Catch up with the idea behind this series here.
Kubrick gets robbed again as his visionary, “A Clockwork Orange” loses out to a well-executed genre flick in 1971. The Oscars like nothing more than a slightly better version of the crap that Hollywood continually churns out. It’s almost as if one film doing it really well justifies them lazily attempting to film the same thing over and over. All that said, “The French Connection” is quite good.
You can directly trace the recent win for “The Departed” back to this precedent, not to mention the debt Eminem and Three 6 Mafia owe to Isaac Hayes, who picked up a Best Song Oscar for “Shaft” this year.
“The Godfather” won in 1972 and nobody can really complain about that, can they? Apparently, “Cabaret” was the heavy favorite at the time, but thank Christ that didn’t happen (although it did win Best Director and seven other Oscars). The ceremony is best remembered as the one where Marlon Brando sent an Indian to turn down his Oscar.
It also saw 14-year old Michael Jackson perform the nominated song, “Ben.”
Oh, and Peter O’Toole lost.
1971 – “Rio das Mortes” (Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
I imagine very few, if any, of the readers have seen this film. You’d have to be a pretty devoted Fassbinder fan (which I am) to even recognize the title and I’m fairly certain that it never really played anywhere other than some international festivals and German TV. All that said, it’s available on Netflix and would serve as an easy starting point on any Fassbinder eductation.
For those that may not know, Fassbinder was a young German filmmaker who somehow managed to direct 40 features, two TV shows, 24 plays and a number of other miscellaneous pieces of art in a fifteen year span. Consider him the anti-Terrence Malick. The frenetic pace of his work and his drinking would lead to his early death at age 37, but his massive output lives on and gains reputation with every passing year. In 1971 alone, he had five films come out including one of his most acclaimed works, “The Merchant of Four Seasons.”
These weren’t just flimsy, filmed performances of stage plays either. Some of them are quite ambitious (see 1971’s racially charged western, “Whity”), but the reason “Rio das Mortes” sticks out to me is because it’s simplistic story of two hipsters trying to raise some money to search out treasure in Peru feels like the perfect marriage for Fassbinder’s run and gun style. Not a lot happens, but careful consideration is given to everything that does and a portrait of youthful malaise emerges by the end. German New Wave mumblecore, for lack of a better phrase.
Michael König, Günther Kaufmann and Hanna Schygulla all deliver fine performances, as they did in countless other Fassbinder films, but Kaufmann especially struck me here. Lookswise, he’s an African American answer to Jemaine Clement, sporting a Jules Winnfield fro, but his icy cool demeanor and piercing eyes left a unique impression. Fassbinder’s films are sometimes guilty of suspect or stylized acting, but everything here is firmly rooted in reality.
Despite it’s low budget and brisk schedule, the film doesn’t lack the goods in the technical departments. Cinematographer Dietrich Lohmann would go on to lens big Hollywood fare such as “Deep Impact” and his work here is intelligent and uncompromising. From the opening title sequence, set to my favorite Pearls Before Swine song, the compositions are smoothly calculated and crisply elegant. The DVD transfer isn’t great though, but you can’t win them all. Some may call this a minor work from a major voice, but it’s unassuming nature makes it something of an anomaly in the Fassbinder catalog.
1972 – “What’s Up, Doc?” (Peter Bogdanovich)
Faithful readers may remember my dismissal of “Bringing Up Baby” in the 1938 column, but now I’m forced to admit that it can’t be all bad if it inspired Peter Bogdanovich to make this inspired homage. Screwball comedy seems to be a genre that Hollywood would rather leave in the past, with only “Intolerable Cruelty” springing to mind as attempts in recent years. When done correctly, there isn’t a more enjoyable thing to watch in the world and, based on the performances in this film, to be in as well.
Bogdanovich’s one-two-three punch of “The Last Picture Show,” “What’s Up, Doc?” and “Paper Moon” is maybe the finest in Hollywood history. All amazing films with startling variety, only this one didn’t register with the Academy. Perhaps it was just too breezy for them, but it’s one of a handful of films I can watch from beginning to end any time, any where. It even manages to make Barbra Streisand seem charming, not insufferable and for that reason alone, it deserves some kind of honorary Oscar.
The cast is all around terrific. Ryan O’Neal dons the shoes typical of Cary Grant and makes them his own with fantastic ease. He’s the calm circling in a comedic storm of supporting players. Austin Pendleton, Kenneth Mars, Madeline Kahn and Randy Quaid all gently toe the line towards farcical performance, but Bogdanovich shows an incredibly sturdy hand in keeping all the nonsense from getting out of hand. I mean, the title should clue you in that you’re basically watching a live action cartoon, but it’s only funny if we relate, and the relationships have a wonderful sense of realism.
But first and foremost, it’s wickedly funny. You can learn a lot about the secrets of comedy by listening to Bogdanovich on the DVD commentary and his anecdotes always involve advice from some amazing filmmaker that he befriended. Buster Keaton told him that you always shoot someone running in a wide so you can see their feet. It’s only funny if you can see their feet. Sure enough, the shot of O’Neal running alongside Streisand on the ice cream bike in a wide proves it so. It’s this first hand experience and eagerness to soak up the wisdom from previous generations of filmmakers that make, “What’s Up, Doc?” such a loving and successful homage.
Mistaken identities, silly accents, top secret documents, city-wide car chases and some igneous rocks. What more could you want from a comedy?
Those are my picks. What do you guys think?
[Photo: Home Cinema]
[Photo: Harvard Film Archive]
Comments
23 responses to “LIFE WITHOUT OSCAR: 1971 and 1972”
“Cabaret” is excellent.
And another screwball comedy in recent years (although also another Coens) is “Burn After Reading.”
What’s Up, Doc? is one of the great Hollywood comedies. I’m so happy to see it mentioned in this context.
1) Cabaret is brilliant. And it absolutely deserved everything it got.
2) The Last Picture Show, What’s Up Doc? and Paper Moon are the best 1-2-3 in history? As opposed to the 1-2-3 of Cabaret, Lenny and All That Jazz, the 1-2-3-4 of Dr. Strangelove, 2001, A Clockwork Orange and Barry Lyndon, or, The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather, Part II and Apocalypse Now?
Let me join the chorus that Cabaret is an absolute masterpiece. What don’t you like about it Chad?
Kudos though to singling out What’s Up, Doc?, Babs gave an earth shattering performance for the ages in Funny Girl, but “Doc” is by far her best film.
Room 237, he’s referring to movies released in consecutive years. ’71=Last Picture Show, ’72=What’s up Doc, ’73=Paper Moon. The examples you cited aren’t consecutive years.
Anyway, Chad, nice to see some love for What’s up Doc, and I’ll have to check the other one out.
Cabaret is fine but it’s no The Godfather. I just wrote thank Christ it lost because it would be too embarrassing if both Citizen Kane and The Godfather failed to be awarded top honors.
There’s nothing in what he wrote to specify 3 consecutive years, simply: “…one-two-three punch…”
I read that as 3 films in a row.
Regardless.
I’ll join the chorus of praise for “Cabaret”, which I actually greatly prefer over “The Godfather”.
1972 is one of my favourite years for film, just bursting at the seams:
“The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant” (another Fassbinder, one of my all-time faves)
“Aguirre, the Wrath of God”
“Pink Flamingos”
…and the Oscar nominees of “Cabaret”, “Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie”, “Last Tango in Paris”, “Cries and Whispers”. Holy crap! What a contrast to 1971, a year that I find to be a bit barren.
1961: “Through a Glass Darkly”
1962: “Winter Light”
1963: “The Silence”
Speaking of 1-2-3 punches…
And you can make it 1-2-3-4 by adding 1960’s “The Virgin Spring.” Boo-yah!
Love any “What’s Up Doc?” mention. Why that film doesn’t get mentioned more is beyond me.
I prefer Cabaret to The Godfather, but I’d say Part II pwns them both.
Grrr, “em”-fail.
I saw that photo of Günther Kaufmann and wondered which Fassbinder it was going to be…
I’ve heard of Rio das Mortes, but didn’t know it was available. Need to catch that one for sure.
1971 and 1972 are amongst the best cinematic years in history, in my book.
I would rank my TOP 5 as follows:
1971
1. Mc Cabe & Mrs. Miller
2. The Last Picture Show
3. The French Connection
4. A Clockwork Orange
5. Fiddler on the Roof
1972
1. Le souffle au coeur (Murmur of the Heart)
2. Avanti!
3. The Godfather
4. Cabaret
5. Le charm discreet de la bourgeoisie
1971: Mon Oncle Antoine
1972: What’s Up, Doc?
I prefer Godfather to Cabaret. BUT, I grew up hearing about Cabaret and listening to Cabaret on records from my mom/grandma. I then finally saw the movie, and it all came together wonderfully for me. I love it.
What’s Up Doc? I agree with the early posts – such a great, early rom com.
I love that you’ve highlighted so many comedies during this series.
In that spirit, my pick for 1971 is Woody Allen’s BANANAS, probably my favorite of his early, wacky comedies.
Not in that spirit at all (unless you have a pretty warped sense of humor!), however, is my 1972 pick – FRENZY, as perverse and fascinating a movie from a major director as you’re likely to find.
‘Cabaret’ is my favourite film of all time so I can’t agree with ‘The Godfather’ win.
Madeline Kahn should’ve been a Supporting Actress contender in 1972 (and, frankly, could’ve easily bested the five actual nominees); Eunice Burns is a character for the ages.
As for great films ignored by Oscar in 1971, I submit ‘Harold and Maude’.
Nice to see all the support for “Cabaret”. A genius movie.
As good as Cabaret is, I agree with Hartigan that it had no business winning. It is the second greatest film of all time, in my book (number one of all time would be number two in the series).
Sorry, that should read that The Godfather is the second greatest film of all time.
1971–The year of the badass. Best Actor should have been Hackman, MacDowell (CLOCKWORK ORANGE), Eastwood (DIRTY HARRY), and Caine (GET CARTER). And although it’s not great acting, I say Roundtree (SHAFT) gets slot number 5!
CARTER and HARRY are the obvious slights from 1971. The Oscaar went to a pretty good gritty crime drama, but these two were quite a bit better for my $.
1971 – WILD ROVERS with William Holden should have earned him a Best Actor nomination (as well as writing and cinematography). GET CARTER is awesome as well!
1972 – I do think THE GODFATHER deserved the win. My Best Picture picks:
1. THE GODFATHER
2. AGUIRRE THE WRATH OF GOD
3. BAD COMPANY
4. DELIVERANCE
5. THE CANDIDATE