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The History of American Cinema: 1982

July - December

8/7 -

Over 1,000 people are expected to attend the 6th Annual Erotic Film Awards at the Variety Arts Theater in Los Angeles.   Industry spokesman Dave Friedman claims that over one million ‘X’ rated videos were purchased in the US in 1981. [ADD]

9/7 -

The effects heavy film Tron is released.   It blends live action, drawn animation and computer-generated imagery (CGI) sequences, but forgets to include a decent storyline. [ADD] 

12/8 -

Veteran film star Henry Fonda dies of cardio-respiratory arrest at the age of 77 after several months of illness. [ADD]

13/8 -

Richard Gere dons naval whites in Taylor Hackford’s An Officer and a Gentleman as a misfit who joins the Naval Officer Candidate School under tough drill sergeant Louis Gossett Jr.   Debra Winger provides the love interest that helps Gere to survive his ordeal. [ADD]

15/8 -

Rouben Mamoulian becomes the 13th recipient of the Directors Guild of America D. W. Griffith Award for a lifetime of outstanding contributions to motion pictures. [ADD]

6/10 -

Five people or companies are fined a total of $62,375 for 45 safety code violations regarding the incident in which actor Vic Morrow and two children were killed in a helicopter accident while filming Twilight Zone in July 1981.   Director John Landis and his company Levitsky Prods. are fined $30,955 and Western Helicopter Inc. $20,965. [ADD]

22/10 -

Ted Kotcheff’s First Blood, based on the novel by David Morrell, introduces filmgoers to mentally wounded Vietnam veteran John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone).   Brian Dennehy also stars as the small-town cop who makes the mistake of misjudging the loner who drifts into his town. [ADD]

1/11 -

Director King Vidor dies at the age of 88.   He enjoyed the longest directorial career on record: 66 years from The Tow (1914) to The Metaphor (1980) [ADD]

30/11 -

Jane Fonda’s fitness book, My Method, sells 700,000 copies in the States. [ADD]

30/11 -

TriStar Pictures is established.   It is known as Nova until 9^th May 1983. [ADD]

Nov -

B&W complain that the deal entered into with Sylvester Stallone in which he will be seen smoking their product in his films is serving only to promote smoking in general rather than their specific product. [ADD]

8/12 -

Comedian Eddie Murphy makes his screen debut in Walter Hill’s action comedy 48 Hrs.   He plays a smart-talking criminal sprung from prison by gruff cop Nick Nolte for two days to help him track down Murphy’s homicidal ex-partner. [ADD]

8/12 -

Sidney Lumet’s The Verdict is released.   Paul Newman plays a down-at-heel attorney who takes on a seemingly unwinnable malpractice suit against a Boston hospital’s board.   Charlotte Rampling and James Mason also star. [ADD]

8/12 -

Sophie's Choice, which Alan J. Pakula both wrote and directed, is released.   Meryl Streep stars in the title role as a young mother who is forced to make an horrific decision in a Nazi concentration camp. [ADD] 

17/12 -

Sidney Pollack’s comedy Tootsie premieres at Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles.   Dustin Hoffmann stars as Michael Dorsey, an out-of-work actor who finds himself propelled to stardom when he re-invents himself as Dorothy Michaels.   Jessica Lange, Charles Durning and Dabney Coleman also star, as does director Pollack. [ADD]

– The major studios produce only 50 films between them in the States in 1982. [ADD]

– Lucasfilm launches the THX cinema audio noise reduction system. [ADD]

– First Artists Company Ltd merges with Australian Mascot Industries Inc. [ADD]

– Susan Seidelman’s debut film, Smithereens, becomes the first American independent production to be accepted in prize competition at Cannes. [ADD]

Other Key American Films of 1982

Cat People (Paul Schrader) [ADD]

Chan is Missing (Wayne Wang) [ADD]

Conan the Barbarian (John Milius) [ADD]

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Amy Heckerling) [ADD]

Hammett (Wim Wenders) [ADD]

My Favourite Year (Richard Benjamin) [ADD]

Poltergeist (Tobe Hooper) [ADD]

The World According to Garp (George Roy Hill) [ADD]

The History of Cinema: 1982