Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1997: Results

5. Billy Zane in Titanic - A hilarious portrayal of absurdity unfortunately Zane was trying to be serious.

Best Scene: Pretty much every scene.

4. Jude Law in Gattaca - Law gives a powerful portrayal of a man embittered through his own life but finds inspiration in the life of another.

Best Scene: Jerome sends Vincent on his way.

3. James Cromwell in L.A. Confidential- Cromwell gives a particularly effective subversion of the warm mentor.

Best Scene: Sid Hudgens's interrogation.

2. Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential - Spacey gives a wonderfully entertaining portrayal of a pompous detective more interests in celebrity than crime, but also a very poignant portrayal of man realizing he's lost his way.

Best Scene: Jack Vincennes reflects on his life in a bar.

1. Robert Blake in Lost Highway - Good Prediction Psifonian. Well this came down to Spacey who had almost a leading role to Blake's relatively small role. Although I did love Spacey's work the supporting performance that I feel made the strongest impact from 1997 is Blake's portrayal of a walking nightmare which is one of the most viscerally effective performances of all time.

Best Scene: Fred meets the Mystery Man at a party.

Overall Rank:

1. Robert Forster in Jackie Brown 
   
2. Robert Blake in Lost Highway
3. Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential
4. Masato Hagiwara in Cure 
5. Don Cheadle in Boogie Nights 
6. James Cromwell in L.A. Confidential
7. Bruce Greenwood in The Sweet Hereafter
8. Alfred Molina in Boogie Nights
9. Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights 
10. J.T. Walsh in Breakdown
    
11. Jude Law in Gattaca
    
12. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Hard Eight 
13. John C. Reilly in Boogie Nights 
14. Dan Aykroyd in Grosse Pointe Blank
    
15. Danny DeVito in L.A. Confidential 
16. Ray Liotta in Cop Land
    
17. James Rebhorn in The Game   
18. Phil Davis in Face
    
19. Samuel L. Jackson in Hard Eight
20. Pete Postlethwaite in The Lost World Jurassic Park 
21. Tom Wilkinson in The Full Monty 
22. Chang Chen in Happy Together
23. John C. Reilly in Hard Eight
24. Anthony Hopkins in Amistad
25. Thomas Jane in Boogie Nights 
26. Greg Kinnear in As Good As It Gets
    
27. Mark Benton in Career Girls 
28. Fred Willard in Waiting For Guffman
    
29. Eugene Levy in Waiting For Guffman
    
30. Gary Oldman in The Fifth Element 
31. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Boogie Nights 
32. Ray Winstone in Face
    
33. James Woods in Hercules 
34. Reza Naji in Children of Heaven
    
35. Danny DeVito in The Rainmaker 
    
36. Robert Loggia in Lost Highway 
37. Robert De Niro in Jackie Brown 
38. Jason Lee in Chasing Amy
    
39. Kevin Kline in The Ice Storm 
    
40. Alan Arkin in Four Days in September
    
41. Cary Elwes in Liar Liar 
42. Jon Voight in The Rainmaker 
    
43. John Malkovich in Con Air  
44. Robert Wagner in Austin Powers 
45. Bernard Hill in Titanic
46. Gary Oldman in Air Force One
47. Harvey Keitel in Cop Land
48. Tom Selleck in In & Out
    
49. Vincent D'Onofrio in Men in Black
50. Tobey Maguire in The Ice Storm 
51. Frank Giering in Funny Games 
52. Tony Doyle in I Went Down
53. Peter Caffrey in I Went Down
54. Ian Holm in The Fifth Element
55. David Strathairn in L.A. Confidential
56. Elijah Wood in The Ice Storm
57. Michael Madsen in Donnie Brasco
58. Al Pacino in The Devil's Advocate 
59. Samuel L. Jackson in Eve's Bayou
    
60. Tony Shalhoub in Gattaca 
61. Sverre Anker Ousdal in Insomnia
62. Jamey Sheridan in The Ice Storm
63. Rip Torn in Men in Black
64. Michael Keaton in Jackie Brown
65. Brion James in The Fifth Element 
66. Roger Guenveur Smith in Eve's Bayou
    
67. Brian Cox in The Boxer 
68. R. Lee Ermey in Prefontaine
    
69. Bruno Kirby in Donnie Brasco
70. Adam Hann-Byrd in The Ice Storm
71. Walton Goggins in The Apostle
72. Ron Rifkin in L.A. Confidential
73. Rupert Everett in  My Best Friend's Wedding
    
74. Dwight Ewell in Chasing Amy 
75. Bob Balaban in Waiting For Guffman
    
76. Matthew McConuaghey in Contact 
77. Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting  
78. Ken Stott in The Boxer 
    
79. John Leguizamo in Spawn
80. Michael Ironside in Starship Troopers
81. Alan Arkin in Grosse Pointe Blank
    
82. Billy Bob Thornton in The Apostle 
83. Nicol Williamson in Spawn
84. Richard Norton in Mr. Nice Guy
85. Gary Busey in Lost Highway 
86. Frank Langella in Lolita
    
87. Richard Attenborough in The Lost World Jurassic Park
88. Patrick Stewart in Conspiracy Theory
89. Martin Sheen in Spawn 
90. Michael Rooker in Rosewood
    
91. Jonathan Pryce in Tomorrow Never Dies 
92. Michael York in Austin Powers
93. Steve Buscemi in Con Air
94. Dean Stockwell in The Rainmaker 
95. Christopher Walken in Mousehunt
96. Alan Arkin in Gattaca 
97. Curtis Vondie-Hall in Eve's Bayou
    
98. Victor Garber in Titanic
99. Bruce McGill in Rosewood
    
100. Seth Green in Austin Powers
101. Jason Isaacs in Event Horizon 
102. Will Ferrell in Austin Powers 
103. Mickey Rourke in The Rainmaker 
104. Ving Rhames in Con Air
105. William H. Macy in Wag the Dog 
106. M.C. Gainey in Breakdown
     
107. Robert Patrick in Cop Land
108. Antony Sher in Mrs. Brown
109. Michael Gough in Batman and Robin
110. Danny Glover in The Rainmaker
111. Stellan Skargard in Good Will Hunting
112. Clancy Brown in Starship Troopers
113. Giustino Durano in Life is Beautiful
114. Abe Vigoda in Good Burger
115. Paul Giamatti in Donnie Brasco 
116. Ciaran Hinds in Oscar and Lucinda
     
117. Chris Tucker in The Fifth Element 
118. Danny DeVito in Hercules
     
119. Tenzin Lodoe in Kundun
120. Morgan Freeman in Amistad
121. David Warner in Titanic 
122. Rip Torn in Hercules
     
123. Ruben Blades in The Devil's Own
     
124. Woody Harrelson in Wag the Dog 
125. Jeremy Piven in Grosse Pointe Blank
     
126. Joe Don Baker in Tomorrow Never Dies
127. Gerard Butler in Mrs. Brown
128. Tom Wilkinson in Wilde
     
129. Martin Short in Jungle 2 Jungle
130. Kenneth Bryans in Macbeth 
131. Ernest Borgnine in Gattaca 
132. Michael Gambon in The Wings of the Dove
133. David Cross in Men in Black
134. Denis Leary in Wag the Dog
135. Thomas Haden Church in George of the Jungle
136. Dean Stockwell in Air Force One
137. William Snape in The Fully Monty
138. Robert De Niro in Cop Land
139. Matthew McConaughey in Amistad
140. D.B.Sweeney in Spawn 
141. Don Cheadle in Volcano
142. William Hickey in Mousehunt 
143. Sean Penn in The Game
144. Tom McCamus in The Sweet Hereafter
145. Neil Patrick Harris in Starship Troopers
146. Giorgio Cantarini in Life is Beautiful
147. Loren Dean in Gattaca 
148. Michael Caine in Blood and Win
     
149. Ben Affleck in Good Will Hunting 
150. Richard Roundtree in Steel 
151. Jude Law in Wilde
     
152. Vince Vaughn in The Lost World Jurassic Park
153. Cuba Gooding Jr. in As Good As It Gets
154. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Batman and Robin
155. Jake Busey in Starship Troopers
156. Randy Quaid in Vegas Vacation
157. Tom Wood in Ulee's Gold
158. Robin Shou in Beverly Hills Ninja
159. Richard Schiff in The Lost World Jurassic Park 
160. Michael Sheen in Wilde
     
161. Colm Meaney in Con Air
162. Nick Cassavettes in Face Off 
163. Gyurme Tethong in Kundun
164. Charles Hallahan in Dante's Peak
165. Graham McTavish in Macbeth
166. Chris Rock in Beverly Hills Ninja
167. Bill Paxton in Titanic
168. Dermot Mulroney in My Best Friend's Wedding
     
169. David Ogden Stiers in Jungle 2 Jungle
170. Judd Nelson in Steel 
171. Aleksander Krupa in Home Alone 3
172. Patrick Muldoon in Starship Troopers 
173. Dan Schneider in Good Burger
174. Lenny Von Dohlein in Home Alone 3
175. Nathaniel Parker in Beverly Hills Ninja
176. Arliss Howard in The Lost World Jurassic Park
177. James Remar in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
178. John Corbett in Volcano
179. Jan Schweiterman in Good Burger
180. David Thornton in Home Alone 3
181. Greg Crutwell in George of the Jungle
182. Gotz Otto in Tomorrow Never Dies
183. Justin Cooper in Liar Liar 
184. Litefoot in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
185. Alessandro Nivola in Face Off
186. Chris O'Donnell in Batman and Robin
187. Danny Nucci in Titanic
188. Brian Thompson in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
189. Billy Zane in Titanic

Next Year: 1933 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1997: Billy Zane in Titanic

Billy Zane did not receive a razzi..I mean Oscar nomination for portraying Caledon Nathan "Cal" Hockley in Titanic.

I don't like the film though for the same reason I did not like when I initially watched it back in 97 with all the hype and that is the incredibly weak script. On re-watch I was surprised just how bad some of the lines were, and I almost forgot about the Bill Paxton stuff which is 90's to the extreme. Titanic does have admirable elements to it as the final sequence is pretty well done, many of the effects are impressive, and DiCaprio and Winslet do have a strong chemistry to be sure. Of course is their chemistry strong enough to make up for the.........?

Do you hear that sound....sounds like a train whistle... a whistle that spells the same doom the Mystery Man from Lost Highway personified...yes my friends can you handle the horrors of the Zane train. Well the Zane train has cometh and only horrors await. Or do they after all Billy Zane was great in Zoolander as Billy Zane, and how about that time he wore purple pajamas in The Phantom I don't have anything to say about his performance in that I just wanted to remind everyone that it existed. No today I'm here to discuss Billy Zane in Titanic. He plays the rich fiancee of Rose (Kate Winslet) and you know he's no good from the start since Rose decides to freely compare herself to African slaves as she embarks on her trip to America. She goes even further than that and contemplates suicide which unfortunately can be a side effect from long term Zane exposure after all in the opening reveal of Titanic it is hard to tell if Zane is cgi generated or not since he's just as if not more artificial in nature.

After Rose is saved by Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) Zane is on the scene as he maneuvers through the scene with Cal caring for Rose and dealing with Jack. Zane is obviously quite genius as he does not bother to show anything one would refer to as a HU-MAN emotion in the scene. No he instead seems to try to find some sort of truth in the void of nothingness as his creation of Cal is that of a man who has never existed. No Zane won't settle with being a man no he must be film from a Saturday morning cartoon, and it better not be a very good cartoon either. Zane has a very interesting manner in the scene as he is suppose to be intense toward Jack as he first accuses him of wrongdoing then eventual thanks him as Zane decides to look in any place that is not the right place. Obviously Zane is perhaps trying for the same sort of idea James Dean was going for in his own performances, although maybe not maybe Zane just was doing that because he's a bad actor, it's certainly a daring approach to the character either way.

 Now one of Zane's greatest moments is when he gives the heart of the ocean gem to Rose. It's a magnificent scene as Zane looks in the mirror where Rose is trying on the necklace. Zane chooses not to look longingly at Rose since you'd think he'd be at least lusting after her even if he does not really love her, nor is he lusty after the gem as if all he he cares about is possessions, no Zane instead chooses to stare longingly at himself as if he could simply not resist his own good looks in the mirror. An interesting approach I think... no that's not the right word for it, a subtle approach? no that's not the case here... hmm oh right poorly that's what Zane's doing here he's acting very poorly. Zane's performance is still an interesting case of a performance as it is almost fascinating to watch in his lack of authenticity in any aspect of his performance, his physical, performance, his line delivery, everything seems almost otherworldly in his inability to play Cal in any manner that is even slightly how you'd expect a person to act.

One really hasn't seen much of anything though until Zane stops being just some pompous dweeb and starts to portray Cal as a demented psychopath. You know if this was a comedic performance this would actually be quite the success as I could not help but snicker every time Zane said something, unfortunately that is not the case as the whole film wants to be a straight forward romance with Zane being the jilted other man in a completely serious manner. Zane apparently thinks to do that he should play Cal as a merely mentally deranged individual. The scene where Zane chases Jack and Rose while shooting is a particular highlight as we see Zane showing off at his great ability of facial contortion. Zane, to be menacing, I guess bulges his eyes, opens his mouth wide, sneers to his utmost ability, and the best part is he never does them together making one really bizarre display of ACTING.

Technically speaking this is a terrible performance that I did enjoy as I found myself laughing repeatedly at Zane's various antics. If he was suppose to be the comedy relief then bravo to Zane, unfortunately intent does matter. This was suppose to be a dramatic character in a dramatic film, if you go by that as the intent is a horrendous performance and it's badness is so powerful that it can even effect the film as a whole. I would actually say this is a perfect example of a terrible supporting performance for a film as it does exactly what you don't want a performance to do. It's badness actually distracts from any positive elements, and at times it is hard to take the film as a whole seriously because of the quality of this performance. Whenever someone tries to state that Titanic is a perfect film, or even a great film there are only two words that need to be uttered to break that delusion of grandeur, Billy Zane. Zane has left me no other choice but to give him the following:

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1997

And the Nominees Were Not:

James Cromwell in L.A. Confidential

Kevin Spacey in L.A. Confidential

Robert Blake in Lost Highway

Jude Law in Gattaca

Billy Zane in Titanic