by Allan Fish
Best Picture La Belle Noiseuse, France, The Double Life of Veronique, France/Poland, JFK, US & Raise the Red Lantern, China (3 votes each, four-way TIE!)
Best Director Krzysztof Kieslowski, The Double Life of Veronique (5 votes)
Best Actor Anthony Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs (8 votes)
Best Actress Jodie Foster, The Silence of the Lambs (7 votes)
Best Supp Actor John Goodman, Barton Fink (8 votes)
Best Supp Actress Juliette Lewis, Cape Fear (4 votes)
Best Cinematography Zhao Fei, Raise the Red Lantern (6 votes)
Best Score Zbigniew Preisner, The Double Life of Veronique (5 votes)
Best Short Bedhead, US, Robert Rodriguez & The Comb, UK, Stephen & Timothy Quay (2 votes each, TIE!)
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1992
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Best Director
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Actress (Hong Kong…Stanley Kwan)
Aileen Wuernos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (UK…Nick Broomfield)
Aladdin (US…John Musker, Ron Clements)
And Life Goes On… (Iran…Abbas Kiarostami)
Autumn Moon (Hong Kong…Clara Law)
Bad Lieutenant (US…Abel Ferrara)
Baraka (US…Ron Fricke)
Basara: The Princess Goh (Japan…Hiroshi Teshigahara)
Basic Instinct (US…Paul Verhoeven)
Bitter Moon (France/UK/US…Roman Polanski)
The Blue Eyes of Yonta (Guinea-Bissau…Flora Gomes)
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (US…Francis Ford Coppola)
A Brief History of Time (US…Errol Morris)
Brothers Keeper (US…Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky)
The Camomile Lawn (UK…Peter Hall)
Chaplin (UK…Richard Attenborough)
Conte d’Hiver (France…Eric Rohmer)
Cronos (Mexico…Guillermo del Toro)
The Crying Game (UK…Neil Jordan)
Damage (UK/France…Louis Malle)
Dialogue (Japan…Akio Jissoji)
Dragon Inn (Hong Kong…Raymond Lee, Ching Siu-Tung, Tsui Hark)
Glengarry Glen Ross (US…James Foley)
God is My Witness (India…Mukul Anand)
Guelwaar (Senegal/France…Ousmene Sembene)
Hard Boiled (Hong Kong…John Woo)
Heimat 2 (Germany…Edgar Reitz)
Hoffa (US…Danny de Vito)
House of Angels (Sweden…Colin Nutley)
Howards End (UK…James Ivory)
Husbands and Wives (US…Woody Allen)
Hyenas (Senegal…Djibril Diop Mambéty)
It Wasn’t Love (US…Sadie Benning)
The Last Bolshevik (France…Chris Marker)
The Last of the Mohicans (US…Michael Mann)
Leolo (Canada…Jean-Claude Lauzon)
Lessons of Darkness (France/Germany…Werner Herzog)
The Long Day Closes (UK…Terence Davies)
The Lover (France/UK…Jean-Jacques Annaud)
Malcolm X (US…Spike Lee)
Man Bites Dog (Belgium…Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel)
El Mariachi (US…Robert Rodriguez)
A Midnight Clear (US…Keith Gordon)
My Cousin Vinny (US…Jonathan Lynn)
Naked Killer (Hong Kong…Wong Jing)
The Oil-Hell Murder (Japan…Hideo Gosha)
Olivier, Olivier (France…Agnieszka Holland)
One False Move (US…Carl Franklin)
Orlando (UK…Sally Potter)
Passion Fish (US…John Sayles)
Porco Rosso (Japan…Hayao Miyazaki)
The Player (US…Robert Altman)
The Quince Tree Sun (Spain…Victor Erice)
Reservoir Dogs (US…Quentin Tarantino)
A River Runs Through It (US…Robert Redford)
Romper Stomper (Australia…Geoffrey Wright)
Singles (US…Cameron Crowe)
Sneakers (US…Phil Alden Robinson)
The Story of Qiu Ju (China…Zhang Yimou)
The Strange Tale of Oyuki (Japan…Kaneto Shindo)
Strictly Ballroom (Australia…Baz Luhrmann)
Sweet Emma, Dear Bobe (Hungary…István Szábo)
Tokyo Decadence (Japan…Ryu Murakami)
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (US…David Lynch)
The Undeclared War (France…Bertrand Tavernier)
Unforgiven (US…Clint Eastwood)
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Best Actor
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Omero Antonutti The Fencing Master
Henry Arnold Heimat 2
Robert Downey Jnr Chaplin
Russell Crowe Romper Stomper
Clint Eastwood Unforgiven
Anthony Hopkins Howards End
Harvey Keitel Bad Lieutenant
Harvey Keitel Reservoir Dogs
John Lithgow Raising Cain
Matthew Modine Equinox
Gary Oldman Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Al Pacino Scent of a Woman
Joe Pesci My Cousin Vinny
Benoit Poelvoorde Man Bites Dog
Stephen Rea The Crying Game
Tim Robbins The Player
Denzel Washington Malcolm X
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Best Actress
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Maggie Cheung Actress
Catherine Deneuve Indochine
Gong Li The Story of Qiu Ju
Rebecca De Mornay The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
Jennifer Ehle The Camomile Lawn TV
Lisa Harrow The Last Days of Chez Nous
Salome Kammer Heimat 2
Sheryl Lee Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Mary McDonnell Passion Fish
Michelle Pfeiffer Batman Returns
Michelle Pfeiffer Love Field
Susan Sarandon Lorenzo’s Oil
Assumpta Serna The Fencing Master
Sharon Stone Basic Instinct
Tilda Swinton Orlando
Emma Thompson Howards End
Robin Wright The Playboys
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Best Supp Actor
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Alan Arkin Glengarry Glen Ross
Kevin Bacon A Few Good Men
Alec Baldwin Glengarry Glen Ross
Steve Buscemi Reservoir Dogs
Seymour Cassel In the Soup
Jaye Davidson The Crying Game
Al Freeman Jr. Malcolm X
Fred Gwynne My Cousin Vinny
Gene Hackman Unforgiven
Ed Harris Glengarry Glen Ross
Tommy Lee Jones Under Siege
Jack Lemmon Glengarry Glen Ross
Jon Lovitz A League of Their Own
Michael Madsen Reservoir Dogs
Jack Nicholson A Few Good Men
Al Pacino Glengarry Glen Ross
David Paymer Mr Saturday Night
Tim Roth Reservoir Dogs
Michael Schönborn Heimat 2
Campbell Scott Singles
Wesley Snipes The Waterdance
Kevin Spacey Glengarry Glen Ross
Billy Bob Thornton One False Move
Lawrence Tierney Reservoir Dogs
Forrest Whitaker The Crying Game
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Best Supp Actress
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Dominique Blanc Indochine
Helena Bonham Carter Howards End
Judy Davis Husbands and Wives
Bridget Fonda Singles
Helen Hunt The Waterdance
Lena Lessing Heimat 2
Juliette Lewis Husbands and Wives
Susanne Lothar Heimat 2
Tina Malone The Long Day Closes
Vanessa Redgrave Howards End
Miranda Richardson The Crying Game
Miranda Richardson Damage
Noemi Stauer Heimat 2
Marisa Tomei My Cousin Vinny
Alfre Woodard Passion Fish
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Best Cinematography
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Michael Ballhaus Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Michael Coulter The Long Day Closes
Ernest Dickerson Malcolm X
Robert Fraisse The Lover
Ron Fricke Baraka
Jack N. Green Unforgiven
Poon Hang-Sang Actress
Yoshiyuke Miyake The Strange Tale of Oyuki
Tony Pierce-Roberts Howards End
Alexei Rodianov Orlando
Phillippe Rousselot A River Runs Through It
Dante Spinotti The Last of the Mohicans
Wing-hang Wong Hard Boiled
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Best Score
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Angelo Badalamenti Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Philip Glass A Brief History of Time
Jerry Goldsmith Basic Instinct
Mark Isham A River Runs Through It
Trevor Jones The Last of the Mohicans
Wojciech Kilar Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood Unforgiven
Zbigniew Preisner Damage
Richard Robbins Howards End
Vangelis 1492: Conquest of Paradise
Gabriel Yared The Lover
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Best Short
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La Course a l’Abime (Switzerland…Georges Schwizgebel)
The Dream of a Ridiculous Man (Russia…Aleksandr Petrov)
Franz Kafka (Poland…Piotr Dumala)
Frog Baseball (US…Mike Judge)
Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers (US…Jeff Bergman)
Omnibus (France…Sam Karmann)
Rispondetemi (Canada…Léa Pool)
A Sense of History (UK…Mike Leigh)
Still Nacht III: Tales from the Vienna Woods (UK…Stephen Quay, Timothy Quay)
Stuff (US…Johnny Depp, Gibson Haynes)
Swan Song (UK…Kenneth Branagh)
Untitled (For Marilyn) (US…Stan Brakhage)
Best Picture: The Long Day Closes
Best Director: Terence Davies (The Long Day Closes)
Best Actor: Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant)
Best Actress: Emma Thompson (Howards End)
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Lemmon (Glengarry Glen Ross)
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End)
Best Cinematography: Phillippe Rousellot (A River Runs Through It)
Best Score: Wojciech Kilar (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
Best Short: The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
The 1992 Hall of Fame: The Long Day Closes; Howards End; A River Runs Through It; Olivier Olivier; Heimat 2; The Player; Leolo; Guelwar; Glengarry Glen Ross; Strictly Ballroom; Unforgiven; The Crying Game; Bram Stoker’s Dracula; Malcolm X; Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; A Midnight Clear; Baraka; Brother’s Keeper; A Brief History of Time; My Cousin Vinny
The lead actor race was a scorcher between Keitel, Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman.
Note: Allan has chosen to list Jack Lemmon as a supporting actor in GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS and I agree with him. However, several others with good reason would claim he’s the lead. Voters are free to place him in either category.
I’m confused: if Lemmon, Spacey, and Pacino are supporting actors in GGR, who are the leads? Harris and Arkin, whose parts are arguably more minor? And where are they, not to mention Pryce? Sorry, just love that cast, maybe my favorite ever, and wanna see them all up there? Side question: is it possible to have a film in which all roles are supporting roles?!
This is not as difficult an issue as it appears: Lemmon is clearly the lead, as the film totally hinges on his fate, from first shot to last. All of the rest of the performances are supporting to his. This is backed up by how the role has been regarded by the Tonys on Broadway, for which the role of Shelley Levene has been deemed the play’s lead. It is so in the film, as well, though it’s impressively buried! As for your last question…it can be done, but it seems as if it hasn’t been done yet, outside of a few of Robert Altman’s movies.
By the way, took a quick look on IMDB and noted that, in 1992, Lemmon won Best Lead Actor from both the Venice Film Festival and the National Board of Review. Watching the film again, you can easily see he’s the lead; he’s only one of the cast members who’s given solo scenes, for one thing (at least six of them, by my count), the only character we learn anything about their private life, and the character whose stakes rise and fall with the film’s narrative.
Dean, though I have decided to leave my vote as is, you still make an excellent argument. I’m sure some future voters on this thread will see it as you argue it here.
I agree; to the extent there’s a lead it’s Lemmon (though the film is of course more an ensemble piece than anything else). What complicates the issue & makes it interesting is not so much the screentime he shares/splits but the fact that crucial information about him is withheld until the climax, so that suddenly we feel almost as if he’s a stranger again. God, such a brilliant play/screenplay in every way.
Best Short: The Dream of a Ridiculous Man
Best Picture: Unforgiven
Runner ups: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Player, and The Long Day Closes.
Best Film: Reservoir Dogs
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino – Reservoir Dogs
Best Actor: Harvey Keitel – Bad Lieutenant
Best Actress: Mia Farrow – Husbands and Wives
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi – Reservoir Dogs
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis – Husbands and Wives
Best Cinematography: Bad Lieutenant
Best Score: Raising Cain
My Top 5 of 1992:
1. Reservoir Dogs
2. Braindead
3. Ghostwatch
4. Husbands and Wives
5. Army of Darkness
Best Picture: Unforgiven
Best Director: Clint Eastwood- Unforgiven
Best Actor: Harvey Keitel- Bad Lieutenant
Best Actress: Emma Thompson- Howards End
Best Supporting Actor: Gene Hackman- Unforgiven
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis- Husbands and Wives
Best Cinematography: Unforgiven
Best Score: Dracula
Picture: The Crying Game
Director: Neil Jordan, The Crying Game
Actor: Stephen Rea, The Crying Game
Actress: Emma Thompson, Howard’s End
Sup. Actor: Gene Hackman, Unforgiven
Sup. Actress: Judy Davis, Husbands and Wives
Cinematopgrapy: Dante Spinotti, The Last of the Mohicans
A four-way tie. How embarrassing. I am almost tempted to change my vote to RAISE THE RED LANTERN—But I can’t do that to BARTON FINK.
I definitely think Jack Lemmon’s should be considered the lead role in GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, as the role is considered on Broadway (via the Tonys). The film begins and ends with his character’s problems and ultimate fate. That said, the year really belonged to my top ten films. Not a stellar annum, though…except for Supporting Actors and Documentaries, of which there were many to admire!
PICTURE: UNFORGIVEN, followed by: Howards End, The Long Day Closes, The Crying Game, Glengarry Glen Ross, Reservoir Dogs, Brother’s Keeper, Hard Boiled, A Midnight Clear, Bad Lieutenant, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, My Cousin Vinny, Baraka, The Player, Lessons of Darkness, A Brief History of Time, Passion Fish, VISIONS OF LIGHT, MANUFACTURING CONSENT: NOAM CHOMSKY AND THE MEDIA, Romper Stomper, The Story of Qui Ju, DEEP COVER, Husbands and Wives, ONE FALSE MOVE, Bitter Moon, Malcolm X, IN THE SOUP, A River Runs Through It, NOISES OFF, INDOCHINE, El Mariachi, ARMY OF DARKNESS, OF MICE AND MEN, LEAP OF FAITH, THE WATERDANCE, LORENZO’S OIL, SAVAGE NIGHTS, UNDER SIEGE, BEBE’S KIDS, RAISING CAIN, YEAR OF THE COMET, INNOCENT BLOOD
DIRECTOR: Clint Eastwood, UNFORGIVEN (2nd: James Ivory, Howards End, followed by: Terrence Davies, The Long Day Closes; Neil Jordan, The Crying Game; James Foley, Glengarry Glen Ross; John Woo, Hard Boiled)
ACTOR: Harvey Keitel, BAD LIEUTENANT (2nd: Denzel Washington, Malcolm X, followed by: Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven; Stephen Rea, The Crying Game; Jack Lemmon, Glengarry Glen Ross; Russell Crowe, Romper Stomper; Jim Broadbent, A Sense of History)
ACTRESS: Emma Thompson, HOWARDS END (2nd: Sheryl Lee, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, followed by: Michelle Pfeiffer, Batman Returns; Mary McDonnell, Passion Fish; Catherine Deneuve, Indochine; Gong Li, The Story of Qui Ju)
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Gene Hackman, UNFORGIVEN (2nd: Tim Roth, Reservoir Dogs, followed by: Alec Baldwin, Glengarry Glen Ross; Jaye Davidson, The Crying Game; Kevin Spacey, Glengarry Glen Ross; Steve Buscemi, Reservoir Dogs; Al Pacino, Glengarry Glen Ross; Fred Gwynne, My Cousin Vinny; Al Freeman Jr., Malcolm X; Forest Whitaker, The Crying Game)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Marisa Tomei, MY COUSIN VINNY (2nd: Vanessa Redgrave, Howards End, followed by: Judy Davis, Husbands and Wives; Helena Bonham Carter, Howards End; Alfre Woodard, Passion Fish; Miranda Richardson, Damage)
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Phillippe Rousselot, A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT (2nd: Tony Pierce-Roberts, Howards End, followed by: Jack Green, Unforgiven; Ron Fricke, Baraka; Robert Fraisse, The Lover; Michael Coulter, The Long Day Closes)
ORIGINAL SCORE: Richard Robbins, HOWARDS END (2nd: Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven, followed by: Mark Isham, A River Runs Through It; Angelo Badalamenti, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me; Philip Glass, A Brief History of Time)
SHORT FILM: A SENSE OF HISTORY (Mike Leigh) (2nd: Pets or Meat: The Return to Flint (Michael Moore))
FURTHER:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: David Webb Peoples, UNFORGIVEN (2nd: Neil Jordan, The Crying Game, followed by: Terrence Davies, The Long Day Closes; John Sayles, Passion Fish; Woody Allen, Husbands and Wives; Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson, One False Move)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, HOWARDS END (2nd: David Mamet, Glengarry Glen Ross, followed by: Michael Tolkin, The Player; Keith Gordon, A Midnight Clear; Quentin Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs; Horton Foote, Of Mice and Men)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: BROTHER’S KEEPER (Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky) (2nd: Baraka (Ron Fricke), followed by: Lessons of Darkness (Werner Herzog); A Brief History of Time (Errol Morris); Visions of Light (Arnold Glassman); Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media (Mark Achbar and Peter Wintonick))
NON-ENGLISH LANGUAGE FILM: HARD BOILED (Hong Kong, John Woo) (2nd: El Mariachi (US, Robert Rodriguez), followed by: The Story of Qui Ju (China, Zhang Yimou); Savage Nights (France, Cyril Collard))
ART DIRECTION: HOWARDS END, Malcolm X, Unforgiven, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Toys, The Story of Qui Ju
COSTUME DESIGN: BRAM STOKER‘S DRACULA, Howards End, Malcolm X, Toys, Orlando, Chaplin
FILM EDITING: UNFORGIVEN, Hard Boiled, Howards End, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Last of the Mohicans, Under Siege
SOUND: TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME, Hard Boiled, Unforgiven, Under Siege, The Last of the Mohicans, Aladdin
ORIGINAL SONG: I can find no song I really like this year.
SPECIAL EFFECTS: DEATH BECOMES HER, Army of Darkness
MAKEUP: BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, Army of Darkness, Hoffa, Innocent Blood
ANIMATED FEATURE: BEBE’S KIDS
Yes, Mr Treadway, I thought four-way ties were ‘impossible’. Ah well, it’s one law for one and another law for another! 🙂
Really an amazingly underrated year. There’s about a half-dozen films I’d rank among my all-time favorites, none of which conventionally make canonical lists.
Also a strong year for female performances but there’s no doubt in my mind who the champ is. She gives one if the most phenomenally brave and powerful performances I’ve ever seen. Naturally, she’s been been in virtually nothing else since. Hollywood really knows what to do with its talent.
Feature: Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
2. Last of the Mohicans
3. Glengarry Glenn Ross
4. The Last Bolshevik
5. The Long Day Closes
Director: Terence Davies, The Long Day Closes
Short: Stille Nacht III: Tales from the Vienna Woods
Actor: Denzel Washington, Malcolm X
Actress: Sheryl Lee, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Supp. Actor: Alec Baldwin, Glengarry Glen Ross
Supp. Actress: Marisa Tomei, My Cousin Vinny
Cinematography: Michael Coulter, The Long Day Closes (easy)
Score: Trevor Jones, The Last of the Mohicans (not easy – FWWM is REAL close)
Screenplay: Glengarry Glen Ross (easy)
Editing: The Last of the Mohicans (easy)
and because this year demands it, my 4 categories:
Ensemble: Glengarry Glen Ross (are you kidding?)
Line: “A B C. Always be closing.”, Glengarry Glen Ross
Use of Music: The Long Day Closes
Scene: (tie) The climax (Last of the Mohicans) & The opening credits (Malcolm X)
Two of the most impressive scenes ever came out this year: the formally astonishing climax of Last of the Mohicans, melding music, editing, and composition into an audio-visual symphony, and the searing introduction to Malcolm X, in which the fearless Spike Lee juxtaposed the Rodney King beating, a Malcolm X speech, and an iconic American flag but in into an X to craft one of the most arresting and provocative credit sequences of all time.
…and I never even got to mention Man Bites Dog! Or everyone’s favorite ’92 film for that matter, which I like but nearly as much as the others I mentioned.
Love your number one Joel. So underrated and misunderstood. I have it at number #2 for this year myself (as shown above). Perhaps Lynch at his most intense… which is saying a lot.
Agreed. For some reason I’ve seen it mentioned quite a bit lately. I think it’s slowly growing in stature. Interestingly enough, while the film was crucified by audiences and critics alike at the time, Sheryl Lee did win an Independent Spirit Award for her performance.
Best Picture: Husbands & Wives
Best Director: Woody Allen (Husbands & Wives)
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven) & Tim Robbins (The Player)
Best Actress: Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct)
Best Supporting Actor: Danny De Vito (Batman Returns) & Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs)
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis (Husbands & Wives)
Best Cinematography: Jack N. Green (Unforgiven)
Best Score: A.R. Rahman (Roja)
Top 5:
1. Husbands & Wives
2. Unforgiven
3. Reservoir Dogs
4. Le Vie de Boheme (Kaurismaki)
5. The Player, Batman Returns & A Tale of Winter (Rohmer)
Had Sautet’s A Heart in Winter been named here, which it ought to have been, instead of being considered as a ’91 film, then it would have placed between the Woody Allen & the Clint Eastwood films. And Cronos, if I’m not wrong, was a ’93 film – nonetheless, I took it into consideration while naming my choices.
Well, I see I’m going to be voting from another planet this year. Whatever. I’ll take Brigitte Lin’s eyes and Jet Li’s drunken swordfighting and Rosamund Kwan with a whip over more or less anything you can offer more or less any time. Though putting it like that isn’t quite right – because as entertaining a bit of pop film-making as it is, it’s also packed to the eyeballs with the Strange, and rather more clever in its apocalyptic gender-bending politics (sort of a Tsui Hark trademark, usually given an extra level of insanity when Ching Siu-tung gets involved) than most anything else on offer.
PICTURE: Swordsman II
DIRECTOR: Tsai Ming-liang, Rebels of a Neon God
LEAD ACTOR: Denzel Washington, Malcolm X
LEAD ACTRESS: I wish I could vote for Maggie Cheung in Actress, for she is truly great, but who am I kidding? I can’t not vote for Brigitte Lin in Swordsman II – why pretend? She’s one of the most marvelous things ever put on screen in that film. (And the next one; you can guess my ’93 best actress vote, I assume.)
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Steve Buscemi, Reservoir Dogs
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Hey hey! a chance! I can vote for Maggie Cheung in Dragon Inn!
SHORT: Stille Nacht III (Though Frog Baseball is the important one…)
SCORE: Angelo Badalamenti, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Poon Hang-Sang, Actress
Plus bonus picks:
Script: Reservoir Dogs
Music/Sound: Music probably has to be Reservoir Dogs…. Sound should be And Life Goes On – Kiarostami is always an absolute master of the use of sound. Though one of his strongest competitors had a film out that year too – Tsai Ming-liang…
Martial Arts: Swordsman II, of course. Though it’s a loaded year, with the Dragon Inn remake and Supercop and the second Once Upon a Time in China film, covering a neat range of styles… Hard Boiled in there too, though that’s more of a straight action film….
Documentary: Lessons of Darkness, Herzog
Film: “Noises Off” — underappreciated farce that deserves a plug.
Director: Bogdanovich
Actor: Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)
Actress: Maggie Cheung (Actress)
S. Actor: Gene Hackman (Unforgiven)
S. Actress: Judy Davis (Husbands and Wives)
Photography: Michael Ballhaus (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
Just wanted to let you know, Mark…NOISES OFF is a superb farce! Definitely one of my favorites of the year—terrific cast, and direction!
Best Picture: Reservoir Dogs
2. Man Bites Dog (love it)
3.Husbands & Wives
4. Actress
5.Bitter Moon
Best Director: Quentin Tarantino (Reservoir Dogs)
Best Actor: Harvey Keitel Reservoir Dogs
Best Actress: Maggie Cheung Actress
Best Supporting Actor: Steve Buscemi Reservoir Dogs
Best Supporting Actress: Judy Davis (Husbands and Wives)
Best Cinematography: Phillippe Rousellot (A River Runs Through It)
Best Score: Angelo Badalamenti Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me
Pic – Reservoir Dogs (US…Quentin Tarantino)
Director – Unforgiven (US…Clint Eastwood)
Actor – Denzel Washington Malcolm X
Actress – Maggie Cheung Actress
Supp Actor – Jack Lemmon Glengarry Glen Ross
Supp Actress – Helena Bonham Carter Howards End
Speaking of shorts, I just discovered this gem – I know 56 years late but brilliant. From Paramount in 1935 a 9 minute free association visual representation of Duke Ellington’s Symphony in Black featuring a 19yo Billie Halliday. The last section Harlem Rythm is a knockout. Perhaps the first music video…
http://www.openculture.com/2013/05/duke_ellingtons_isymphony_in_blacki_starring_a_19-year-old_billie_holiday.html
Tony this is an absolute knockout! I just showed it to Lucille as well. Seeing the young Holliday is electrifying. This may well be the first music video, and it’s one that everyone should take a look at! Great, great stuff.
Will check out. That Jammin’ the Blues reco morphed into one of my favorite films ever (not just short, doc, or musical, but favorites period), so high hopes.
This “open culture” site seems interesting. Hadn’t heard of it till tonight, when I ran across a video of Spielberg watching the ’75 nominations get announced. Haven’t actually viewed it yet, but it sounds enticing (and, anecdotally, not entirely flattering of the young director):
Yep Joel, this video is infamous as far as Spielberg’s negative public relations goes. I’ve seen it a number of times and always get a big laugh. The incredulous quip that he was “beaten out by Fellini” is embarrassing enough, but his henchman joining in to ask if JAWS was directed by Spielberg’s mother is shameful.
Hollywood was functioning on a high level of efficiency this year; a lot more pop movies simply worked than seemed to be the case in the years immediately before or after. So how do we sort it all out?
Best Picture: Unforgiven
Best Director: Eastwood
Best Actor: Keitel, Bad Lieutenant
Best Actress: Pfeiffer, Batman Returns
Supporting Actor: Wes Studi, Last of the Mohicans — one of the greatest modern screen villains.
Supporting Actress: Bonham Carter, Howard’s End
Cinematography: Stefan Czapsky, Batman Returns
Score: Kilar, Bram Stoker’s Dracula — arguably best of the decade.
Special ensemble award: Glengarry Glen Ross
Picture – Unforgiven
Dir – Eastwood
Actor – Denzel Washington – Malcom X
Actress – Emma Thompson – Howard’s End
Supp. Actor – Gene Hackman – Unforgiven
Supp. Actress – Helena Bonham Carter – Howard’s End
Score – Kilar – Dracula
Cinematography – Green – Unforgiven
Best Film: The Long Day Closes
Best Director: Terence Davies
Best Actor: Denzel Washington
Best Actress: Emma Thompson
Best Supporting Actor: Alec Baldwin
Best Cinematography: Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Best Score: Bram Stoker’s Dracula
Best Short: A Sense of History
Best Picture: Howards End
Best Director: James Ivory (Howards End)
Best Actor: Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant)
Best Actress: Emma Thompson (Howards End)
Best Supporting Actor: Gene Hackman (Unforgiven)
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End)
Best Cinematography: Phillipe Rousellot (A River runs Through It)
Best Score: W. Kilar (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
Best Short: Frog Baseball
Best Picture – Unforgiven
Best Director – Clint Eastwood – Unforgiven
Best Actor – Denzel Washington Malcolm X
Best Actress – Emma Thompson Howards End
Best Supp Actor – Gene Hackman Unforgiven
Best Supp Actress – Marisa Tomei My Cousin Vinny
Although out of character, for this year I am listing my top five.
Unforgiven (US…Clint Eastwood)
A River Runs Through It (US…Robert Redford)
Malcolm X (US…Spike Lee)
My Cousin Vinny (US…Jonathan Lynn)
Hoffa (US…Danny de Vito)
This was the year that I really started reading and appreciating film criticism outside the loop of Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel. It was the year that I met Sam who, in turn, introduced me to the work of Stanley Kauffman and his mammoth, yet precise film essays. It was through this particular critic that I began to understand that writing criticism is an art in and of itself and Stanley leveled the field by dropping bombs on most of the films that hit the theatres in 1992.
Still and all, there are some undisputed masterworks and one, as my choice for BEST PICTURE will show, that cannot be questioned.
Here we go…
BEST PICTURE: UNFORGIVEN (d. Clint Eastwood)
Top 5: Unforgiven (d. Clint Eastwood), The Long Day Closes (d. Terrence Davies), Aladdin (d. John Musker, Ron Clemens), Damage (d. Louis Malle), A River Runs Through It (d. Robert Redford)
DIRECTOR: Clint EASTWOOD (Unforgiven)
Runners Up: Louis Malle (Damage), Terrence Davies (The Long Day Closes), Robert Redford (A River Runs Through It), Spike Lee (Malcolm X)
LEAD ACTOR: Denzel WASHINGTON (Malcolm X)
Runners Up: Russell Crowe (Romper Stomper), Robert Downey Jr. (Chaplin), Clint Eastwood (Unforgiven)), Bill Paxton (One False Move)
One of the rare years where an acting category is so dominated by a single performance that the idea of other nominees in competition seems pointless and futile. There are some actors and actress out there that were meant to play a certain part and become certain characters. Jack Nicholson was born to play R. P. MacMurphy, Marlon Brando was Terry Malloy. In the case of Malcolm X, Denzel Washington was picked by God to breathe life into the late Civil Rights activist turned defender of the faith. Nuanced, deeply felt and explosive without ever going over-the-top, Washington gives us a perfectly balanced portrayal of one of the most difficult people an actor could ever try to pin down and take home. His performance during the reenactments of some of X’s most famous oratories is the stuff of screen acting legend as he grabs you by the shoulders and shakes you till you submit.
Before the Oscar telecast in 1993, Barbara Walters interviewed all the nominees for BEST ACTOR. She asked each and every one of them who they thought should win in the category they turned a nomination in. As expected, all of them named Pacino or Eastwood or Washington, save one. When Washington was asked, he replied: “You want the honest truth? Ok, I’ll give it to you. I gave, absolutely, the BEST performance in this category, hands down! I SHOULD WIN.” While he may have sounded arrogant and big-headed, he was, basically just telling the truth. His Malcolm X is one for the history books. The Academy should be ashamed of themselves for going with a God awful performance just to appease Al Pacino’s bad luck.
LEAD ACTRESS: Catherine DENEUVE (Indochine)
Runners Up: Tilda Swinton (Orlando), Gong Li (The Story of Qui Ju), Emma Thompson (Howards End), Mary McDonnell (Passion Fish)
SUPP ACTOR: Gene HACKMAN (Unforgiven)
Runners Up: Tom Skerritt (A River Runs Through It), Tim Roth (Reservoir Dogs), Jack Lemmon (Glengarry Glen Ross), Al Freeman Jr. (Malcolm X)
SUPP. ACTRESS: Vanessa REDGRAVE (Howards End)
Runners Up: Helena Bonham Carter (Howards End), Judy Davis (Husbands and Wives), Miranda Richardson (Damage), Alfre Woodard (Passion Fish)
PHOTO: Phillipe ROUSSELOT (A River Runs Through It)
Runners Up: Micheal Coulter (The Long Day Closes), Alexei Rodianov (Orlando), Ron Fricke (Baraka), Ernest Dickerson (Malcolm X)
MUSIC: Wojlciech KILAR (Bram Stoker’s Dracula)
Runners Up: Alan Menken (Aladdin), Mark Isham (A River Runs Through It), Phillip Glass (A Brief History of Time), Jerry Goldsmith (Basic Instinct)
Picture: Batman Returns
Director: Tim Burton
Actor: Anthony Hopkins – Howard’s End
Actress: Michelle Pfeiffer (runner up – Emma Thompson)
Supporting Actor: Danny Devito – Batman Returns (Runner Up – Wes Studi, Last of the Mohicans)
Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave – Howard’s End
Cinematography – Last of the Mohicans
Score – Last of the Mohicans (incredible score)
A very rich and diverse year, indeed.
My top five for 1992:
1. Actress – Stanley Kwan
2. Conte d’Hiver – Eric Rohmer
3. Husbands and Wives – Woody Allen
4. The Long Day Closes – Terence Davies
5. Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me – David Lynch
Best Picture: Actress
Best Director: Stanley Kwan
Best Actor: Harvey Keitel (Bad Lieutenant)
Best Actress: Maggie Cheung (Actress)
Best supporting actor: Lawrence Tierney (Reservoir Dogs)
Best supporting actress: Judy Davis (Husbands and Wives)
Best Cinematography: Michael Coulter (The Long Day Closes)
Best Score: Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me)
Best Picture : Twin Peaks : Fire Walk With Me
Best Actress : Sheryl Lee (Twin Peaks)
A Sensational film that wouldn’t be nearly as good without Sheryl Lee.
Best Supporting Actor : Alec Baldwin (Glengarry Glen Ross)
Best Picture: Glengarry Glen Ross
Best Director: James Foley (Glengarry Glen Ross)
Best Actor: Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)
Best Actress: Emma Thompson (Howards End)
Best Supporting Actor: Jack Lemmon (Glengarry Glen Ross)
Best Supporting Actress: Vanessa Redgrave (Howards End)
Best Cinematography: Phillipe Rousellot (A River Runs Through It)
Best Score: Phillip Glass (A Brief History of Time)
Best Short: Invasion of the Bunny Snatchers
BEST PICTURE: THE PLAYER
BEST DIRECTOR: Robert Altman for THE PLAYER
BEST ACTOR: Clint Eastwood for UNFORGIVEN
BEST ACTRESS: Emma Thompson for HOWARD’S END
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Jack Lemmon for GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Judy Davis for HUSBANDS AND WIVES
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Dante Spinotti for THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS
BEST SCORE: Lennie Niehaus and Clint Eastwood for UNFORGIVEN
BEST SHORT n/a
My picks for 1992:
Best Picture: Unforgiven – Clint Eastwood
Best Director: Clint Eastwood for Unforgiven
Best Actor: Clint Eastwood, Unforgiven
Best Actress: Emma Thompson, Howards End
Best Supporting Actor: Gene Hackman, Unforgiven
Best Supporting Actress: Marisa Tomei, My Cousin Vinny
Best Adapted Screenplay: Howards End – Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
Best Original Screenplay: Unforgiven – David Webb Peoples
Best Animated Short: Mona Lisa Descending A Staircase – Joan C. Gratz / Adam – Peter Lord (TIE)
Best Live Action Short: Omnibus – Sam Karmann / Swan Song – Kenneth Branagh and David Parfitt (TIE)
Best Documentary Feature: Music and the Movies: Bernard Herrman – Margaret Smilow and Roma Baran
Best Documentary Short: At the Edge of Conquest: The Journey of Chief Wai-Wai – Geoffrey O’Connor
Best Foreign Language Film: Indochine – France
Best Art Direction: Howards End – Ian Whittaker (art director) and Luciana Arrighi (set decorator) / Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Thomas E. Sanders (art director) and Garrett Lewis (set decorator) (TIE)
Best Cinematography: A River Runs Through It – Philippe Rousselot
Best Costume Design: Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Eiko Ishioka
Best Film Editing: Unforgiven – Joel Cox
Best Makeup: Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Greg Cannom, Michele Burke and Matthew W. Mungle
Best Original Score: Aladdin – Alan Menken / Howards End – Richard Robbins (TIE)
Best Original Song: A Whole New World – Alan Menken (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics)
Best Sound Editing: Bram Stoker’s Dracula – David E. Stone and Tom C. McCarthy
Best Sound Mixing: The Last of the Mohicans – Chris Jenkins, Doug Hemphill, Mark Smith and Simon Kaye
Best Visual Effects: Death Becomes Her – Ken Ralston, Doug Chiang, Douglas Smythe and Tom Woodruff, Jr.
Final Tally:
Unforgiven: 6 Oscars; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing:
Howards End: 4 Oscars: Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction (tie with Bram Stoker’s Dracula), Best Orignal Score (tie with Aladdin).
Bram Stoker’s Dracula: 4 Oscars: Best Art Direction (tie with Howards End), Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Sound Editing.
Aladdin: 2 Oscars: Best Original Score (tie with Howards End), Best Original Song.