His first of four Oscar nominations, Williams played real-life disc jockey Adrian Cronauer, who was shipped to Vietnam during the Vietnam War to be a voice on the U.S. Armed Services radio station. Cronauer’s irreverence and unique broadcasting style pierced through the sadness and horror of the war, making him a hit among the armed forces. It’s a great film about the psychological effects of the disastrous war, and Williams became a country on the map after this one was released.
I mean, when’s the last time you saw this movie? All the kids’ shows today are great, but that’s no excuse to not dip back into this Disney classic with the most zany puff of blue the silver screen has ever known–the Genie of the Lamp! These were the golden days of animated Disney, and “Aladdin” was the most exciting of them all. After Williams’ performance as the voice of Genie, many questioned why Academy members didn’t nominate him for an Oscar. Judge for yourself. Watch the “Friend Like Me” song from the movie again on youtube.com and see how powerful and hilarious a vocal performance can be.
This one came like a shock in the night — a murder mystery so claustrophobic and wallowing in human depravity that Robin Williams as the perpetrator was almost uncomfortable to watch. See it now if you haven’t yet–his performance is chillingly effective. Al Pacino is the afflicted detective investigating the gory death of a teenage girl in summertime Alaska. The weather, the mood, and the placid creepiness of Williams’ performance does something to us. However, this flick was like a stand-up routine compared to the next Williams film.
This is a little-seen indie film that is almost not worth viewing, it’s so unsettling. The subject matter is creepy-crawly and depressing, but students of acting should compare this film to “Mrs. Doubtfire” to see how stupendous the acting range of Robin Williams really is. Seymour Parrish is a quiet and reclusive, but friendly-seeming photo lab technician in a suburban shopping mall. When the Yorkin family, perfect and nuclear, start dropping their prints off, obsession sets in, and things turn ugly. A true gem of acting, but a real downer; watch at your own risk!
Williams and his boys, a teacher and his students. Peter Weir’s film, nominated for a slew of Oscars including Williams’ second mention, shows us how conservatism can be shattered and young lives can be altered for the better when an inspiring educator like John Keating comes along. A truly great experience, with enough sadness, poetry, and a generous Robin performance to bite into.
Who doesn’t remember laughing until they almost barfed in the theater during this movie? I do! In the spirit of “Some Like it Hot” and “Tootsie,” Williams took a stab at being a cross dresser and nailed the performance. A divorced father’s only option to see his kids is to become their nanny–in secret, and in drag. Daniel Hillard becomes Mrs. Doubtfire, the frumpy and loveable old gal from England. Doubtful that this film has lost its magic–see it again, and show your kids.
Penny Marshall directed Robert DeNiro and Robin Williams in one of the towering films of the ’90s decade. A new drug begins to revive patients who have been comatose for decades, including DeNiro, whose character has been catatonic since his teenage years. Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Williams) shepherds these special characters into “normal” life, and the results are at once saddening and joyful. Williams and DeNiro make an indelible pair, with Williams taking it down a notch to put DeNiro’s Oscar-nominated performance at the center.
Terry Gilliam makes strange, psychotropic films. With Jeff Bridges, Williams, and an Oscar-winning Mercedes Ruehl, he ventured into dark human psyches with a story of a guilt-ridden former disc jockey (Bridges) and his tough Brooklyn wife who take in a homeless man named Parry (Williams). A medieval quest at the film’s heart adds to its bizarreness, but Williams is ever the charmer and this is a cult classic.
In case you didn’t know, this is “La Cage Aux Folles” — Jean Poiret’s play — refurbished to mid-90s Miami Beach with a gay couple played by Williams and the unforgettable Nathan Lane as his melodramatic drag-queen partner. Their son’s engagement brings them to their future daughter-in-law’s conservative, puritanical parents (Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest). As gay rights have certainly progressed since this time, it’s a bit overwhelming to watch such caricatures of overblown gay antics onscreen, but as a time capsule, it’s worth it. Williams and Lane are sensational here, and from its French origins, the story retains the spirit of accepting others.
Robin won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar in 1998 for his role in “Good Will Hunting” as Sean Maguire, a Boston therapist who helps break down and then build up the tough Will Hunting. This is a film that emphasizes the nurturing of the human spirit, and like an old friend, it is always worth a revisit. Williams’ character is just like we’ll remember the great man — gruff, uncompromising, hilarious, and kind. You can view his acceptance speech on youtube.com.
