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Greetings Film Fiends and welcome to John Doe's Film Blog. 30 years of dedicated celluloid obsession has meant that I have seen a few films. Drawing attention to some of the lesser discussed gems that I love. Cult classics, obscure curios and quality genre pictures. This blogs purpose is to translate some of my passion for these films and with luck, inspire you the reader to go check em out.

John Doe’s 10 WORST Best Picture Winners

February 22nd 2007 00:00
John Doe’s 10 WORST Best Picture Winners

Academy Award Oscar
They aint want they used to be!
Regular readers will know that over the last couple of weeks John Doe has been slowly working his way through reviewing his top 10 Academy Award winners for Best Picture. (See reviews of: French Connection, All About Eve, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest)


Today, really tired and a little lazy too and when JD is tired, he gets grumpy. The latest issue of Empire magazine has a list of every Oscar Winner for Best Picture from 1929 till 2006.

The more John Doe glanced at the pages, the more pissed off he became. How could such over hyped, unskilled cinema sit alongside some of the greatest American Films ever made, bahhh humbug.

Some films on the list below are despised because of what didn’t win that year. Others were just plain generic filmmaking, a few were dumbed down for mass consumption to the point of moronic. Instead, becoming Politically Correct fodder for the toilet bowl with one dimensional characters preaching empty virtues or worse still, striving for greatness and tripping over their dolly cables.

About now John Doe should come clean about his prejudices. Firstly, for the past 15 years the acadamy have been about as accurate at choosing a winner as Arnold Schwarzenegger playing tinkerbell in an off broadway production of Peter Pan…

JD also finds it hard to be overly critical of films made before the mid 1960’s. Untouchable in a way because he refuses to acknowledge “dated” as a solid criticism. If it doesn’t work it’s because it’s being seen through modern eyes where anything worthwhile about the film has been recycled countless times............why am I even trying to convince you this is an objective post?

I won't have time to go through each cinematic turd individually, so if you want to know more, click HERE and read Johnny’s blog from a few months ago entitled “John Doe: 9 Movies That Piss Me Off!”




And here they are, the Top 10 Oscar winners that did not to deserve the crown.

10. Crash
9. My Fair Lady
8. Kramer vs Kramer
7. Chariots of Fire
6. Sound Of Music
5. Driving Miss Daisy
4. Rain Man
3. Shakespeare In Love
2. A Beautiful Mind
1. Forrest Gump



Here is a list of most of the films that have won Best Picture since 1929

Broadway Melody (1928/29)
Cimarron (1930/31)
Cavalcade (1932/33)
The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
You Can't Take It With You (1938)
How Green Was my Valley (1941)
Mrs. Miniver (1942)
Gentlemen's Agreement (1947)
Hamlet (1948)
An American In Paris (1951)
The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
On The Waterfront(1954)
Marty (1955)
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
Gigi (1958)
Ben Hur (1959)
The Apartment (1960)
West Side Story (1962)
Lawrence of Arabia (1963)
Tom Jones (1964)
My fair Lady (1965)
A Man for All Seasons (1967)
In The heat Of the Night (1968)
Oliver! (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1970)
Patton (1971)
The French Connection (1972)
The Godfather (1973)
The Sting (1974)
The Godfather Part II(1975)
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (1976)
Rocky (1977)
Annie Hall (1978)
The Deer Hunter (1979)
Kramer vs. Kramer (1980)
Ordinary People (1981)
Chariots of Fire (1982)
Ghandi(1983)
Terms Of Enderaments(1984)
Amadeus (1985)
Out Of Africa (1986)
Platoon (1987)
The Last Emperor (1988)
Rain Man (1989)
Driving Miss Daisy (1990)
Dances With Wolves (1991)
The Silence Of the Lambs(1992)
Unforgiven (1993)
Forrest Gump (1994)
Braveheart (1995)
The English Patient (1996)
Titanic (1997)
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
Shakespeare In Love (1999)
American Beauty (2000)
Gladiator (2001)
A Beautiful Mind (2002)
Chicago (2003)
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2004)
Million Dollar Baby (2005)
Crash (2006)


Now for those like me, going cross eyed from reading to much…here is a cool video montage of every best picture winner set to the rousing score of Ravel's "Bolero"




So what Cinematic blunder showered in undeserving accolades of Oscar praise, do you hate?
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Comments
22 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by David

February 22nd 2007 01:01
Doe ? ... 7? ...

Always interesting ...

I don't like many of the films you mentioned but ...

I would like to know why you didn't like Rain Main though ... To me? Dustin Hoffman's peformance in that film ... (and the film itself ... superb to me ... (Is it because you considered something worthier that year missed out??? ... I love the Rain Main story ... (and the non-fictional story behind the film ... the documentary on the Rain Man? The real one? Compelling viewing ... HIs mind? Leaves my memory for dead ... (can't stand Tom Cruise ... [or L. Ron Hubbard] * but I can put up with Cruise in this film, as I can in 'The Firm' ... He plays a dickhead Yank so well ... (due to typecasting??? ...

And I like Driving Miss Daisy ... (as annoying as the woman 'pretentious, sanctimonius bitch on wheels' is ... that's the value of the film ... If they'd set that film in 2007 I bet you she would have been a blogger who did MS Paint drawings ... *

What I find most amazing about Hollywood's Oscars is that films like The Elephant Man, Taxi Driver and Barton FInk and Pulp Fiction missed out ... and 7 ... and Basic Instinct ... etc, etc, etc ... (shit, hope none of those won best picture ... *** I'll expose my own ignorance for a change? Without other bloggers reminding me of it ??? ... ***

And, hence ... if I want a decent film list? ... I go and sniff out the Palm d'Or winners (or even selections) from the Cannes Film Festival .. (but even Cannes can get it wrong sometimes ... For Kieslowski to miss out? For either or all or any of his Three Colours Red, White & Blue Trilogy? ... Travesty of Justice .. No wonder the man died disillusioned with the film industry ...

David ...


Comment by Bryn

February 22nd 2007 04:20
You know, I haven't seen numerous recent Best Picture winners ... (Whew!!!) ... I haven't seen Forrest Gump, nor Driving Miss Daisy, nor Chicago, nor Dances with Wolves, nor Shakespeare in Love ... oh the calamity!
I actually enjoyed Kramer vs. Kramer all those eyars ago ... I had a soft spot for the two leads.
For me Platoon, Unforgiven, American Beauty, Gladiator and Return of the King stand out from the last twenty years ...
I can't stand whatsherface ... daughter of Blythe Danner ... see, can't even remember her damn name ... but Shakepeare in Love would probably be my pet hate from the last twenty years. And I haven't seven seen it. That and Titanic which I have seen.

Comment by Damo

February 22nd 2007 04:26
Out of Africa sucked.
Annie Hall sucked.
Oliver sucked.

Comment by KylieW

February 22nd 2007 06:19
JD,

Gotta agree with you on quite a lot of those. I couldn't stand Forest Gump, My Fair Lady or Shakespeare in Love (mostly because I hate Gwyneth Paltrow).

I really liked Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, but the rest of the movie didn't do it for me.

And Sound of Music? Honestly, that really won Best Picture???? Hmmmmm......

Kylie

Comment by JohnDoe

February 22nd 2007 06:44
Hi there David,

You would think I didnt like Dustin Hoffman by looking at my list containing 2 of his films.
Just for fun here are my 10 fave Hoffman films
Lenny
Straight Time
Straw Dogs,
Pappillon
Wag The Dog
American Buffallo
All The Presidents Men
Little Big Man
Midnight Cowboy
The Graduate


Anyway, the reasons i dont dig Rain Manare numerous.
The script is lazy and takes the easy choices.
Dustin Hoffman's autism performance is such an extreme example of the disease that I found myself laughing at his over the top choices, rather than believing him in the role.
The whole thing played out like a Midday movie that could have starred John Stamos in the Tom Cruise role for me.

As for Kramer vs Kramer, I wont argue that the acting is good, but on a subjective level the story felt forced and its subject matter didn't really interest me.


Totally agree on the Miss Daisy analysis, pretty much why I can't stand it.

Im much more of a Canne and Sundance man too....The Palme D Or winners usually are quality, even if not always the best.....and Sundance audience choice awards are usually right up my alley.

Basic Instincty for an Oscar????Thats the first thing you ever wrote that scared me....I do smile about it though..

Anyway, thats enough babbling...hope that answered my problem with the films.

It has been a pleasure and a privelage sir..

Comment by JohnDoe

February 22nd 2007 06:50
Hi Damo,

i didnt mind Out of Africa, the filmmaking on display was to lush for me to resist. But I agree it was not the Best Picture of that year.

Annie Hall Im a sucker for, but again, not the best film of that year, nor Woody Allens best.

And yes, Oliver does suck! Nice camera work, but horrible tunes and grating performances.



Greetings Kylie,
I would never joke about the Sound of Musictaking best picture....it haunts me...shudder

Comment by Luke

February 22nd 2007 08:22
That's a pretty fair list... I don't think the issue is that any of these are particularly terrible films, it's just that other films were probably more deserving. I mean, I still enjoyed most of those films in your top 10 list (I would've put Ordinary People, Gigi or Chicago in there... they're not exactly bad films, but they were up against better films). They're easily the lesser of the 'Best Picture' winners.

Comment by JohnDoe

February 22nd 2007 08:30
Hi Luke,

I love Ordinary People but agree it wasnt the film of that year. The film itself deserved a nomination atleast, more than I can say for the 10 I listed. (None of them were in the top 5 films of that year IMO.)

Gigi and Chicago I agree with, they nearly made the list, I was very close to putting in Braveheart and Schindlers List too, but only 10 spots were available.

I think I may have to do a substitute list for the last 10 years citing what I would have Awarded Best Picture to of that given year.

Comment by Black_Warrior

February 22nd 2007 10:52
Totally agree about Kramer vs Kramer, Sound of Music, Crash, Forrest Gump and A Beautiful Mind! I havent seen Driving Miss Daisy and Chariots of Fire so cant comment on those!

The biggest disappointment for me was Forrest Gump, Crash, Kramer vs Kramer! I like these films..infact I loved Forrest Gump but that year....the Oscar belonged to The Shawshank Redemption!! Kramer vs Kramer was a shocker..a total shocker!!

Crash was a surprise for me! I thought Brokeback Mountain, another horribly overrated film would win but I was glad it didnt! Good Night and Good Luck would be my pick!!

Comment by Cibbuano

February 22nd 2007 22:38
I quite liked Annie Hall, but I'm surprised that it won best picture.

I'm also against Forrest Gump and A Beautiful Mind. Seriously!?


Comment by JohnDoe

February 23rd 2007 00:07
Hi Black Warrior,
Totally agree, Good Night and Good Luck was
worthier picture out of the nominees.

I wasnt a Shawshank Redemption fan myself, feel good prison dramas don't do it for me...there was just no threat or menace to the story.Of the nominees that year (1994) I would have gone with Pulp Fiction. Although off the top of my head-Ed Wood, Heavenly Creatures or Leon would have been more deserving.

Thanks for the thoughtful comment.





Hi Cib,
Annie Hall is surprising for that year...a year that saw Star Wars, Eraserhead, Cross of Iron and the Duellists to name a few.


Comment by Nina

February 23rd 2007 00:44
I agree with most of your list. I don't think the awards are always about rewarding talent - often there is some agenda behind who actually wins.

Comment by Lilla

February 23rd 2007 01:11
JohnD,

I agree with Nina, and most of your list. I think the 'timing' of these releases were very much about hidden agenda's, both political and other-oriented... Rain Man broke down much stigma in the "streets,' on a day to day basis, around autism and did wonders. (I have a child with Cerebral Palsy and can fully realise the value of such a movie, acting or not).

Forest Gump the same, although I know it's a "cypher-type" Eye-lid, pinned back experience for you... so I won't push it, okay? *giggle* .. Perhaps you should also ask about the worst advertisement too *rofl*

Anyway, what came to my mind with your comment (and Luke's), was this interesting thing that happened when that Movie, The China Syndrome came out with Henry Fonda and his daughter ...Bridgette Fonda? ... (she played Barbarella)... anyway they were both (cleverly) used as distractions, in a cheap shot movie, to gloss over the problems with Nuclear Reactor leaks... when at the same time ... unnoticed to most of the world, Australia put out one of the best Nuclear Reactor Leak films I've ever seen called The Chain Reaction... I do hope you, or someone else saw it, or I really will start to think I am a freak! *jj* (especially after Buckaroo Bonzai chase)...*lol*

Great Post

Lilla ...


Comment by JohnDoe

February 23rd 2007 04:02
Hi Nina,

Totally there is an agenda and usually its covering there asses...after not giving the likes of Kubrick or Hitchcock one, they still didnt learn their lesson.



Hi Lilla,

Interesting comment, I personallysee films like Forrest Gump and Rain Man as projecting an extremist stereotype. eg: all suffers of Autism are idiot sevants.

I suppose my opinion is also swayed by the fact that
all teh handicapped people I have met hate these films passionately for putting preconceived ideas in peoples heads. (EG: If someone is handicapped they MUST be a good person inside, instead of treating each individual as a human being with faults and foibles. The Gump image is just plain disrespectful IMO)

Great call with George Miller's The Chain Reaction, (not to be confused with Keanu film of same name).I love it..

Although I have to admit I also dig China Syndrome too...its screenplay is dynamite, the direction passionate resulting in an engrossing thriller.

As always great chatting, so many great responses!

Thank you

Comment by The Duke

February 24th 2007 13:58
I knew that the Oscars were nothing more than just a wankfest of mammoth proportions when I saw that Elizabeth Taylor won two of the bastards for being able to talk like a baby and screech like a barn owl. Yeah, that's the sum total of her acting...either an erotic vagrant (as Liz Smith, the columnist and celeb reporter called her) or screeching Harridan.

Don't get me started on Halle Berry winning it for being raped by Billy Bob Thorton.

Comment by Luke (from work computer)

February 26th 2007 00:11
bridgette fonda is peter fonda's duaghter, jane fonda is henry fonda's daughter. confusing, I know

Comment by The Duke

March 3rd 2007 04:03
Not really.

Bridgitte is 43..Peter Fonda, her father, is in his late 60s and Jane is 70 this year.

My God...Barbarella is 70!

She is credited with the first on screen pee in a mainst...a non-porno movie.

In the original Fun with Dick & Jane from 1977, she takes a whizz while talking to her husband.

I only mention that because she basically did the same thing to her career by hooking up with Ted "I'm crazy like a fox with tertiary syphillis" Turner.




Comment by Luke

March 3rd 2007 05:48
I hate Jane Fonda... good actress, but all the offscreen stuff was pretty lame

Comment by Bryn

March 4th 2007 01:17
The opening credit sequence to Barbarella showcases some of her best work ....

Comment by TImm

December 26th 2007 00:01
You Missed out All Quiet on the WEstern Front, in 1930, also the years you have listed are incorrect as they were the year that they won the award, not the year they were released. FIX THIS UP!!! I don't agree with some of the worst best picture winners. A Beautiful Mind is a really good movie and so is Rain Man. Oscars are not chosen because they are critically successful or are an innovate film (Raging Bull, The Elephant Man), as 1980 is a good example of this. Ordinary People won no because it was the "Best Picture" of the year but because it was the most Oscar friendly film of the year. Examples of this include - Crash, Braveheart, Forrest Gump (The Shawshank Redemption was too creative), Driving Miss Daisy (A Pretty film, this was a big hit in 1989 but with hindsight not that great a film), Rain Man (Another huge hit), Terms of endearment - Massive hit, all star cast, Kramer vs. Kramer is the type of film that wins because another in its year is far to violent. Apocalypse Now was too violent and is not oscar material although Platoon (1986) was also about vietnam and very violent. Midnight Cowboy, was controversial in its day and though it was a great picture at the time it is now dated, and seems boring. Having watched it only a few days ago i saw this kind of thing as normal and would happen in any big city but in 1969 it was controversial and shocking that a film that was so violent and so sexually violent could win the oscar for best picture. The 1960's have a lot of "bad" winners but the is also a case of what was big at the time. OLIVER! was more family friendly than 2001: a space odessy and the Academy does not usually give the award the Sci:Fi. The Sound of music was a big hit as well and people felt the need to redeem Julie andrews for her loss in My Fair Lady. My Fair Lady is such a pretty film and it was not a particularly strong year for contenders. Chariots of Fire won the Best Picture award not because it was inspirational, so was Reds and On Golden Pond. But because it was the type of film that Best Picture goes to . Please i urge you all not to judge these films to harshly and when oscar season comes up think that a film night be really good but it just is not Best Picture material (Fargo, anyone). Juno, and No country for old men are excellent films but are just not Best Picture Material. Atonement and There Will be blood are the strong contenders this year and mark my words a grand film will win!

Comment by JohnDoe

December 26th 2007 00:35
Welcome Timm,

You raise some interesting points, about what is considered Academy material. I agree there is certainly a leaning towards the safer, less challenging works that fit into a cliched vision of society.

It would be great for a Coen Brothers film or Paul Thomas Anderson work to take the statue but as you said it will likely be the more generic nominee that fits the mold easier.

My problem is that to the layman the Oscars are taken as at it's word as the "Best Feature Film of The Year", when it is seldom the case. (Even if it is subjective)

On the topic of years, it is an Oscars post and hence I see it as totally appropriate to list the year of the ceremony rather than film. (It was good enough for Empire magazine so who am I to change it?)

Thanks for the visit and thoughtful comments ,

Comment by JohnDoe

February 23rd 2008 03:31
I knew that the Oscars were nothing more than just a wankfest of mammoth proportions when I saw that Elizabeth Taylor won two of the bastards for being able to talk like a baby and screech like a barn owl. Yeah, that's the sum total of her acting...either an erotic vagrant (as Liz Smith, the columnist and celeb reporter called her) or screeching Harridan.

Don't get me started on Halle Berry winning it for being raped by Billy Bob Thorton.

I'm a bit of a Liz taylor fan from back in the day though the assessment of her skills is pretty apt on a bad day....Berry bobbing Thornton

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