Broadcast News at the Oscars

[TomHardysParticipant Joined: Aug 24th, 2013 Topics: 50 Posts: 2991 View Predictions]

#178203

Just finished rewatching a great movie called Broadcast News. It scored 7 nominations at the 1988 Oscars and it is in my opinion one of the best movies of the genre. Incredible effective for a light-hearted film (proving that you don’t need excessive plate smashing and yelling to get your message across). The acting is incredible (I myself LOVE William Hurt’s gentle performance), the script and direction are very sharp and fast paced and the cinematography is a thing of beauty.

What’s your opinion GoldDerby? Underrated gem or overrated bore? Did it deserve more nominations and/or wins over the eventual winners? And while we’re at it, who would you cast in a remake? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

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[babypookParticipant Joined: Nov 4th, 2010 Topics: 108 Posts: 14550 View Predictions]

#178205

Broadcast News is one of my favorites. The perfs (William Hurt, Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks* et al), the direction, the pacing, the screenplay.

 

What a wry statement on ‘success’, the media, and life.

Highly recommended.

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[TomHardysParticipant Joined: Aug 24th, 2013 Topics: 50 Posts: 2991 View Predictions]

#178206

Here’s the list of nominations ir garnered and its competitors at the time:

Best Picture:
*The Last Emperor
*Broadcast News
*Fatal Attraction
*Hope and Glory
*Moonstruck

Best Actor:
*Jack Nicholson, Ironweed
*William Hurt, Broadcast News
*Michael Douglas, Wall Street
*Marcelo Mastroianni, Dark Eyes
*Robin Williams, Good Morning Vietnam

Best Actress:
*Cher, Moonstruck
*Holly Hunter, Broadcast News
*Meryl Streep, Ironweed
*Glenn Close, Fatal Attraction
*Sally Kirkland, Anna

Best Supporting Actor:
*Albert Brooks, Broadcast News
*Sean Connery, The Untouchables
*Denzel Washington, Cry of Freedom
*Vincent Gardenia, Moonstruck
*Morgan Freeman, Street Smart

Best Original Screenplay:
*Moonstruck
*Au Revoir Les Enfants
*Broadcast News
*Hope and Glory
*Radio Days

Best Cinematography:
*The Last Emperor
*Matewan
*Broadcast News
*Hope and Glory
*Empire of The Sun

Best Film Editing:
*Broadcast News
*RoboCop
*The Last Emperor
*Fatal Attraction
*Empire of The Sun
 

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[MParticipant Joined: Aug 5th, 2014 Topics: 37 Posts: 4129 View Predictions]

#178207

Holly Hunter would have been a worthier winner than Cher. But Glenn Close was the best of her stellar category.

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[TomHardysParticipant Joined: Aug 24th, 2013 Topics: 50 Posts: 2991 View Predictions]

#178208

I was surprised to find out that Holly Hunter won the Silver Bear, the National Board of Review prize, the LAFCA and the NYFCC I think. She was miles better than Cher who gave a lovely but average performance in an overrated movie.

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[Halo_InsiderParticipant Joined: Jul 3rd, 2011 Topics: 59 Posts: 4244 View Predictions]

#178209

 It was one of my favorites of the year, to be sure, and I thought Albert Brooks deserved to win the Oscar.

I started a while back on it, too!

http://www.goldderby.com/forum/topics/view/5183

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[montana82Participant Joined: Sep 14th, 2011 Topics: 67 Posts: 1238 View Predictions]

#178210

I also love Broadcast News and would have given it Picture and Actress wins.

I think it had it’s thunder stolden by another romantic comedy that year Moonstruck.  Moonstruck was the #5 grossing film that year and got great reviews.    I like both but prefer Broadcast News.

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[dudeMember Joined: Dec 19th, 2012 Topics: 0 Posts: 85 View Predictions]

#178211

Seems like it peaked too earlier a la Sideways, maybe?

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[harposboyMember Joined: Apr 28th, 2013 Topics: 2 Posts: 117 View Predictions]

#178212

Such a great movie.

Would have my vote for Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actor and Screenplay.

Holly Hunter really is phenomenal here. Jane Craig is a one-of-a-kind character.

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[RobertPiusParticipant Joined: Nov 22nd, 2012 Topics: 168 Posts: 899 View Predictions]

#178213

I think the film’s Oscar chances were hurt by the fact that James L. Brooks had just swept the Oscars a few years before with Terms of Enderament. 

Holly Hunter won most of the critics stuff but her chances were hurt by the fact that she was a total unknowm prior to that year and Cher had a bunch of acclaimed performances around that time and seemed due after being snubbed for Mask.

This was a pretty good year for film. I love all the Best Picture nominees…except the winner (The Last Emperor) 

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[babypookParticipant Joined: Nov 4th, 2010 Topics: 108 Posts: 14550 View Predictions]

#178214

I think the film’s Oscar chances were hurt by the fact that James L. Brooks had just swept the Oscars a few years before with Terms of Enderament. 

Holly Hunter won most of the critics stuff but her chances were hurt by the fact that she was a total unknowm prior to that year and Cher had a bunch of acclaimed performances around that time and seemed due after being snubbed for Mask.

This was a pretty good year for film. I love all the Best Picture nominees…except the winner (The Last Emperor) 

 

Well, she did star opposite Nic Cage in Raising Arizona, where she is perfect. The Coens  really helped to launch her career. After that, she is so good in everything, an Oscar was just waiting for her.

Agree about Cher. I really liked her win too.

The Last Emperor is one of my all time favorite films. Lol!  Sometimes I feel as if I’m the only one who LOVED that film around here….the score, the perfs, the politics; all of it.

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[Anonymous Joined: Jan 1st, 1970 Topics: 36 Posts: 1645 View Predictions]

#178215

While I have enjoyed viewing the film more than once, I think the ending of Broadcast News is forced.

It seems that James L. Brooks simply ran out of creativity which is not unlike how his similar TV news creation The Mary Tyler Moore Show ran out of steam. Brooks has often spoken of how the “surprise” at the airport was spoiled by a visitor to the set who leaked to Hunter that Hurt was on set. I don’t believe the flashforward reunion. It feels tacked on to compensate for the moment he sought in filming and felt unable to regain.

 

 

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[KyleBaileyParticipant Joined: Nov 15th, 2013 Topics: 283 Posts: 7458 View Predictions]

#178216

This movie was great! Out of all the nominees, Moonstruck and Broadcast News tie for my personal choice. Actor I would keep with Douglas, Actress I agree with Cher but Holly Hunter was pretty close, and Brooks was great but I haven’t seen Sean Connery’s movie so I can’t really speak on that but I also think Jack Nicholson was a stand out. Screenplay, tied with Mookstruck again. Both are really well written. 

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[NateParticipant Joined: Jun 5th, 2011 Topics: 4 Posts: 636 View Predictions]

#178217

I truly enjoy this movie and it’s on some PBS stations this weekend, so I highly recommend all check it out, whether for the first time or as a repeat viewing.

It still amazes me that this movie was totally shut out at the Oscars 27 years ago. The Last Emperor, Empire of the Sun, Hope and Glory, and Ironwood all still bore me and Fatal Attraction and Moonstruck are decent movies that feel to like they have become more known for their parodies and imitators than for the quality of the originals, but Broadcast News still holds up for me. Especially in the wake of The Newsroom (which feels like the logical “Cable News” successor to the movie) and the Brian Williams (who always felt to me like William Hurt’s character) revelations this past week, Broadcast News feels more timely than ever in some ways.

Most amazing to me is the fact that Holly Hunter stepped into the part just days before filiming began, as the part was written for Debra Winger, who dropped out when she became pregnant with her son Noah. The part is such a natural fit for her and I still think she was robbed for the Oscar, even though she was probably the movie’s best bet for a win. Hunter swept through the early critics prizes, but this appears to be a year where appearing in multiple movies in the same year really helped. Douglas was helped by appearing in 2 movies that year and Hunter appeared in 2 as well, but Cher appeared in 3, plus was overdue from her nomination snub for Mask recently. Even Lillian Gish, who was a threat to win if nominated, stated that she was relieved not to be nominated so that she did not have to go and lose to Cher. I think Sally Kirkland’s campaigning also overshadowed Hunter’s performance that year. But Hunter handles that Brooks dialogue so well without being as flashy as her competition, which unfortunately, probably hurt her too.

I am still amazed that Brooks wasn’t even nominated for Best Director that year. I would have given him Original Screenplay that year as well, as Moonstruck is primarily known for “Snap out of it!,” while Broadcast News has endless amounts of great dialogue. Also, Brooks (as well as Washington, actually) was a lead and deserved to be nominated as one, but, I get that the Leading Acting competition that year was extremely strong, while the Supporting Acting categories were really open.

Overally, though, that 0 for 7 showing really stings, but I will still, out of all other movies from that year, drop everything to watch this movie if it is on TV, as some scenes, like when Joan Cusack is running to the broadcast room with some last minute footage, have and probably will always remain classic to me.

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