Mike’s Top Ten of 1980
1980 is the transition period from the filmmaker-driven period of the 70s to the studio-driven period of the 80s. You can definitely see that shift taking place. Plus, this year has the big end marker: the giant bomb that effectively ended directors having complete control of projects.
The 80s as a decade always felt a bit formless to me. It’s just a weird time. But when you take each year on its own, there’s some great stuff. Here, two of the all-time most iconic films ever made were released. And honestly, if you didn’t know they came out in 1980, you wouldn’t know when it was they came out.
I think the theme of this decade is going to be, “Strong at the top, weak down below, with some good gems sprinkled throughout.” And a lot of terrible fashion choices. Oh, but it looks good on you though.
Here’s 1980. (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Picture – 1980
This one hurts. One of the quintessential terrible Academy decisions. Maybe it could have been made slightly better by it not also winning Best Director, but even so — Ordinary People is just a terrible, terrible Best Picture choice by sheer virtue of the fact that it beat Raging Bull. Just — ouch.
The film also won Best Director for Robert Redford (talked about here) and Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton (talked about here). The Redford win (despite getting him an Oscar) is terrible. Scorsese should win this cold. And Hutton — great performance, but he’s the lead. So it’s kind of category fraud. Best Actor this year was Robert De Niro for Raging Bull (talked about here). Thank god they didn’t ignore that performance too. Best Actress was Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner’s Daughter (talked about here). It was a close call between her and Mary Tyler Moore for Ordinary People, but overall, I feel the better decision was made. And Best Supporting Actress was Mary Steenburgen for Melvin and Howard (talked about here), which — meh. Take it or leave it.
Again, another perfectly good year ruined by a terrible Best Picture and Best Director choice. I know the Academy is always gonna be the Academy, but wow, has this one looked worse over time.
BEST PICTURE – 1980
And the nominees were…
Coal Miner’s Daughter (Universal)
The Elephant Man (Paramount)
Ordinary People (Paramount)
Raging Bull (United Artists)
Tess (Columbia) (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Actor – 1980
God, I hate 1980. And that hate can be summed up in two words: Ordinary People. Or, more appropriately, “Fucking Academy…”
Ordinary People wins Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Redford (talked about here) over Raging Bull. Yeah…
Timothy Hutton also won Best Supporting Actor for the film (talked about here), which is actually a good decision, all thing’s considered. Sissy Spacek wins Best Actress for Coal Miner’s Daughter (talked about here), which I’m all for. And Mary Steenburgen wins Best Supporting Actress for Melvin and Howard (talked about here), which I guess is acceptable, even though I have my reservations.
And then there’s this category. Do I even need to say anything?
BEST ACTOR – 1980
And the nominees were…
Robert De Niro, Raging Bull
Robert Duvall, The Great Santini
John Hurt, The Elephant Man
Jack Lemmon, Tribute
Peter O’Toole, The Stunt Man (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Actress – 1980
1980 is the beginning of what I consider the single worst decade in the history of the Academy Awards (not to mention the beginning of what would lead to our current state of events in the industry). The 80s, to me, are a decade that not only has the weakest Oscar years, but also the single worst decisions. Of 10 Best Picture choices, I think only two of the 80s decisions are strong, with two okay ones (from weak categories), two obvious ones, and the rest, terrible.
As for 1980, Ordinary People wins Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Redford (talked about here) and Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton (talked about here). The Hutton decision is a good one (even though he’s really the lead of the film), but the other two — they beat Raging Bull. I think we all agree they were terrible. Then, Best Actor was Robert De Niro for Raging Bull, which is clearly one of the best decisions of all time in the category, and Best Supporting Actress was Mary Steenburgen for Melvin and Howard (talked about here), which — meh.
So that’s 1980. Fortunately, this category makes up for the rest of the stuff. I know some people would have went another way, but historically, I think this was a terrific decision.
BEST ACTRESS – 1980
And the nominees were…
Ellen Burstyn, Resurrection
Goldie Hawn, Private Benjamin
Mary Tyler Moore, Ordinary People
Gena Rowlands, Gloria
Sissy Spacek, Coal Miner’s Daughter (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Supporting Actress – 1980
Oh, 1980. A prime example of how badly the Academy can fuck up because of their — preoccupations.
Ordinary People wins Best Picture and Best Director (for Robert Redford, talked about here) over Raging Bull. What can you do except shake your head? What terrible decisions.
Timothy Hutton also won Best Supporting Actor for Ordinary People, which, as I said here, is actually a good decision. Robert De Niro won Best Actor for Raging Bull, which, at least they didn’t fuck up there, and gave a deserving performance its due. And Sissy Spacek won Best Actress for Coal Miner’s Daughter, which — the category was between her and Mary Tyler Moore for Ordinary People, and either one would have been acceptable. Some may have their own personal opinion on the matter, but both were good choices.
Which brings us to this category. I don’t like it. But on the other hand, I don’t give a shit. So, there’s that.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS – 1980
And the nominees were…
Eileen Brennan, Private Benjamin
Eve Le Gallienne, Resurrection
Cathy Moriarty, Raging Bull
Diana Scarwid, Inside Moves
Mary Steenburgen, Melvin and Howard (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Supporting Actor – 1980
Oh I hate 1980. What a dumb “Academy” decision. Ordinary People wins Best Picture and Best Director for Robert Redford (talked about here), beating out Raging Bull. Yeah. There’s no one that can defend that decision.
Best Actor this year (thank god) was Robert De Niro for Raging Bull, so at least some justice was has. Best Actress was Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner’s Daughter, which I really like as a decision, despite how good Mary Tyler Moore was in Ordinary People. And Best Supporting Actress was Mary Steenburgen for Melvin and Howard, which, to me, makes absolutely no goddamn sense at all. But, meh, it’s pretty irrelevant historically.
So that’s 1980. Two, maybe three good decisions, and two horrendously bad decisions. But we all know how badly Martin Scorsese should have won Best Director here, so there wasn’t really anything this year could have done to overcome that.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR – 1980
And the nominees were…
Judd Hirsch, Ordinary People
Timothy Hutton, Ordinary People
Michael O’Keefe, The Great Santini
Jason Robards, Melvin and Howard
Joe Pesci, Raging Bull (more…)
The Oscar Quest: Best Director – 1980
1980 will always go down as one of the worst Oscar years of all time. One of the worst years of all time.
I will sum it up by saying this. Have you heard of Ordinary People? If you have, would you consider that an amazing film? Or is it just a good film that’s pretty plain? Now know that the film it beat for Best Picture was Raging Bull. That’s it.
Best Actor went to Robert De Niro for Raging Bull. That is one of those decisions that’s impossible to fuck up. Best Actress went to Sissy Spacek for Coal Miner’s Daughter. Probably a good decision, I haven’t fully made up my mind on that one. (I’m not not voting for her, I just may think I prefer someone else. Still, good decision.) Best Supporting Actor went to Timothy Hutton for Ordinary People, which isn’t so much a bad decision as much as it is, he’s the lead of the movie. And the category ends up being so weak that just by being the lead and being pretty good he ends up dominating the category. Which is kind of annoying. And Best Supporting Actress went to Mary Steenburgen for Melvin and Howard. Weak category. Really weak category.
BEST DIRECTOR – 1980
And the nominees were…
David Lynch, The Elephant Man
Richard Rush, The Stunt Man
Roman Polanski, Tess
Robert Redford, Ordinary People
Martin Scorsese, Raging Bull (more…)
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