Bill Nunn – This Had Oscar Buzz

All January we’ll be doing a series we call Patreon Selects with episodes chosen by members of our sponsor-level tier on Patreon (and they’ll be sharing their Oscar origin stories too)! First up is 1992’s megasmash musical comedy Sister Act! Originally designed as a showcase for Bette Midler, the film became a starring vehicle for Whoopi Goldberg hot off of her Oscar win for Ghost. With Whoopi as an on-the-run lounge singer who hides out in a convent and turns the church’s choir into a sensation, the film won the affection of audiences but not an Academy with a tricky relationship with comedy.

This episode, we talk about Whoopi’s career from theatre breakthrough to movie star to Oscar host. We also talk about Dame Maggie Smith’s two Oscar wins, the career of writer Paul Rudnick (who took his name off the film), and the divine Mary Wickes.

Topics also include Hook, Nuns Having Fun, and the MTV Movie Awards.

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We are joined by none other than You Must Remember This’ Karina Longworth this week to talk about one of our most unique and most requested Oscar cases. In 1994, The Last Seduction gave a modern riff on classic noir with a sexually frank femme fatale played by Linda Fiorentino who pulls a game of deception on multiple men. The film initially aired on HBO, but an enthusiastic critical response built towards October Films giving the film a theatrical release. With Fiorentino’s performance earning major critics prizes and even a BAFTA nomination, October Films sued the Academy when the film was deemed ineligible thanks to its television debut. Though nothing came from the suit, the film has continued to amass its fans in recent years.

This episode, we talk about Fiorentino’s celebrated performance and some of the more troublesome aspects of the film’s politics. We also discuss You Must Remember This’ brand new season Erotic 90s, Dirty Dancing winning Best Original Song, and the film’s infamous chain link fence sex scene.

Topics also include Fiorentino’s reputation, Tom Cruise’s 1999, and buying Playboys in Serbia.

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Tag: Bill Nunn

270 – Sister Act (Patreon Selects)

237 – The Last Seduction (with Karina Longworth!)