geted. With cameos by Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis,
and other stars as themselves.
Reservoir Dogs(Live Entertainment/Miramax; dir.
Quentin Tarantino) Tarantino’s first film as a di-
rector tells the violent story of a robbery gone
wrong. With Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve
Buscemi, and Michael Madsen, it created the
template for the era’s crime films.
Unforgiven(Malpaso/Warner Bros.; dir. Clint East-
wood) The decade’s second big Western exam-
ines how legends are made as an outlaw turned
farmer (Eastwood) and his friend (Morgan Free-
man) seek revenge against a corrupt lawman
(Gene Hackman). Won Oscars for Best Picture,
Director, Supporting Actor (Hackman), and
Editing.See alsomain entry.
Wayne’s World(Paramount; dir. Penelope Spheeris)
One of the few successfulSaturday Night Livespin-
offs presents two intellectually challenged young
men (Mike Meyers and Dana Carvey) whose public-
access television show is threatened by an evil net-
work executive (Rob Lowe).
1993
The Age of Innocence(Columbia; dir. Martin Scor-
sese) Taking a marked departure from crime,
Scorsese looks at New York high society of the
nineteenth century. The meticulous reproduc-
tion of the inflexible culture examined in Edith
Wharton’s 1920 novel features excellent perfor-
mances by Daniel Day Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer,
and Wynona Ryder. Gabriella Pescucci’s cos-
tumes won an Oscar.
The Fugitive(Warner Bros.; dir. Andrew Davis) One
of the most successful transfers of a classic televi-
sion series to the big screen presents the efforts of
Dr. Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford), wrongly
convicted of murdering his wife, to prove his
innocence. Tommy Lee Jones won a Best Sup-
porting Actor Oscar as the lawman tracking down
Kimble after his escape.
Groundhog Day(Columbia; dir. Harold Ramis) A
cynical Pittsburgh television weatherman (Bill
Murray) goes to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, for
Groundhog Day only to relive the same day over
and over. Changing his sour personality, he be-
gins wooing his producer (Andie MacDowell).
The romantic comedy’s reputation has increased
over the years.
Jurassic Park(Amblin Entertainment/Universal; dir.
Steven Spielberg) The year’s top-grossing film is
most notable for the creation of realistic dino-
saurs. Won Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Sound,
and Sound Effects Editing.See alsomain entry.
Philadelphia(TriStar; dir. Jonathan Demme) The
decade’s most prominent treatment of AIDS fea-
tures Tom Hanks as a Philadelphia lawyer fired
for contracting the disease and Denzel Washing-
ton as his homophobic attorney. Hanks won his
first Best Actor Oscar, and Bruce Springsteen’s ti-
tle song also took an Academy Award.See also
main entry.
Schindler’s List(Universal; dir. Steven Spielberg) In
the same year asJurassic Park, Spielberg showed
his versatility with this heartfelt Holocaust drama
featuring Liam Neeson as the German industrial-
ist trying to protect his Jewish laborers. The direc-
tor won his first Oscar, with other Academy
Awards for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay, Cin-
ematography, Editing, Art Direction, and Score.
See alsomain entry.
Sleepless in Seattle(TriStar; dir. Nora Ephron) In-
spired by the classic romanceAn Affair to Remember
(1957), this lighter treatment finds a Baltimore
woman (Meg Ryan) falling in love with a Seattle
widower (Tom Hanks) after hearing him talk
about his late wife on a call-in radio program.
True Romance(Warner Bros.; dir. Tony Scott) This
ironically titled, bloody action film written by
Quentin Tarantino finds a meek young man
(Christian Slater) and a prostitute (Patricia Ar-
quette) on the run with a suitcase of cocaine.
Famous for profane confrontation between a
gangster (Christopher Walken) and the hero’s fa-
ther (Dennis Hopper). Impressive cast includes
James Gandolfini, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Old-
man, Brad Pitt, and Val Kilmer as the ghost of El-
vis Presley.
The War Room(Pennebaker Associates; dir. D. A.
Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus) Documentary
about the 1992 presidential race focuses on the
day-to-day operation of Bill Clinton’s campaign
staff.
What’s Love Got to Do with It?(Buena Vista; dir.
Brian Gibson) The true story of the rise of singer
Tina Turner (Angela Basset) and her abusive re-
lationship with jealous husband Ike Turner (Lau-
rence Fishburne).The Nineties in America Entertainment: Major Films of the 1990’s 961