Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!: Nixon (1995) - Stone takes another president for a long run

8/13/2022

Nixon (1995) - Stone takes another president for a long run

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Anthony Hopkins' face cut through in darkness makes up this poster for Oliver Stone's Nixon

An epic exploration of former vice president, under Dwight D. Eisenhower, Republican Richard Nixon: His first presidential run against John F. Kennedy, the assassinations in the years following, his eventual presidency, marriage, the Vietnam War, corruption, the man and his fall.

Nixon is written by Stephen J. Rivele (Ali (2001)), Christian Wilkinson (Birth of the Dragon (2016)) and co-writer/co-producer/director, great New-Yorker filmmaker Oliver Stone (Seizure (1974)).

Sort of like Stone's preceding presidential biopic, JFK (1991), Nixon is too much. The filmmaker restrains himself in no ways whatsoever, (although his 212 minute director's cut version proves that, perhaps, he did actually still restrain his indulgences a bit here in the theatrical cut, even if it seems he couldn't possibly have.) Nixon is detailed in ways that might pique a historian's appreciation, but despite its dramatically speculative elements (that Nixon feared his mother and was involved in assassinations are among them), it doesn't reach Greek tragedy-like heights.

Anthony Hopkins (Desperate Hours (1990)) as Nixon is in his own way impressive, but his part here is enormously heavy, both in terms of dialog, mannerisms and length. You may infer that this is entirely appropriate, - that the film about Nixon is too much, to be clear, as this may be said was characteristic of the man himself. As a film this, however, becomes too long in the tooth, despite intriguing personal engagement from the fine cast and the fact that large parts of the film are solid and well-made. The better Nixon film is the lighter Frost/Nixon (2008) by Ron Howard.

Oliver Stone: 2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2016 in films - according to Film Excess

Snowden (2016) - Stone's inflammatory political thriller is a powerful must-see

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps/Wall Street 2/Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps (2010) - Stone's sequel is an entertaining spectacle

1999 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Any Given Sunday (1999) - Stone's bloated sports epic is mostly for football fans

Born on the Fourth of July (1989) or, Beautiful Struggle

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 44 mil. $

Box office: Reportedly 34.6 mil. $

= Huge flop (returned 0.78 times its cost)

[Nixon was released 20 December (North America) and runs 192 minutes. Stone was having trouble finding support for his Evita (eventually made by Alan Parker and released in 1996) and a film about Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, when the Nixon biopic instead gained traction. He broke his three-picture-deal with Regency Enterprises, who wouldn't give him the budget he wanted. Shooting took place from May - July 1995 in Washington D.C. and in California. Hopkins, daunted at the work and co-actor Paul Sorvino's criticizing his accent attempt and performance, according to co-actor James Woods wanted to leave the film during production but was talked out of it by Stone. The film opened #13, its highest placement, to a 2.2 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it grossed 13.6 mil. $ (39.3 % of the total gross). The-numbers.com allege that it made 21 mil. $ internationally, regrettably without any details. The film was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning none: Best Actor (Hopkins), lost to Nicolas Cage in Leaving Las Vegas, Supporting Actress (Joan Allen), lost to Mira Sorvino in Mighty Aphrodite, Dramatic Score (John Williams), lost to Luis Bacalov for The Postman, and Original Screenplay, lost to Christopher McQuarrie for The Usual Suspects. It was also nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, among other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 4 notches over this one. Stone returned with U Turn (1997). Hopkins returned in August (1996). Nixon is certified fresh at 75 % with a 6.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Nixon?

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Film Excess - Free Ukraine - Stop Putin - End the war NOW!!

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