Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1986: Ray Liotta in Something Wild

Ray Liotta did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Ray Sinclair in Something Wild. 

Something Wild follows a milquetoast banker Charlie (Jeff Daniels) who gets caught up in the world of a wild criminal woman Audrey (Melanie Griffith).

The first half of the film is a largely comedic film about Daniels and Griffith on their escapades together, as she pushes him out of his specific shell and into her nearly insane at times chaotic mania that involves petty larceny, uprooting Charlie’s seemingly stable existence and naturally along with some wild sex. All of this eventually leads to the pair going to Audrey’s high school reunion with Charlie as her husband, unfortunately this leads to the pair running into Audrey’s actual husband Ray which immediately makes the film change genres from a comedy towards a thriller. This was Ray Liotta’s partial breakout role and with obvious reason, as the moment Liotta comes on screen he begins to dominate the film. Although this is a case one ponders how it was to watch the film in 1986 given that Liotta came up known for his gangster tough guy roles rather than being newcomer in this film and how one would have responded, given we have a predisposition of an expectation with him even in a role that was before he became the Liotta we’d expect. As when Ray Sinclair first appears with a different woman and eager to get to know Audrey’s “new husband” Charlie, Liotta begins with a theoretical charm offensive as he is encouraging in everything he says to Charlie and naturally throws in a few Liotta laughs for good measure. Liotta as we know him of course makes you feel a little unease in this excessive friendliness being Liotta, however I think what Liotta does well is not play the character of Ray as overtly that he might’ve been in lesser hands. What Liotta does consistently here is elevate a potential type of the jealous ex-boyfriend, though we’ll eventually learn he is in fact Audrey’s ex-husband, and turn him into something a bit more real. As it would be easy enough to have played more so into just planning the intimidation of Charlie immediately, and while that is still playing in Liotta’s eyes that denotes a deeper calculation to his questions to Charlie, there’s a strange genuine interest in Liotta’s note as well. Liotta by doing so presents Ray as wanting to get to know this man his wife has replaced him with, not just in hate but in some attempt to determine the situation to himself. 

An element that he reveals further when finally alone for a moment Liotta switches on a dime when with Audrey. A moment that is great acting by Liotta because in the switch it isn’t an immediate obsession, rather you see vulnerability in Liotta performance as he asks for her to give him another chance. Liotta doesn’t play the moment as a villain rather a man genuinely trying to present himself in some reformed, albeit falsely, light to his wife. Pivotal in that desperation is the sense of the history of failings in Ray who is trying to be some better man in his delivery with that need presenting obsession with her but also specific personal insecurity of a longer relationship. A relationship that propels him not only to casually dump his current girlfriend, literally at a convenience store, but take off in some cockeyed scheme to, in his mind, win Audrey back. Liotta’s performance captures a particular kind of energy that presents an unwieldy quality for Ray. As much as Ray does have a plan to try to rid himself of Charlie, by even framing him, while also robbing a convenience store, the way Liotta maneuvers in these scenes is with much confidence but without much of a sense of an intellectual plan. Rather Liotta brings really even this joy of going with the flow, with highlights of intensity, where Liotta shows that the behaviors aren’t really anything new for Ray to begin with, yet there is the nagging sense of real jealousy and still that desperation that compels him in this particular endeavor of his. Liotta’s performance creates a new angle to a potentially old character through this approach and lets us into more so with his obsession which Liotta keeps fundamentally less melodramatic. As a moment where he is left behind by Charlie and Audrey, and a woman interested in Ray appears, his reaction to her is great work by Liotta, because if you’d watch this scene in isolation you wouldn’t suspect anything horrible will come of it because Liotta plays it with such genuine excitement as Ray sees a new opportunity to pursue the couple. In the moment what Liotta is playing though is the real excitement to see his wife again, now of course this is not a good thing given what Ray plans to do when he gets there, but what Liotta keeps alive is the fundamental truth that in Ray’s own broken way he does honestly love Audrey…or at least believes that he does. Something that leads to the climactic scene where director Jonathan Demme seemed to be cutting his teeth on going fully horror thriller, which he’d do so successfully with Silence of the Lambs, as Ray invades Charlie’s home and attacks them both. A scene that is pure horror and part of the reason why is that Liotta is playing a particular note of insanity where the fear from it is based on the uncertainty of the situation in Ray’s own mind. Throughout the scene Liotta is changing notes, which is not as a criticism rather praise because what Liotta does so well is showing the uncertainty of someone who doesn’t know exactly what he’s doing, however what that will be will not be a good thing. So we get moments of pure visceral intensity and weirdly casual moments, both which serve the same purpose as representing someone who has lost in a way that could lead to as much horror as a serial killer with intent. A sequence that builds to the finale where Charlie manages to stab Ray, a moment that is absolute brilliance for Liotta, because his reaction is still not as an overt villain but rather a man who let his worst nature get the best of him. As Liotta’s reaction is that of surprise, not even I can’t believe this weakling got the best of me sort of thing, but rather the surprise of a man who didn’t exactly know what he was doing to begin with, however getting killed by Charlie never crossed his mind. It’s a compelling and captivating near debut that immediately makes an impression, takes hold of the film and doesn't let go until he exits. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1986: John C. McGinley in Platoon, Levi Stubbs in Little Shop of Horrors & Vincent Price in The Great Mouse Detective

John C. McGinley did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sergeant O’Neill in Platoon. 

John C. McGinley plays Sergeant O’Neill in Platoon, and honestly is one of the best hidden aspects of the film where his story is constantly playing out throughout the film even if it isn’t really the focus of the film at any point. McGinley plays one of the more seasoned soldiers in the titular platoon who is in the faction with the scarred and truly seasoned Barnes (Tom Berenger). McGinley sets up his character of O’Neill in these early scenes with not an easy confidence, but a confidence of someone who has set up for himself as much of a situation as he can by holding close to Barnes. McGinley in the early scenes sets the stage effectively by projecting not exactly a phony confidence but rather the confidence of a certain routine. His reactions to Barnes, and his own moments of technical leadership within the troop are that of the consistency of the expectation of his routine at this point. McGinley is the proper sycophant though he is just going along in a particularly convincing manner in his performance. He doesn’t overplay the note rather emphasizes more so how it’s all part of just his life in war but more so as a job, at least at first. The fundamental scene within the scheme of the film is when the platoon invades a local village propelled by anger after finding fellow troops killed by the Vietcong. A sequence where McGinley’s performance honestly stands out more than anything else in it, just what he is doing on the sidelines though in that side creates a fascinating portrait of a man just standing idly by. There’s a key scene where O’Neill observes another soldier going crazy and killing a random innocent villager. McGinley’s reactions in this scene are outstanding because though O’Neill will take no action, every bit of the horror of the moment, he too does find horrible. McGinley expresses absolute dismay and fear, perhaps in part of the result of the war crime he could be culpable of, but also the genuine humanity of witnesses of such an atrocity. His terrified delivery of basically saying just to go and forget that any of it happened is brilliant work because McGinley doesn’t just play into the bad man type, though O’Neill is that, rather shows the man who knows this is all wrong but will stay back and just try to avoid any of it best that he is able to do so. Every scene throughout the rest of the film McGinley makes a quiet impact in creating the internal life of O’Neill within the Platoon as the man who just wants to survive, though not in a way that one would describe as a survivalist rather that of avoidance of responsibility of himself in a way. McGinley has another amazing moment where he is telling another soldier he’s going home, and again McGinley’s great in that it could be a simple jerk moment of jealousy. McGinley brings so much vulnerability within the lines as you sense the real fear in the man, but just a hint of the strange encouragement to man to enjoy the thing he knows he’s not getting. The same great moment is when he tries to back out of the upcoming battle with Barnes as he notes having a bad feeling. Again would’ve been an easy note to over play with too much surface, but the seething anxiety he brings makes it such a genuinely human moment. It doesn't excuse O'Neill's action but shows them coming from a real place, not a stock character. Which again we get another great silent moment from McGinley during that battle when he hides himself among corpses, where he lets you in on his thinking in the moment of the man finding his way out within his fear though by playing into the fear in his way. Leading up to the perfect final moment of the character, where he is rewarded for surviving with a promotion. McGinley’s final reaction being pitch perfect to match that choice where you instantly see the weight of the assignment upon his eyes and you see the man instantly filled with regret as his eyes show a man seeing his future of responsibility and more war that he is not ready for. It’s a wonderful performance between the lines of the film, where McGinley runs with the potential of the role to not hide the negative qualities but rather to imbue them with such honesty that he makes him not a type but a person. 

Levi Stubbs did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors.

Levi Stubbs plays of course the centerpiece character of Little Shop of Horrors, the voice of the giant man eating plant that grows bigger the more blood/human flesh given to him by the hapless Seymour (Rick Moranis). Re-watching the film I’ll admit I forgot just how long it actually took for Audrey II to actually speak to Seymour openly and become the more overt villain offering the Faustian deal of fame, fortune and the original Audrey (Ellen Greene) as “prizes” he can offer him. The plant itself is one of the grand achievements of the film as the puppetry is just incredible work in just how well realized it gives life to the character of a giant man eating plant, but Stubbs’s work is also a key ingredient. Of course as a singer, Stubbs of course delivers on the tune given to Audrey II throughout the film, but in every song the vocal performance is beyond just attuned singing and speaks to his overall impact within the character. Stubbs’s voice is an ideal combination because he both manages to make the joke so to speak, while also being completely convincing in elevating from a joke. As it is worth noting the terrible voice of Audrey II in the original Corman film was entirely a joke, as even the halfhearted nature of the work was part of that joke. There is a joke here too in that this alien plant from outer space that eats people doesn’t sound like some monster but rather has a very, ironically, earthy and rather casual way of speaking. Although seemingly not born long ago, seems Audrey II ages old and this immediately works where Stubbs’s rather blunt and comical qualities he makes sing, in indeed making the joke of the situation by playing into the silliness of such a situation where an alien plan it coarse and wise cracking to Seymour. The execution of which is something Stubbs nails just in each approach because Stubbs brings this quality that is almost to say “yeah I’m an alien plant who wants to eat people, deal with”. While this is amusing, and successful, this isn’t why I am currently writing about this performance, because where Stubbs excels beyond that is the darker qualities of his work as the faustian trickster. Stubbs’s specific playfulness is brilliantly implemented throughout his work because there is a balance he achieves which he does so with complete ease yet is quite the trick. Because what Stubbs does is create within his work the glints of the intended darkness, as when he is prodding Seymour to something more sinister, there’s a knowing even intensity within the slyness he conveys in every word. His whole performance of “Supper Time” is fantastic because there’s the genuine deviousness in every word he speaks that creates far more the sense of a real mastermind that isn’t just some crazy plant who wants humans like a fool. In fact Stubbs even when he plays the sillier note there’s always a hectoring quality to his work, as though he’s purposefully mocking Seymour in these moments and as entertaining as his performance is, it is entirely wrapped in the fiendish sense of the real purpose of the plant. It’s a great performance because what it does is master the specific comedic, but not entirely just comic, tone of the piece by implementing the darkness, but also there’s no disconnect. You just believe Stubbs’s voice is this plant, there’s no getting used to it, and even more so there’s not a moment that you don’t connect the plant puppet with Stubbs’s own voice. They are one and the same, and his work is a fusion within the amazing technical work, by making Audrey II as entertaining and most importantly as tangible as any other character in the film. 

Vincent Price did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Professor Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective. 

Following up Stubbs’s great vocal work in a live action film is Vincent Price, a well known live action actor being made of great use in this animated film. A film that comes just before the celebrity casting became an expected element of animated films, and if I’m being perfectly honest at the time I in some ways preferred it because of the laziness of so many celebrity castings that came afterwards. Price in this film, as essentially the rat/mouse equivalent of Professor Moriarty, is an example of the ideal form of the celebrity casting, where the casting was done with the actor in mind, where the voice seemed honestly the only choice for the character and Price’s own performance lives up to the ideal but also goes beyond. As part of this performance is what Price became famous for which is playing into the idea of a campy flamboyant villainy, something he excelled in in live action and comes across just as well here given just how much character there is innately in Price’s voice. Price, though bringing the same particular kind of colorful energy to every word here that amplifies that animation, just as much as the animation amplifies his voice work in making Ratigan a villain who loves being a villain. Price’s voice is perfect for that as it is as animated as the…animation. Every line Price sinks into with the best bit of theatrical scenery chewing however is ideal for the role of Ratigan, a villain who loves being called a villain going so far as to sing a song about with his henchmen as his chorus. Something where Price is so much fun in singing every bit of it with so much pride, though with the right accentuation of the fiendishness whenever talking about his opponent Basil of Baker Street where you see such sudden hatred on the edges as though it is the intrusive thoughts that Ratigan can quite fully control alluding to his true nature. Price is great fun even murdering one of his henchmen, for daring to call him a rat, however with classic Price's way of while he brings anger in his voice at first he suddenly becomes rather gentle sounding as he leads the poor mouse to be eaten by Ratigan’s pet cat. So much of his work is just enjoying him being the foppish villain delight where he works wholly in both qualities with that Price ease as a villain, but honestly one of the best iterations as such. I have particular affection I will say for his delivery of the song “Goodbye so Soon” combined with his noting that Basil was late in his police work, to get caught by Ratigan’s trap with such smug self-assurance in every accentuated word. Followed by the song itself where Price’s voice through a record is such beautiful hectoring for every second we hear it as making Ratigan as villain who just loves to rub it in. But as great as Price is being Price, I will give him even more credit to his work that amplifies the hidden element, that he alluded to through certain breaks in his more foppish demeanor, when Ratigan in the finale goes fully rabbit essentially as he just tries to straight up murder Basil with his claws. Price backs up the animation with his own more grizzled voice as he brings an animalistic growl beneath his lines and beautifully backs up Ratigan as he fully embraces his…well, rattiness. I even love his delivery of “I won” after he thinks he’s beaten Basil because it is combination of qualities, as it is still Ratigan enjoying his victory, but less smugly, and more so these relief combined with a bit more of a straightforward honesty of someone who know has been through the ringer for his victory. Price presents the ideal on HOW to cast a celebrity in a role because no one would’ve been better for Ratigan than Price, he makes the role, not just by being great casting but backing it up with a terrific vocal performance.