Film: The Movies of 1979

 

In this year of excellent movies, Kramer vs. Kramer won Oscars for Best Picture, Actor, Director, Supporting Actress, and Adapted Screenplay. Uploaded by hundland.org.

What makes some movie years better than others? Perhaps it’s better studio executives making good decisions about which movies to “green light.” Maybe a particularly talented group of directors is working in the same era. Or maybe… it just happens that way. For whatever reason, 1979 was one of those outstanding years, and here are some of the reasons why:

10 – Bo Derek, Dudley Moore, and Ravel’s “Bolero.” Directed by Blake Edwards.

Alien – Did it belong in the sci-fi or horror category? Yes. Starring Sigourney Weaver, directed by Ridley Scott.

All That Jazz – Lots of dancing, lots of dancer drama. Starring Roy Scheider, directed by Bob Fosse.

…And Justice for All – “You’re out of order! This whole trial is out of order!” Al Pacino goes nuts, directed by Norman Jewison.

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Apocalypse Now – The true madness of Vietnam. With Robert Duvall, Marlon Brando, and Martin Sheen. Directed by Frances Ford Coppola.

Being There – Peter Sellers’s tour de force as Chauncey Gardner. Directed by Hal Ashby.

Breaking Away – A father, a son, a bicycle race, a surprise hit. Directed by Peter Yates.

The China Syndrome – The movie that has crippled America’s nuclear industry. Starring Jane Fonda and Jack Lemmon, directed by James Bridges.

Kramer vs. Kramer – Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep fight for custody of their child. Directed by Robert Benton. Won Academy Award for Best Picture.

Manhattan – I wanted to move to NYC after I saw this movie. I still do. Woody Allen directs, with Diane Keaton and Mariel Hemingway.

The Muppet Movie – The highest-grossing movie of the year. Directed by James Frawley.

Norma Rae – Sally Field proves she had true acting chops. Directed by Martin Ritt.

Actor: Dustin Hoffman

Dustin Hoffman's first two major roles were in The Graduate and Midnight Cowboy. They couldn't have been more different, and he aced both. Uploaded by vipwallpaper.com.

The first film I saw with Dustin Hoffman in the lead was The Graduate (Great American Things, November 15, 2009), and I completely believed him. The next role I saw him handle was Ratso Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy. The parts couldn’t have been more different, and yet Hoffman was masterful in both. It was clear he’d be around for a long, long time.

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He’s never allowed himself to be typecast, as you can see by these major parts he’s played: Jack Crabb in Little Big Man; Louis Dega in Papillon; Carl Bernstein in All the President’s Men; Babe Levy in Marathon Man; Ted Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer; Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie; Raymond Babbitt in Rain Man.

His consistent excellence has certainly been recognized by the Hollywood establishment. He’s been nominated for seven Academy Awards, and won two – for Kramer vs. Kramer and Rain Man. He’s also won five Golden Globes, and received a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute. He was named the 28th greatest movie star of all time by Entertainment Weekly.