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"Clearly, it's all been downhill since." - Whoa, not so fast, little buddy.

Posted by Audiophilander (A) on March 17, 2004 at 01:08:23

In Reply to: Addendum on when the Academy Awards started to sink posted by clarkjohnsen on March 16, 2004 at 14:23:06:

True, most folks have seen these films, but "love and own" is a subjective call, and a bit presumptuous, don't you think? In all honesty few of those features would rank highly in my Academy Award winner's collection, but let's not mince words about it, here's my list, and the rationale behind it:

Sunrise (1928) - Yes, it actually won "Best Picture, Unique and Artistic Production"; technically there were two best picture Oscars given that year with Wings receiving the lesser Best Production Award. A magnificent motion picture of temptation, choices, guilt and redemption by F.W. Murnau; the only silent film to ever win Best Picture. The beauty, sheer poetry and incredible sophistication of Sunrise's cinematography are as impressive today as it was when released in 1927.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) - Called "Best Production" changed to Best Picture the following year. One of the first and best anti-war films; a compelling tale of humanization, viewing a war as if seen through the eyes of the losing side.

Shanghai Express (1932) - It actually lost to Grand Hotel, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't have won. Josef Von Sternberg's tale of intrigue, deceit, treachery, brutality, rape and uncertainty on a claustrophobic train transporting citizens and refugees of various nationalities trying to reach a safe destination while ruthless warlords fight over China.

It Happened One Night (1934) - Okay, it's Frank Capra, notorious for directing overly sentimental blindly optimistic Horatio Alger tales that became known as "Capra-corn" even in his own time, but this is one of his greatest achievements.

Casablanca (1943) - Perhaps the wittiest, most superbly written and acted patriotic-romance pictures ever made; conceived during a time when this nation and it's allies were embroiled in a very real and brutal world war against a tangible enemy bent on ever-expanding conquest. Still magnificent 60 odd years later!

The Lost Weekend (1945) - Indifferent writer finds his muse in a bottle; it might be the story of Clark's life as predicted by Nostradamus, but considering the competition that year, Reefer Madness probably could've taken home an Oscar. BTW, sorry Clark, just yankin' your chain! ;^)

Sunset Boulevard (1950) - All About Eve won, and it's certainly one of the most cleverly drawn, well written and acted dramas about the aspirations of divas in acquiring fame and fortune on stage. However, Sunset Boulevard was it's equal in every way, and sharp-edged enough that it's darkly hued ironies still cut like a Ginsu knife after over half a century.

A Place in The Sun (1951) - An American in Paris won, but George Steven's interpretation of Dreiser's An American Tragedy is arguably a better film overall (i.e., which, unless you're a fan of big production musicals, is the REAL tragedy); it's themes are less dated than one might expect, especially it's ernest analysis of complex and conflicted relationships and underlying class discriminaton.

High Noon (1952) - The Greatest Shoooe On Earth Won, and it did it without Ed Sullivan! Tsk, tsk; too bad. One can only wonder if Technicolor eye candy in the new W-i-d-e-s-c-r-e-e-n Cinemascope had something to do with an immortal classic like High Noon being overlooked for the Academy's biggest prize.

Giant (1956) - Around the World in 80 Days won, and my apologies to the late Jules Verne, but giving any film an Academy Award for Best Picture which has Cantinflas in the cast ought to be a crime punishable by sending the casting director on an extended vacation in a hot-air balloon to parts unknown until he comes to his senses again! Now Giant, while not a perfect film is a rousing epic dealing with important racial and class issues at a time when the country was just becoming focused on social inequities; a great cast, including James Dean's final performance.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - One of the few films to broach the subject of allied prisoners of war and deal honestly and compassionately with the suffering and challenges of that captivity; excellent performance all the way around.

A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Stanley Kubrick's finest achievement; still compelling in it's ruthless irony, visceral and fascinating in it's violent ballet and first person narrative. For some this is a very unpleasant film to watch, but a timeless classic nonetheless.

Srar Wars (1977) - Nominated, but lost to Annie Hall. Should it have won? Who knows! No offense to Woody, but how many times did you return to your local Bijou to watch Annie Hall? Perhaps it was a fluke, but there's an indefinable timeless quality to George Lucas's early Star Wars films (4, 5 & 6, respectively) that transcends it's SF genre trappings.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Nominated, but lost out to Chariots of Fire; odd, but you would think that openning the Ark of the covenent and bringing forth the wrath of god would trump a burning chariot, but go figure! Again, how many times did you and your friends "raid" your local cinema for return engagements to RotLA as opposed to Chariots of Fire? I rest my case.

Titanic (1997) - No film to my knowledge has been so revered and defiled after it's initial success. Perhaps this isn't the greatest film of a historic disaster, but it still holds up well. In retrospect, James Cameron's attention to physical detail may be drawing more attention to the license he took with the film's fictionalized situations and characters. Nevertheless, it's still an incredible piece of filmwork and the romantic story underpinning the tragedy is still poignant in repeated screenings. It's closest competition was probably L.A. Confidential, which is worthy of a place in an Academy Award winning film collection.

Shakespeare in Love (1998) - The cleverness and warmth of this lavish period romantic comedy are amazing; the analogies with the modern stage and screen business are hilarious, but never over-the-top. This is truly a gem; I cannot recommend it enough.

The Sixth Sense (1999) - American Beauty won, but M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense was nominated and may have been somewhat more deserving based on my repeated viewing scale of worthiness. This disturbing movie has poignance, haunting beauty and a delicate internal logic that relies upon absolute flawless consistency in order to achieve the desired impact! IMO, this classic is worthy of anyone's Academy Award collection. One caution: Don't watch it alone on a stormy night in a darkened house.

Gladiator & Erin Brockovich (2000) - Gladiator won, but Erin Brockovich is a savvy compelling film of the unempowered defeating the powerful. Well, I guess Gadiator is about that as well, but at least in Erin Brockovich the "gladiator" survives to become rich and powerful herself in the end by defeating corporate greed. Warning: These are NOT films Conservatives should view without checking their blood pressure during the screenings.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring / The Two Towers / The Return of the King (2001/2002/2003) - These films deserve a cumulative Academy Award as the best films collectively over the past 3 years. Having won 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture this year, added to the Academy Awards won in previous years this series has achieved a stunning cumulative total of 17 Academy Awards; to my knowledge more than any picture based upon a revered series of literary novels. Among it's other achievements it's the first pure fantasy to be awarded an Oscar for Best Picture. Apparently there is nothing which breeds contempt faster than success, and true to form those who dislike Tolkien's classics or the films based on his books dislike them with a religious passion; so much so that it's rumored Jim Caviezel loaned his cross to Peter Jackson in case of any emerging backlash.

Nevertheless, If your imagination is broad enough to accept the imaginary world of Middle Earth and it's odd assortment of characters, then you'll be richly rewarded. Tolkien's fantasies have been finely rendered here and any compromises made for pacing and character development are respectful of the original literature.

One final thought: while these are very worthy of being added to anyone's Academy Award collection, the Extended versions hold more rich rewards than the standard theatrical releases. Only a mind such as Eric Von Stroheim's would have envisioned releasing these films to theaters as one film with all footage intact; I think Peter Jackson has made the wisest compromises to respect both Tokein's work and his filmed vision.

Now go forth my children, seek and you shall enjoy! ;^)

Cheers,
AuPh

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