58th Academy Awards
The 58th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on March 24, 1986, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 6:00 p.m. PST / 9:00 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 23 categories honoring films released in 1985. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Stanley Donen and directed by Marty Pasetta.[2] Actors Alan Alda, Jane Fonda, and Robin Williams co-hosted the show. Fonda hosted the gala for the second time, having previously been a co-host of the 49th ceremony held in 1977. Meanwhile, this was Alda and Williams's first Oscars hosting stint.[3] Eight days earlier, in a ceremony held at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, on March 16, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Macdonald Carey.[4]
| 58th Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Date | March 24, 1986 |
| Site | Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Alan Alda, Jane Fonda and Robin Williams |
| Produced by | Stanley Donen |
| Directed by | Marty Pasetta |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Out of Africa |
| Most awards | Out of Africa (7) |
| Most nominations | The Color Purple and Out of Africa (11) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC |
| Duration | 3 hours, 11 minutes[1] |
| Ratings | 37.8 million 27.3% (Nielsen ratings) |
Out of Africa won seven awards including Best Picture.[5][6] Other winners included Cocoon and Witness with two awards, and Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Trip to Bountiful, Prizzi's Honor, The Official Story, Broken Rainbow, Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements, Molly's Pilgrim, Anna & Bella, White Nights, Back to the Future, Mask and Ran with one.
Winners and nominees
The nominees for the 58th Academy Awards were announced on February 5, 1986. The Color Purple and Out of Africa led all nominees with eleven each.[7] Winners were announced during the awards ceremony on March 24, 1986.[8] With its 11 nominations and zero wins, The Color Purple joined The Turning Point as the most nominated films in Oscar history without a single win.[9] At age 79, John Huston became the oldest person nominated for Best Director.[10] By virtue of his father Walter's previous wins, John's daughter Anjelica's victory in the Best Supporting Actress category made her the first third-generation Oscar winner in history.[11] For the first time in Academy Awards history, all lead acting nominees were born in the United States.[10] Argentina's The Official Story became the first Latin American film to win the Best Foreign Language Film category.[12] Paul Newman was awarded an Academy Honorary Award, much like previous recipient Henry Fonda in 1980, Newman, like Fonda, won the Academy Award for Best Actor the year after receiving the Honorary Award.
Awards
_crop.jpg)
Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface and indicated with a double dagger (
Honorary Academy Awards
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
Multiple nominations and awards
|
The following 18 films had multiple nominations:
|
The following three films won multiple awards:
|
Presenters and performers
The following individuals, in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.[17][18]
Presenters
Performers
| Name | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Newman | Musical arranger Conductor | Orchestral |
| Teri Garr | Performer | "Flying Down to Rio" during the opening number Arranged by David Shire Special lyrics by Sammy Cahn |
| Irene Cara | Performer | "Here's to the Losers" Music by Barry Mann Lyrics by Cynthia Weil |
| Gregg Burge | Performer | "Surprise, Surprise" from A Chorus Line |
| Tata Vega | Performer | "Miss Celie's Blues (Sister)" from The Color Purple |
| Stephen Bishop Marilyn Martin | Performers | "Separate Lives" from White Nights |
| Huey Lewis and the News | Performers | "The Power of Love" from Back to the Future |
| Lionel Richie | Performer | "Say You, Say Me" from White Nights |
| June Allyson Leslie Caron Marge Champion Cyd Charisse Kathryn Grayson Howard Keel Ann Miller Jane Powell Debbie Reynolds Esther Williams | Performers | "Once a Star, Always a Star" during the MGM musicals tribute Music by David Shire Lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. |
| Barbra Streisand | Performer | "Putting It Together" from Sunday in the Park with George during the Best Director presentation |
| Academy Awards Orchestra | Performers | "Oh, Lady Be Good!" (orchestral) during the closing credits |
Ceremony information
Determined to revive interest surrounding the awards and reverse declining ratings, the Academy hired Stanley Donen in December 1985 to produce the telecast for the first time.[20] The following February, actor and comedian Robin Williams was selected as host of the 1986 telecast.[21] Actor Alan Alda and two-time Academy Award-winning actress Jane Fonda were later announced to join Williams in sharing emceeing duties.[22]
Several other people were involved with the production of the ceremony. Lionel Newman served as musical director and conductor for the ceremony.[23] Actress Teri Garr performed the titular song from Flying Down to Rio during the opening segment.[23] Singer Irene Cara sang the Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann-penned "Here's to the Losers" in honor of unsuccessful Oscar nominees throughout history.[23] A song-and-dance number featuring actor and singer Howard Keel and several actresses including Cyd Charisse, Leslie Caron, and Debbie Reynolds paid tribute to MGM musicals.[12]
Box office performance of nominated films
At the time of the nominations announcement on February 5, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees at the US box office was $119 million with an average of $23.9 million.[24] Witness was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $68.7 million in the domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by Out of Africa ($55.6 million), The Color Purple ($46.4 million), Prizzi's Honor ($26.7 million) and Kiss of the Spider Woman ($13.4 million).[24]
Of the 50 grossing movies of the year, 42 nominations went to 12 films on the list. Only Back to the Future (1st), Cocoon (4th), Witness (5th), Jagged Edge (20th), The Color Purple (21st), Prizzi's Honor (30th), Agnes of God (32nd) were nominated for Best Picture, directing, acting, or screenplay.[25] The other top 50 box office hits that earned nominations were Rambo: First Blood Part II (2nd), Mask (14th), White Nights (22nd), Silverado (27th), Young Sherlock Holmes (44th), and Ladyhawke (46th).[25]
Critical reviews
Terrence O'Flaherty of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "Last night's sustained-release Oscar pill moved faster through the system than most, but from a standpoint of taste it was the worst in years." Regarding Alda, Fonda, and Williams hosting performance, he commented, "Together they immediately placed a fatal suggestion in the viewer's mind that there must be a shortage of elegant people in the movie business today – a suspicion that was substantiated again and again throughout this disjointed and unattractive program."[26] Chicago Tribune film critic Gene Siskel noted that after co-host Williams opened the ceremony with a slew of humorous jokes, "The show regrettably returned to its old bad habits with a boring onstage production number intended to be a tribute to old movies. Instead, it was a tribute to the continuing inability of the Oscar show producers to create fun for the home viewer rather than for the audience in the auditorium."[27] The Record's Joel Pisetzner remarked "The program might as well have begun with the announcement 'Dead, from L.A. it's Academy night!' "[28]
Television columnist John J. O'Connor of The New York Times quipped, "Suddenly, it seemed, somebody had listened to the complaints that had grown deadeningly familiar over the years. Clumpy film clips and smirking patronization were out. Spiffy electronic techniques and pure celebration were in, leavened with generous dollops of good-natured and sometimes outrageous humor." He also added, "Mr. Williams's improvisational, on-the-precipice style of humor brought the event's comic tone thumpingly into the 1980's."[29] Yardena Arar from the Los Angeles Daily News said, "This time, the ABC telecast didn't drown in the thank yous -- or, for that matter, boring presentation speeches and production numbers. Clocking in at 3 and one-fourth hours, the show seemed shorter -- and Donen must take the lion's share of the credit." Furthermore, she observed, "The writing was by and large brisk, the production numbers fair (in the case of the Oscar-nominated songs) to fabulous (Howard Keel's medley with a bevy of former leading ladies)."[30] Houston Chronicle television critic Ann Hodges remarked, "Oscar 1986 goes into the record books as a very good year - the year the Academy parked the pompous and let the show biz show." She also lauded the winners' acceptance speeches and the various musicals numbers during the broadcast.[31]
Ratings and reception
The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 37.8 million people over its length, which was a 2% decrease from the previous year's ceremony.[32] Moreover, the show drew lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 27.3% of households watching over a 43 share.[33] At the time, it earned the lowest viewership for an Academy Award telecast and the lowest ratings for any broadcast.[34]
In July 1986, the ceremony presentation received four nominations at the 38th Primetime Emmys.[35][36] The following month, the ceremony won one of those nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety Program (Roy Christopher).[37]
See also
References
- Sharbutt, Jay (March 26, 1986). "Oscar Wins Its Slot, Still Loses Ground". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- "58th Annual Academy Awards Presentation". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2015-06-24. Retrieved Jun 9, 2015.
- "Hosting chores". Variety. February 13, 2005. Archived from the original on 19 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
- "Past Scientific & Technical Awards Ceremonies". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on February 13, 2014. Retrieved July 31, 2013.
- Harmetz, Aljean (March 25, 1986). "Oscars Go to 'Out of Africa' and Its Director, Sydney Pollack". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Baltake, Joe (March 25, 1986). "7 Oscars Come 'Out Of Africa'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 24, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Matthews, Jack (February 5, 1986). "'Out of Africa' Ties 'Color Purple' as Oscar Nominees : 11 Citations; Spielberg Not Named". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
- Baltake, Joe (March 25, 1986). "7 Oscars Come 'Out Of Africa'". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on June 26, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- Friendly, David T. (March 27, 1986). "Academy Hits Racism Accusation". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 1151
- King, Susan. "y Awards Calendar Goes To The Oscars: Side Orders". Los Angeles Times (March 28, 1993). Archived from the original on June 11, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 676
- "The 58th Academy Awards (1986) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Archived from the original on November 11, 2014. Retrieved October 16, 2011.
- Broeske, Pat H. (March 23, 1986). "The Out-of-towner". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Smith, Steven (March 23, 1986). "The Tenacious Alex North". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Wilson, John M. (March 23, 1986). "Best Footage Forward". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Mull, Marrison (March 23, 1986). "The Show, From Beginning To End". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 672
- Terrance 2013, p. 14
- Ryan, Desmond. "Why are old films tinted? Just blame it on the kids". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. I2.
- Blakey, Scott (February 11, 1986). "KQEC's '3-2-1 Contact' Tries 3-2-1 Blast-Off". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 45.
- "Alda, Fonda named hosts of Oscars". Montreal Gazette. February 28, 1986. p. D13.
- Wiley & Bona 1996, p. 673
- "1985 Academy Award Nominations and Winner for Best Picture". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on June 14, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2014.
- "1985 Domestic Grosses (as of February 4, 1987)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
- O'Flaherty, Terrence (March 25, 1986). "A Very Tacky Night in Hollywood". San Francisco Chronicle. p. 55.
- Siskel, Gene (March 25, 1986). "'Africa' Dominates With 7 Oscars While 'Purple' Is Shut Out". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
- Pisetzner, Joel (March 25, 1986). "Again the Stars Come Out for a Glorious Night of Blah". The Record. p. B1.
- O'Connor, John J. (March 25, 1986). "The Academy Awards Ceremony". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
- Arar, Yardena (March 25, 1986). "The Real Winner Was the Audience". Los Angeles Daily News. p. 8.
- Hodges, Ann (March 25, 1986). "Hollywood blowout goes down a winner". Houston Chronicle. p. 5.
- Gorman, Bill (March 8, 2010). "Academy Awards Averages 41.3 Million Viewers; Most Since 2005". TV by the Numbers (Tribune Media). Archived from the original on March 10, 2010. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
- Schwed, Mark (March 30, 1993). "Kudocast's Nielsen ratings highest in 10 years". Variety. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- Pond 2005, p. 159
- "Primetime Emmy Award database". Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on November 19, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
- "Nominations for Prime-Time Emmys". Los Angeles Times. August 1, 1986. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
- Margulies, Lee. "First Round : Fields, Olivier Shows Win Emmys". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 21, 2015. Retrieved June 9, 2015.
Bibliography
- Pond, Steve (2005), The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards, New York, United States: Faber and Faber, ISBN 0-571-21193-3
- Terrance, Vincent (2013). Television Specials: 5,336 Entertainment Programs, 1936–2012 (5 ed.). Jefferson, North Carolina: Ballantine Books, McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-1-4766-1240-9. OCLC 844373010.
- Wiley, Mason; Bona, Damien (1996), Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards (5 ed.), New York, United States: Ballantine Books, ISBN 0-345-40053-4, OCLC 779680732
External links
- Academy Awards Official website
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Official website
- Oscar's Channel at YouTube (run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
- Analysis
- 1985 Academy Awards Winners and History Filmsite
- Academy Awards, USA: 1986 Internet Movie Database
- Other resources
| Awards of Merit |
| ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Special awards |
| ||||||
| Former awards |
| ||||||
| Ceremonies‡ |
| ||||||
| |||||||
| |||||||
