TIFF flashback to 1983: ‘The Big Chill’ and ‘Educating Rita’ start on road to the Oscars
Since its inception in 1976, the Toronto International Film Festival has become one of the prestigious cinematic showcases, a harbinger of the Academy Awards among other honors for the best of the year. The 48th edition, which kicks off Sept. 7 and continues through Sept. 17, features “Close to You,” starring and co-written by Elliot Page, the South Korean disaster film “Concrete Utopia, “Dream Scenario” starring Nicolas Cage, “Lee” starring Kate Winslet, “One Life” with Anthony Hopkins and David Yates’ “Pain Hustlers.”
Forty years ago, the 8th edition was expanding its programming, introducing the Contemporary World Cinema showcase and shining a light on the films of Dutch director Paul Verhoeven; his psychological thriller “The Fourth Man” received the International Critics Award and went on to become the highest grossing Dutch film released in the U.S.
Toronto’s own horrormeister David Cronenberg was also honored with a retrospective that included eight of his films from 1969’s “Stereo” to his then-latest “Videodrome.” But the province’s censor board actually insisted that the edited version of his controversial 1979 film “The Brood” be screened. “The Brood” had initially been cut to obtain a R-rating in the U.S. Eventually, the director’s cut was released
The festivities began Sept. 9 with Lawrence Kasdan’s ensemble comedy-drama “The Big Chill,” starring Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, William Hurt, Jeff Goldblum, Tom Berenger, Mary Kay Place and JoBeth Williams. Though Kevin Costner’s scenes were cut, he remains in the film as the dead body in the coffin during the title sequence. It won the bellwether People’s Choice Award and went on to receive three Oscar nominations including Best Picture, as well as BAFTA and Golden Globe bids. And the movie also marked the first success of Carson Productions, Johnny Carson’s production company.
Other gala presentations included Prosper Merimee’s “Carmen,” Lewis Gilbert’s “Educating Rita,” for which Michael Caine and Julie Walters would receive Oscar nominations, Diane Kurys “Entre Nous,” Nagisa Oshima’s “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence,” Jean-Jacques Beineix “Moon in the Gutter”; Robert Altman’s “Streamers”; Claude Fournier’s “The Tin Flute” and Alfred Hitchcock’s 1958 “Vertigo.”
TIFF also highlighted two films directed by Robert Duvall: the drama “Angelo My Love” and his rare 1974 documentary “We’re Not the Jet Set.” Indie filmmaker Henry Jaglom was represented with “Can She Bake a Cherry Pie?”,’ acclaimed African American director Charles Burnett presented “My Brother’s Wedding” and Alan Rudolph’s documentary “Return Engagement” chronicled the debate tour between Timothy Leary and G. Gordon Liddy.
Among the international film highlights were Robert Bresson’s “L’Argent,” “La Balance” directed by Bob Swaim, Andrzej Wajda’s “Danton” and Luc Besson’s debut feature “Le Dernier Combat.” “Dogman,” Besson’s first film since being cleared of rape charges, just premiered at the Venice Film Festival,
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