In 2003, William James Murray (better known to those who haven't spent hours reading his Wikipedia page as Bill Murray) starred in Sofia Coppola's "Lost in Translation," a poignant, somber romantic comedy that spotlighted the budding relationship between an aging film star (Murray) and the lonely wife of a photographer (Scarlett Johansson) in Tokyo. Murray was nominated for an Oscar for said performance, but he ultimately lost to Sean Penn's turn in "Mystic River."
At one point, he also did the Garfield movies.
But herein lies the massive injustice. Bill Murray should have been nominated for an Academy Award for every other movie he's done. There. We said it. The following is a comprehensive list of Murray movies where the Academy unconscionably overlooked his performance, starting from the very beginning of his illustrious career.
'Meatballs' (1979)
Role: Tripper Harrison
Analysis: We're willing to forgive this one, as the...
At one point, he also did the Garfield movies.
But herein lies the massive injustice. Bill Murray should have been nominated for an Academy Award for every other movie he's done. There. We said it. The following is a comprehensive list of Murray movies where the Academy unconscionably overlooked his performance, starting from the very beginning of his illustrious career.
'Meatballs' (1979)
Role: Tripper Harrison
Analysis: We're willing to forgive this one, as the...
- 12/6/2012
- by Nick Blake
- NextMovie
Film review: 'Larger Than Life'
While any high concept that pairs Bill Murray and a circus elephant in a road-picture setting would appear to have boundless possibilities, those in "Larger Than Life" are unfortunately exhausted before the end of the first hour.
Despite the efforts of Murray and a particularly pleasing pachyderm and a promising start, the film is a bit of a mess, giving the impression that dozens of pages of script had been trampled on or otherwise truncated.
After doing the releaseschedule shuffle, MGM/UA has finally settled on a pre-election weekend debut for this big white elephant, and while those in the Bob Dole camp may or may not find humor in its significance, overall business probably won't amount to much more than peanuts.
Murray has the tailor-made role of Jack Corcoran, a motivational speaker whose long-lost and recently departed father leaves him a sizable inheritance in the form of Vera (Tai), an 8,000-pound circus elephant, in addition to some equally large debts.
Figuring he could sell the animal to the highest bidder and use the money to pay off those bills, Corcoran has five days to find Vera a new home before his next motivational engagement. Along the way, he encounters a veritable three-ring circus of characters, including a tightly wired trucker (Matthew McConaughey in a way-over-the-top performance that's definitely not a keeper), a big-top veteran (Pat Hingle) and his tattooed-lady wife (Lois Smith), a San Diego Zoo elephant expert (Janeane Garofalo) and a whip-cracking animal handler (Linda Fiorentino).
The film is not without its inspired moments -- Murray choreographing a human pyramid during one of his motivational sessions, Murray attempting to drive a rig with a mind of its own, Murray and his newfound gray friend cavorting in the water -- but they are few and far between.
It appears as if director Howard Franklin (who first worked with Murray on the underrated "Quick Change") has given his star free reign to improvise, which is fine as long as there's something he can always come back to. In this case, that would be Roy Blount Jr.'s script, and, at least in its remaining form, it seems Murray had the right idea. The picture needed a stronger blueprint.
Behind the scenes, the most impressive work comes from elephant trainers Gary and Kari Johnson, whose family-owned Have Trunk Will Travel trains Asian elephants for both the entertainment industry and county fairs. Murray's co-star, who previously appeared in "Operation Dumbo Drop", has a 50-command repertoire and more personality than any animatronic or computer-generated version could hope to replicate.
It deserved better.
LARGER THAN LIFE
United Artists
In association with
Trilogy/RCS/Majestic Pictures
A Trilogy Entertainment Group production
Director Howard Franklin
Producers Richard B. Lewis, John Watson,
Pen Densham
Screenplay Roy Blount Jr.
Story Pen Densham, Garry Williams
Executive producers Wolfgang Glattes,
Guy East, Sue Baden-Powell
Director of photography Elliot Davis
Production design Marcia Hinds-Johnson
Editor Sidney Levin
Costume design Jane Robinson
Music Miles Goodman
Casting Gail Levin, Tricia Tomey
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jack Corcoran Bill Murray
Mo Newman Janeane Garofalo
Tip Tucker Matthew McConaughey
Hurst Keith David
Vernon Pat Hingle
Walter Jeremy Piven
Luluna Lois Smith
Mom Anita Gillette
Running time - 93 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
Despite the efforts of Murray and a particularly pleasing pachyderm and a promising start, the film is a bit of a mess, giving the impression that dozens of pages of script had been trampled on or otherwise truncated.
After doing the releaseschedule shuffle, MGM/UA has finally settled on a pre-election weekend debut for this big white elephant, and while those in the Bob Dole camp may or may not find humor in its significance, overall business probably won't amount to much more than peanuts.
Murray has the tailor-made role of Jack Corcoran, a motivational speaker whose long-lost and recently departed father leaves him a sizable inheritance in the form of Vera (Tai), an 8,000-pound circus elephant, in addition to some equally large debts.
Figuring he could sell the animal to the highest bidder and use the money to pay off those bills, Corcoran has five days to find Vera a new home before his next motivational engagement. Along the way, he encounters a veritable three-ring circus of characters, including a tightly wired trucker (Matthew McConaughey in a way-over-the-top performance that's definitely not a keeper), a big-top veteran (Pat Hingle) and his tattooed-lady wife (Lois Smith), a San Diego Zoo elephant expert (Janeane Garofalo) and a whip-cracking animal handler (Linda Fiorentino).
The film is not without its inspired moments -- Murray choreographing a human pyramid during one of his motivational sessions, Murray attempting to drive a rig with a mind of its own, Murray and his newfound gray friend cavorting in the water -- but they are few and far between.
It appears as if director Howard Franklin (who first worked with Murray on the underrated "Quick Change") has given his star free reign to improvise, which is fine as long as there's something he can always come back to. In this case, that would be Roy Blount Jr.'s script, and, at least in its remaining form, it seems Murray had the right idea. The picture needed a stronger blueprint.
Behind the scenes, the most impressive work comes from elephant trainers Gary and Kari Johnson, whose family-owned Have Trunk Will Travel trains Asian elephants for both the entertainment industry and county fairs. Murray's co-star, who previously appeared in "Operation Dumbo Drop", has a 50-command repertoire and more personality than any animatronic or computer-generated version could hope to replicate.
It deserved better.
LARGER THAN LIFE
United Artists
In association with
Trilogy/RCS/Majestic Pictures
A Trilogy Entertainment Group production
Director Howard Franklin
Producers Richard B. Lewis, John Watson,
Pen Densham
Screenplay Roy Blount Jr.
Story Pen Densham, Garry Williams
Executive producers Wolfgang Glattes,
Guy East, Sue Baden-Powell
Director of photography Elliot Davis
Production design Marcia Hinds-Johnson
Editor Sidney Levin
Costume design Jane Robinson
Music Miles Goodman
Casting Gail Levin, Tricia Tomey
Color/stereo
Cast:
Jack Corcoran Bill Murray
Mo Newman Janeane Garofalo
Tip Tucker Matthew McConaughey
Hurst Keith David
Vernon Pat Hingle
Walter Jeremy Piven
Luluna Lois Smith
Mom Anita Gillette
Running time - 93 minutes
MPAA rating: PG...
- 10/28/1996
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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