The Pointer Sisters win two Grammys 1985

 

My girls, the Pointer Sisters, won two Grammy Awards at the annual ceremony held February 26, 1985. Their song Automatic won Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, arrangements by Ruth, June, and Anita.  Jump (For My Love) won Best Pop Performance for a Duo or Group with Vocal.  Their album Breakout should have won more Grammys in my opinion.  

This was a time when music was awesome!

Tina Turner won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for What's Love Got To Do With It.

Cyndi Lauper received the Grammy for Best New Artist.

"Weird Al" Yankovich won Best Comedy Recording for Eat It.

John Williams tied for Best Instrumental Composition for Olympic Fanfare and Theme the official music of the XXIII Olympiad.

The Judds won their first Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Mama, He's Crazy.

Donna Summer won Best Inspirational Performance for Forgive Me.

Ray Parker, Jr. won Best Pop Instrumental Performance for the instrumental version of Ghostbusters.

The Pointer Sisters' "Automatic"

Sting and Steely Dan win Grammys 2001

 

Sting won his 16th Grammy Award and Steely Dan won their very first at the annual ceremony held February 21, 2001. 

Sting won Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song She Walks the Earth.

Steely Dan won Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for Two Against Nature. The album was awaarded Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical.  They also won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for Cousin Dupree.  

John Williams won Best Instrumental Composition for The Theme from Angela's Ashes.

The Foo Fighters won Best Short Form Music Video for Learn to Fly. They also won Best Rock Album for There is Nothing Left to Lose. 

"Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi" released 1983

George Lucas's third movie in the Star Wars saga, Return of the Jedi, was released in US theaters May 25, 1983. It opened to positive reviews and received numerous awards.  It won a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.  It was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Original Score for John Williams, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Sound. 

Of course, the nominations for the top Oscars were reserved for the dramas and biopics. Terms of Endearment is a good movie, and I've seen The Right Stuff, but were they better than Return of the Jedi for Best Picture?  I can tell you which one I've seen more than once. No plans to see any of the others.

John Williams's score lost to Bill Conti's score for The Right Stuff? Yeah, right. The Oscar committee stands by its "no horror, no science fiction" movies for any of the acting awards.  Good thing the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror films gives due credit.  Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher won Saturns for their acting prowess. 

"E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" wins four Academy Awards, "Das Boot" gets snubbed 1983

E. T. The Extra-Terrestrial was nominated for nine Oscars and won four at the 55th Academy Awards ceremony held April 11, 1983.  

It won Best Original Score for John Williams; Best Sound for Robert Knudson,Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo, and Gene Cantamessa; Best Sound Effects Editing for Charles Campbell and Ben Burtt; and Best Visual Effects for Carlo Ramaldi, Dennis Muren, and Kenneth F. Smith.

It had been nominated for Best Picture, Best Directing for Steven Spielberg, Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen), Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.

Das Boot, one of the best films ever, was nominated for six Oscars but did not win any of them.  It wasn't even nominated for Best Foreign Film, although none of the other foreign were nominated for any other awards.  I suppose the German film makers didn't do the wine-and-dine policy 20th Century Fox Studios did for Doctor Doolittle.

Ghandi was the big winner of the night with eight awards out of eleven nominations. Meryl Streep won Best Actress for Sophie's Choice.  Louis Gossett Jr. won Best Supporting Actor for An Officer and a Gentleman. Jessica Lange won Best Supporting Actress for Tootsie.  Teri Garr was also nominated for the award for Tootsie.

Victor/Victoria won Best Music (Original Song Score and its Adaption Score) for Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse.

"Jaws" and "The Hindenburg" win Academy Awards 1976

Steven Spielberg's blockbuster horror film Jaws and the disaster flick The Hindenburg both took home Academy Awards at the 48th annual ceremony held March 29, 1976.

Jaws won Best Music Score for John Williams. It was his second Oscar and eleventh nomination. 

Jaws won Best Sound for Robert L. Hoyt, Roger Heman, Earl Madery, and John Carter.  It also won Best Film Editing for Verna Fields. It was nominated for Best Picture.

The Hindenburg was nominated for five Oscars and won two. It won two Special Achievement Awards: Sound Effects for Peter Berkos; Visual Effects for Albert Whitlock and Glen Robinson.  It was nominated for Best Sound, Best Art Direction, and Best Cinematography.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest was the big winner that night with five Academy wins and Barry Lyndon with four. 

24th Annual Grammy Awards 1982

The Grammy Awards held their 24th annual ceremony February 24, 1982, and showcased the best in music, and what a celebration.  Of course, this was my decade of music (also the 70s), so many of my favorites took home awards.   Some of the best music ever!

Kim Carnes won Record of the Year and Song of the Year for her cover of Bette Davis Eyes.

My girls, the Pointer Sisters presented Best New Artist to Sheena Easton.

John Williams won Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special for his composition of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Dolly Parton's song 9 to 5 won Best Country Vocal Performance, Female and Best Country Song.

The Oak Ridge Boys won Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for their song Elvira.

Ella Fitzgerald won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Female for her Digital III at Montreux.

The Manhattan Transfer won Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Duo or Group for Until I Met You (Corner Pocket).  They also won Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with vocal for their The Boy from New York City.

Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr. won Best Rhythm & Blues Song for Just the Two of Us.

Pat Benatar won Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female for Fire and Ice.

The Police won two Grammys: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for Don't Stand So Close To Me.  Best Rock Instrumental Performance for Behind My Camel.

Quincy Jones won a total of five Grammys: Best Instrumental Arrangement;  Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocal(s) for Ai No Corrida; Best Cast Show Album; Producer of the Year; Best R&B Performance by a Due or Group with Vocal.

Music doesn't get much better than this.

"Superman" wins 5 Saturn Awards 1979

Superman, directed by Richard Donner and released in the US December 15, 1978, was nominated for eight Saturn Awards, at the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films February 24, 1979. It won five awards:

Best Science Fiction Film

Margot Kidder for Best Actress for her performance as Lois Lane.

John Williams for Best Music

Colin Chilvers for Best Special Effects

A Special award: John Barry for Best Production Design.

Superman was nominated for Best Actor for Christopher Reeve, Valerie Perrine for Best Supporting Actress, Best Director for Richard Donner, and Best Costumes.

Margaret Hamilton received a Honorary Award. 

"Star Wars: A New Hope" wins 8 Saturn Awards 1978

George Lucas's iconic, groundbreaking, phenomenal, masterpiece Star Wars won 8 Saturn Awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films at the 5th annual ceremony held January 14, 1978.

Star Wars won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Supporting Actor for Alec Guinness, Best Director for George Lucas, Best Writing for Lucas, Best Music for John Williams, Best Costumes for John Mollo, Best Makeup for Rick Baker and Stuart Freeborn, Best Special Effects for John Dykstra and John Stears, 

George Lucas tied with Steven Spielberg (Close Encounters of the Third Kind) for Best Director.  John Williams tied with himself for his score for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Star Wars was nominated for Best Actor for Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill, Best Actress for Carrie Fisher, and Best Supporting Actor for Peter Cushing.

The film also received several special awards: Outstanding Art Direction, Outstanding Cinematographer, Outstanding Editing, Outstanding Set Direction, and Outstanding Sound.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" wins eight Saturn Awards 2016

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the continuation of the Star Wars series, was nominated for a whopping 15 Saturn Awards, the most nominated film by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, and won eight at the annual ceremony held June 22, 2016.

The film won: 

Best Science Fiction Film

Best Writing for Lawrence Kasdan, J. J. Abrams and Michael Arndt

Best Actor for Harrison Ford

Best Supporting Actor for Adam Driver

Best Music for John Williams

Best Editing for Maryann Brandon and Mary Jo Markey

Best Make-up for Neal Scanlan

Best Special Effects for Roger Guyett, Patrick Tubach,Neal Scanlan, and Chris Corbould

The Force Awakens was nominated for:

Best Director for J. J. Abrams

Best Actor for John Boyega

Best Actress for Daisy Ridley

Best Supporting Actress for Carrie Fisher and Lupita Nyong'o

Best Production Design for Rick Carter and Darren Gilford

Best Costume Design for Michael Kaplan

Star Wars wins 12 Saturn Awards 1978

Star Wars: A New Hope was nominated for 8 Saturn Awards and walked away with 12 trophies at the 5th annual ceremony held May 14, 1978.  

It won Best Science Fiction Film, Best Supporting Actor for Alec Guinness, Best Writing for George Lucas, Best Costumes, Best Makeup, and Best Special Effects for John Dykstra and John Stears.  John Williams tied with himself for Best Music for Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. George Lucas tied for Best Director with Steven Spielberg for Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  

Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford were both nominated for Best Actor, and Carrie Fisher was nominated for Best Actress.  Peter Cushing was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

Star Wars was given five special awards:

Outstanding Art Direction for Norman Reynolds and Leslie Dilley

Outstanding Cinematographer for Gilbert Taylor

Outstanding Editing for Paul Hirsch, Marcia Lucas, and Richard Chew

Outstanding Set Decoration for Roger Christian

Outstanding Sound for Ben Burtt, Don MacDougall, and Sam F. Shaw.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind was nominated for seven awards but only won the two awards for which it tied with Star Wars. 

The Manhattan Transfer wins two Grammys for "Birdland" 1981

Manhattan Transfer's performance of Birdland received two Grammy Awards at the 23rd annual ceremony held February 25, 1981.  Janis Siegel won the award for Best Arrangement of Voices.  Manhattan Transfer won for Best Jazz Fusion Performance, Vocal or Instrumental. 

John Williams also took home two awards for his composition for The Empire Strikes Back: Best Instrumental Composition and Best Album of Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special. 

Pat Benatar won her first Grammy for her album Crimes of Passion.  She received the Best Rock Vocal Performance, Female.

Ella Fitzgerald won her 10th Grammy that evening.  Her album A Perfect Match won for Best Jazz Performance, Female. 

John Williams wins 3 Grammy Awards 1978

John Williams took home three Grammy Awards at the 20th annual celebration held February 23, 1978.  His composition of Star Wars soundtrack won Best Instrumental Composition for Main Title from Star Wars, Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or a Television Special, and Best Pop Instrumental Performance.  He had the most wins of that evening.

The Eagles went home with two wins: Record of the Year for Hotel California and Best Arrangement for Voices for New Kid In Town. 

Fleetwood Mac won Album of the Year for Rumours.

WALL-E wins two Grammy Awards 2009

My hero WALL-E won two Grammy Awards during the 51st annual celebration February 8, 2009.  Actually Peter Gabriel got the trophies.  The first for Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for the song Down to Earth.

The second award was for Best Instrumental Arrangement for Define Dancing, arranged by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newman.  Newman was also nominated for Best Score Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media, but lost to The Dark Night.

John Williams won a Grammy for Best Instrumental Composition for The Adventures of Mutt from Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  What was his total tally at that time?

One of my favorites from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Runnin' Down a Dream, won Best Long Form Music Video. 

The lovely Natalie Cole won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Still Unforgettable, another compilation of her performing her father's songs. 

Cross-dressing wins Golden Globe Awards 1983

Two movies, in which the main character dresses up as the opposite sex, won four Golden Globes and were nominated for several more at the 40th annual celebration January 29, 1983.  

Tootsie, which starred Dustin Hoffman posing as an actress to land a role in a soap opera, won Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical.  Dustin Hoffman won Best Actor.  Jessica Lange won Best Supporting Actress.  Sydney Pollack was nominated for Best Director. Larry Gelbart and Murray Shisgal were nominated for Best Screenplay.

Julie Andrews won for Best Actress for her portrayal as a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman in Victor/Victoria.  The movie was nominated for Best Motion Picture-Comedy or Musical but lost to Tootsie. Robert Preston was nominated for Best Actor. Lesley Anne-Warren was nominated for Supporting Actress. Henry Mancini was nominated for Best Original Score but lost to John Williams.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial won Best Motion Picture-Drama and John Williams won for Best Original Score. Steven Spielberg was nominated for Best Director and Melissa Mathison was nominated for Best Screenplay. Henry Thomas was nominated for New Star of the Year-Male. 

The fabulous Dolly Parton received a nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical for her work in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. 

"Brokeback Mountain" wins three Critics' Choice Awards 2006

Ang Lee's controversial, critically acclaimed movie Brokeback Mountain was nominated for 8 Critics' Choice Awards and took home three trophies at the 11th annual ceremony held January 9, 2006.  It won Best Picture and Lee won Best Director.  Michelle Williams tied for Best Supporting Actress with Amy Adams.  A foretaste of numerous awards to come.

Heath Ledger was nominated for Best Actor and Jake Gyllenhaal was nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana were nominated for Best Writing. Brokeback Mountain was also nominated for Best Composer and Best Song.  I don't remember a song being in the movie.

March of the Penguins won Best Documentary.  I was happy to see that because it was a very good movie.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and would watch it again.

John Williams won Best Composer for Memoirs of a Geisha.  I didn't see this movie, but I wonder if Williams (no relation to Michelle Williams, I'm sure) is tired of winning awards for his music?

Dame Judi Dench should have won Best Actress for her performance in Mrs. Henderson Presents, but lost to Reese Witherspoon.

Surprise! Peter Jackson's remake of King Kong won an award for Distinguished Achievement in Performing Arts.  I think it's great when a science fiction movie or monster movie is recognized in any way.  The Critics' Choice included it in their ten nominees for Best Picture.

George Clooney (swoon!) won the Freedom Award for his performance in Good Night, and Good Luck.

"Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi" released 2017

The second installment of the third Star Wars trilogy, episode 8 The Last Jedi opened across the US December 15, 2017, after its premiere in Los Angeles December 9.  It opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences alike.  

I enjoyed the movie as well and will watch it again, but I had some issues with it.  First and foremost was the god-awful wig Laura Dern wore throughout the film.  It was so off-putting and I hate the hair style, the purple color notwithstanding.  

The second problem was the secondary plot of Finn (John Boyega) and Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) trying to disable the First Order's tracking device. Although they had many exciting adventures, their secret mission failed and did nothing to continue the plot. 

Unfortunately, many racists had problems with John Boyega and Kelly Marie Tran, both people of color, having major roles in the Star Wars saga.  The problem was so bad that Tran left social media. 

Come on, guys!

The Last Jedi was nominated for four Academy Awards, it won three Saturn Awards (Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films): Best Writing: Rian Johnson, Best Actor: Mark Hamill, and Best Editing for Bob Ducsay.  It was nominated for 10 more Saturns.

John Williams' soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy.

"The Poseidon Adventure" wins two Academy Awards 1973

Actress Merle Oberon presents the Special Achievement Award for visual effects to The Poseidon Adventure

Irwin Allen's disaster pic The Poseidon Adventure won two Academy Awards at the 45th ceremony held March 27, 1973.  It won an award for Best Original Song The Morning After, which was written by Joel Hirschhorn and Al Kasha.

It was presented a Special Achievement Award for visual effects for L. B. Abbot and A. D. Flowers.  

The Poseidon Adventure was nominated for six more awards: Best Supporting Actress for Shelley Winters, Best Original Score for John Williams, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.

Maggie Smith was nominated for Best Actress.

John Williams wins Grammy for Best Original Score for Jaws 1976

John Williams won his first Grammy Award for Best Original Score for his work on Jaws, the Steven Spielberg blockbuster, February 28, 1976.  It was William's second Grammy nomination.  He had been nominated for Best Sound Track Album or Recording of a Score for Checkmate back in 1962. Williams also won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for his composition on Jaws.

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" released 1977

A Steven Spielberg classic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, was released December 14, 1977.  Spielberg was writer and director of the story about an electric lineman (Richard Dreyfuss), who encounters a UFO.  

It also starred Terri Garr.  I don't remember Lance Henriksen, but he was in the film, too.  

It won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography and one for Special Achievement (Frank Warner for Sound Effects Editing).  It was nominated for 7 more, including John Williams for Best Original Score and Spielberg for Best Director.  

Spielberg and Williams won Saturn Awards for their accomplishments. John Williams won a Grammy for Best Original Score.  

"Jaws" released 1975

Steven Spielberg's blockbuster Jaws was released into theaters June 20, 1975.  It starred Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfus.  It was based on the novel by Peter Benchley about a great white shark terrorizing the town of Amity, a beach community in New York.

It won three Academy Awards: Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score for John Williams. It was also nominated for Best Picture.  In 2001, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.  The American Film Institute has listed it as #48 on the list of the greatest American movies of all time.  John Williams' score has been listed as #6 on 100 Years of Film Scores.  It is ranked as the second-most thrilling movie behind Psycho.