering would go on to surpass Star Wars as the highest grossing film of all time. The film was E.T. and was loosely based on the imaginary friend that Spielberg created following the divorce of his parents. The lead character in E.T., Henry Thomas' Elliot, is also the child of a recent divorce and currently lives with his mother, brother and sister in California. Whilst his mother still hasn't completely gotten over her divorce, his older brother Michael has taken over as the man of the house and often chastises Elliot for his child-like behaviour. Both his mother and brother don't believe him when he tells them he's encountered a 'goblin' in the back yard that is until he takes him into the house. Eventually, Michael and Elliot decide that their goblin is an extra-terrestrial and has come from outer space. The brothers decide to keep E.T.'s presence a secret from their mother and swear their sister Gertie to secrecy when she accidentally discovers the creature. E.T.'s arrival appears to create a bonding experience for the siblings as they attempt to help him get back to his home planet. But this is easier said than done when government agents swarm the house and quarantine both Elliot and E.T. This sets up a couple of dazzling final scenes that have since gone down as some of the most famous cinematic moments of all time. In fact, one iconic bike ride in particular would later become the calling card for Spielberg's own Amblin Entertainment Production Company.
Like most people of my age I have watched E.T. several times, usually when it airs on the TV over the Christmas holidays. But this is the first time that I really thought about the film as a whole and mostly about how simplistic it all is. Nothing much happens in terms of the story but at the same time it's a film you'll always remember for a number of reasons. Firstly E.T. itself is a wonderful creation, an iconic screen figure whose pointy illuminated finger is a thing of beauty. Secondly, I feel that the three child actors are all brilliant and add a sense of realism to an otherwise fantastical film. Interestingly the majority of the film was shot in chronological order primarily to get the best reactions from the children. Henry Thomas is totally great as Elliot whilst a young Drew Barrymore steals every scene she's in as the fantastic Gertie. Adding some humanity to the film is Dee Wallace as Elliot's mother who portrays the role of a single mother getting over a divorce beautifully. It's this family aspect that gives E.T. its edge and it's easy to see how Spielberg drew on his own childhood to create the central brood. Allen Daviau's camera captures all of the wonderment that Spielberg can throw at it and is particularly brilliant at filming Elliot and E.T.'s first meeting. Finally, I feel that John Williams' score is vital to the film's success as it contains very little dialogue and at times his accompaniment feels like that of a pianist during a silent film. Williams' score was honoured with one of the film's four Oscars with awards also given for achievement in Sound, Sound Editing and Visual Effects. Furthermore the director of that year's Best Picture claimed that E.T. deserved to win but you'll have to wait to find out who that was and what film they won for.
Three years after E.T.'s nomination, Spileberg would have another film in consideration for the top prize. But, unlike his previous Best Picture offerings, The Color Purple was an entirely different beast and demonstrated a new side to the director that he would enhance over the coming decades. Based on Alice Walker's book, the film looks over thirty years in the life of Celie Harris, a young black woman who had a terrible life. We discover immediately that Celie is the victim of sexual abuse from her father and that she has produced two children as a result. She's soon sold on to the despicable Albert Johnson, who really wants to be with her sister Nettie, who basically treats her as a servant. When Nettie rejects Albert's advances he sends her away and Celie eventually believes her sister is dead. Celie's life is improved by two women, the first of whom is Sofia, a woman who later goes on to become her daughter-in-law. Sofia is someone who, unlike Celie, won't be treated like a victim and often hits back at men who hit her. The other woman is jazz singer Shug Avery, Albert's one true love, who takes a shine to the nervous Celie. Over their time together Shug teaches Celie to come out of her skin and eventually helps her find the letters that Nettie sent to her. By the end of the tale everybody has redeemed themselves so to speak and the film concludes with a tearful finale that is incredibly moving for those who don't possess a hear of stone.
The Color Purple was seen as Spielberg's foray into 'serious film-making' and it definitely got a mixed critical reaction on its release. Some felt that Spielberg was tugging at the heartstrings a little too much whilst others felt he was sugar-coating the plight of black people during the early 20th century. While I can certainly see their points, my main problem was that it took so long to get going. Although it's understandable that Spielberg wanted to establish the relationship between Nettie and Celie, the first thirty minutes dragged for me as we had to rattle through a large amount of exposition. The film really got going when Whoopi Goldberg took over playing the role of Celie as her performance was truly stupendous. Goldberg's tender take on the character makes you really care about Celie and she makes every single moment count when she's on screen. The appearances of both Sofia and Shug made the saga progress even faster and from that point on I was completely engrossed until the end credits rolled. This was partly down to the performances of Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery both of whom steal the show in their various appearances. Winfrey starts out by making Sofia a force to be reckoned with before pulling it back to portray her world-weary nature. Similarly, Avery makes Shug a force of nature but changes the character as the years go by, plus she has an amazing singing voice. All three ladies were nominated for acting awards at that year's Oscars but none of the trio were victorious which, in the case of Goldberg, is a disgrace. In fact the film has the dubious honour of receiving eleven nominations without getting a single win. Though the film does have problems, I felt that it was beautifully shot, wonderfully acted and included a brilliant score from the excellent Quincy Jones.
Throughout the rest of his career, Spielberg would go on to balance his output as he continued to create blockbusters while at the same time harnessing his love for the so-called 'serious films'. It would be these historical pictures which would net him two Best Director Oscars in the next decade and one of them would grab the Best Picture honour also. But for now at least we have to bid adieu to Mr Spielberg as we see what else the 1980s has to offer.
Next up we have the final major film by two stars who've cropped up numerous times during this blog.
In fact the first of these two major blockbusters was a combination between Lucas and Spielberg with the former creating the character of Indiana Jones and the latter helming his first big screen adventure - Raiders of the Lost Ark. According to folklore, the idea was cooked up after Spielberg voiced his desire to direct a James Bond film. Lucas informed his friend that the 'Indiana' character he'd been working on, based on Stuart Grainger heroes of the 1950s, would be an ideal fit. Alongside the film's eventual screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan, the pair hammered out various ideas for what would become Raiders of the Lost Ark. The Indiana Jones character eventually became an archaeology professor and treasure hunter who, in this first instalment, is tasked by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant. The reason for their haste is due to the fact that the Nazis are also after the Ark and conveniently have hired Jones' arch rival Belloq as their head archaeologist. Jones soon runs into his old flame Marion in a bar in Nepal and she has an encounter with the dreaded Nazis before teaming up with Indiana. The majority of the action takes place in Cario where Jones must outwit Belloq and the Nazis and keep Marion safe at the same time.
After the success of Star Wars, you would think that anything with George Lucas' name attached to it would be snapped up instantly. But once again the major studios turned down the Indiana Jones franchise as they felt the story was too over-the-top. Whilst they were right there's no denying that Raiders of the Lost Ark is an incredibly enjoyable watch and is still entertaining over thirty years later. Part of the charm of the Indiana Jones character is the old-fashioned nature of the plot and the square-jawed look of the central character. Playing a slight variation on the Han Solo character, Harrison Ford is perfectly reserved when he needs to be but also shares great chemistry with Karen Allen as Marion. The swashbuckling nature of the plot is neatly counterbalanced by the amount of special effects that were available to film-makers in the 1980s. Indeed, Raiders of the Lost Ark did go on to win the Visual Effects Oscar, which I believe it deserved for the face-melting scene alone. The film won a further four Oscars, all in the visual and technical categories, however unfortunately composer John Williams didn't win an award for his score. Like with all of the Spielberg films he's worked with, Williams' score enhances the mood of the film and helps to convey the character's emotions. Despite it not being as deep as other Best Picture nominees, Raiders of the Lost Ark is a thoroughly enjoyable romp with a well-written story and some great visuals. It's a shame that not more action adventure films get nominated for Oscars but then a lot of them today are simply cheap carbon copies of this brilliant Spielberg original.
One year later, Spielberg had another film in the Best Picture category and this offering would go on to surpass Star Wars as the highest grossing film of all time. The film was E.T. and was loosely based on the imaginary friend that Spielberg created following the divorce of his parents. The lead character in E.T., Henry Thomas' Elliot, is also the child of a recent divorce and currently lives with his mother, brother and sister in California. Whilst his mother still hasn't completely gotten over her divorce, his older brother Michael has taken over as the man of the house and often chastises Elliot for his child-like behaviour. Both his mother and brother don't believe him when he tells them he's encountered a 'goblin' in the back yard that is until he takes him into the house. Eventually, Michael and Elliot decide that their goblin is an extra-terrestrial and has come from outer space. The brothers decide to keep E.T.'s presence a secret from their mother and swear their sister Gertie to secrecy when she accidentally discovers the creature. E.T.'s arrival appears to create a bonding experience for the siblings as they attempt to help him get back to his home planet. But this is easier said than done when government agents swarm the house and quarantine both Elliot and E.T. This sets up a couple of dazzling final scenes that have since gone down as some of the most famous cinematic moments of all time. In fact, one iconic bike ride in particular would later become the calling card for Spielberg's own Amblin Entertainment Production Company.
Like most people of my age I have watched E.T. several times, usually when it airs on the TV over the Christmas holidays. But this is the first time that I really thought about the film as a whole and mostly about how simplistic it all is. Nothing much happens in terms of the story but at the same time it's a film you'll always remember for a number of reasons. Firstly E.T. itself is a wonderful creation, an iconic screen figure whose pointy illuminated finger is a thing of beauty. Secondly, I feel that the three child actors are all brilliant and add a sense of realism to an otherwise fantastical film. Interestingly the majority of the film was shot in chronological order primarily to get the best reactions from the children. Henry Thomas is totally great as Elliot whilst a young Drew Barrymore steals every scene she's in as the fantastic Gertie. Adding some humanity to the film is Dee Wallace as Elliot's mother who portrays the role of a single mother getting over a divorce beautifully. It's this family aspect that gives E.T. its edge and it's easy to see how Spielberg drew on his own childhood to create the central brood. Allen Daviau's camera captures all of the wonderment that Spielberg can throw at it and is particularly brilliant at filming Elliot and E.T.'s first meeting. Finally, I feel that John Williams' score is vital to the film's success as it contains very little dialogue and at times his accompaniment feels like that of a pianist during a silent film. Williams' score was honoured with one of the film's four Oscars with awards also given for achievement in Sound, Sound Editing and Visual Effects. Furthermore the director of that year's Best Picture claimed that E.T. deserved to win but you'll have to wait to find out who that was and what film they won for.
Three years after E.T.'s nomination, Spileberg would have another film in consideration for the top prize. But, unlike his previous Best Picture offerings, The Color Purple was an entirely different beast and demonstrated a new side to the director that he would enhance over the coming decades. Based on Alice Walker's book, the film looks over thirty years in the life of Celie Harris, a young black woman who had a terrible life. We discover immediately that Celie is the victim of sexual abuse from her father and that she has produced two children as a result. She's soon sold on to the despicable Albert Johnson, who really wants to be with her sister Nettie, who basically treats her as a servant. When Nettie rejects Albert's advances he sends her away and Celie eventually believes her sister is dead. Celie's life is improved by two women, the first of whom is Sofia, a woman who later goes on to become her daughter-in-law. Sofia is someone who, unlike Celie, won't be treated like a victim and often hits back at men who hit her. The other woman is jazz singer Shug Avery, Albert's one true love, who takes a shine to the nervous Celie. Over their time together Shug teaches Celie to come out of her skin and eventually helps her find the letters that Nettie sent to her. By the end of the tale everybody has redeemed themselves so to speak and the film concludes with a tearful finale that is incredibly moving for those who don't possess a hear of stone.
The Color Purple was seen as Spielberg's foray into 'serious film-making' and it definitely got a mixed critical reaction on its release. Some felt that Spielberg was tugging at the heartstrings a little too much whilst others felt he was sugar-coating the plight of black people during the early 20th century. While I can certainly see their points, my main problem was that it took so long to get going. Although it's understandable that Spielberg wanted to establish the relationship between Nettie and Celie, the first thirty minutes dragged for me as we had to rattle through a large amount of exposition. The film really got going when Whoopi Goldberg took over playing the role of Celie as her performance was truly stupendous. Goldberg's tender take on the character makes you really care about Celie and she makes every single moment count when she's on screen. The appearances of both Sofia and Shug made the saga progress even faster and from that point on I was completely engrossed until the end credits rolled. This was partly down to the performances of Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery both of whom steal the show in their various appearances. Winfrey starts out by making Sofia a force to be reckoned with before pulling it back to portray her world-weary nature. Similarly, Avery makes Shug a force of nature but changes the character as the years go by, plus she has an amazing singing voice. All three ladies were nominated for acting awards at that year's Oscars but none of the trio were victorious which, in the case of Goldberg, is a disgrace. In fact the film has the dubious honour of receiving eleven nominations without getting a single win. Though the film does have problems, I felt that it was beautifully shot, wonderfully acted and included a brilliant score from the excellent Quincy Jones.
Throughout the rest of his career, Spielberg would go on to balance his output as he continued to create blockbusters while at the same time harnessing his love for the so-called 'serious films'. It would be these historical pictures which would net him two Best Director Oscars in the next decade and one of them would grab the Best Picture honour also. But for now at least we have to bid adieu to Mr Spielberg as we see what else the 1980s has to offer.
Next up we have the final major film by two stars who've cropped up numerous times during this blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)