 |
Ron Howard at bottom left with the cast of the 1984 film "Splash". At top is John Candy; in middle from left are Tom Hanks and Eugene Levy; and bottom from left are Howard, and Daryl Hannah. Source: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088161/mediaviewer/rm1415159553/ (May be subject to copyright) |
He put together a string of solid movies that made people think filmmaker when they heard his name, not “Hey, it’s Richie from ‘Happy Days’”.
Ron Howard’s name came across my newsfeed today, and it reminded me of a time when I closely kept track of each film he directed.
“Night Shift”
Ron Howard left “Happy Days” in 1980 to focus on directing. Two years later, in 1982, he directed “Night Shift”, with his Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, and Shelly Long. I watched it on peasant vision, so it was cut up by commercials, but still quite funny. Winkler and Keaton play two guys working the night shift at the morgue. Winkler plays a nebbish, the exact opposite of the Fonz on “Happy Days” and Keaton plays his new co-worker, who fancies himself an entrepreneur, always dictating business ideas into a tape recorder he carries with him. A series of events soon lead them to start running hookers out of the morgue, and the plot goes from there.
Ron Howard left “Happy Days” in 1980 to focus on directing. Two years later, in 1982, he directed “Night Shift”, with his Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler, Michael Keaton, and Shelly Long. I watched it on peasant vision, so it was cut up by commercials, but still quite funny. Winkler and Keaton play two guys working the night shift at the morgue. Winkler plays a nebbish, the exact opposite of the Fonz on “Happy Days” and Keaton plays his new co-worker, who fancies himself an entrepreneur, always dictating business ideas into a tape recorder he carries with him. A series of events soon lead them to start running hookers out of the morgue, and the plot goes from there.
It was a great movie, made better by Winkler’s excellent performance.
“Splash”
Ron Howard was back in 1984 with “Splash”. Tom Hanks plays a man who falls in love with a woman who is actually a mermaid, played by Daryl Hannah. I am pretty sure I saw this movie on video tape the first time, but I can’t remember for sure.
Ron Howard was back in 1984 with “Splash”. Tom Hanks plays a man who falls in love with a woman who is actually a mermaid, played by Daryl Hannah. I am pretty sure I saw this movie on video tape the first time, but I can’t remember for sure.
The second time was very memorable. Disney used “Splash” to kick off its new “Disney Sunday Movie” which aired on CBC Channel 9 on the peasant vision dial in the Fall of 1985.
It was another winner for Ron Howard.
“Cocoon”
In 1985, Ron Howard directed “Cocoon”, another quirky movie. This time a group of seniors encounter an alien cocoon that ends up being their fountain of youth. It features Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jack Gilford, Brian Dennehy, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Steve Guttenbeg, and Don Ameche who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
In 1985, Ron Howard directed “Cocoon”, another quirky movie. This time a group of seniors encounter an alien cocoon that ends up being their fountain of youth. It features Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jack Gilford, Brian Dennehy, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Steve Guttenbeg, and Don Ameche who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
“Gung Ho”
The next year, 1986, Howard directed “Gung Ho”, another movie I saw in the theatre, and enjoyed very much. This time, a town with an auto plant is turned on its ear when a Japanese company buys the plant and sends its own management team in to run things. The resulting clash of cultures brings a lot of comedic results. Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe star.
The next year, 1986, Howard directed “Gung Ho”, another movie I saw in the theatre, and enjoyed very much. This time, a town with an auto plant is turned on its ear when a Japanese company buys the plant and sends its own management team in to run things. The resulting clash of cultures brings a lot of comedic results. Michael Keaton and Gedde Watanabe star.
“Willow”
The last movie I saw Ron Howard direct in the 1980s was “Willow” in the summer of 1988 in the new Cineplex-Odeon theatre complex in Lethbridge. It has become one of my all-time favourite medieval/fantasy films. It stars Warwick Davis as a novice magician who reluctantly teams up with a disillusioned warrior, played by Val Kilmer, to protect a baby princess from an evil queen.
The last movie I saw Ron Howard direct in the 1980s was “Willow” in the summer of 1988 in the new Cineplex-Odeon theatre complex in Lethbridge. It has become one of my all-time favourite medieval/fantasy films. It stars Warwick Davis as a novice magician who reluctantly teams up with a disillusioned warrior, played by Val Kilmer, to protect a baby princess from an evil queen.
Ron Howard would close out the decade with “Parenthood” in 1989, but I have to this day not managed to see it.
As the 1980s dissolved into the ‘90s, Ron Howard had put together a string of solid movies, and he would just keep getting better as the years went on.
The years after
Ron Howard continues directing to this day. He followed up “Parenthood” with “Backdraft” in 1991; “Far and Away” in 1992”; “The Paper” in 1994; “Apollo 13” in 1995”; “Ransom” in 1996; “EDtv”in 1999; “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in 2000; “A Beautiful Mind” in 2001; “The Missing” in 2003; “Cinderella Man” in 2005; “The Da Vinci Code” in 2006; “Frost/Nixon” in 2008; “Angels and Demons” in 2009; “The Dilemma” in 2011; “Rush” in 2013; “In the Heart of the Sea” in 2015; “Inferno” in 2016; “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in 2018; “Hillbilly Elegy” in 2020; “Thirteen Lives” in 2022: and he has a couple movies coming out soon.
Ron Howard continues directing to this day. He followed up “Parenthood” with “Backdraft” in 1991; “Far and Away” in 1992”; “The Paper” in 1994; “Apollo 13” in 1995”; “Ransom” in 1996; “EDtv”in 1999; “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in 2000; “A Beautiful Mind” in 2001; “The Missing” in 2003; “Cinderella Man” in 2005; “The Da Vinci Code” in 2006; “Frost/Nixon” in 2008; “Angels and Demons” in 2009; “The Dilemma” in 2011; “Rush” in 2013; “In the Heart of the Sea” in 2015; “Inferno” in 2016; “Solo: A Star Wars Story” in 2018; “Hillbilly Elegy” in 2020; “Thirteen Lives” in 2022: and he has a couple movies coming out soon.
He won Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director for “A Beautiful Mind” in 2002; and was nominated for Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director for “Frost/Nixon” in 2009. Howard also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Drama for “A Beautiful Mind”; and was nominated for Best Director Motion Picture for “Apollo 13”; “A Beautiful Mind’; and “Frost/Nixon”; and nominated for Best Motion Picture Drama for “Rush”.
Howard would also be executive producer and narrator for the television comedy “Arrested Development” from 2003 to 2006. It was nominated for the Emmy for outstanding Comedy Series in 2004, 2005, and 2006, winning in 2004. It was also nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2004 and 2005.
Parting thoughts
From the time I heard he struck out on his own as a director, I kept track of Ron Howard’s movies. I even kept a little list on the bulletin board in my bedroom on the farm that I updated. I did that until I left home for university, and my life completely changed.
From the time I heard he struck out on his own as a director, I kept track of Ron Howard’s movies. I even kept a little list on the bulletin board in my bedroom on the farm that I updated. I did that until I left home for university, and my life completely changed.
He is such a good story teller who has the ability to really build characters who the audience can connect to.
Ron Howard is always a family man too. One of the things I really like about him is how he has a role for his father Rance Howard and his brother Clint Howard in the movies he directs. It is kind of like the Stan Lee cameos in Marvel movies.
For anyone who grew up watching “Happy Days”, Ron Howard is Richie Cunningham. For the people before that he was Opie in “The Andy Griffin Show”. Yet, he left Richie Cunningham behind 44 years ago.
He is now best known as a director and filmmaker, telling engaging, entertaining stories, and we are all richer for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment