In most of these cases, it's a real shame that these people didn't win and to me its quite amazing that they're not bitter about it, at least not in public.
These are in no particular order.
-Best Picture (1977) Star Wars
This is the one that irks me the most. Being that I am a proud Star Wars geek and have been since I was six years old, it would probably explain my complete (but not unwarranted) bias for this pick.
Consider this:
-It was the most popular movie that summer (and continues to be one of the most popular of all time) and continues to resonate in popular culture. For example, if anyone is really smart, they're often referred to as "Yoda", right? Or if someone does something kind of freaky, or is really lucky at something, you're invariably going hear that that person has "used the force". Those homages (including the recent one by Seth McFarlane's Family Guy, entitled "Blue Harvest" the original production name of Return of the Jedi) continue to this day. You can even still see them in today's movies.
-It changed the way movies are made forever, thanks to George Lucas and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM)
Of course I realize this is all hindsight, but without that company there is no Lord of the Rings, there is no Abyss, there is no Terminator series and any other movie that blew your mind with effects-driven story lines. Do I even have to mention Pixar?
Look, Annie Hall, which took home the statue that year, was a decent flick and I have no problem with Woody Allen winning Best Director, which Lucas was nominated for; but did Annie Hall have lines around the block for months at a time? I may have been only six, but I still remember. Not only that, I don't seem to remember hearing anything about Annie Hall's audience standing and cheering at the end of that movie, nationwide, I might add.
It simply wasn't as good as the movie from that galaxy far, far away.
-Best Picture (1990) Goodfellas
Thankfully, Joe Pesci did win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the violent, short-tempered, Tommy (a similar role he would later reprise in Casino)
But this movie was clearly a more entertaining film than eventual winner, Dances with Wolves, starring Kevin Costner. Although that itself was a film I enjoyed (even if it was historically inaccurate)
Even mob boss, John Gotti, said it was the most accurate portrayal of the underworld that he had ever seen. That's not too surprising, considering that the writer of the book (Wiseguys) that the screenplay was based on, was in the life since he was a teenager and met Gotti once or twice himself.
-Best Actor (1962) Peter O'Toole
How can a film that wins Best Picture not reward the actor that carried it. O'Toole was in almost every scene, literally. I speak of course of Lawrence of Arabia. As of this writing, O'Toole has been nominated eight times and is 0-8.
Of course, there are those of you out there that will say, "He did win an Oscar!"
Yes he did, a lifetime achievement award. The Academy saw fit to award him for his awesome body of work in 2003, on which he commented,
"I'm being rewarded for my lifetime of work. I must be close to death."
But the Academy has yet to recognize him for any individual role he most certainly deserves; probably more than any other actor alive today. Speaking of which, I do believe last year's nomination for Venus will be his last, as much as it pains me to say that. I mean the guy was born in 1932. You realize that makes him 76 years old? Tick..tick.
But seriously, can anyone explain to me why this guy hasn't brought home the gold? Even once?
We're talking about the guy who played T.E. Lawrence for God's sake! Not to mention his unforgettable performances in Beckett (1964)What's New Pussycat (1965) The Night of the Generals (1967) The Lion in Winter (1968) Zulu Dawn (1969) The Stuntman (1980) My Favourite Year (1982) and in 1981's two-part television mini-series, Masada, in which he was also robbed of an Emmy Award.
-Best Supporting Actor (1983) Ian McDiarmid
Here's another Star Wars role that went totally unnoticed by the Academy. Jack Nicholson took home the statue that year for Terms of Endearment, while McDiarmid wasn't even nominated for his portrayal of the draconian Emperor Palpatine in Return of the Jedi. Again, one of the highest grossing movies of that year and his performance was the best in the film.
Look, I really don't expect any Star Wars role to win an Oscar (although Alec Guiness was nominated in 1977 for Best Supporting Actor for his role of Obi Wan Kenobi, as was George Lucas for Best Director) but McDiarmid was really creepy and cool in the movie and at least a nomination would have been nice. Just watch it and pay attention to the evil oozing out of that character.
-Best Actor (2002) Daniel Day-Lewis
If you haven't seen Gangs of New York, do yourself a favour and do so. Day-Lewis as William Cutting (aka Bill the Butcher) is outstanding. Even Leonardo DiCaprio is good in this one. I don't think I can say the same for Cameron Diaz, she was par at best. I honestly don't remember if Day-Lewis was nominated for this film. He must have been, the Academy can't be that blind can they? Well, actually, yes they can; read Peter O'Toole above.
-Best Director (1990, 1995, 2004, 2005) Martin Scorsese
Yes, four years he was robbed of the prize that was oh, so rightfully his. When Scorsese finally won his Best Director Oscar in 2007 for The Departed, he was finally recognized for his lifetime of work that started in 1970 with Street Scenes, but he should have won for his earlier works like Goodfellas, Casino, Gangs of New York and The Aviator. This guy is the best director going today (in my opinion, just that much better-at least lately-than Steven Spielberg) These four movies were excellent and Scorsese was at least recognized for his work and nominated for them, but as I've said, he should have won. To be honest, Kevin Costner's win for Best Director in 1990 for Dances with Wolves was deserved, but again, Goodfellas was the better picture.
-Best Picture (1998) Saving Private Ryan
This is not only one of the best war movies of all time, it is one of the best movies, period.
It was nominated for Best Picture (as was Tom Hanks, deservedly for Best Actor, portraying "Ryan's" Capt. John Miller-which would have been his third in four years) but lost to all things, Shakespeare in Love. Are you kidding? Shakespeare in Love was about as entertaining as wet paint. Give me a break.
-Best Actor (2000) Tom Hanks
As well as being robbed in 1998 for Saving Private Ryan, Hanks should have won in 2000 for Castaway, which would, and should, have been (if I had my way) Hanks' fourth Best Actor win (if you include his two legitimate wins for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump and my picks of Saving Private Ryan and Castaway) He did most of his scenes with an inanimate object that almost had you believe that it was an actual person instead of a volleyball "named" Wilson, much like Mark Hamil did in 1980 when he sold a muppet named Yoda to the world in The Empire Strikes Back.
-Best Actor & Best Supporting Actor (1989, 1993 & 1995) Morgan Freeman
Although Freeman finally took home an Oscar in 2004 for Million Dollar Baby, he should have won multiple times before. The movies that immediately come to mind are: 1989's Driving Miss Daisy for Best Actor (in which Jessica Tandy won the Oscar for Best Actress) 1995's Seven, for Best Actor and 1994's The Shawshank Redemption for Best Supporting Actor. A case could also be made for Tim Robbins for Best Actor for Shawshank. Freeman is much like Gary Oldman (who is also on this list) in that they are both money in the bank in whatever role they are cast in.
-Best Supporting Actor (1997) Gary Oldman
If you've seen Air Force One starring Harrison Ford, and although it was not a great movie, good, not great, the same can't be said for Oldman who totally stole the limelight from Ford. Oldman's role as a Russian terrorist who's crew infiltrates "the world's most secure aircraft" to kidnap the president of the United States in exchange for a renegade hard-line communist general who is determined to re-ignite the Cold War. He should have gotten at least a nomination.
-Best Supporting Actor (1986) Willem Dafoe
First off, let it be known that for years I thought this guy's name was "William" But really, who didn't? Yeah right, liar.
Anywho, if you've seen Platoon (1986) you would have to agree that his portrayal of Sgt. Elias Grodin was simply awesome. Being the yin to Sgt. Bob Barnes' yang, played by Tom Berenger was the perfect foil for Dafoe. How could you not root for Grodin to simply put his M-16 to the temple of Barnes and do every soldier in the platoon a favour by getting rid of the murderous, psychotic sergeant?
-Best Supporting Actor (1977) Alec Guinness
Although he was rightfully nominated for his role as Ben "Obi Wan" Kenobi, a character whom Ewan McGregor has most adequately taken the mantle of and made it his own for a new generation of SW fans to enjoy for Episodes I-III, Guinness didn't win. The character is a cultural icon and Sir Alec is the reason for it. Guinness did win an Oscar for 1957's Bridge on the River Kwai, he deserved another for this role. If for no other reason than coining the phrase ,"May the force be with you"
-Best Picture (2001) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
I remember being blown away at the successful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's epic fantasy of Middle Earth when it finally hit the big screen (again, thanks to George Lucas and ILM)
I was really disappointed, but not surprised when in its place for Best Picture, the title, A Beautiful Mind was read aloud. Not surprised because the Academy in all their infinite wisdom never seem to tap either the movie that was the most financially successful or was the most popular.
Come 2002, the release year of The Two Towers, again not surprisingly, the musical Chicago wins Best Picture. This one really irked me, not only because Towers didn't win, but it lost to all things, a musical. Let me be clear on this-I HATE musicals. The only redeeming ones (and I don't know if they can even qualify as musicals since there's more action and/or comedy in them) are Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and The Blues Brothers (1980)
So Come 2003, except for Mystic River, which, in my opinion, was over-rated, with the exception of the justly awarded Tim Robbins for Best Supporting Actor; Rings wasn't really up against a strong field. It should have won in 2001, but I'm sure an inside deal was made with the Academy to award the last one since it was a forgone conclusion that it would be a trilogy.
On this note, if you've seen Clerks 2 (and you should, it's hysterical) why, when the character Randall was arguing with a Rings fan co-worker, as well as a customer, about what was the better trilogy, Lord of the Rings or Star Wars; who says that George Lucas "has never and will never win a [Best Director] Oscar, why didn't Randall mention (as I have twice mentioned already) if it wasn't for Lucas and ILM, there would be no Lord of the Rings, something that even Rings director, Peter Jackson acknowledges. There's one more thing that Randall was right about, there's only one "Return" and it's not of "The King", it's of "The Jedi".
-Best Actor (1985) Harrison Ford
This is the first and only time that I feel Ford deserved this award (or any for that matter; after all, as Peter Griffin says, he's "the only actor who's career wasn't destroyed by this [Star Wars] movie." I suppose a case could be made for his role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Arc (that movie is also on this list later on)
His role as Detective John Book in Witness was very believable and likable. His shared scenes with his cast mates, from Kelly McGillis and Jan Rubes to a very young Lucas Haas was stellar. And for all you Paul Newman fans out there, even though he won for The Color of Money (1986) he didn't deserve it.
-Best Actor (1956, 1976) John Wayne
The Duke is a true Hollywood legend, icon, showstopper; he's of any status of mythic proportions you can think of, yet in all his 171 films (yes, 171) since 1926, he had only one Oscar to his credit. Why? Well, I could go into a rant about how much he was hated by Hollywood liberals, and he most certainly was, but I won't. Let's just say after 1968's The Green Berets, Hollywood did everything in its power to kill the image of the "all-American". He simply should have been awarded a Best Actor Oscar for The Searchers in his portrayal of Ethen Edwards, and for his last film, The Shootist. Not because it was his last film (which would be reason enough for a guy that was in the top 10 of box office receipts for 25 straight years) but because he deserved it. Both times.
-Best Actor (1983) Al Pacino
Other than Peter O'Toole, this is probably the clearest evidence of highway robbery in Oscar history. Try and tell me with a straight face that Pacino didn't deserve an Oscar for Scarface? I mean, for the love of God, he wasn't even nominated. Cripes, man! What does a guy have to do to get some respect from Hollywood? Oh right, apparently it's play someone who is mentally disturbed (read Sean Penn in I am Sam and Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man)
Scarface, along with the aforementioned Goodfellas and The Godfather, is the crime movie among crime movies. Pacino's portrayal of Cuban exile-turned cocaine king-pin, Tony Montana is the bar actors of today only hope they can reach half the height of.
And like Peter O'Toole, he should have received his just deserts much earlier in his brilliant career (I speak of The Godfather (1972), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Serpico (1973) and possibly even Cruising (1980)
However, unlike O'Toole, Pacino did eventually take home a statuette. The irony is, at least in my opinion, I don't believe Pacino actually deserved the Oscar for the role he won it for, 1992's Scent of a Woman. Actually, I think his co-star, Chris O'Donnel had a better performance on the whole.
-Best Supporting Actor (1993) Val Kilmer
As Doc Holiday in Tombstone, Val Kilmer was brilliant. He was flamboyant, suave, endearing, reckless and full of scene-stealing bravado. He carried the film and undoubtedly stole the limelight from Kurt Russel. Some say Sam Elliot gave him a run for Kilmer's money, who himself gave more than a fine performance.
-Best Actor (2004) Billy Bob Thorton
You probably wouldn't think it, but Thorton gave the most realistic performance of Davy Crockett of anyone who portrayed the Congressman from Tennessee and Alamo hero, including John Wayne From what I know, I sincerely believe that's the way Crockett was, given the historical data on the man. Just for information's sake, and special notation, it should be pointed out that the late, great "Man in Black", Johnny Cash was a descendant of Crockett.
It's quite the shame that Jamie Foxx walked away with the Oscar for "imitating" the great Ray Charles and Thorton didn't for becoming Crockett. As for the death of Crockett, I believe the scene where he was swinging his rifle (Old Betsy) as the Mexican army broke through the wall, was the way he died, not as the film portrays as having him "executed" by stabbing from bayonet. I should also mention that this film should have won Best Picture that year. It's a shame that it didn't come out at it's original release date; around Christmas time, instead of the following April, making it too early a release for Oscar contention.
-Best Picture (1969) True Grit
As I mentioned, John Wayne should have won Best Actor Oscars for both The Searchers and True Grit. It is the latter that also should have won Best Picture for that year, instead of the eventual winner, Midnight Cowboy. True Grit was the antithesis of what a western should be. everything from costume, location, props and most of all, language. The dialect they spoke in this film is not only loyal to the book, is is loyal to history. The language in the film is how they talked back then, right down to the slang. "Fill yer hands, you son of a bitch!" My favourite line in the movie. By the way, check out a semi-young Robert Duvall in this one.
Did that guy ever have hair? One of the truly best films of all time.
-Best Actress (1969) Kim Darby
As goes Best Picture and Best Actor for True Grit, so goes the Best Actress Oscar. Well, it should have anyways. Darby most assuredly earned the Best Actress Oscar for True Grit. She was invaluable to this project as the confident, annoying and ultimately brave Maddie Ross. She hasn't done much since then, but then again she has already left her mark in cinema history. Sometimes it's like that. Some actors have to go their whole careers, nay their whole lives to leave their mark in Hollywood, others it just takes that one special role.
-Best Supporting Actor (1993) John Malkovich
If you've seen In the Line of Fire starring Clint Eastwood, you'll already know about the clear-cut spookiness of the character, Mitch Leary, the would-be presidential assassin, played brilliantly (as always) by John Malkovich. The way this guy can go from a cool, sophisticated intellectual type that you would probably enjoy talking about a variety of social issues with, perhaps right at your own dinner table, to a psychotic, callous killer at the drop of a hat. Exellent performance.
-Best Supporting Actor (1980) Frank Oz
O.k. I know you may either cringe or chuckle at this next one, but just hear me out. I sincerely believe that Frank Oz clearly deserved a Best Supporting Oscar for his performance as Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back. I know, I know, how could I justify a puppeteer (or in this case, a "muppeteer") for an Oscar? Easy. Oz created an iconic figure in cinema history and I really don't care if the character was made of rubber. He is a character that everybody knows, constantly is made reference of and is loved by most of the movie-going public. At least anyone over the age of 30 (and a lot under as well) and definitely by Star Wars fans. I understand that the producers of the original SW trilogy (including George Lucas himself) even tried to get a petition going to get Oz on the ballot. Unfortunately the Academy and their stupid rules would have none of it. Robbery, pure and simple.
-Best Supporting Actor (1993) & Best Actor (1997) Leonardo DiCaprio
Although there has been ties in Oscar history before (see 1932, Best Actor-Frederic March for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde & Wallace Beery for The Champ; 1949, Best Documentary-A Chance to Live & So Much For So Little; 1986-Time is All You've Got & Down and Out in America; 1968, Best Actress-Katherine Hepburn for The Lion in Winter & Barbra Streisand for Funny Girl (like Streisand could ever compete with Hepburn) and since I've already listed John Malkovich as a personal winner for Best Actor in 1993, I guess another tie would be in order since I also feel DiCaprio should have won for his role as the mentally disturbed brother of Johhny Depp in What's Eating Gilbert Grape. In hindsight, perhaps DiCaprio also should have been nominated for his portrayal of Romeo in 1996's Romeo & Juliet with Claire Danes.
DiCaprio's other nod should have been a Best Actor award for Jack Dawson in 1997's Titanic. Tell me who didn't like this character? Just one question, though. Don't you think maybe Rose could have made room for Jack on the floating door at the end? What, there wasn't enough room?
-Best Actor (1988) Gene Hackman
Not much to say besides Hackman was great and he was robbed of an award for his role in Mississippi Burning. Another case can also be made for Willem Dafoe for Best Supporting Actor.
-Best Picture (1981) Raiders of the Lost Arc
Much like Star Wars and Jaws, this film had lines around the block literally for months. It had everything; suspense, action, romance, comedy-it was the best movie that year and if not the top earner, very, very close. Another case could be made for Harrison Ford for Best Actor, but I can understand why not. This George Lucas/Steven Spielberg collaboration was seen as a kids movie, being that it was made as a 1930's-style serial. But then again, that's what made it great, if not totally original, but hey, it worked.
-Best Picture (1982) E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Although I have absolutely no problem with eventual winner, Gandhi, which was a magnificent film, maybe there should have been yet another tie. If the Academy gave its awards for the most popular or most commercially successful (which maybe they should, then the right movies may be awarded) E.T. would most assuredly be given consideration. Afterall, Hollywood does love Steven Spielberg; but apparently not enough at this point in time. Tell me you didn't ball your eyes out (especially if you were a kid when you first saw it) when E.T. "died". Yeah, right. Liar.
-Best Actor (1939, 1946, 1950) Jimmy Stewart
All of these roles deserved an Academy Award for Best Actor. Forget the fact that Stewart is my favourite "Golden Era of Hollywood" star, and this could be seen as biased (I'll save you the trouble, of course it is) From his portrayal of the obviously mentally disturbed, but lovable Elwood P. Dowd and his six-foot rabbit friend named Harvey. Or as the naive, but honorable Jefferson Smith in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (the lovely Jean Arthur was also highly noticable) along with the ever-lovable and honorable (that was just a re-occurring theme with Stewart) George Bailey in another Frank Capra classic, It's a Wonderful Life with the gorgeous Donna Reed. It is said that Stewart never really acted at all during his career. What you saw on screen was just Jimmy being Jimmy.-Best Actor (1964) Christopher Plummer
Probably the best Canadian actor there ever was, Christopher Plummer undoubtedly deserved an Oscar for his portrayal of Commodus in The Fall of the Roman Empire.
-Best Actor (1966 for The Oscar..oddly enough) Best Supporting (1959 for Fall of the Roman Empire) Stephen Boyd
Actually, pretty much the whole cast of The Fall of the Roman Empire should be noted for this stellar picture, and still the best re-telling of the collapse of the world's first republic. Everyone from Alec Guinness, Christopher Plummer, Omar Shariff, even Sophia Loren...well not so much.
But Stephen Boyd as Livius is who stands out the most. Boyd died too early and it's a shame we didn't get to see what might have been. I'm sure he would have been involved in some real classics. Which brings me to the other Oscar he should have won, for The Oscar, oddly enough. He plays an arrogant, Hollywood elitist (gee, where could he have ever gotten the inspiration for that one) who's having a career crisis when he finds out that he's nominated for an Oscar. A really good tounge-in-cheek (although probably not so much, given todays "one drink and I have to go to rehab" crowd that permeates Tinseltown today) send-up of Hollywood.
-Best Picture (2007) American GangsterI just saw this movie not three days ago and it's really cool. Normally it probably wouldn't deserve a Best Picture Oscar, except that this year's competition isn't really that great. This, and Michael Clayton (starring George Clooney, for whom a case could be made for a Best Actor nod in this one, which he was indeed nominated for this year) were the only films that I've seen that had any type of nominations going for it. (Gangster's Ruby Dee as Mama Lucas received a Best Supporting Actress nod) But overall, it is pretty awesome, and given the rest of the field this year, it was the best among them.
-Best Actor (2007) Denzel Washington
Much like Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and a small handful of actors that are money in the bank whenever you see their name on a marquee, Washington never fails to please. He has won Oscars for Glory and Training Day (Best Supporting Actor and Best Actor, respectively) and should have won for this role as well, but sadly like most roles on this list that deserve recognition, he wasn't even nominated.
And just as a footnote: Why hasn't one of the most talented, underrated actors today, Christopher Lloyd ever been nominated? This guy is the epitome of range. A great villain (The Legend of the Lone Ranger, 1982; Who Framed Roger Rabbit, 1988 and Star Trek III, 1984-best Klingon, ever) comedian (the Back to the Future trilogy as Dr. "Doc" Emmet Brown, and of course who could forget his classic character, Jim Ignatowski from the sitcom, Taxi?)
If this guy doesn't win something soon, there is no justice.
