The 95th Academy Awards arrives Sunday, and horse racing aficionados can revel within the implicit recognition the game of kings yearly receives when journalists and movie buffs undertake racing’s handicapping lingo to forecast the night time’s winners.
Precise awards for horse films have been more durable to return by, so, upfront of Oscar night time, the crew at America’s Finest Racing got here up with some achievements within the subject of equine-related celluloid that we imagine had been neglected by the Academy of Movement Image Arts and Sciences the primary time round and deserve recognition.
Sure, “Ben-Hur” (the unique, not the deservedly shunned GGI remake) was honored for its technical achievements in 1959, highlighted by the staging and filming of its iconic chariot race. So too did the traditional “Nationwide Velvet” take house two Oscars in 1945, for Finest Supporting Actress (Anne Revere) and Finest Movie Modifying (Robert Kern). Nonetheless, we expect there are such a lot of extra horse-centric films that deserved a gold statuette. On your consideration:
Finest Cinematography: “Seabiscuit”
With Santa Anita Park, Keeneland, and Saratoga Race Course as movie places for “Seabiscuit,” it’s powerful to get any higher than that. The close-up photographs of the racing scenes are a few of my favourite clips ever. I simply suppose director of pictures John Schwartzman and crew did a terrific job of capturing the moments and transporting the viewers into the story of Seabiscuit. Though the movie didn’t win, it was nominated for finest cinematography on the 76th Academy Awards. – Jose Contreras
Finest Screenplay: “Let it Journey”
Richard Dreyfuss stars in “Let It Journey” as a cab driver named Jay Trotter who has, as he says, “an excellent day” betting on the races. The screenplay is tailored from Jay Cronley’s novel “Good Vibes.” In the course of the course of 1 racecard, each race Trotter bets, he wins. His day on the monitor (filmed at Hialeah Park) is one which all of us dream of. His means of selecting horses is totally different each time and it varies from listening to a secret dialog in a taxi to asking for opinions from the folks on the monitor and crossing them out. He locations his guess with the identical ticket clerk to be able to preserve his profitable streak going (see Dan’s selection beneath). Who wouldn’t like to have a day on the races like Jay Trotter? – Jose Contreras
Finest Actor: Robert Redford, “The Horse Whisperer”
Robert Redford excels as Tom Booker, a well-known horse whisperer decided to assist a bodily and mentally damaged horse (and supply the identical assist to the horse’s proprietor, a bit lady who was nearly killed in a using accident). Redford based mostly his efficiency off of real-life horse whisperer Buck Brannaman, and that spotlight to element lends Redford’s efficiency an authenticity that pulls viewers into the film, which he additionally directed. – Penelope Miller
Finest Actress: Gabrielle Anwar, “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Damaged”
OK, I’ll be trustworthy right here: “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Damaged” is just not a terrific film; it’s film, nevertheless it’s in all probability not going within the Criterion Assortment any time quickly. Nevertheless, Gabrielle Anwar shines as Sonora, a younger lady who works as a daredevil rider of the diving horse Lightning. Her portrayal of the real-life Sonora Webster is each inspiring and heartbreaking, and Anwar manages to seize the distinctive, uncommon love between a horse and rider and the unshakable belief that bond brings. – Penelope Miller
Finest Supporting Actor: Mickey Rooney, “The Black Stallion”
Mickey Rooney’s tackle gruff, educated coach Henry Dailey made certainly one of my favourite characters in certainly one of my favourite books ever come to life. It’s a film that nonetheless brings tears to my eyes each time I see it, and Rooney’s quiet and commanding efficiency is a large a part of why I like it a lot. I’m not alone, both: Rooney truly garnered an Academy Award nomination for Finest Supporting Actor in 1979 for his portrayal of Henry Dailey on this film. – Penelope Miller
Finest Supporting Actor: Robbie Coltrane, “Let It Journey”
Undecided he appeared sufficient within the movie to qualify as “supporting,” however because the ticket clerk, Coltrane’s scenes are merely epic. His bit on the finish of this clip, when the clerk tells Richard Dreyfuss’ Jay Trotter that he is the best horseplayer he is ever seen, is each comical and heartwarming. – Dan Tordjman
Finest Cinematography: “Secretariat”
I might’ve gone both method, with both “Secretariat” or “Seabiscuit,” however I went with “Secretariat” as a result of it made the expertise of Huge Purple’s extraordinary profession (which I missed by a couple of decade) much more actual to me. This scene right here is a superb instance of how the movie not solely takes you again to a race (on this case, the 1973 Belmont Stakes) but in addition brings to life the feelings and ideas of all the important thing gamers surrounding the horse because the race unfolded. – Dan Tordjman
Finest Supporting Actor: Jeff Bridges, “Seabiscuit”
Q: Has Jeff Bridges ever been lower than nice in a film, irrespective of its high quality? A: No, he hasn’t (and sure, I’ve seen “Simpatico” – components of it, anyway). So possibly Bridges was channeling a bit little bit of his flip in “Tucker: A Man and His Dream” for his portrayal of Seabiscuit’s proprietor Charles Howard, nevertheless it match completely on this A-list Hollywood adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand’s best-selling novel. The attract of horse racing throughout the Melancholy – the attract of the game, interval – is finest captured on this scene with Bridges as he appears to be like out upon Santa Anita’s wonderful grounds and the gang welcoming Seabiscuit to the put up parade. – Patrick Reed
Finest Actor: Invoice Murray, “St. Vincent”
Let’s simply say I approached watching “St. Vincent” with modest expectations and got here away actually having fun with the film, due largely to a variety of terrific performing performances by Jaeden Lieberher, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, and particularly Invoice Murray. There was a time after I seen Murray as not far more than a comedic actor – albeit a really humorous one – however the reality is he’s turn into among the best actors round with the power to department out and convey the perfect out of a variety of roles. He was excellent within the lead position of Vincent MacKenna in “St. Vincent” – whose life partially revolves round betting the races at Belmont Park – as was Lieberher, who performed the little boy, Oliver, who befriended Vincent and adjusted his life. – Mike Curry
Finest Supporting Actor (Athlete Division): Gary Stevens, “Seabiscuit”
Even with out the Athlete Division qualifier, I stand by this. On the subject of athletes in films, I’ve little to no expectations, however Stevens did a improbable job in his position as George “the Iceman” Woolf in “Seabiscuit.” I keep in mind after the primary time I watched it, pondering, “Wow, Stevens knocked it out of the park.” So good was Stevens that he picked up one other position within the short-lived HBO sequence “Luck.” He’s a Corridor of Fame jockey first, however he’s additionally a reasonably damned good actor. – Mike Curry
Honorable Point out: Dakota Fanning, “Dreamer: Impressed by a True Story”
I’ll in all probability get mocked for this, however I assumed Dakota Fanning was superb as Cale Crane in “Dreamer.” Look, I agree that there have been many cringe-inducing missteps within the film that will have been simply solved had anybody who had ever witnessed a reside race been concerned within the screenplay. But it surely shouldn’t low cost the truth that Fanning got here by way of with a robust efficiency. What’s form of unhappy about the entire thing is that “Dreamer” was impressed by (actually not based mostly on) a real story and had nice potential. But it surely’s like watching a baseball film the place the lead actor throws a baseball like he has a moist noodle hooked up to his shoulder. It’s powerful to get previous the implausibility of the movie, however let’s not overlook it’s a feel-good Disney film. I admit I gained a bit extra appreciation for “Dreamer” and Fanning when my daughter, then 8, actually loved it. – Mike Curry
Finest Actor (Equine Division): Joey, “Battle Horse”
Steven Spielberg’s “Battle Horse” was a strong film showcasing the bond between horse and human, and it was nominated for six Academy Awards however didn’t win any of them. The horses that performed Joey, the movie’s star, actually would have gained Finest Equine Actor had it been a class. Joey served as a plow horse in England, a baby’s using companion and, sure, a struggle horse. The equine performing required to play so many various sides of a horse’s character inside one film and the story that’s revealed would certainly have earned “Workforce Joey” an Oscar had it been an possibility in 2012. – Christina Moore
Finest Image: “Seabiscuit”
“Seabiscuit” truly was nominated for Finest Image in 2003 in addition to six different Academy Awards, however in contrast to the horse, the film went winless. Nevertheless, I nonetheless really feel that “Seabiscuit” ought to have gained the Oscar for Finest Image over “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.” The true story of Seabiscuit had all the pieces you might need in a film: a compelling underdog storyline with pleasure and heartbreak, plus an unfathomable comeback and a made-for-Hollywood ending. To not point out terrific performing. The actual fact it was nominated in so many classes reveals what a terrific movie it was. Couple the storyline with the heart-pounding, glamorous, typically seedy setting of horse racing within the Melancholy period and it’s a no brainer. “Seabiscuit” is the perfect racing movie to by no means win Finest Image. – Christina Moore
*** This weblog was initially printed in 2017 and has been up to date ***
