Oscar voters are mostly actors, who, famously, are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Demographically speaking they're also older and more conservative (while pretending to be liberal) than you'd think. Their choices when it comes to the Academy Awards are often embarrassing. And my God they've picked some clunkers as best picture over the years (Forrest Gump, Driving Miss Daisy, Titanic etc. etc.) But instead of sawing on that old violin again, I've come up with a list of films that in my own idiosyncratic opinion, should have won. I'm not a big film buff so my knowledge of older films is limited which is why I've made more substitutions in the last few decades. 1941: Citizen Kane instead of How Green Was My Valley.(This was also the year of The Maltese Falcon and Suspicion - not a bad year at the flicks).
1944: Double Indemnity over Going My Way
1951: A Street Car Named Desire over An American In Paris
1952: High Noon instead of The Greatest Show On Earth.
1958: Cat On A Hot Tin Roof over Gigi
1959: North By Northwest over Ben Hur
1961: Psycho over West Side Story
1964: Dr Strangelove over My Fair Lady
1967: The Graduate over In The Heat of the Night
1968: Point Blank over Oliver!
1969: 2001: A Space Odyssey over Midnight Cowboy
1974: Chinatown over The Godfather Part 2
(A little aside about the period 1974-1977: The greatest period in the history of American cinema? We had: Nashville, Jaws, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dog Day Afternoon, Chinatown, The Conversation, Taxi Driver, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, A Woman Under The Influence, Star Wars, Close Encounters, Annie Hall, Slapshot, All The President's Men, Network...and from England, Elvis's favourite film: Monty Python and the Holy Grail)
1976: Taxi Driver instead of Rocky
1979: Breaking Away or Apocalypse Now over Kramer Versus Kramer
1980: Alien over Ordinary People
1981: The Long Good Friday or Raiders of the Lost Ark over Chariots of Fire
1983: Blade Runner instead of Terms of Endearment
1984: Ghostbusters over Amadeus
1986: Hannah and Her Sisters over Platoon
1988: anything at all over Rain Man
1989: anything at all over Driving Miss Daisy
1990: Goodfellas over Dances With Wolves (Dances With Wolves beat Goodfellas?!...I mean, who can forget the famous steadicam shot?)
1991: Millers Crossing over The Silence of the Hams (sorry Lambs)
1994: Pulp Fiction over Forrest Gump
1995: anything at all over Braveheart
1996: Dead Man (Jim Jarmusch) over The English Patient
1997: Boogie Nights over Titanic
1998: The Thin Red Line over Shakespeare In Love
1999: The Matrix over American Beauty
2000: Ghost Dog over Gladiator
2001: Amelie over A Beautiful Mind
2003: Mystic River over The Lord of the Rings
2004: Sideways instead of Million Dollar Baby
2005: Brokeback Mountain over Crash
2006: The Queen over The Departed (Scorsese's worst film)
2007: Juno over No Country For Old Men
2008: Waltz With Bashir over Slumdog Millionaire
2010: Winter's Bone over The Kings Speech
43 comments:
Oh and yeah, The Shining, Paths of Glory, Barry Lyndon, Full Metal Jacket...but if I had just done every Kubrick film you'd think I was a nut or something.
or every Hitchcock or Terrence Malick movie.
Of course, I think every John Sayles movie should win best picture, but at the very least "Lonestar," and if they had a category for multilingual, "Men With Guns" and "Casa de los Babies."
And what "Malcolm X," it had everything the Academy usually goes for.
Sure, that's a good steady cam shot, but what about Russian Ark, which sustained one for ninety minutes, with a cast of hundreds?
I like your list a lot better than the Oscars list, though its obvious that you can't stand musicals. But what emerges is that there is really such a thing as an Oscar movie, which doesn't necessarily have anything to do with other merits.
I'll be happy to be proved wrong, but I think Winter's Bone can't win because it isn't really an Oscar movie. It is too understated and quiet. An Oscar winner has to have a certain blaring and trumpeting of it's own worth to win.
I watched Topkapi last night just because it was on. I don't think I ever saw it, though maybe I just don't remember that far back. It really struck me how different filmmaking was back then. I don't really think a heist movie like that would even get made today. It isn't violent enough, it is too whimsical and there are no car chases. And yet it was charming.
John
Yeah I loved Lone Star. Elizabeth Pena's been under utilised. The only other thing I remember her in was Jacob's Ladder.
I also liked Men With Guns and Passion Fish. Sayles is the man. Lets hope he's in Wisconsin right about now.
Seana
Musicals are a bit of a challenge to me, even the great ones like West Side Story and Singing in the Rain (the ballet sequence in that one nearly drives me mental). But yes they do like showy. Natalie Portman's showy over the top performance proves that.
just thought of one for 1950 - one of my favourite films "The Third Man"
Yeah, that was a great one. It wasn't actually all that long ago that I finally saw it. Though probably longer ago than I think.
Yeah, Sayles is probably in Wisconsin. I remember a news report when he got booed at Sundance for coming out against the invasion of Iraq.
Speaking of Wisconsin, I was in Madison for Bouchercon a few years ago and it's a great place. I suppose I shouldn't have been, but I was surprised that the cheese really was good - everywhere I went. The difference between real American cheddar and what we usually get in the grocery store is amazing. Probably the best cheeseburger I've ever had. It would be a real shame if Wisconsin - and all of America - really did become some homogenous, processed Wal-Mart nation.
Still, that's no reason to say Norma Rae should have won over Breaking Away - although they both should have won over Kramer vs. Kramer (that making the french toast scene is one of the most ludicrous in movie history).
Hi Adrian, I apologize to write you here, under a very nice blog about Oscar (I agree with you, by the way) of another argoument, but I have to tell you a thing, and I dont know another way to do it. I read Dead I Well May Be (Ballata Irlandese in italian) and I just loved it, now I'm reading The Dead Yard in english. I was a little scared, I have never read an entire book in english..but I'm doing and I'm understanding everything. I'm here to say that your writing mood is simply amazing, and I'm so happy to have the possibility to know what my beloved Michael Forsythe is going to live after have read the first part months ago. Ok, I will never disturb you no more, just take my biggest thank you and do what you want of it. Best regards, Rory from Italy
Rory
No need to apologise. Off Topic discussion is very much encouraged here. In fact I'm probably more guilty of going off topic in comments than anyone else.
Glad you liked Dead in Italian. Michael appears in the 3 books of the Dead trilogy and he has a cameo in the new book Falling Glass. In Falling Glass he's sort of the bad guy but it is definitely not his story, it's the story of someone else.
John
And another thing I like about Sayles is his variety. It seems that he just does what he pleases when the mood takes. Thats admirable.
Seana
The Third Man has one of my favourite movie endings, maybe my favourite movie ending.
Rory has given you quite a compliment. I hope he or she comes back.
So of course I forgot the ending of the Third Man, and had to look it up. And then did remember. But the first source I found said that Greene did not write the ending that way, nor did he like it when Reed came up with it. I did not read through the entire long article but the gist of it is at the beginning here. Further down it says that Greene eventually came around.
Apparently, he had not factored in the zithers.
As to Sayles, I'm a big fan, but I wonder how he manages to stay funded for projects that Hollywood seems largely indifferent to.
Funnily enough, I read this just before clinking on here
http://www.nerve.com/entertainment/ranked/ranked-oscar-best-picture-winners-from-worst-to-best
Uh, it was a REAL compliment.. It's hard to read in english for me that I'm italian, but I'm just in love with that damned Forsythe..what else could I do? Adrian, I have The Bloomsday Dead too, it's there waiting for me. Oh, am I here again? I go, I swear. Have a good birthday (actually, my birthday) you all! Rory
Rob, thanks for posting that list. I glanced at the comments after I read it, but it quickly devolved into a hate-fest over whether The Sting or the Exorcist was the better movie.
Happy birthday, Rory. Go...but come back.
Seana thank you!! I'm often here..but I have never posted before, it seems to be an incredible culture place..and I'm so limited 'cause of the language and the emotion (yes, I said emotion..) to be in my fav writer's land..just to tell two simple reasons. Before I get ridiculous, I prefere stay in my corner reading you all. Have a goodnight! Ahmm, maybe a good day!! Rory
I haven't watched the Oscar's in several years since I'm always disappointed in their picks. Although, to be honest, I also haven't given the picks much of a chance since I haven't seen most of them. It's definitely not a fair playing field on my part.
I'm often at a gathering on Oscar Night, but last year I learned that the only way to do it is to follow Slate's twitter feed with everyone's occasionally sniping comments. Otherwise it's dead boring.
Seana
Yup there you go, they just gave it to the Kings Speech - harmless, lightweight, crowd pleasing tosh.
Rob
The worst has got to be Forrest Gump or Driving Miss Daisy.
Glenna
I just tuned in for the end. I find all the links and jokes embarrassing to sit through.
Rory
Yeah feel free any time. And I'm glad you like Forsythe. I see him much more of antihero bad guy than most of the readers do but thats fine, maybe they're right and I'm wrong.
Yes, as to Michael Forsythe, we are right and you are wrong.
I have to say that even following the Oscars via snarky twitter feed did not enliven it. We always think we hate it when the comedians are bad, but that's because until now we have experienced it with non-comedians.
I think it would have been pretty terrible if Colin Firth hadn't won after all the build up, but other than that, there was only one truly enlivened moment when this kid with big hair won for some short something or other and was just his own outlandish self.
I suspected that the King's Speech had originally been a play,and it turned out I was right. It felt like one. A good one, but still. I think novels actually make better transitions because the director has to make some true adaptations instead of just transferring it intact to the screen.
Oscars-boring! Needs livening up, not for everything to be sewed up, all predictable. No fun!
And it was annoying that Winter's Bone didn't win awards.
Glad Melissa Leo won an award; she deserves it. I loved her in Frozen River.
I like, and agree with a lot of your preferences in movie awards--or "The Should Have Won" list. Have to look at it again, and also note down some movies to see or resee.
They keep trying to fix the Oscars and it keeps getting worse.
Seana, Kathy
I suppose the biggest travesty for me was the Oscar for Natalie Portman. She seems like a very nice young lady but I thought her performance in Black Swan was mannered, false, silly and reminiscent of regional theatre.
In all honesty, I'm glad to hear Colin Firth won, although, it has nothing to do with The King's Speech. In general, I like him as an actor. I watched Dorian Gray not long ago and he had me convinced his character was the devil himself for the first half of the movie.
How about Rear Window instead of On the Waterfront for 1954?
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Peter
I know that cahiers du cinema and all of the nouvelle vague love Vertigo but for me Rear Window is the perfect Hitchcock. On The Waterfront has aged quite badly except of course for the performances.
Yep, the performances have aged better than the director. I appreciate Vertigo more than I used to, but it's still no Rear Window. Or North by Northwest.
======================
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
By the way, I plan to be Rehoboth Beach on the weekend (that's American for "at the weekend.") Any drinking suggestions?
Peter
Rehoboth Delaware?
Rehoboth is a kind of beer mecca. Dogfish Head are based there who in my opinion brew the best beers in North America east of the Mississippi (its the Russian River Brewing Company on the west coast). I dont know if Dogfish Head do a tour but all of their beers should be available in town. The 90 Minute IPA on draft is spectacular. Two pints will have you under the table.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, indeed, and I see Dogfish Head does give a tour.
A new bar near me serves Dogfish Head Raison(sic) d'Etre, perfect to wash down one's marinated kale salad, wild-game chili, alligator sausage, or fish and chips.
Definitely "The Sting," over "The Exorcist."
One of my great-uncles (on the Irish side of the family) was in the real deal, the actual "sting" upon which the sting in the movie was based. He had the role of writing down the racing scores.
Found this out years after I saw the movie, was impressed.
Kathy
Thats pretty cool. I always liked the FBI guy in that movie who went on to be MacGyver's boss. I was totally fooled by him.
Yes, that great-uncle of mine was also a bootlegger during Prohibition!
On Natalie Portman getting the Oscar, I'll say that's okay, although I thought other actresses did very well, including Jennifer Lawrence.
However, my respect for Natalie Portman just went way up, as I learned that she publicly criticized the fashion designer, John Galliano, who made some extremely anti-Semitic comments to some individuals in Paris, a city where someone can be criminally charged and be jailed for that.
Kathy, you make me want to see The Sting again, just so I can remember the role.
Kathy, I envy you having a family story like that to tell.
==========================
Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
Another anecdote about that great uncle, is that during Prohibition, he'd drive to Canada in a hearse, "going to a funeral," with his long-suffering spouse, and my young father, posing as his son. He'd pick up liquor and drive back across the border.
Yes, Seana, I may resee "The Sting," so I can watch my great-uncle's role in that operation.
Kathy, they'd have been at home in my current reading: Damon Runyon.
ET should have won in 1983.
here is the literally amzing trailer for the sequel
ET Sequel Trailer
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