1984 - The Killing Fields

One of the many benefits of living in New York City is that you can discover a new eatery every night (if you were so inclined) without ever having to dine at the same place twice. And there are restaurants specialising in just about everything. Yesterday, after a quick Google search for a place to eat near the location of our later plans that evening, Kat and I dined at S'MAC, a quaint little establishment whose menu consists entirely of variations of macaroni and cheese. Artery clogging, I'm sure, but delicious nonetheless.

Before that culinary delight, I watched another nominee from 1984's Best Picture line-up...

The Killing Fields

Director:

Roland Joffé

Screenplay:

Bruce Robinson

(based on the New York Times Magazine article 'The Death and Life of Dith Pran' by Sydney Schanberg)

Starring:

Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands, Craig T. Nelson

Academy Awards:

7 nominations

3 wins, including Best Supporting Actor

The Killing Fields relates the true story of New York Times journalist Sydney Schanberg as he covers the effects of the Vietnam War on neighbouring Cambodia. By his side is Dith Pran, his interpreter, guide, co-reporter and friend all rolled into one. As the situation in the war-torn country progressively deteriorates and Pran's life becomes more and more endangered, Schanberg and his other journo buddies desperately attempt to keep him safe in the midst of their evacuation.

As you can probably tell by that brief description, this is one hell of a serious film, made all the more sombre when considering its basis on reality. It takes a short while to become engaged with the story but once you're hooked, it's like a roller-coaster ride ... that is, if the roller-coaster was continually screaming further and further downwards. Every time you think there's rising track ahead, it seems to just sink deeper into the ground. Not that the film is completely depressing. I mean, it is, but not completely. There's plenty of hope and friendship and moments of courage. But the tension as Pran's dire circumstances become direr consistently deliver genuine "What's going to happen now?" moments. All the way to the end.

The Oscar-winning cinematography is simultaneously gorgeous and gritty. Mike Oldfield's score is a strange blend of electronica and choral music, but it somehow works. And the decision not to include subtitles for any of the foreign language dialogue cleverly adds to the tension. Plus, when you consider that Haing S. Ngor, who portrayed Pran, essentially suffered through the same experience in his own life, it makes for a truly harrowing film. His moving performance earned him the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Not bad for a guy who had never acted before.

A pre-Law and Order Sam Waterston provides humanity to Schanberg, the journalist with integrity. John Malkovich is at his outbursting best as Schanberg's photographer. The token Aussie reporter on the scene is played by the King of Australian television, Graham Kennedy. It was especially gratifying to hear him use some Strine. The word "bung" is not a word I've heard since leaving Down Under, and I didn't realise how much I missed it.

1984 - Amadeus

I know I'm a week late to be discussing baseball, but has it not occurred to anyone in upper management at the MLB that it's possibly a bit of a misnomer to be calling the league's final battle the World Series. With only one team in the league that hails from outside the United States (and they're in nearby Toronto), it seems somewhat farcical to acclaim the winning team as the world champions. I guess when the MLB began, no other country was playing baseball, but even so, a bit of humility wouldn't go astray. World Series. I mean, really.

Right, now that I've insulted America's pastime, which, incidentally, I enjoy watching in lieu of my beloved cricket, let's move on now to the latest Best Picture nominee from 1984 to be viewed, which was...

Amadeus

Director:

Milos Forman

Screenplay:

Peter Shaffer

(based on his play)

Starring:

F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice, Simon Callow, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones

Academy Awards:

11 nominations

8 wins, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor

One of the greatest essays on jealousy ever written, Amadeus is the tale of 18th century Austrian Court Composer Antonio Salieri and his bitterness at being outshone by a younger composer with the manners and graces of a nine-year-old. The younger composer is, of course, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and as soon as he enters Salieri's world, Salieri is consumed with jealousy of his musical genius. However, Salieri has a more pressing rivalry - that with God. Convinced that God is mocking him through Mozart, Salieri vows to destroy the famed composer in a treacherous attempt to show the Almighty who's boss.

Amadeus falls into that genre of film in which the protagonist essentially doubles as the antagonist. Salieri is the audience's main point of contact and, indeed, the story is told in flashback by Salieri himself. Just as he is conflicted by his genuine awe of Mozart's innate talent and his utter disgust at Mozart's buffoonery, we, too, are conflicted in our perception of Salieri. On the one hand, he elicits great sympathy by his desperate and unfulfilled longing to create memorable compositions. However, his diabolical plot to bring down Mozart at every turn tests the limits of our empathy. The result is an absolutely delicious portrayal of jealousy at its most primal, an emotion to which I'm sure we all can relate, no matter how much we are disinclined to admit it.

Most of this captivating deliciousness occurs in the first half of the film with jealous discovery after jealous discovery yanking our emotional strings. There is an unfortunate lull during the latter half of the film, but, in spite of that, all the other elements of this fine picture guarantee its entertainment value. For instance, the extravagant design is exactly as spectacular as you would expect from a period piece of this calibre. And then there's the music. Granted, you can hardly go wrong using Mozart's emotive compositions, but to make each selection perfectly appropriate for the images it is supporting, as is the case here, is a fine skill indeed.

F. Murray Abraham claimed the Best Actor Oscar for his sublime portrayal of Salieri, perfecting the many subtle crestfallen expressions of insecurity required of him. His co-star Tom Hulce received a nomination, too, supplying Mozart with a combination of irreverence and passion. Although etched in my mind as Ferris Bueller's principal, Jeffrey Jones is utterly delightful as the Austrian Emperor. Keep an eye out for Sex and the City's Cynthia Nixon as the Mozarts' maid. And keep the other eye out for the man inside R2D2, Kenny Baker, appearing in an operatic parody.

1984 - A Passage to India

After a frustrating experience with the frustrating New York City transport system which left me waiting, frustrated, on a platform for thirty frustrating minutes before being told the train would never arrive, I was forced to call my director to explain why I was absent from today's rehearsal. Frustrating. The subway system here is usually more than satisfactory, especially in comparison to Sydney's equivalent, but then something frustrating like this happens and I lose all faith in it. Anyway, the frustration was alleviated when Kat and I walked to the nearby Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden for a bite to eat. Too cold for the impressive outdoor beer garden, we dined inside on the scrumptious Czech and Slovak food. As a schnitzel aficionado, I simply couldn't go past the Bohemian Schnitzel, a breast of breaded chicken stuffed with ham, cheese, egg and garlic. Simply heaven. Although, my arteries may have something to say about that.

After a quick stroll through Astoria park, we arrived back home to watch another 1984 Best Picture nominee...

A Passage to India

Director:

David Lean

Screenplay:

David Lean

(based on the novel by E.M. Forster and the play by Santha Rama Rau)

Starring:

Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft, James Fox, Alec Guinness, Nigel Havers

Academy Awards:

11 nominations

2 wins, for Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Score

A Passage to India is one of those films that I've always been meaning to see because of its pedigree, but never quite got around to because ... well, honestly, it just seemed like it would be boring. The subject matter simply didn't appeal to me. Then again, I really didn't know much about its content, so I'm not sure why I came to that conclusion. The lesson? Don't judge a book by its cover ... or a film by its poster, as the case may be.

Miss Quested and Mrs. Moore head to British colonial India in the 1920s to visit city magistrate Mr. Heaslop, both Miss Quested's fiancé and Mrs. Moore's son. Dismayed by the local Britons' lack of interest in Indian culture and their disrespect of Indian people, the two women accept an invitation by Dr. Aziz to take a somewhat gruelling journey to some legendary caves. The elderly Mrs. Moore soon becomes exhausted and decides to remain with the main group while Miss Quested and Dr. Aziz continue with a local guide. After a short time, however, Miss Quested scampers away from the caves in clear distress. Once back in town, Dr. Aziz is charged with attempted rape, resulting in a controversial trial that incites hostility between the Indians and the British.

With David Lean as the director, you know to expect some beautiful sweeping landscapes and this film does not disappoint in that regard. There are some truly majestic scenes to which a humble TV screen hardly does justice. The first half of the story unfolds in a relatively leisurely pace but there is gratification in meeting the vivid characters, especially the excitable Aziz, who delivers some of the film's most amusing lines. For instance, upon describing his late wife, he proclaims, "She was not a highly educated woman ... or even beautiful."

At approximately the halfway point, things become much more engaging. The events in the caves are deftly treated with plenty of mystery and the trial is just as engrossing. The characters become a tad black and white, though, as it is painfully clear as to which side of the proceedings each person is leaning. There is simply no middle ground.

Despite the occasional melodramatic moments in performance, the cast are all superb. Aussie Judy Davis delivers a captivating portrayal as Miss Quested, and Alec Guinness is almost unrecognisable as an Indian religious scholar. All in all, a very pleasant film.

1984 - Places in the Heart

Celebrity sighting #34: Whilst performing my ushering duties, Isabella Rossellini entered the theatre to be seated in the second row, which unfortunately meant I could only see the back of her fairly distant head owing to the fact that I was positioned in the back row. My colleagues assured me over the walkie that it was indeed the daughter of Ingrid Bergman, so I took their word for it.

(For the record, the number 34 is entirely fabricated. I am not, in fact, keeping a tally of my star-struckedness.)

Moving on...

The epic movie marathon that was the 1956 Best Picture race is now over and I must admit that, when I sat down to watch the next film for Matt vs. the Academy, it was nice to know that I wouldn't be spending over three hours in front of the television screen. The first of 1984's nominees was...

Places in the Heart

Director:

Robert Benton

Screenplay:

Robert Benton

Starring:

Sally Field, Lindsay Crouse, Ed Harris, Amy Madigan, John Malkovich, Danny Glover

Academy Awards:

7 nominations

2 wins, for Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay

In Waxahachie, Texas, during the Great Depression, Edna Spalding is attempting to recover from the devastating loss of her husband. In order to keep her two children housed and fed, she desperately needs to earn some cash. Since she is unable to afford the mortgage repayments, the bank manager urges her to sell the house. But Edna has a better idea. On the advice of a friendly unemployed black man named Moses, she plants cotton on her farm. The bank manager is unconvinced of this solution, so he persuades her to take on his blind brother-in-law as a tenant to help with the repayments. Battling a tornado, a slump in the cotton market and all sorts of prejudices - racism, sexism and blindism - this unlikely group must work together to bring in the crop.

Places in the Heart begins with a very slow pace. It's the deep South. It's the Depression. Understandably, things are slow. Even the accidental death of Edna's husband only heightens the film's energy briefly. However, the characters are so intriguing that it's enjoyable to spend time with this unlikely collection of acquaintances. I was definitely hooked by the story's powerful intensity. The tornado sequence, in particular, was genuinely heart-stopping, as was the tension created when Mr. Will, the blind man, attempts to rescue Moses from a Ku Klux Klan gang.

Speaking of the blind man, perhaps I've been spoiled by Al Pacino, but John Malkovich's eyes were not quite convincingly sightless. Maybe that's being picky, though. Sally Field (pictured) is affecting in the role that won her a second Oscar, prompting her famous acceptance speech, "You like me!" Also noteworthy is Danny Glover as Moses. Plus, for Lost fans, Terry O'Quinn, a.k.a. John Locke, appears in a supporting role.

As if the themes of death, the Depression and racism were not serious enough, writer-director Robert Benton also includes a major subplot involving the infidelity of Edna's brother-in-law. Heavy. It all works perfectly, though, without slipping into melodrama. One of the most moving scenes in the entire film is the very final shot. I'm not entirely sure I understood the exact meaning behind it, but it was powerful, nonetheless. That's precisely what I love about the art of film. It can make you feel all sorts of unexpected things without having the foggiest clue as to why you're feeling them.

Best Picture of 1956

Not one of the five previous verdicts over which I have pondered has been an easy task. The decision for the Best Picture of 1956 is certainly no exception. Due to my involvement in StinkyLulu's Supporting Actress Smackdown of the same year, three more films from 1956 crept into my viewing schedule and, as I already indicated, some of these additional films had me wishing they were in the Best Picture race. Nonetheless, I am to choose from the five films the Academy selected and so it shall be done.

The nominees for Best Picture of 1956 are:

• Around the World in 80 Days
• Friendly Persuasion
• Giant
• The King and I
• The Ten Commandments

1956 was certainly a year for epic films. Three of the contenders clock in at over three hours, but interestingly, these three epics are of completely different genres - one is Biblical, another comic adventure, the third an intimate family saga. So, as always, it becomes difficult to compare them with each other. As for the two shorter films - which are both still over two hours - we have a Broadway musical adaptation and a film which I'm not quite sure how to categorise since it contains elements from several genres - western, drama, war, comedy, family. For that reason, and the fact that it simply emits a less important vibe than the other four, I will remove Friendly Persuasion from my shortlist first.

Of the remaining four, any could be labelled my favourite. They each succeeded in their own particular way. The King and I is charming and beautiful, yet it remains overly sentimental. Around the World in 80 Days is certainly a fun adventure, offering some stunning cinematography, but its tendency to draw out certain sequences makes for an erratic pace. The Ten Commandments is a spectacle of design and visual effects with a weighty sensibility, but it is perhaps this self-important weight that left a funny taste in my mouth.

That leaves us with Giant, although, honestly, it's a very close call. Giant is not without flaws, but it emerged with more engaging emotional content than the others, largely owing to its performances. Hence, Giant shall be named my favourite of 1956.

Best Picture of 1956
Academy's choice: Around the World in 80 Days	Matt's choice: Giant

Your choice:

Don't forget to make your own voice heard by voting for your favourite 1956 Best Picture nominee above. Some of the previous votes have become very interesting, so check out those results, too. You can access them on their respective verdict pages by clicking on the years on the sidebar to the right. Next up we move to the 1980s...

And the nominees for Best Picture of 1984 are:

• Amadeus
• The Killing Fields
• A Passage to India
• Places in the Heart
• A Soldier's Story

Join me as we continue the ride through Academy Awards history with a year full of movies dealing with some fairly serious subject matter.