TrekBBS Academy Awards #16: Best Picture, 1982

[Star Treks]

16th in a series of polls examining the opinion of you, the TrekBBS users. Which of the original five Academy Award nominees actually should have won? Up next: Best Picture, 1982... which nominee deserved the award most? Comments encouraged.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

For comparison, the top-rated English language feature films of 1982 on IMDB are:

Blade Runner (8.3)
Gandhi (8.2)
The Thing (8.1)
Fitzcarraldo (8.0)
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (7.9)
The Flight of Dragons (7.8)
The Plague Dogs (7.8)
The Grey Fox (7.7)
Missing (7.7)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (7.7)
The Verdict (7.7)
The King of Comedy (7.6)
Sophie's Choice (7.6)

Tootsie scores a 7.4. Some other notable films from '82 are Poltergeist (7.4), Frances (7.3), Victor Victoria (7.3), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (7.2), My Favorite Year (7.2), Diner (7.1), and The World According to Garp (7.0).

I've seen all five nominated films and it's a very strong group, just as it was a strong year overall. Pretty much any one of the five would have been a worthy winner, but I'll stick with the film that did win and vote for Gandhi.

 

[PKTrekGirl]

This was a great year for movies. IMO, E.T, Tootsie and The Verdict could all have won if they'd had the better fortune of coming out in another year.

But Gandhi is a masterpiece. A practically flawless picture.

 

[Kira's Mom]

Gandhi. It was amazing...and I saw it as a ten-year-old! At that time, I was more interested in sci-fi, but I was still absolutely drawn in by Gandhi.

 

[Daneel]

My favourite film from that year is unquestionably Blade Runner, but from the list of nominees, the only one I've seen is E.T. I do quite like E.T., but I'm going to abstain from naming a favourite until I see some of the other movies.

 

[Orac Zen]

I've seen all those movies. Gandhi is by some distance the best of them.

 

[Harvey]

I'll vote for Tootsie, as comedies are often underrated. But Blade Runner is my absolute favorite, although I'll readily admit the theatrical release is not the best version of the film by any estimation.

 

[Piper]

I've gone for ET as it's my favourite, although Gandhi is probably the superior film.

 

[Mistral]

Gandhi got my vote-but ANY one of these movies is a contender-its really a shame when you look at other years and realize the winners weren't as good as the 'also rans' in this year. I'm particularly favorable towards The Verdict-an astounding portrayal of a flawed man by an actor 99% of the audience would expect to go for the "safe" roles because he could cruise on his looks. (Cruise, get it?) Instead, Newman makes you love and dislike his character-and feel just as strongly from both aspects, which is the mark of a true classic role, IMO. Hoffman in Tootsie was unbelievable, ET is so timeless that I showed my child last week for the first time and he was captivated(admittedly, he's just pushing 3, but still, he was fascinated!), and Missing is so tense I have a hard time watching it-I tend to grit my teeth until my jaw aches. What a year!

 

[Starbreaker]

Gandhi. Good movie.

 

[Hermiod]

If it was elligible, Blade Runner should have won.

 

[Harvey]

If it was elligible, Blade Runner should have won.

Even the theatrical cut? I'd say the stupidity of the tacked on ending, the omission of the Unicorn dream sequence, and the redundant, insulting voice over narration knock the film out of serious contention.

 

[auntiehill]

Gandhi, without a doubt.

A superb film.

 

[John Picard]

Hands down -- GANDHI. That film is an absolute masterpiece.



Good lord, I was 13 back then and thought E.T. was the biggest piece of crap I'd ever seen (I didn't see it until 1983), and my friend's mother wanted to argue with me that I liked it. 'Scuse me, but I think I know what I like versus what I don't like, thankyouverymuch.

 

[Othello]

ahndi i my vote and Ricardo Monteblan hould have won a Best Supporting Actor award for hi portrayal of Khan.

 

[adg]

^ Can I have what you're having?

Gandhi gets my vote....... a fantastic film!

 

[Star Treks]

^ Can I have what you're having?

I dunno, I don't think Montalban would have been a terrible choice. It's certainly one of the most memorable supporting performances of all time.

Let's see, who actually won?

LOUIS GOSSETT, JR. in "An Officer and a Gentleman"

He's a fine actor, but I for one don't remember much about this role (andI actually saw the movie).

I'm just saying, I don't think it's crazy to say Montalban was worthy of consideration.

 

[adg]

^No, I meant your typing.

I agree about Montalban, by the way.

 

[Cmndr J Crichton]

Sorry. Tron Beats every film here.

 

[Flibble]

I am ashamed to say that I have never seen Gandhi! But Tootsie is one of my favourite all time movies, so I had to go with that!