58th Annual Academy Awards Results and Commentary (1986)
©A.M.P.A.S.®
The 58th Annual Academy Awards were hosted by Alan Alda, Jane Fonda and Robin Williams on Monday, March 24th, 1986.
The pundits had made the evening out to be a battle between The Color Purple and Out of Africa, each with eleven nominations.
In a shocker, The Color Purple left the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with zero golden statuettes in its hands, putting it in a class with another shutout with eleven nominations, 1977’s The Turning Point.
The Oscar gold flowed towards Out of Africa, which netted seven awards including Best Picture and Best Director for Sidney Pollack.
The acting awards were spread out amongst four films. William Hurt’s performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman earned him Best Actor. Best Actress Geraldine Page had been nominated seven times before without a win, while Best Supporting Actor Don Ameche’s win for Cocoon was his first nomination in a career that spanned four decades. After a thunderous ovation, Ameche looked at his Oscar and said, “To all you members of the Academy, this esteemed gentleman here says that you have given to me your recognition; you’ve given to me your love; you have given to me, and I hope I have earned, your respect. For all these, I am deeply grateful.”
Referring to John Huston, Best Supporting Actress Anjelica Huston said her Prizzi’s Honor win “…means a lot to me since it comes from a role in which I was directed by my father, and I know it means a lot to him.”
Paul Newman, who was given an Honorary Oscar “…in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft” thanked the Academy from Chicago, where he was filming The Color of Money. “I certainly want to thank the members of the Academy. And I’m especially grateful that this did not come wrapped as a gift certificate to Forest Lawn,” said Newman.
Results
Best Picture
- Out of Africa
Sydney Pollack [Producer]
Best Directing
- Out of Africa
Sydney Pollack
Best Actor in a Leading Role
- Kiss of the Spider Woman
William Hurt
Best Actress in a Leading Role
- The Trip to Bountiful
Geraldine Page
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
- Cocoon
Don Ameche
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
- Prizzi's Honor
Anjelica Huston
Best Foreign Language Film
- The Official Story
Best Art Direction
- Out of Africa
Stephen Grimes [Art Direction] and Josie MacAvin [Set Decoration]
Best Cinematography
- Out of Africa
David Watkin
Best Costume Design
- Ran
Emi Wada
Best Documentary (Feature)
- Broken Rainbow
Maria Florio and Victoria Mudd
Best Documentary (Short Subject)
- Witness to War: Dr. Charlie Clements
David Goodman
Best Film Editing
- Witness
Thom Noble
Best Makeup
- Mask
Michael Westmore and Zoltan Elek
Best Music (Original Score)
- Out of Africa
John Barry
Best Music (Original Song)
- White Nights "Say You, Say Me"
Lionel Richie [Music and Lyric by]
Best Short Film (Animated)
- Anna & Bella
Cilia Van Dijk
Best Short Film (Live Action)
- Molly's Pilgrim
Jeff Brown and Chris Pelzer
Best Sound
- Out of Africa
Chris Jenkins, Gary Alexander, Larry Stensvold and Peter Handford
Best Sound Effects Editing
- Back to the Future
Charles L. Campbell and Robert Rutledge
Best Visual Effects
- Cocoon
Ken Ralston, Ralph McQuarrie, Scott Farrar and David Berry
Best Writing (Screenplay - based on material from another medium)
- Out of Africa
Kurt Luedtke
Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen)
- Witness
Earl W. Wallace [Screenplay and Story by], William Kelley [Screenplay and Story by] and Pamela Wallace [Story by]
Honorary Award
- Paul Newman
Note: …in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft. - Alex North
Note: …in recognition of his brilliant artistry in the creation of memorable music for a host of distinguished motion pictures.
Medal of Commendation
- John H. Whitney Sr.
Note: …for Cinematic Pioneering.
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award
- Charles "Buddy" Rogers
Scientific or Technical Award (Scientific and Engineering Award)
- IMAX Systems Corporation
Note: …for a method of filming and exhibiting high-fidelity, large-format, wide angle motion pictures. - Ernst Nettmann [of E.F. Nettmann & Associates], Edward Phillips [of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc.] and Carlos DeMattos [of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc.]
Note: Ernst Nettmann of E.F. Nettmann & Associates for the invention, and to Edward Phillips and Carlos DeMattos of Matthews Studio Equipment, Inc. for the development, of the Cam-Remote for motion picture photography. - Myron Gordin [of Musco Mobile Lighting, Ltd.], Joe P. Crookham [of Musco Mobile Lighting, Ltd.], Jim Drost [of Musco Mobile Lighting, Ltd.] and David Crookham [of Musco Mobile Lighting, Ltd.]
Note: …for the invention of a method of transporting adjustable, high-intensity luminaires and their application to the motion picture industry.
Scientific or Technical Award (Technical Achievement Award)
- David W. Spencer
Note: …for the development of an Animation Photo Transfer (APT) process. - Harrison & Harrison, Optical Engineers
Note: …for the invention and development of Harrison Diffusion filters for motion picture photography. - Larry Barton [of Cinematography Electronics, Inc.]
Note: …for a Precision Speed Crystal-Controlled Device for motion picture photography. - Alan D. Landaker [of The Burbank Studios]
Note: …for the Mark III Camera Drive for motion picture photography.