With less than a week before the Oscars and during a week of not doing too much, I'm going to try to finish off the Best Picture nominees. Next on the list, Frost/Nixon. Of the five nominees, I feel this film is the one that will stay with me for a while. Immediately when I came home I started researching the real David Frost - the man, the journalist, the Brit who was able to get Richard Nixon to admit wrong-doing during his presidency. It was during the 1977 Frost/Nixon interviews that Nixon made that famous declaration that "if the president does it, then it's not illegal." After being pardoned by his successor, Nixon never stood trial or was held accountable for Watergate (among other transgressions). That was until David Frost and his producers got hold of 37.
Ron Howard's film adaptation of Peter Morgan's Tony winning play transitioned nicely from stage to screen (at least I'm assuming so. Sadly, I did not see the play). The performances were strong and convincing. Frank Langella's Nixon earned him a Best Actor nod (not to mention the Tony) - deservingly so - but Michael Sheen's David Frost was superb, and I'm very surprised he did not receive any recognition from the Academy. While watching the original interviews, it seems to me that Langella played Nixon a bit over-the-top and Sheen played Frost very much as Frost was. Regardless, both men, along with the supporting cast, did fantastic jobs.
One thing that makes the film more effective than the play (that makes any film more effective) is the same thing that made the television interviews so powerful - the close-up. Howard's camera mimics those from 1977, but as with any film, he's able to draw out the reactions, hold the gazes, and capture the emotions of everyone involved. If you see the film, I highly suggest checking out the real interviews and drawing your own comparisons. Both are fascinating, but no matter how powerful Frank Langella is, it's hard to top Nixon himself admitting his guilt.
Ron Howard's film adaptation of Peter Morgan's Tony winning play transitioned nicely from stage to screen (at least I'm assuming so. Sadly, I did not see the play). The performances were strong and convincing. Frank Langella's Nixon earned him a Best Actor nod (not to mention the Tony) - deservingly so - but Michael Sheen's David Frost was superb, and I'm very surprised he did not receive any recognition from the Academy. While watching the original interviews, it seems to me that Langella played Nixon a bit over-the-top and Sheen played Frost very much as Frost was. Regardless, both men, along with the supporting cast, did fantastic jobs.
One thing that makes the film more effective than the play (that makes any film more effective) is the same thing that made the television interviews so powerful - the close-up. Howard's camera mimics those from 1977, but as with any film, he's able to draw out the reactions, hold the gazes, and capture the emotions of everyone involved. If you see the film, I highly suggest checking out the real interviews and drawing your own comparisons. Both are fascinating, but no matter how powerful Frank Langella is, it's hard to top Nixon himself admitting his guilt.
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