The Academy Awards, aka the biggest night in Hollywood, is happening this Sunday – February 28. By the end of the night, we’re sure several films that are nominated for being the “best of 2015” will go home empty handed. They won’t be alone.
Oscar has a long history of completely ignoring beloved films. In fact, there are several films that should have earned more nominations or a single nomination for that matter that did not who already are joining these 10 adored films that never won an Oscar.
The Wolf of Wall Street
The Academy made up for years of ignoring Martin Scorsese and his brilliance (dating back to Mean Streets) in 2006 by giving him the Best Director Oscar (and Best Picture) for The Departed. But, there was something absolutely insanely electric about 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street. It scored 5 nominations, including one for lead actor for Leonardo DiCaprio that he should have won, and left the Kodak Theatre (as it was known at the time) completely and utterly empty-handed.
Miller’s Crossing
Miller’s Crossing is considered one of the most riveting crime films of all time, yet the 1990 Coen brothers’ masterpiece did not receive a single nod at all! The Academy would soon fall in love with the Coens and rain down on the brotherly cinematic team a bevy of gold statues, but it just took them a little while. What was it about Miller’s Crossing that didn’t jive with Oscar voters? The cinematography was sublime. The performances from the ensemble cast was explosive. The screenplay was nothing short of perfection. Guess the Coens were just ahead of their time, Oscar-wise.
Heat
Can you believe that one of the best, if not the best, crime thriller of all-time did not win a single Oscar? Yup, Michael Mann’s triumphant Heat did not even receive a single nomination! Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the same film, featuring one of the most iconic moments ever on film when the two meet in a restaurant and it never warranted any attention from voters at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Shame. On. Them.
Reservoir Dogs
Although time has shown that Quentin Tarantino’s first film, Reservoir Dogs, is classic in so many ways, at the moment of its release it was seen as pretty extreme in terms of its filmmaking style, screenplay and blatant use of violence. In hindsight, it is iconic and that screenplay deserved to win an Oscar! There is no question. The Academy would make it up to Tarantino as they caught up really fast to the world around them and awarded his next film, Pulp Fiction, an Oscar –not to mention a nomination for Best Picture.
The Big Lebowski
Again, the Coen brothers are ignored for brilliance. As we stated previously, the Academy would more than make it up to the filmmaking siblings by giving them and their movies Oscars (Misery would win Best Actress for Kathy Bates, Fargo would win a Best Actress Oscar for Frances McDormand and No Country for Old Men would win a slew of Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor). But, The Big Lebowski is many a Coen brothers fan’s favorite film and the movie would not get one single nod. Not even for production design? Come on!
Singing in the Rain
Singing in the Rain is considered not only one of the best musicals of all-time, but one of the best films of all-time. The 1952 classic only got two nods, one for Best Supporting Actress and another for Best Score – and it won neither! Oscar completely ignored Gene Kelly’s iconic big screen moment and failed to nominate him for Best Actor. There are Oscar crimes and then there’s the fact that this master class in filmmaking was left out of the Oscar gold derby.
The Color Purple
Before #OscarSoWhite reared its head, The Color Purple landed on screens in the 1980s and believe it or not, the Academy awarded it 11 nominations, including Best Picture. Can you imagine the shock that permeated the Oscars prime time show when the evening ended and everyone realized that the beloved and important film had gone home empty handed? Eleven nods and not one win?!
The Shawshank Redemption
Perhaps the reason that The Shawshank Redemption did not win any Academy Awards had to do with the fact that audiences did not turn out to see the film when it hit theaters. It barely made its production money back, but has since become a classic for the millions who have seen it on home video. Yet, the Academy knew it was something special. It honored the film with seven nominations, but didn’t deem it worthy to win a single one.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Speaking of crimes, can you believe that one of the most beloved classic films of all time – It’s a Wonderful Life — never won a single Academy Award? Yup, it was honored with five nominations, including Best Director and Best Picture. The Jimmie Stewart picture finished its Oscar night with nada. Zip. Zero.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Stanley Kubrick, like Scorsese could have been before the Academy woke up and realized his brilliance, was notable for his many snubs by Oscar. His 1964 classic that defined an era managed to muster up a Best Actor nomination for star Peter Sellers, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture, and Best Director –but won nothing. Criminally, director Stanley Kubrick never won the Best Director award throughout his entire career… ever. Think about that for a minute.
For more of The Movie Mensch’s insight into the Academy Awards, don’t miss our Oscar Watch columns.