MovieChat Forums > Local Hero (1983) Discussion > April 9-1984: 56th Academy Awards

April 9-1984: 56th Academy Awards

posted 14 years ago by blameline
7 replies | jump to latest

The fact that Local Hero was completely ignored by the Motion Picture Academy led me to the conclusion that the awards are full of beans.

Here's my alternate listing, if I had the power to nominate this film in all categories:

Best Actor:
Michael Caine in “Educating Rita”
Tom Courtenay in “The Dresser”
Robert Duvall in “Tender Mercies”
Albert Finney in “The Dresser”
Burt Lancaster in "Local Hero" (replacing Tom Conti in "Reuben Reuben")

Best Supporting Actor:
John Lithgow in “Terms of Endearment”
Jack Nicholson in “Terms of Endearment”
Peter Riegert in "Local Hero (replacing Charles Durning in “To Be or Not to Be”)
Sam Shepard in “The Right Stuff”
Rip Torn in “Cross Creek”

Best Director:
“The Dresser” Peter Yates
“Fanny & Alexander” Ingmar Bergman
"Local Hero" Bill Forsyth (replacing “Silkwood” Mike Nichols)
“Tender Mercies” Bruce Beresford
“Terms of Endearment” James L. Brooks

Best Original Score:
“Cross Creek” Leonard Rosenman
“Return of the Jedi” John Williams
“The Right Stuff” Bill Conti
"Local Hero" Mark Knopfler (replacing “Terms of Endearment” Michael Gore)
“Under Fire” Jerry Goldsmith

Best Original Song:
“Flashdance...What a Feeling” from “Flashdance” Music by Giorgio Moroder; Lyric by Keith Forsey and Irene Cara
“Maniac” from “Flashdance” Music and Lyric by Michael Sembello and Dennis Matkosky
“Over You” from “Tender Mercies” Music and Lyric by Austin Roberts and Bobby Hart
"The Way it Always Starts" from "Local Hero" Music by Mark Knopfler (replacing
“Papa, Can You Hear Me?” from “Yentl” Music by Michel Legrand)
“The Way He Makes Me Feel” from “Yentl” Music by Michel Legrand; Lyric by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman

Best Original Screenplay:
“The Big Chill” Lawrence Kasdan, Barbara Benedek
“Fanny & Alexander” Ingmar Bergman
“Silkwood” Nora Ephron, Alice Arlen
“Tender Mercies” Horton Foote
"Local Hero" Bill Forsyth (replacing “WarGames” Lawrence Lasker, Walter F. Parkes)

Best Film:
“The Big Chill” Michael Shamberg, Producer
"Local Hero" David Puttnam, Producer (replacing “The Dresser” Peter Yates)
“The Right Stuff” Irwin Winkler and Robert Chartoff, Producers
“Tender Mercies” Philip S. Hobel, Producer
“Terms of Endearment” James L. Brooks, Producer

Next thing they'll be breeding us like cattle. You've gotta tell them. SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!

[–] rthomp-8 14 years ago

Well for me it would win best film in any year (apart from possibly 1988 - close there).

David Puttnam said in the BBC progamme about the making of the film that it was his best film and in that year it was nominated for a Bafta. The film that won it was Educating Rita. He said that Local Hero was a much better film than that. I agree!

[–] sirjeremy 14 years ago

Ugh. This is so tough for me as I adore Terms of Endearment as well as Local Hero...for the latter here are my nods and wins:

Best Picture (replacing The Right Stuff and losing to Terms of Endearment)
Best Director (replacing Bruce Beresford and losing to James L.Brooks)
Best Supporting Actor - Burt Lancaster (replacing John Lithgow or Sam Shepherd and losing to Jeff Daniels)
Best Original Screenplay (replacing Wargames - yes folks, Academy members clearly thought the screenplay for Wargames was better. I think Forsyth should have won this awarrd and I have no idea why Forsyth wasn't nominated for this one. It was universally admired and won two major film critics awards).

And what a travesty Mark Knopfler's beautiful score was also snubbed. The Return of the Jedi score was ok but hopelessley derivative and Knopfler should have taken the spot John Williams had here and go on to win.

[–] ProfessorFate 14 years ago

1983 was a very competitive year, but "Local Hero" definitely should have been in the mix.

Not sure why you put Lancaster in as a Best Actor nominee. His role was obviously more suited for best supporting actor. Peter Reigert had the largest role, and while I think Robert Duvall gave the best performance that year in "Tender Mercies" and deservedly won an Oscar, Riegert was just as deserving as most of the other nominees.

If I had to rank the top pictures of 1983:

1. The Right Stuff
2. Local Hero
3. The Year of Living Dangerously
4. Fannie & Alexander
5. Testament
6. Entre Nous (Coup de Foundre)
7. Terms of Endearment
8. Risky Business
9. Tender Mercies
10. The King of Comedy

My Best Actor nominees would have been:

Robert Duvall "Tender Mercies"
Robert De Niro "The King of Comedy"
Eric Roberts "Star 80"
Peter Riegert "Local Hero"
Mel Gibson "The Year of Living Dangerously"

"Push the button, Max!"

[–] blameline 14 years ago

Hey Professor-
Good list; I nominated Burt Lancaster for Best Actor for the same reason that Sam Waterston was nominated for Best Actor for The Killing Fields, even though Ngor, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, had more screen time than Waterston. However- I also agree with you that Robert Duvall rightfully won for Best Actor that year. He was, and continues to be, excellent in every role.

Next thing they'll be breeding us like cattle. You've gotta tell them. SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!

[–] rudeboy_murray 14 years ago

I think Michael Caine should have won best actor that year for Educating Rita. Not a great film, but a brilliant, witty performance, one of his very best. In my ideal world Peter Riegert would certainly have been a nominee for best actor.

Local Hero would be my choice for best picture, edging out Fanny & Alexander and The Right Stuff. I'd also give Local Hero nominations for:

supporting actor, Peter Capaldi - hard to pick a stand-out in such a wonderful cast, but Capaldi's Danny has always been a favourite of mine. A great comic performance.
Maybe also supporting nominations for Denis Lawson and Burt Lancaster
best director
original screenplay
cinematography
editing
original score - Mark Knopfler's finest hour!

[–] DD-931 14 years ago

You could go mad playing this game. I think I've agreed with about 10% of the Academy Award winners over the years. But yes, definitely LOCAL HERO was cheated, at the very least when it comes to Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Original Score nominations.

[–] jimel98 13 years ago

I have to disagree on only one thing, since Peter Riegert was far more the star of the film than Burt Lancaster (despite Lancaster having the bigger name) the two spots on your list should be reversed. That's the ONLY point I disagree with you on.