Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1992: Results

5. Samuel West in Howard's End- West handles his part well, but he fails to leave that much of a lasting impression.

Best Scene: Bast first meets the Schlegel sisters. 

4. Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs- Buscemi gives a good performance by giving a realistic depiction of a man who strives to be professional above all else.

Best Scene:  The Mexican standoff.

3. Richard Harris in Unforgiven- Harris gives a strong performance by nicely building up his character's prim pompousness just to have it cut down.

Best Scene: English Bob and Little Bill meet once again. 

2. Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross- Just one great monologue and he delivers it flawlessly.

1. Paul McGann in Alien 3- Good Predictions Michael McCarthy and Psifonian Although it was never in question who would take this year overall, it should be noted that McGann gives a great portrayal of uncontrollable madness.

Best Scene: Golic apologizes for a killing.

Overall Rank:

1. Gene Hackman in Unforgiven
2. Paul McGann in Alien 3
3. Al Pacino in Glengarry Glen Ross
4. Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross
5. Richard Harris in Unforgiven
6. Charles Dance in Alien 3 
7. Morgan Freeman in Unforgiven 
8. Charles S. Dutton in Alien 3
9. Fred Gwynne in My Cousin Vinny
10. Ed Harris in Glengarry Glen Ross
11. Kevin Spacey in Glengarry Glen Ross
12. Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs
13. Jaye Davidson in The Crying Game
14. Kevin Kline in Chaplin
15. Saul Rubinek in Unforgiven
16. J.T. Walsh in A Few Good Men
17. Robin Williams in Aladdin
18. Tom Hanks in A League of Their Own
19. Alan Arkin in Glengarry Glen Ross
20. Michael Madsen in Reservoir Dogs
21. Jonathan Pryce in Glengarry Glen Ross
22. Samuel West in Howard's End
23. Lawrence Tierney in Reservoir Dogs
24. Anthony Wong in Hard Boiled
25. Pete Postlethwaite in Alien 3
26. Jeff Goldblum in Deep Cover
27. West Studi  in The Last of the Mohicans
28. Dana Carvey in Wayne's World
29. Chris Penn in Reservoir Dogs
30. Anthony Hopkins in Dracula
31. Ray Walston in Of Mice and Men
32. Tim Curry in Home Alone 2
33. Sidney Poitier in Sneakers
34. Russell Means in The Last of the Mohicans
35. Oliver Platt in Beethoven
36. Stanley Tucci in Beethoven
37. Al Freeman Jr. in Malcolm X
38. Fred Ward in The Player
39. James Earl Jones in Sneakers
40. James Woods in Chaplin
41. Jim Broadbent in The Crying Game 
42. Rob Campbell in Unforgiven
43. Kevin Bacon in A Few Good Men 
44. Stephen Tobolowsky in Sneakers
45. Delroy Lindo in Malcolm X
46. Billy Bob Thornton in One False Move
47. Tom Waits in Dracula
48. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Scent of a Woman 
49. Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men
50. Anthony James in Unforgiven
51. Rob Lowe in Wayne's World
52. Danny Webb in Alien 3
53. Joe Pesci in Home Alone 2
54. David Strathairn in Sneakers
55. Gilbert Gottfried in Aladdin 
56. River Phoenix in Sneakers
57. David Paymer in Mr. Saturday Night
58. Ralph Brown in Alien 3
59. Ian Watkin in Dead Alive
60. Philip Chan in HardBoiled
61. Eddie Bracken in Home Alone 2 
62. Edward Bunker in Reservoir Dogs
63. Eric Schweig in The Last of the Mohicans
64. Ben Kingsley in Sneakers
65. Vincent D'Onofrio in The Player
66. Jonathan Freeman in Aladdin
67. Richard E. Grant in The Player
68. Philip Kwok in Hard Boiled
69. Forest Whitaker in The Crying Game 
70. David Strathairn in A League of Their Own
71. Lance Henriksen in Alien 3
72. Robert Prosky in Far and Away
73. Mako in Sidekicks
74. Wayne Knight in Basic Instinct
75. James Rebhorn in Scent of a Woman
76. Richard E. Grant in Dracula
77. Peter Gallagher in The Player
78. Dan Aykroyd in Sneakers
79. Harvey Keitel in Sister Act
80. Brian Doyle-Murray in Wayne's World
81. Daniel Stern in Home Alone 2
82. Anthony Hopkins in Chaplin
83. Cary Elwes in Dracula
84. Christopher Walken in Batman Returns
85. George Dzundza in Basic Instinct
86. Michael Beach in One False Move
87. Wolfgang Bodison in A Few Good Men 
88. Jaimz Woolvett in Unforgiven 
89. James Wilsby in Howard's End
90. Kevin Pollack in A Few Good Men
91. Ralph Maccio in My Cousin Vinny
92. Ralph Brown in The Crying Game 
93. Maurice Roeves in The Last of the Mohicans
94. Billy Campbell in Dracula
95. Dean Jones in Beethoven
96. Dan Aykroyd in Chaplin
97. John Heard in Home Alone 2
98. Jonathan Brandis in Ladybugs 
99. Ron Silver in Mr. Saturday Night
100. Bradley Whitford in Scent of a Woman
101. Danny DeVito in Batman Returns
102. Casey Siemaszko in Of Mice and Men
103. Kiefer Sutherland in A Few Good Men
104. Chuck Norris in Sidekicks
105. Beau Bridges in Sidekicks 
106. Gregory Sierra in Deep Cover
107. Thomas Gibson in Far and Away
108. Quentin Tarantino in Reservoir Dogs 
109. Spike Lee in Malcolm X
110. Pauly Shore in Encino Man
111. Charles Martin Smith in Deep Cover
112. Michael DeLuise in Encino Man
113. Joe Piscopo in Sidekicks
114. Keanu Reeves in Dracula

Next Year: 1945 Lead

Read More

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1992: Paul McGann in Alien 3

Paul McGann did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Golic in Alien 3.

Alien 3 tends to be a heavily bashed film, but I rather dug it even if some of the visual effects are quite poor. I suppose maybe if you've seen Aliens first though you probably will take exception to the instant demise of the characters from Aliens, but Sigourney Weaver's great performance alone should stop this film from being instantly dismissed. Then again I've only watched the apparently superior assembly cut.

The film though should not be dismissed anyway though as I was surprised by the strong performances from most of the supporting actors particularly Charles Dance's kind yet troubled doctor, Charles S. Dutton's strong willed spiritual leader of the prisoners, and of course Paul McGann as Golic one of the most troublesome inmates on the planet. At the beginning of the film Golic is a formerly deranged killer, although he has since mellowed out through the religion of the men, but even with that he still seems a bit off to say the least and the other inn mates still do not exactly jump to have to be around him. The role of Golic is technically one of pure insanity even when he is saner at the beginning of the film as he is completely mentally unhinged man, since even among killers and rapists he seems crazy.

This type of role is a ripe one for all sorts of overacting and in most cases it probably would not help that it is also a sci-fi horror film where sometimes actors take an excuse to act extremely poorly. McGann's performance though is a revelation as I think he gives better portrayal of insanity and mental disability than many actors who play those sort of roles in more "serious minded" films. McGann is only ever Golic with this performance as he resists any moment to overact, and even though his portrayal is technically speaking acting at its most extreme you really won't notice it because of  how good McGann is in the role. The way he moves, the way he talks, and all of his little physical tics all are made by McGann as part of Golic and it is quite a fascinating performance to watch.

The Alien makes mince meat out of a few of the prisoners with Golic being the only survivor out of the small group of men, and we get a bit of a different horror reaction out of McGann. It's still a reaction of fear, but McGann is remarkable in showing an already deranged man become more deranged. The scene technically is pretty simple as it is just a few men getting killed with Golic having to react and then run away as fast as possible can after seeing the monster. It is made incredibly memorable by McGann keeping with his character in the moment. When Golic runs in from fright it is quite different as the man also reverts at the same time. It's an outstanding moment for McGann as it is fascinating to see him pull off the mental decay of Golic so exceptionally well in his portrayal of the change of Golic.

In the early scene McGann made Golic as quite insane but properly reflected the effect of the prison in him which made him a repressed insanity although still insane. Once Golic sees the alien though McGann holds nothing back in turning Golic into a man completely controlled by his derangement and it is something to behold. McGann turns Golic into a mostly gibbering mess though its amazing because he actually goes to edge without faulting once giving a startling depiction that honestly makes the idea of the alien more frightening through his performance than the alien really is in this film. Golic only continues in the wrong direction when he once again witnesses the monster, who does not kill him and something sets off in him as he seems to worship the alien which McGann is completely convincing in Golic's captivation.

Ripley and the other convicts manage to trap the Alien but Golic sets to free what he sees as his savior of sorts. Again Golic's whole scene could have been nothing but it is astonishing because of McGann's fervent depiction of the uncontrollable craziness. McGann never becomes one note even the character is technically one element but McGann never gives into one set attitude but rather is compelling through the randomness of Golic's mind. One of the most disturbing moments is just before Golic releases the alien as he kills the man guarding the door. McGann does not do cold, but is more disconcerting by showing Golic genuinely repentant toward the act. It might seem bizarre but McGann only leaves it as part of who Golic is.

The role of Golic is actually pretty much a throwaway part, and I find it very easy to see how a lesser performance would have treated the character as just an excuse to act wacky for awhile or really been a completely forgettable character all together. This is particularly noticeable in that apparently in the theatrical release it is just assumed that he dies off screen, and even in the version I saw Golic still is fairly quickly done away with and off screen but with an actual reason. I frankly would have wished for Golic to continue into the film as McGann's performance is such an interesting portrait of insanity to watch. He gives it his all and he only succeeds in giving vivid life to his character's madness.

Read More

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1992

And the Nominees Were Not:

Alec Baldwin in Glengarry Glen Ross

Paul McGann in Alien 3

Richard Harris in Unforgiven

Steve Buscemi in Reservoir Dogs

Samuel West in Howard's End

Read More