Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1984: Results

5. Robert Preston in The Last Starfighter- Preston gives an entertaining enjoyable performance doing his usual thing that perfectly his character.

4. Jeffrey Jones in Amadeus- Jones gives a funny little performance with his reactions throughout the film, but does convey the right command of his character.

3. Richard Burton in 1984- Burton gives a swan song performance being properly oppressive and cruel as his torturer character. 

2. Hector Elizondo in The Flamingo Kid- Elizondo gives a very moving performance and effectively is the heart of his film.

1. James Wood in Once Upon a Time in America-Woods wins this year easily as he gives the most complex and compelling performance. He creates an incredible depiction of one man's journey of ambition and where it leads him to. 

Overall Rank:

1. James Woods in Once Upon a Time in America
2. Hector Elizondo in The Flamingo Kid
3. Richard Burton in 1984
4. Jeffrey Jones in Amadeus
5. Harold Ramis in Ghostbusters
6. Daniel Day-Lewis in The Bounty 
7. Robert Preston in The Last Starfighter
8. Dan Aykroyd  in Ghostbusters
9. Adolph Ceasar in A Soldier's Story
10. Roy Dotrice in Amadeus 
11. William Atherton in Ghostbusters
12. Richard Crenna in The Flamingo Kid
13. Richard Frank in Amadeus 
14. Robert Englund in A Nightmare on Elm Street
15. John Malkovich in The Killing Fields
16. Rick Moranis in Ghostbusters
17. Pat Morita in The Karate Kid
18. Dean Stockwell in Paris, Texas
19. Treat Williams in Once Upon a Time in America 
20. Charles Kay in Amadeus 
21. Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Story
22. Rusty Jacobs in Once Upon a Time in America
23. Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters
24. Judge Reinhold in Beverly Hills Cop
25. John Malkovich in Places in the Heart
26. Rob Reiner in This is Spinal Tap 
27. Simon Callow in Amadeus 
28. Harry Shearer in This is Spinal Tap
29. Martin Kove in The Karate Kid
30. John Ashton in Beverly Hills Cop
31. Liam Neeson in The Bounty
32. James Fox in A Passage to India
33. Danny Glover in Places in the Heart
34. Dan O'Herlihy in The Last Starfighter
35. Patrick Hines in Amadeus
36. William Zabka in The Karate Kid
37. Jonathan Moore in Amadeus 
38. Christopher Lloyd in Star Trek III
39. Ian Holm in Greystoke
40. Alex Guinness in A Passage to India
41. Joe Pesci in Once Upon a Time in America
42. Gregor Fisher in 1984
43. Ronny Cox in Beverly Hills Cop
44. William Forsythe in Once Upon a Time in America 
45. DeForest Kelly in Star Trek III
46. Mike Monetti in Once Upon a Time in America 
47. Anthony Andrews in Under the Volcano 
48. Amrish Puri in The Temple of Doom
49. Ed Harris in Places in the Heart
50. Nigel Havers in A Passage to India
51. Jonathan Banks in Beverly Hills Cop
52. Danny Aiello in Once Upon a Time in America
53. Ralph Richardson in Greystoke
54. Julian Sands in The Killing Fields
55. Steven Berkoff in Beverly Hills Cop
56. Johnny Depp in A Nightmare on Elm Street
57. Scott Tiler in Once Upon a Time in America
58. Jonathan Ke Quan in The Temple of Doom

Next Year: 2005 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1984: Robert Preston in The Last Starfighter

Robert Preston obviously did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Centauri in The Last Starfighter.

The Last Starfighter is certainly a film of the 80's, but there is enjoyment to be had from it. It stays mostly remembered for its story about a young man Alex (Lance Guest) who after getting a high score on an arcade game he finds it is in fact a test to join in an intergalactic battle against an evil empire.

Robert Preston also like Richard Burton is giving his last feature film performance, although there is no reason to assume this here as Preston looks considerably healthier here than Burton did in his film. The Last Starfighter is very much a very typical eighties film about a young man in a trailer park who wants more, but finds is unlikely to go where he wants. There is not anything too notable about until Preston appears in a strange looking car as apparently the inventor of the video arcade game The Last Starfighter which Alex has just gotten the high score on. 

Preston takes a unique take on the part of the "man" who gets Alex into the intergalactic battle. This could have easily been a part of a dull mentor perhaps, but Preston instead portraying Centauri as an energetic con man of sorts. Preston does his quick talking thing marvelously here, and is very entertaining as he tries to convince Alex to join the fight. There is the right slightly mischievous grin in his face suggesting that he may have some alternative motives, but as well certainly suggesting there is something fun in store. Preston is just a delight as Centauri.

Centauri might not be as a follower of the cause as he might claim and really his intent is to try to make money for himself by bringing in a Starfighter. Preston is enjoyable because he shows that Centauri is a man, while more an alien who has no second thoughts about just trying to get his fair share of the money no matter what, but it his scene where Centauri seems like he is dead Preston does a very good job in making Centauri noble after all with his final short impassioned speech.

Robert Preston here pretty much makes the movie as he breaks through some of the cheesier material with his sarcastic portrayal of Centauri. I frankly wished the film had been entirely about Centauri since as soon as he dies I miss him very quickly. Thankfully he does appear again as Centauri hasn't died after all, and we get a little more of the likable schemer from Preston. This is most certainly one of the very best cases of Preston doing Preston as it perfectly fits the part of Centauri.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1984

And the Nominees Were Not:

Richard Burton in 1984

Jeffrey Jones in Amadeus

James Woods in Once Upon a Time in America

Robert Preston in The Last Starfighter

Hector Elizondo in The Flamingo Kid

Best Supporting Actor 1982: Results

5. Charles Durning in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas- Durning although may be the best part of the film, still does not make a particularly substantial impact with his small amount of screentime, that is mostly made up of a very unspectacular musical number.

4. Robert Preston in Victor Victoria- Preston gives a standard Preston performance which most certainly is charming but also not particularly special. It is not even the best case of Preston doing Preston.

3. Lou Gossett, Jr. in An Officer and A Gentleman- Gossett is convincing and capable as an intense drill Sergeant, he also is very good in inserting subtle indications of the more humane characterizations of the man.

2. John Lithgow in The World According to Garp- John Lithgow never overacts in his role as a transsexual and instead gives a nicely heartfelt performance.

1.James Mason in The Verdict- This win easily goes to James Mason who thoroughly proves his strength as an actor in the role of the ace attorney in this film. He gives an excellent quietly dominating performance that creating the perfect sort of adversary in the film.

Deserving Performances:
Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner
Charles Durning in Tootsie

Best Supporting Actor 1982: Robert Preston in Victor Victoria

Robert Preston received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Carole "Toddy" Todd in Victor Victoria.

Victor Victoria tells of the "comedic" problems that arise after a struggling female soprano Victoria Grant (Julie Andrews) pretends to be a man who performs drag.

When it comes to portraying a gay character many actors use certain mannerisms sometimes very effectively William Hurt, sometimes not so much Ed Harris, one who is only aware of Preston's performance here might think Preston puts on mannerisms, but from what I have seen from Preston acts just as he always does here, and really does not technically play his character as visibly gay. He instead plays him as Preston seems to play just about all his roles as a fairly flamboyant witty energetic shyster of some sort.

I really do not see any sort of play in his performance as the gay friend of Andrews' character who helps her with his charade as a man pretending being woman. He is fairly flamboyant in his Robert Preston sort of fashion with his distinct voice, and way of speaking. He is Preston all the way which is fitting of his character, and also is charming as it just about always is but I can't really say this is any sort of great performance either. It really is just standard Robert Preston, and not even standard Preston at his best.

Robert Preston also never made me really convinced of his character at all times particularly in his scenes where he is in bed with men, to be honest it never looks like Preston had much of an association with them in any way. He honestly did not seem honestly gay to me, since to me he really just was doing Preston. Preston does indeed says all his lines about his character's sexuality with the utmost conviction, yet I was never convinced, because Preston was just being Preston the entire time.

Although Robert Preston is indeed the male lead of the film he undergoes no changes throughout the film just acting as someone to make insert a clever line from time to time in usual Robert Preston fashion. Preston's performance is enjoyable to a degree since Preston is an enjoyable to watch, but I don't think this is best I frankly thought he was more entertaining and effective in the Last Starfighter actually. Still this is most certainly not a bad performance, but one that frankly left me underwhelmed.

Best Supporting Actor 1982

And the Nominees Were:

James Mason in The Verdict

Robert Preston in Victor Victoria

Lou Gossett Jr. in An Officer and A Gentleman

Charles Durning in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

John Lithgow in The World According to Garp