Oscar Trivia #9

Director Oliver Stone based his Best Picture winner Platoon on his experiences in the Vietnam War, which he might not have had without another Oscar-nominated film, Sands of Iwo Jima.
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Stone still held a grudge against the star of the 1949 war epic: "I love John Wayne, but Sands of Iwo Jima sent me to Vietnam believing that it was exciting and I could make a man out of myself. I don't believe John Wayne ever went to war."

WALL STREET

Screenplay by Stanley Weiser and Oliver Stone
Directed by Oliver Stone

Michael Douglas
Charlie Sheen
Daryl Hannah
Hal Holbrook
John C. McGinley

Premiere date: December 11, 1987
R

Enterprising stockbroker Bud Fox falls under the enticing spell of Gordon Gekko, an unabashedly greedy Wall Street arbitrageur. Gekko takes Fox under his wing, tutoring his charge in the unscrupulous tactics that put the corporate raider on top. But when Gekko embroils his protégé in an insider-trading scheme that may risk the jobs of kith and kin, Fox develops a conscience and decides to turn the tables.

National Board of Review
Best Actor - Michael Douglas
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1 Academy Award Nomination, 1 Win
Best Actor - Michael Douglas

PLATOON

Written and directed by Oliver Stone

Tom Berenger
Willem Dafoe
Charlie Sheen

Premiere date: December 19, 1986
R

Chris Taylor is an idealistic new recruit who quickly comes to realize the savage brutality of war. As he struggles to adapt to he rules of the jungle, he witnesses his platoon divide into two opposing factions. Led by Sgt. Barnes, a combat-loving sadist, the soldiers massacre a Vietnamese village while on patrol. When Sgt. Grodin, a kind-hearted free spirit, confronts him, the two set out on a path of mutual destruction, taking the entire platoon with them. Fear, chaos, and the heart-pounding fight for survival ensues as the men are faced not only with an unforgiving enemy, but also with their own deadly cruelty.

8 Academy Award Nominations, 4 Wins
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Supporting Actor - Tom Berenger
Best Supporting Actor - Willem Dafoe
Best Original Screenplay
Best Film Editing
Best Cinematography
Best Sound