" I don't like being told what to do. It's central to my nature, period. It's a problem as an actor & it's a problem at home at night, I'm sure. "
All of 1979 was spent in London and on location in Oregon filming Stanley Kubricks The Shining. This film was a perfect start to the 1980�s for Nicholson. Kubrick was not a actors director he was more concerned with framing the action as opposed to directing his actors. Nicholson used this lack of interest to carve out such an eccentric and memorable performance as the novelist turned care taker Jack Torrance. Torrance is a writer who brings his wife and young son to the � Overlook Hotel � so he begin work on a new novel. However during the course of the film he becomes mad and proceeds to terrify his family. Again it is a film that has fans and critics of Nicholson split down the middle as to whether his performance makes or breaks the film. For me personally it is one of his better performances that leaves me believing him. The only weak chink in the armour of the film is Jack�s co-star Shelley Duvall who leaves me cursing the screen every time she tries to act. The only thing to upstage Nicholson in the film is the Danny Lloyd who plays the couples young son who has a unique gift. Lloyd gives us a mature performance for his age (8 at the time of filming), he is also the only actor to up stage Nicholson in any of his films.
1981 brought the steamy remake of The Postman always rings twice. It also marked his first Biopic portrayal as American playwright & Journalist Eugene O�Neill in the supporting role of Warren Beattys Oscar laden epic Reds. Six years after his triumph at the Oscars Nicholson was back again this time Nominated in the Best Supporting Actor for his role in Reds.
Two years later in 1984, Nicholson walked away with his second oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal as Gareth Breedlove an ex Astronaut in James .L. Brooks 1983 smash hit Terms of Endearment. Taking the role of the playboy ex-astronaut saw Nicholson return to box-office gold. Since One Flew Over The Cuckoo�s Nest none of his intervening films had being a substantial box-office hits.
The rest of the 1980�s were spent appearing in Comedies and drama�s during this time he picked up two more Best Actor nominations for his roles in Prizzi�s Honour & Ironweed. Again his Box office credentials suffered but not as badly as before his return to form in Terms of Endearment. But in 1989 Nicholson took the role that was made for him by agreeing to star as the Joker in Tim Burtons 1989 masterpiece Batman
The Two Jakes marked the end of Nicholson�s Directing career in 1990. The story takes up 11 years after Chinatown, where we now find the Gittes character a respectable private eye with a huge operation to under his thumb. Nicholson excels once again as Gittes. The film is a fitting swansong for such a troubled directing career.
