We’re counting down to the Oscars by introducing you to some of the best and sometimes overlooked performances of this year's Oscar contenders. Today’s episode: My Favorite Year?

The man. The myth. The legend. Freaking Lawrence of Arabia for crying out loud. But also an actor that everyone thinks is dead, despite the fact that he makes a couple films a year. If O’Toole wins it this year, it will probably have less to do with his actual performance and more to do with the fact that he has NEVER WON THE AWARD IN HIS LIFE. No, that “We’re sorry we didn’t give it to you before so here’s a lifetime achievement award” doesn’t count. No gold. Despite being nominated seven other times, including for Arabia. Stupid freaking Gregory Peck and his stupid freaking To Kill a Mockingbird. Like anyone even remembers that stupid movie, anyway. Stupid, stupid movie that isn’t Lawrence of Arabia. Bah.

Essential Filmography:

Lawrence of Arabia. The Star Wars of its day and heralded as one of the greatest movies of all time, this movie won seven Academy Awards. None of them for O’Toole. Stupid Gregory Peck. The directors we grew up on grew up on this. There are six different edits of this thing out there, and if you haven’t seen a single one of them then you have missed out on one of the true greats. Really, writing about this is moot. There are a billion different essays out there written by the greatest film critics and directors to ever live. Google them if you need any further convincing.

Becket/The Lion in Winter. Here’s some Oscar trivia for your friends. Which Oscar hopeful was nominated twice for playing the same character in two different movies that aren’t sequels? Both of these are excellent classic films starring Peter O’Toole as King Henry II, but arguably are films for the more mature, classic-loving film watcher. But certainly well worth the rent, especially if you’re hoping to look really good at the Oscar party.

Caligula. Okay. I admit it. I’ll take any chance I can get to even say the word “Caligula,” just to see the wincing look on people’s faces when they think about the wedding scene. It just makes ya clench, don’t it? I don’t care if I’m not in the room with you. I can see the look on your face now. Unless you don’t know what I’m talking about. At which point you have not truly lived. One of the most garish, trashy, unbelievable spectacles ever made by man, this film stands testament as one of the most morally repugnant films ever made. As an added bonus, it leads us to another Oscar trivia question: What Rated X 1979 cult classic starred two of this year’s Oscar Nominees and who are they? The answer is this deliciously smutty masterpiece, starring Peter O’Toole and Helen Mirren. And yes, you can place a solid bet that this will show up in her filmography as well. Just for posterity, let me say it one more time. Caligula. There, it’s out of my system. Okay. Not really.

Why he probably shouldn’t get the gold: just as there are actually more reasons that he should than I have space to write about, there are almost, if not just, as many why he shouldn’t. Take your pick. For my money I’m gonna say his turn as Zaltar in Supergirl. Of course, as there’s already a special circle of hell reserved for everyone involved with that film, the Academy might chalk it up to “he will have suffered enough” and give it to him anyway.

This is part of Film.com's coverage of the 2007 Academy Awards. For more Oscars articles, analysis, news, and red carpet photo galleries, visit our Oscars page.

Recommend (0)

|  Comments (0)

|  Email

|  Share

Share  Facebook Digg del.icio.us