Alternate Best Actor 1984: Harry Dean Stanton in Paris, Texas

Harry Dean Stanton did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Travis Henderson in Paris, Texas.Paris, Texas is an excellent film about a drifter who comes out of the desert to rediscover the life he left behind. Harry Dean Stanton, the always reliable character actor, is certainly a recognizable face in films. He moves across smaller characters in a large variety of...

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Alternate Best Actor 1984: Steve Martin in All of Me

Steve Martin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Roger Cobb in All of Me.All of Me is an enjoyable comedy about a lawyer Roger Cobb who finds suddenly that he is sharing his body with the soul of a deceased heiress and former client Edwina Cutwater (Lily Tomlin). I decided to review Steve Martin in his role here not only because Martin is an actor who has been...

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Alternate Best Actor 1984

And The Nominees Were Not:Steve Martin in All of MeEddie Murphy in Beverly Hills CopHarry Dean Stanton in Paris, TexasRobert De Niro in Once Upon a Time in AmericaPhilip Baker Hall in Secret Honor...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992: Results

5. Tim Robbins in The Player- Robbins gives a good performance in a somewhat limited role effectively bringing along with him through the great satire that is the Player. 4. Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula- A mixed bag from Oldman here with his somewhat uninteresting although adequate scenes as the younger looking Dracula, but he has as well extremely entertaining moments...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992: Harvey Keitel in Reservoir Dogs

Harvey Keitel did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Larry Dimmick mainly known as Mr. White in Reservoir Dogs.Reservoir Dogs is about a group of men performing a jewel heist that goes wrong due to an inside man. Reservoir Dogs like most of Quentin Tarantino films I like even though he can be self indulgent with his dialogue at times. Harvey Kietel is not an actor...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992: Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross

Jack Lemmon did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Shelley "The Machine" Levene in Glengarry Glen Ross. Glengarry Glen Ross is a terrific film about a group of real estate salesman made by the great script and the ensemble of great actors in top form. Jack Lemmon portrays Shelley Levene who is a real estate salesman who seems to be now on one long losing streak...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992: Gary Oldman in Bram Stoker's Dracula

Gary Oldman did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Count Dracula in Bram Stoker's Dracula.Bram Stoker's Dracula is certainly a film of style over substance in its wildly over the top depiction of the story of the undead vampire but it is also quite an entertaining film probably because of that reason.Although one could argue that this film is not being intentionally...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992: Tim Robbins in The Player

Tim Robbins did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Griffin Mill in The Player.The Player is an excellent satire on Hollywood about an executive who murders a writer he believes was sending him death threats. Tim Robbins portrays the executive who does the murdering and I must say watching this film the very first time I frankly expected a bit more of a sleazy portrayal...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992: Harvey Keitel in Bad Lieutenant

Harvey Kietel did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the titular character in Bad Lieutenant.Bad Lieutenant is a fascinating though at times rather hard to watch character study of a Catholic police Lieutenant who investigates the rape of a nun by two men.Harvey Kietel was of course not nominated for this role as the bad Lieutenant despite receiving plenty of rave...

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Alternate Best Actor 1992

And the Nominees Were Not:Harvey Keitel in Bad Lieutenant Harvey Keitel in Reservoir DogsJack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen RossGary Oldman in Bram Stoker's DraculaTim Robbins in The Player...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974: Results

5. Charles Bronson in Death Wish- Although the role probably could have been far more complex, Bronson still is consistently effective in his portrayal of one man's revenge even if it is in a relatively simple fashion.4. Peter Falk in A Woman Under the Influence- Falk is good in his role always giving effective reactions throughout the film, that appropriately supports Gene...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974: Walter Matthau in The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three

Walter Matthau did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Lieutenant Zachary Garber in The Taking of Pelham One, Two, Three.The Taking of Pelham One, Two Three is an  thrilling and entertaining film about four men who hijack a subway train threatening to kill a hostage a minute if 1,000,000 dollars is not delivered in an hour. One of the many aspects of The Taking...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974: Gene Wilder in Young Frankenstein

Gene Wilder did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein, although he did get one for writing it.Young Frankenstein is an enjoyable comedy film about a descendant of Victor Frankenstein trying to make his own monster. Although to be fair like most Mel Brooks comedies it does mix in a few groans with the laughs due to the fact...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974: Charles Bronson in Death Wish

Charles Bronson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Paul Kersey in Death Wish.Death Wish is a somewhat effective film about a man who becomes a vigilante after his wife is brutally murdered, and his daughter is raped by street thugs.It is interesting that apparently Sidney Lumet was going adapt the novel Death Wish with Jack Lemmon in the lead. I must say I...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974: Peter Falk in A Woman Under the Influence

Peter Falk did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Nick Longhetti in A Woman Under the Influence. A Woman Under the Influence is a film about the madness of a mother Mabel (Gena Rowlands) that causes difficulty in her marriage with her construction worker husband Nick. This is a very effective film, but it certainly is hard to say it is all that enjoyable to watch.This...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974: Gene Hackman in The Conversation

Gene Hackman did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Harry Caul in The Conversation.The Conversation is an excellent film about a surveillance expert who is paranoid over his most recent recording.I must say Gene Hackman's lack of a nomination is a bit surprising in retrospect. As he was nominated in the other awards of the year as well as successfully...

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Alternate Best Actor 1974

And the Nominees Were Not:Peter Falk in A Woman Under The InfluenceCharles Bronson in Death WishGene Hackman in The ConversationWalter Matthau in The Taking of Pelham One, Two, ThreeGene Wilder in Young Frankenstein...

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Alternate Best Actor 1937: Results

5. Claude Rains in They Won't Forget- Rains does his best and puts a great deal of effort in his performance, but his character unfortunately is paper thin.4. Victor Moore in Make Way For Tomorrow- Moore gives a moving quiet performance of a man who witnesses society pass him by.2 . Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in Way Out West- There is no reason to separate them as together...

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Alternate Best Actor 1937: Cary Grant in The Awful Truth

Cary Grant did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jerry Warriner in The Awful Truth.Cary Grant never received an Oscar nomination for a comedy role not even for this role in this film which won Best Director, and both his leading lady Irene Dunne, and his supporting foil Ralph Bellamy were nominated, but he was not. Interestingly enough...

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Alternate Best Actor 1937: Claude Rains in They Won't Forget

Claude Rains did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Andy Griffin in They Won't Forget.They Won't Forget is a sometimes effective although also very flawed film about a college professor from the North who is put on the trial for the murder of one of his students in the South.Claude Rains portrays the district attorney who takes the...

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