UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Tuesday, March 15, 1994
11
Oscar recognizes actors audiences tend to overlook
By Bob Thomas The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — The Academy Awards were nine years old before the Board of Governors decided in 1936 to add another category to honor actors whose talents often went unsung.
In the early years, the supporting-actor Oscar was presented to film veterans such as Walter Brennan and Donald Crisp.
In later years, the voters recognized younger supporting players as well, and Oscars often promoted winners to star status or revived faded careers. Among the recipients: Frank Sinatra, Robert De Niro and Denzel Washington.
book at 1993 nominees: ■ Leonardo DiCaprio at 19 is one of the youngest actors to receive recognition. He was nominated for his role as Gilbert Grape's younger brother in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape." DiCaprio started acting at 14 in commercials and educational films. He first drew notice as the homeless boy Luke in the last season of the TV series "Growing Pains." He became better-known in 1993 with "This Boy's Life," which starred Dear Niro and Ellen Barkin, and with the limited release of "Gilbert Grape."
Portraying sheer evil has proved the stepping stone for many a stellar career, and it may work for British stage actor Ralph Flennes — pronounced Rafe Fines
— of "Schindler's List." He was nominated for his portrayal of a concentration camp commander with the pastime of shooting prisoners at random.
After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, Fiennes acted in repertory and at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He starred as Heathchiff in a latter-day film of "Wuthering Heights."
A Harvard University graduate who roomed with Vice President Al Gore, Tommy Lee Jones of "The Fugitive" never lost the twang and the attitude of his native Texas. Jones started in films as Ryan O'Neal's roommate in "Love Story" and moved on to gritter roles in "Coal Miner's Daughter," "Under Siege," "Rolling Thunder," and "JFK," which brought his first academy nomination.
Little-known in America, the homely, expressive face of Pete Postlethwaite of "In the Name of the Father" is familiar to the British through his work in theater and television.
Trained in Chicago theater, John Malkovich of "In the Line of Fire" has impressed audiences with his varied performances in "Places in the Heart," "Dangerous Liaisons," "Empire of the Sun" and "The Killing Fields."
He also has appeared in films such as Captain Beams in "The Last of the Mohicans," as the Player King in the Mel Gibson "Hamlet" and in "Aliens III."
By John Horn The Associated Press
Costume designers play important roles
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Tell the "Schindler's List" costume designer it doesn't look like she did a stitch of work on the movie and you couldn't give her higher praise.
"People would say, 'What costumes have you made for the film? It all looks like a documentary, it all looks so natural,' costume designer Anna Biederzycka-Sheppard says of the Holocaust drama.
"That is the biggest compliment I was paid. You shouldn't see the costumes. That was my aim."
In sober, real-life epics such as "Schindler's List," the best costume designs are the most invisible. In glittering romances such as "The Age of Innocence," on the other hand, audiences better be whistling the waistcoats when they leave the theater.
The costumes from the Academy Award-nominated designers this year represent an array of historical eras and international flavors, from American aristocracy in the 1870s to English butlers from the 1930s.
Despite the diversity of the designs, the five costumers are united in their quest for authenticity. Their movie outfits, whether elaborate gowns or simple frocks, consistently must give the film a realistic ring and its actors the fabric to weave convincing depictions.
Designers do not have to sacrifice authenticity, however, to make sure their work has an artistic point of view. With almost subliminal shifts in hemlines, fabrics and colors, costumers can guide our emotions about characters and story.
"The costumes helped me tremendously," Holly Hunter, the star of "The Plano," has said of Janet Patterson's designs. The actress has her hoop skirts, petticoats, pantaloons and corsets are "a real physical manifestation" of her character, Ada.
Some of the five Oscar-nominated designers, such as Sandy Powell from "Orlando," have created outfits so jaw-dropping gorgeous the movie has to catch its breath when their creations first appear. Others, including Jenny Beaven and John Bright from "The Remains of the Day," have to work from a drab color palette ranging from gray to black.
"Quite often, it's best not to be noticed," says Powell. "But in 'Orlando,' the costumes are supposed to be noticed."
Says Beaven about "The Remains of the Day": "The rfovie's work is so unflamboyant. It's astonishing that we were nominated. It's such a restrained and laid-back look."
Anthony Hopkins' character in "The Remains of the Day" is rarely out of his formal black and gray butler's uniform.
HAROLD'S
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S. A.A.Elections and Safe Break Night March 16 at 7 pm Adams Alumni Center
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it's to your credit...
to attend Washburn University in Topeka this summer. The 1894 Summer Session allows you to make important progress toward your degree, enables you to concentrate on one or two challenging classes, make up for classes that were too full to get into or discover unique courses offered only in the summer.
◇ Convenient class times
◇ Full range of day and evening classes
◇ 8 week, 5 week or Short term format
◇ Flexibility to fit your work schedule
To get your copy of the 1994 Washburn Summer Session catalog call
the Washburn University Academic Affairs office at
(913)231-1133
Tuesday, May 21, last day of regular enrollment.