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1988 Best Picture:
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Competition: Other Winners:
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Storyline: A fast talking salesman has his life turned upside down when his estranged father dies, and he discovers that he has an autistic older brother. Did it deserve to win: No ... No ... No ... The best thing about Rain Man was Dustin Hoffman's performance, but the film doesn't seem to offer too much more. Dangerous Liaisons was a vehicle for Glenn Close to polish up on her wicked side as a French courtesan. The Accidental Tourist was a vehicle for William Hurt to show off his uncanny ability to be boring, and therefore, for Geena Davis to shine. Mississippi Burning was an excellent race-relations, however, controversial, film that allowed Gene Hackman to play his trademark brand of bad cop. The film that I felt should have taken the prize was the first film to truly capture the dog-eat-dog world of the 'me decade'. Working Girl was a comedy that seemed designed for Melanie Griffith. It was the screwball classic of its day! Critique: Two words about Rain Main: Dominick and Eugene! D&E was a film released that same year, that also dealt with two brothers, one of them being retarded, yet this effort seemed more personal, and less of a vehicle for an Oscar for its stars. In fairness, Rain Man is very good, and Dustin Hoffman is just a bit better than the one dimensional performance that he was criticized for giving. Even Tom Cruise proves himself to be a competent actor. The movie
is slick in a way that popular movies are, with a hip soundtrack and some
beautiful cars! While it's a fun movie to watch, its questionable
whether it deserved all of the accolades that the Academy handed it. |
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Behind the Scenes: Rain Man was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won four of them. It seemed evident that the folks at Disney were confidant of Rain Man getting nominated as they took out ad's for the film, listing it as an Academy Award nominee, a day before the Oscar nominations were even announced. The Academy has always been criticized for having a short memory, favoring films released later in the year, versus those earlier. This year had to be the best example, with all five Best Picture nominees being released in December. Dustin Hoffman was a shoe in for the Best Actor award that year. His most formidable competition came in the form of Gene Hackman for Mississippi Burning. His chances were dashed over charges by the many that the film didn't represent blacks very well, suggesting that they took a passive role in the civil rights activities of the sixties. Hoffman gave an eloquent speech upon winning, in which he thanked his dying father, and each of his fellow nominees - by name of course. He then joked that he didn't hold it against them for not voting for him. "I didn't vote for you either." When he came out later with Tom Cruise to present the Best Actress Oscar, he was quick to thank Cruise, and his director, Barry Levinson, both of whom he forgot during his speech.
Sigourney Weaver received two nominations, one for Best Actress (Gorillas in the Mist) and one for Supporting Actress (Working Girl). She was the fifth person to achieve two nods in the same year, but the first person to lose both of them. Previous dual nominees traditionally won for the supporting performance. The big opening number at that year's ceremony was the worst ever! Snow White took the stage to sing about Hollywood, and she was joined by Merv Griffin, a host of older stars, and finally, in a career limiting move, Rob Lowe. The act was laughed at by critics, and Disney took legal action over the negative use of one of their characters.
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Jodie Foster won her
first Oscar, despite heavy competition in the Best Actress category, for
her film, The Accused. The former child star proved that she operate
in the big leagues, with this film
about a woman who is the victim of a violent gang rape.
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| Oscar goes to a third Dustin Hoffman movie. |
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| Tom Cruise is Charlie Babbitt, a sleazy salesman with a heart of gold. |
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| Dustin Hoffman in his Oscar winning role as Raymond Babbitt. |
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| Tom warms up to his newfound older brother in an effort to benefit from his fathers will. |
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| The brothers head off on a cross country trip. |
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| Cruise gives Hoffman crap for walking in on a lovemaking scene. |
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| Hoffman has a little trouble with cross walks. |
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| Cruise seeks some quickie advice from a psychiatrist. |
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| Cruise sees an opportunity when he discovers that Hoffman can do complicated math in his head. |
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Hoffman watching his favorite show. The People's Court. |
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| Raymond tries to figure out who's on first. |
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| Charlie discovers the mystery of Rain Man. |
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| More secrets revealed. |
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| Cruise takes Hoffman to Vegas. |
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| The casino starts to catch on that Hoffman is counting cards. |
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| The brothers form a unique bond. |
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Catch these films on DVD and VHS!
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