Unofficial Academy Awards Discussion Board

Actually the supporting actor category was the strongest of the year's four acting categories.

As I recall, Victor Banerjee was talked about as a strong contender and should have been nominated in lead, certainly over Sam Waterston. A case could be made for Haing S. Ngor in lead as well, but as a first time actor that didn't seem likely even though the Boston Critics and later BAFTA awarded him their lead actor awards. James Fox was the Passage to India actor being talked about in support. The bigger question was whether Peggy Ashcroft would be nominated in lead or support. Althouhg support was considered more likely, she would probably have won as easily in lead.

flipp525 wrote

Sabin wrote
I have a backlog of films which for whatever reason I have not seen yet. I have never seen The Karate Kid. I don't know why. I don't know how it happened. I feel like I have seen it already because I'm aware of the plot structure, but I have not seen The Karate Kid.

Okay, well, now I think you truly are an alien. Ummm....WHAT???!!! (Not picking on you, just sincerely flabbergasted.)

No. You're absolutely right to say that. I don't know how that happened either. I might not have been a kid.

The Golden Globes omitted Ralph Richardson and John Malkovich in favor of Richard Crenna for The Flamingo Kid (which I've also never seen, and apparently stars Matt Dillon) and Jeffrey Jones for Amadeus.

Was Victor Banerjee campaigned in supporting? He was mentioned quite a few times in the lead actor thread for 1984, and any prizes he won/was nominated for his work (NBR, BAFTA) were in lead. I certainly think he's lead. (Haing S. Ngor is also lead, but that's another story)

Sabin wrote:I have a backlog of films which for whatever reason I have not seen yet. I have never seen The Karate Kid. I don't know why. I don't know how it happened. I feel like I have seen it already because I'm aware of the plot structure, but I have not seen The Karate Kid.

Okay, well, now I think you truly are an alien. Ummm....WHAT???!!! (Not picking on you, just sincerely flabbergasted.)

And, why is no one mentioning Victor Banerjee for A Passage to India? He clearly deserved a spot in this weak year.

I think the moment when Ngor encounters the titular "killing fields" is one of the most heartwrenching, realistic scenes there is in cinema. He very enthusiastically gets my vote.

I voted for Haing S. Ngor, basically echoing what ksrymy wrote.

Hardly the most inspiring bunch of nominees of which I find John Malkovich's performance the only one worthy of award consideration.

My choices:

1. James Fox for A Passage to India
2. John Laughlin for Crimes of Passion
3. Klaus Kinski for The Little Drummer Girl
4. Rudiger Weigang for Heimat
5. Ray Barrett for Where the Green Ants Dream

Very weak lineup

Haing S. Ngor – The Killing Fields gets my vote

Pat Morita is simply iconic. It's one of those performances that sticks in your mind and doesn't leave. His character in The Karate Kid was aped, mimicked and celebrated. It may not have been a tour-de-force, but it was strong enough to make Mr. Miyagi a lasting and memorable part of the 1980's blockbuster movement.

I have a backlog of films which for whatever reason I have not seen yet. I have never seen The Karate Kid. I don't know why. I don't know how it happened. I feel like I have seen it already because I'm aware of the plot structure, but I have not seen The Karate Kid.

I have not seen Greystroke. I have not seen A Soldier's Story. And I have not seen The Karate Kid. So needless to say, I'm not voting.

I'm glad that John Malkovich got a nomination for his impressive year, but I found his work in Places in the Heart to be somewhat overrated. Haing S. Ngor is heartbreaking in The Killing Fields. He's clearly a lead in the film and had likely zero chance of getting a nomination in that category, but it's a very touching performance.

This has always struck me as one of the dullest years for Oscar nominations.

Pat Morita

Ralph Richardson won both The New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics awards for Greystoke, but as good as he was, I think there were five better performances that year.

Haing S. Ngor was the centerpice of The Killing Fields, whose own back story was as compelling as that of the character he played. His win was much deserved.

John Malkovich, impressive in that film as well as in his Oscar nominated performance in Places in the Heart was also derving of his nod and so was Adolph Caesar in A Soldier's Story.

My other two slots go to Danny Glover in Places in the Heart and Zeljko Ivanek in Mass Appeal. Richardson would get my sixth slot.

Pat Morita was fine in The Karate Kid but I thought his Golden Globe nomination would have been it for the Happy Days actor.

ksrymy wrote:Haven't seen Richardson. Don't care to.

Then you are missing one of the best performances in this category and that too by one of the world's great actors.

My picks for 1984:

1. Haing S. Ngor, The Killing Fields
2. Ralph Richardson, Greystoke, The Legend of Tarzan
3. Adolph Caesar, A Soldier's Story
4. Danny Glover, Places in the Heart
5. John Malkovich, Places in the Heart

The 6th Spot: James Fox, A Passage to India

Really tired so not much word put in here.

Haven't seen Richardson. Don't care to.

Ngor gives maybe the most marvelous non-actor performance ever in The Killing Fields. Right up there with Harold Russell.

My picks
______________________
1) Haing S. Ngor - The Killing Fields
2) John Malkovich - Places in the Heart
3) Danny Glover - Places in the Heart
4) Adolph Caesar - A Soldier's Story
5) Jeffrey Jones - Amadeus

6) Pat Morita - The Karate Kid