Marvin Hamlisch's Big Oscar Haul. And Other Stories...
Thursday, June 2, 2016 at 8:45AM On this day in history as it relates to the movies...
Dr Duran Duran and the Orgasmatron
1835 P.T. Barnum and his circus begin their first tour of the US. Wasn't Hugh Jackman supposed to play him in an original movie musical? Is that still on or did the endless Wolverine show derail it? (sigh)
1840 Novelist Thomas Hardy is born. Movies adapted from his work include multiple versions of Jude, Tess, and Far From the Madding Crowd
1904 Johnny Weissmuller is born. We just wrote about Tarzan and His Mate (1934) which you should definitely see
1926 Character actor Milo O'Shea, aka Dr Duran Duran who tried to kill Jane Fonda by excessive pleasure in Barbarella, is born.
1937 Sally Kellerman, the original " 'Hot Lips' O'Houlihan" is born
1944 EGOT composing legend Marvin Hamlisch (of "A Chorus Line") fame is born...or as Cher calls him "Marvin Hamilsmisch". Classic songs include the Oscar winning "The Way We Were" and Oscar nominated gems like "Nobody Does it Better," and "Through the Eyes of Love." Get this: He is the only person other than a director or screenwriter to win more than two Oscars on a single night. At the '73 Oscars he took Song and Original Score for The Way We Were and also Adapted Score (back when they had that) for Best Picture winner The Sting.
1953 The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, aka Helen Mirren's signature role. Did you know that Queen Elizabeth II is now the longest running monarch in British history?
1989 Dead Poet's Society opens in theaters. Goes on to 4 Oscar nominations including Best Picture in one of the all time least satisfying Oscar years. I mean that Best Picture lineup is atrocious given that sex lies and videotape, The Little Mermaid, Fabulous Baker Boys and Do the Right Thing (all nominated for something) were right there for the taking.
No, don't take my picture.
1995 Bridges of Madison County opens in theaters and audiences start loudly demanding Meryl Streep's third Oscar. The conversation lasts for 16 whole years thereafter. (Demands for #4 have not yet begun but it's only a matter of time.)
2006 Peyton Reed's The Break-Up opens in theaters with Jennifer Aniston & Vince Vaughn
And one year from today...
2017 Wonder Woman will open in theaters. Somehow it only took them 75 years to get her on the big screen.
Reader Comments (10)
1995 above all other years is stellar for best actress even without Kidman,Streep definitely should have won her third here and Shue should have been given more oppurtunities and maybe win her own someday.
Streep's third would be a wait regardless of the work she delivered. Her rep ruined how people evaluated and valued the work. The accumulation of nominations was more important than giving her another statuette where she would have been resented for getting too much too soon. Getting the third one in her sixties made all the narrative sense in the world. Nick Davis said Streep should not win a third just to have one but it would always boil down to that because her branding blinds many to what is worthy of recognition and what is okay to ignore.
Thank God Bates, Thompson, Hunter, Lange, and Sarandon received their Best Actress Oscars when they did.
The fight scene in the kitchen in Bridges is one of the most outstanding example of masterclass acting. Both Eastwood and Streep were at their best in that one moment.
Wait, isn't Barnum a musical? I think I've heard songs from it on Sirius XM On Broadway, when they're not playing Pippin on endless loop.
I remember that night that Marvin Hamlisch won those three awards. It was amazing to see a household name create in one night. Of course no one had ever heard of him before that night.
And isn't Marvin that really rare creature, a PEGOT?
I do think #4 will happen one day. I think in Supporting.
What a nice symmetry that would be, also the historic fact to be the first actor/actress to win both acting categories twice. I'll wait for it. 8)
As for Bridges... It's just sad that she didn't win a single critic award....
Strangely, today The Bridges of Madison County is more of an arthouse choice? All highbrow intellectual film critics love it, and not as a guilty pleasure. Cahiers du Cinema even chose it the best movie of the 90's!.
I understand the criticism of 1989's nominees, but I honestly loved both "Dead Poets Society" and "Field of Dreams." I don't think they affect me now as much as they did then, but I was the prime age and mindset for both films at the time.
Pam -- from my understanding there is a musical named that but that's not the one they're doing. (i could be wrong)
The Breakup is 1 of d romcoms I truly loved. It was funny & very relatable. I like Jen & Vince on d big screen together..
Please no Oscar Nr. 04 for La Streep, when Legends as Glenn Close doesnt have One! ;-(((
19 Nominations is rediculos at all. It looks like the legancy of Bette Davis and Katherine Hepburn doesnt exist! Stop nominating Streep for lesser work like Into the Woods, Music of the heart, maybe even Julie & Julia, Osage County, etc.
More Nominations for Foreign Language Performances, Independent Performers, First Time Nominees - especially for Legends like Donald Sutherland, Alan Rickman (*sigh*), James Gandolfini (*sigh*), etc. etc.