Top 15 Least Popular Oscar Winning Films

1. Ro - August 20th, 2008 at 2:56 am

Cool

2. Geraint - August 20th, 2008 at 2:58 am

The one thing about the Oscars that will always make it have a gap between it and popular oppinion is the fact that oscar movies are voted for by move makers and actors. the lowy punter like you and i vote with our feet and dont pay to see rubbish. the oscars have no meaning really other than a big ego stroking festival.

3. Tempyra - August 20th, 2008 at 3:01 am

Nice list astraya

(I’m mostly saying that because you seem to agree with me that Titanic sucked not ‘cos I have an educated opinion on film )

4. TDavis - August 20th, 2008 at 3:09 am

“Chariots of Fire” is the only movie I have actually fallen asleep to in a theater…..TWICE!

5. Tempyra - August 20th, 2008 at 3:15 am

I haven’t seen Chariots of Fire but I liked the score from it when the orchestra I was playing in at the time was performing it.

6. Spence425 - August 20th, 2008 at 3:32 am

Geraint is exactly right. That said, Titanic doesn’t fit on this list. it’s the number one grossing movie of all time for crying out loud. I don’t trust the IMDB ratings i guess.

7. jfrater - August 20th, 2008 at 3:35 am

spence - you have to admit though - titanic is not the greatest film

8. TMX - August 20th, 2008 at 3:42 am

Good idea for a list, not-so-well execution of it. For one, the use of IMDB rankings is not really a good idea since great favor is usually given more recent movies, which isn’t really an issue here, but what is at issue is how users vote. There are a lot of people who never vote in the middle, always choosing to polarize it by giving the movie a really low rating or a really high one. Yeah the list is supposed to reflect popularity, but only according to one site whose problems are well documented. What would have been better would have been a combination of IMDB ratings and Rotten Tomatoes score.

Also, it is kind of dull to just read the plot outline. I think a better version of this list would be to just look at 10 movies and perhaps offer some explanation as to why the films are held in the position they are and more importantly why at least one of the other films nominated should have won.

I don’t mean to tear you apart on this; I’m just offering some constructive criticism so please don’t take it personally.

9. xdarkhorsex - August 20th, 2008 at 3:44 am

you do get to see kate winslet’s knackers though

10. jin - August 20th, 2008 at 3:46 am

You should have pointed out WHY they we’re the least popular in the first place. I agree with Titanic as the acting and the whole thing is not that good, more of a blockbuster than a critics choice.

11. Catsy - August 20th, 2008 at 3:51 am

I personally hated Shakespeare In Love and was terribly disappointed when it did so well. I only sat through Titanic because somebody begged me to go.

12. sarahenity - August 20th, 2008 at 3:56 am

i’ve never seen titanic, but i sure do love the description of it

great list astraya!

13. Drogo - August 20th, 2008 at 4:21 am

I liked how they portrayed the Titanic sinking. Oh No, did I just spoil it for sarahenity?

Titanic wasn’t that great, and I remember how everyone assumed and already knew, that it was going to get the Oscar. That turned me off to the Oscars.

14. Enoooo - August 20th, 2008 at 4:22 am

Shakespeare in Love should definitely be on this, it may have gotten a higher score than any of these but not by much. And I’m sure the win over Saving Private Ryan was one of the biggest upsets in Academy Awards history.

15. astraya - August 20th, 2008 at 4:29 am

Thanks for the comments so far and thanks to Jamie for finding the clips and pics. I think there’ll be a whole lot more “I loved/I hated” out of this one yet.

In my draft introduction, I said something like “bearing in mind the limitations of a site like IMDB”, but for some reason I edited that out before I submitted it. I am fully aware of the limitations of IMBD.

During my research, I found reference to lists made by Variety and Premiere. Both those lists overlap substantially with this one. There are other lists as well. I just searched for “worst best picture winners” and got a number of different sites.

I’m not a student of film enough to make my own comments about movies. It will be a while yet before I submit a purely subjective or personal opinion list about any subject.

16. The Doppleganger - August 20th, 2008 at 4:31 am

Man these look the most boring movies ever!

17. sarahenity - August 20th, 2008 at 4:36 am

drogo - now i can’t ever watch it what a shame!!

18. icarusfoundyou - August 20th, 2008 at 5:03 am

“The ship sinks” yup, anyone who hasn’t seen it, that’s saved 3 hours of your life.

What a crap film - but what a good list

19. ohrmets - August 20th, 2008 at 5:13 am

atraya,

I definitely did not like Titanic. In fact, I hated it. But it is the HIGHEST GROSSING MOVIE OF ALL TIME! How does that not qualify as “popular?” One could argue that it is actually the MOST popular movie of all time!

Interesting list, but you are way off on Titanic.

20. thuss - August 20th, 2008 at 5:21 am

Titanic is one of the best movies i have ever seen and how come it is in this damb F***ing list it doesnt deserve to be in this list it is one of the best films ever!!!!

21. Tempyra - August 20th, 2008 at 5:27 am

thuss: Why do you think it’s one of the best films ever?

22. MT - August 20th, 2008 at 5:27 am

The only thing I still don’t understand about Titanic (which was not the best film of that year or any other year for that matter)is why did so many people actually pay to see it? It’s still one of the highest grossing films of all time.
BTW JF, good idea for a list. Where did you get it from?

23. MT - August 20th, 2008 at 5:30 am

I agree Titanic was not an award winning movie. But for the life of me I never understood why so many people paid to see it. Good list JF. Where did you get the idea for it from?

24. downhighway61 - August 20th, 2008 at 5:35 am

Astraya!!! You should have put a spoiler alert for Titanic! Now I know how it ends.
Maybe part of the reason Titanic did so well is because people say it repeatedly. And when I say “people” I mean teenage girls.

MT- He got it from Astraya

25. Axel - August 20th, 2008 at 5:36 am

Spot on description of Titanic XD

26. Quiana - August 20th, 2008 at 5:49 am

Good List, Out of Africa should not have beat the color purple.

27. henry o - August 20th, 2008 at 5:53 am

…According to people voting on IMDB The Dark Knight is the 3rd-best movie ever…

28. chris - August 20th, 2008 at 5:55 am

This could have been better with a little extra research. A lot of these films listed weren’t up against much competition, whereas there has been a host of now classic films that lost out to inferior pictures. Krammer vs. Kramer beating Apocalypse Now, Rocky beating both Network and Taxi Driver, for instance.

29. Philmont237 - August 20th, 2008 at 5:58 am

I disagree about “Chariots of Fire.” It (or rather its amazing score) is referenced countless times in other movies and TV shows. It is also extremely popular in running circles where people watch it for motivational reasons when they want to watch a motivational movie but don’t want to get “pumped up.”

30. tapdiva2003 - August 20th, 2008 at 6:01 am

I completely disagree about “Gigi” and “An American in Paris”. Both were great movies and deserved Best Picture.

31. chris - August 20th, 2008 at 6:06 am

alright, I see its been based on IMDB ratings, but thats no good. The Great Ziegfield and Tom Jones are better films than any of their competition, the rest are debatable. LA Confidential should have taken out Titanic though.

32. trojan_man - August 20th, 2008 at 6:07 am

Philmont: I totally agree with you. Any runner (professional or recreational) should watch that movie. It does have some boring parts but the struggles that Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams go through carry the rest and keep you interested. Chariots of Fire and Hoosiers are my all-time favorite sports movies (partly because they are based on true stories).

33. Cedestra - August 20th, 2008 at 6:07 am

LOL…knackers…
Vangelis is my favorite musician. I still haven’t seen Chariots of Fire, though. Couldn’t be as boring as Lawrence of Arabia (or could it?).
Was that Albert Finney eating in Tom Jones? Wow, now I know why they cast Ewan McGregor as his early counterpart in Big Fish.

34. Posy - August 20th, 2008 at 6:14 am

Really liked Chariots of Fire. Hated Titaic with a vengeance. Sure the sfx were stunning but the acting was atrocious!

35. Yarr - August 20th, 2008 at 6:14 am

Hate shine light on the obvious, but though it sucked a softie, Titanic was and is still the highest-grossing film ever. The list is titled “Least Popular”, not “Suckiest”.

You can count 3 hours worth of reasons why it sucked, but you cannot seriously say that that film was unpopular.

36. bucslim - August 20th, 2008 at 6:23 am

Just because it’s the highest grossing movie of all time, doesn’t mean it should win an Oscar. LA Confidential should have won, but that’s not how those things work. There are plenty of examples of how the best picture doesn’t win for whatever reason. Ordinary People, a fine film beat out Raging Bull - widely considered the best picture of the decade. 2001 A Space Odyssey wasn’t even nominated for best picture. The English Patient is one of the most boring movies I’ve ever seen. I love Forrest Gump but it isn’t a ‘better’ movie than Pulp Fiction.

Subjective awards will always cause problems with what’s popular, what’s epic, and what is truly great. The Academy Awards isn’t immune from this. Just think of Peter O’Toole not winning a Best Actor Oscar for Lawrence of Arabia. That just happened to be the same year Gregory Peck did To Kill a Mockingbird. How the hell are you supposed to choose between those two performances and be justified?

37. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 6:55 am

astraya:

I’m sorry, I don’t get the idea behind this list… What is meant by “least popular?” My recollection is that “Terms of Endearment” did big box office, as did “The English Patient” and many others on this list.

Does it refer to rentals? But it seems to me many of these would still be huge as rentals, long after their original release.

Are you talking about “popular” in terms of current public opinion towards these films? But this still makes no sense to me… A) it’s too soon to judge such a thing in regards to a film like “The English Patient,” which is only about 10 years old… and B) some of the films on this list are major favorites, like “American in Paris.”

Is it some reference to the current view of the quality of these films? Still I don’t get it… “American in Paris” is a huge classic, one of the greatest musicals ever made. It’s Gene Kelley’s tour de force, second only to “Singin’ in the Rain.” “The Greatest Show on Earth” is one of the greatest “spectacle” films ever made (though I agree it’s inferior to “The Quiet Man” and “Moulin Rouge”–either of which should have won that year). “Gigi” also is one of the best musicals ever, and a fantastic film. “The Great Ziegfeld” and “Tom Jones” are also major cinematic classics.

“Titanic” was and is crap, yes, but still, sorry… I just don’t get what this list is saying. Can you please explain?

38. dischuker - August 20th, 2008 at 6:56 am

one of the other limitations of IMDB is that there is the tyranny of the urgent amongst the voters generally. meaning that newer is better than older. as was posted previously, The Dark Knight, was rated #1 for weeks. i bet if we went and looked at the number of voters for the above ratings, we would see a relatively small sample size compared to the numbers that are voting for godfather, shindler and the like.

bucslim: don’t forget that shawshank was also that same year. 3 of my favorite movies all came out in the same year and would have won best picture in any number of other years.

39. Mom424 - August 20th, 2008 at 6:59 am

Astraya; I think you did a pretty good job with this list. All appear to be worthy inclusions - just take a look at the competition each of the chosen films was up against.

The English Patient beat out Fargo; who but a movie producer picks long and boring over brilliant, funny and great characters? The Greatest Show on Earth beat out The Quiet Man, Around the World beat out The King and I. It goes on and on. Good Job.

Great Description on Titanic. I resisted seeing it for years, who wants to wait 3 hours for the lead to die? Not me.

40. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 6:59 am

I mean it… I’ve re-read this list three times now, I still don’t get it. What is the idea behind tossing together drek like “Titanic” with classic great films like “Tom Jones” and “American in Paris” and “Gigi?” These latter three are tremendous favorites and have been for thousands, probably millions of people. And while I despise “Titanic,” it was one of the highest grossing films of all time, so I don’t see how it could be described as “unpopular.”

I’m utterly confused and badly in need of clarity on this list. Seriously. As a film buff, I just don’t comprehend it at all.

41. Egg - August 20th, 2008 at 7:00 am

Everyone I knew at the time was in love with Titanic, it was hugely popular when I was young. Everyone wanted a heart of the ocean necklace, the soundtrack and DiCaprio’s babies.

I’m certain not many people liked The Hours, or Room with a View.

42. Spocker - August 20th, 2008 at 7:01 am

I liked Titanic. It had a story within a story. Fictional stereotypical forbidden romance with the stereotypical asshole fiance aside, the characters did have some depth (pun unintended). I mean, I’ve always been fascinated with the whole Titanic phenomena (”A Night to Remember” is a favorite of mine, based on the excellent book by Walter Lord). The appeal of the movie is for a good portion of the movies you connected with characters so that when the sinking occured, you cared about what would happen to them. But it was a chick flick with action. You didn’t know who would live and who would die, at least with the fictional characters.

It would have probably been better if the romance protion didn’t go on for so long. And maybe they should have focused with more with the real people that were actually on the ship. But I was impressed by the choreography and CGI (which was fairly novel at the time) and the clever use of using reverse printing to portray the other side of the ship (you can tell when they reverse the negative in certain scene where Victor Garber appears, due to his ears).

I wouldn’t list it in the least popular Best pictures, as something that makes $600 million makes it rather popular, doncha think. I can think of worse movies from Titanic’s era, like “American Beauty”, which somehow beat out “The Green Mile” and “The Sixth Sense”.

43. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 7:02 am

Mom:

Seriously, honest to god… YOU understand this list? I can’t fathom it. I don’t understand what it’s saying, what it’s point is, and I can’t understand the sense in lumping together great motion pictures whose greatness has long since been generally acknowledged with duds like “Titanic.” I’m lost, and unless someone can explain it to me, I have to say this is the absolute worst list I’ve ever seen on this site, ever.. hands down.

44. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 7:08 am

Clearly the point is that these films shouldn’t have won, that there were better choices… but in regards to some of them, as I’ve said, this is so utterly subjective as to be completely unsupportable. I know of NO major or even half-major film scholars or critics who would say “Tom Jones” was LESS deserving than any of the other choices that year—or that “Gigi” was less deserving than “The Defiant Ones.” Just because there are lots of great films in a single year (but that’s not even the case with some of these) doesn’t mean the film that one didn’t deserve it.

No, sorry—if that was the idea behind this list, the idea was a good one but the execution was utterly terrible. Sorry astraya… I think I saw in the comments that you say you don’t know much about film, in a scholarly sense–well I would have left this topic alone then.

45. storm_shadow - August 20th, 2008 at 7:11 am

Finally a list that puts “Titanic” in its place. As a shit movie.

46. dischuker - August 20th, 2008 at 7:13 am

randall: my guess, if i may speak for the list writer, is that the point is to say of all the movies that have won best picture, which of those have the lowest IMDB rating. i think that is it. astraya, admiting her lack of movie knowledge and stating that she is waiting to submit a list that is strictly opinion, was just crunching the numbers.

47. rushfan - August 20th, 2008 at 7:14 am

Randall ~ I was hesitant to comment on this list because all I had to say was I love Terms of Endearment. I thought maybe it was “upsets” then I thought maybe critically “least popular” since Titanic was clearly popular with movie-goers. I dunno.

48. daisy - August 20th, 2008 at 7:15 am

I totally disagree about Titanic, it is one of my favourite movies and doesn’t fail at making me cry every time I watch it.

49. Blacknimbus - August 20th, 2008 at 7:18 am

Titanic was terrible. I would have added Silence of the Lambs to this list as well, as well as Forrest Gump.

I’m shocked that Titanic is rated low by IMDB. Perhaps teenage girls have moved on to some other saccharine love story.

50. Becca - August 20th, 2008 at 7:18 am

Just because a film is rated poorly doesn’t mean it isn’t popular…isn’t Titanic the highest grossing movie of all time despite it’s major suck factor?

51. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 7:18 am

dischuker:

I dunno… still makes no sense to me. If you’re right, then an explanation was in order–what the IMBD rating means, etc. And really, that should have been in the title… “Lowest IMBD Rated Oscar Winners” or whatever. It would have made more sense than “Least Popular.”

52. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 7:21 am

rushfan:

That’s okay, my girlfriend of the time (1984–my second year of college) loved “Terms of Endearment,” which was weird because she was so proto-Goth and punky… but it was a chick flick, and sometimes women just go for chick-flicks regardless, I dunno.

53. Joel - August 20th, 2008 at 7:24 am

How would you define “least popular,” as opposed to simply “worst” or “least deserving of a Academy Award.” If popularity has to do with box office numbers or DVD sales/rentals, then a few of these shouldn’t be on this list, Titanic in particular. If it has to do with “standing the tests of time” as you’ve indicated in the comments, I’m not sure enough time has passed for some of these films to be ignored. Chariots of Fire has one of the most recognizable scores in film history; An American in Paris is a favorite for Gene Kelly fans; and Out of Africa will be remembered as one of the late Sydney Pollack’s greatest achievements. Also, if the main criteria is IMDB scores, then Shawshank Redemption–which won zero Oscars–beats classic films like Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, and The Godfather. Like Randall said in #44, if you don’t know much about film, please don’t create uneducated lists.

That being said, I’ve heard Cimarron is terrible. Has anyone actually seen it? I’ve been trying to watch every Best Picture winner for the past year, and I’m missing Cimarron and Cavalcade.

54. Callie - August 20th, 2008 at 7:25 am

Actually, for the time, Titanic was a movie marvel. Your opinion on if you liked it or not doesn’t cancel out the amazing effects, shots, and painstaking reality of the shooting. It’s not my favorite movie ever by far, but it’s also not my preferred genre. I can still apprieciate all the hard work that went into it. Now we have more advanced CGI and special effects, but in 1997 Titanic was a groundbreaker. Plus, it’s already been said, but it was wildly popular.

Also, Gigi is an amazing movie, and the people voting on IMDB are much more likely to be “OMG Bratz the movie was sooooooooooooooooooooooooo rockin!!!! 10/10!!!!!!!!!” than actual film buffs. Notice how older movies have lower ratings? Yeah.

55. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 7:28 am

Joel:

I’ve seen Cimarron. It was years ago, and I barely remember it. I don’t recall it being “terrible,” but certainly unmemorable. Worth a look probably. “Cavalcade,” on the other hand, I just plain didn’t like.

56. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 7:30 am

Damn, I’m with Randall, Mom424 and rushan here. I just don’t get it. Not only did many of these films do *MAJOR* boxoffice, but the list contains many personal favorites.
Having made my living working in the film biz (*very* directly, I was a script supervisor), a film has to be more than a bit special to make it onto my list of fav’s. So I’m as baffled as I can be by this list, astraya.
This hurts me to even say, because I like you.
Perhaps you have an explanation that will clear up the confusion. If you do, please offer it. This many of us can’t be completely unclear about the same thing for no reason.

57. Callie - August 20th, 2008 at 7:33 am

I have to go to a meeting..I have a feeling this is going to blow up comment wise in the interim. It’ll certainly be something to coem back to.

58. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 7:35 am

segue:

You were a script supervisor? When? Where? Hollywood? Are you still connected?

Do tell! I have personal reasons for asking… (and no, please don’t think I wanna send you a script… I don’t have… a script. )

59. sherriant - August 20th, 2008 at 7:36 am

I agree with Spocker(42) about Titanic. I liked the movie, but I think it would have been better without the fake love story. If they had filmed around a few different people from different classes and shown their stories, it would have been more enjoyable. For me, at least. That said, I love disaster movies, and this one qualifies.

60. Bob - August 20th, 2008 at 7:36 am

Titanic is actually very popular, and it was a pretty good film. It just happens to also be a popular thing to bash it without any reason. But hey, I always feel cool when I act like a sheep and bash something just because I know nobody will ever ask me what’s actually wrong with it and reveal that I have nothing but a herd mentality behind my “opinion.” Yeah, that’s always fun.

61. Brickhouse - August 20th, 2008 at 7:39 am

Wowser! It’s odd when there are more non-winners I’ve heard of than winners. I can’t believe The King and I or The Ten Commandments both lost. And As Good As It Gets, hell even The Full Monty should’ve won instead.

This is why I watch The People’s Choice Awards.

62. Ghidoran - August 20th, 2008 at 7:42 am

Titanic is in the top ten list for most money made ever. How can anyone say it was not popular? Even I feel emotional about it, and I usually don’t. It was a great movie!

63. s0aar - August 20th, 2008 at 7:51 am

lol…the ship sinks.

64. pankhudi - August 20th, 2008 at 7:51 am

Ghidoran: IMDB says that Titanic is not very popular. Being a fan of Leo, I also felt bad. But seriously, apart from DeCaprio, there was nothing good about the movie.

astraya: Nice list, though I have seen very few of these movies. Personally I hated Shakespeare In Love and Chicago also. They didn’t deserve an Oscar. But then, this list is based on IMDB ratings. Great work.

65. Mom424 - August 20th, 2008 at 7:56 am

Randall: You only disagree with some of the films on the list.
Cavalcade over Farewell to Arms
Greatest Show on Earth over The Quiet Man
Around the World over The King and I or 10 Commandments
Out of Africa over Kiss of the Spiderwoman or The Color Purple
The English Patient over Fargo
Titanic over LA Confidential
These are the ones that I am sure about; an argument could also be made about the choice of Gigi in favor of Cat on A Hot Tin Roof or The Defiant ones as well as Terms of Endearment beating out The Big Chill. What about A Place in the Sun up against An American in Paris?

A couple of the way-old movies I haven’t seen so I can offer no opinion but I do agree that the inclusion of Tom Jones is a mistake.

Rushfan: I cry like a damn baby every time I watch Bruce and the gang in Armageddon. Does that make it Oscar-worthy?

66. rushfan - August 20th, 2008 at 8:06 am

Terms of Endearment is so much better than The Big Chill, words cannot express. That movie managed to simultaneously suck and blow.

“Who am I if I’m not the man who’s failing Emma?”

Jack Nicholson, Shirley McLaine, Debra Winger’s best movie by far. It’s not just a tear-jerker. It’s funny and smart. Diffrent strokes for diffrent folks, I suppose. Oh, and Armageddon? Really?

67. copperdragon - August 20th, 2008 at 8:07 am

it looks like the list is a combination of the Oscar winners with the lowest IMDB rankings (conveying “popularity”) and possibly astraya’s personal opinion (especially regarding the more recent movies, like Titanic).

68. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 8:11 am

Mom:

It’s not just a matter of disagreement; I simply could not and still cannot understand what this list is supposed to be about. What does the title of it mean to YOU? “Least Popular Oscar Winning Films”… and then it has some of the top-grossing pictures of all time on it, and several classics that are beloved? I didn’t get it and I still don’t.

Now Dischuker has explained to me that it was apparently all about the IMDB ratings, but then I think that should have been more clearly explained, and the list title is still confusing as hell. And I know about the IMDB site, I go there frequently, but I had no clue, before this, that there were ratings on there that anyone could enter in on. And I don’t get the point of assembling a list based on such a thing. Films are judged on how much money they make and on their critical/artistic merit… not ever on people clicking buttons on the internet.

Lastly, what are you saying, in your comment? Sure, SOME of the selections on this list seem obvious–Farewell to Arms should have won over Cavalcade, for instance… but where is this great swell of critical or even popular opinion that says The Color Purple or Kiss of the Spiderwoman should have won over Out of Africa? It’s not that either of the three of these was *obviously* better than the other–it’s not a matter of one of them clearly having gotten slighted. I probably would have picked Kiss of the Spiderwoman, myself, but I acknowledge that Out of Africa was really pretty much just as good a film. And there are others here with the same ambiguity.

And arguments can be made about lots of things, but again, I am not aware of some great swell of critical opinion or otherwise that says Gigi was less deserving of an oscar than Cat on a Hot Tin Roof or The Defiant Ones. As I said, just because a year has a lot of great films, that doesn’t mean the film that one deserved it any less than the others.

I mean, tastes are subjective, sure… that’s true. But it can be taken way too far. If you LIKE The Defiant Ones better, okay–fine… but to imply in a list that Gigi was or is less popular and less deserving—I mean, that’s silly. Sometimes there’s just lots of great films… and somebody has to win. Individually we can say that we think such and such film should have won instead of the one that did, but a list like this should be for clear and obvious injustices at the Oscars, not based on, “gee maybe The Defiant Ones was .07% better a film than Gigi”… do you follow me?

My main gripe with the list, though, is that I just didn’t understand it. It still doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

69. Mom424 - August 20th, 2008 at 8:14 am

Segue: I don’t believe the point of the list is to say that any of the included films are bad. I think that the point is that in retrospect other films were more worthy.

Personally having no first-hand knowledge of films or any scholarly interest (I like what I like is my rule of thumb), I wouldn’t have attempted a list such as this.

May I be so bold as to suggest that maybe this attempt by Astraya to be ill-advised? Even though I do, for the most part, understand why they were chosen, it would perhaps be better tackled by a film expert.

70. Sedulous - August 20th, 2008 at 8:19 am

I can tell you right that that Good Will Hunting and As Good As It Get’s were ten times better than Titanic. Also it would have been interesting to see the ratings of the movies they competed against. IMDB ratings come from all the users who vote on them not by IMDB themselves so I think they are ratings you can trust. If I remember right a lot of the moves have hundreds of thousands of votes so they tend to be pretty accurate. Also if you haven’t seen the movie “Shine” which competed against the English Patient, make sure you see it. Such an awesome movie, one of my all time favorites.

I love the lists that are based on the opinions of many people and not just on the list maker alone….makes them more credible IMO.

71. Mom424 - August 20th, 2008 at 8:19 am

Randall: Point taken, I bow to your superior knowledge in this one instance.
Don’t go expecting it to become a trend.

72. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 8:26 am

Mom:

Don’t worry, I won’t.

I’m just in a bad mood right now. I just had what we can describe as a major professional disappointment and right at the moment I’m way past the point of having it up to *here* with a certain institution of higher learning.

73. Callie - August 20th, 2008 at 8:31 am

It just seems too opinion based to me. For instance, I hate Saving Private Ryan, but I’m well aware I’m pretty much the only person in the world who feels that way. That doesn’t mean I’d stick it on a worst movies ever list for everyone. Only my own.

74. MT - August 20th, 2008 at 8:32 am

IMDB rankings are a hard way to judge popularity of movies for a couple of reasons. One is that a movie will often increase in ratings right after it is shown on TV or released on DVD and more people “Google” it or visit the IMDB site to find out more about it or it’s stars. This of course means more recent movies as opposed to older movies with limited exposure never increase in ratings. You also have to have to register with IMBD to add comments about the movie (good or bad)which also increase’s popularity. Also, the Academy voting is and has always been very political. A perfect example is Spielberg not winning for Color Purple, which was by most accounts was the best movie of the year, but winning years later with Scheindlers List. I know a big media push to see Titanic occurred the year it was released. Maybe that was the reason for all the ticket sales. But I also think movie theatres in the big multiplexes sold tickets for Titanic even when customers were paying to see another movie. It’s happened before. Bottom line is there is no “Best Movie”. It’s only what your personal choice is that matters.

75. REHuntJr - August 20th, 2008 at 8:33 am

1980 Raging Bull > Ordinary People
1982 E.T. > Gandhi
1990 Goodfellas > Dances With Wolves
1994 The Shawshank Redemption > Forrest Gump
1998 Saving Private Ryan > Shakespeare In Love
2005 Brokeback Mountain > Crash
2006 Little Miss Sunshine > The Departed

Each of the movies listed above on the left should have won Best Picture over the film that did win it.

76. dustin - August 20th, 2008 at 8:34 am

spocker (42). American beauty somehow beat out the sixth sense and the green mile probably because it was a better movie

77. copperdragon - August 20th, 2008 at 8:37 am

Should have won (instead of the ones that did for those years)
The Right Stuff
Raiders of the lost Ark
Streetcar
LA Confidential
The Color Purple
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
High Noon

popular and deserving winners:
Tom Jones

78. Tempyra - August 20th, 2008 at 8:46 am

I’m back (can’t sleep) to mention that astraya is in Korea (99% sure) and it’s the middle of the night there, so that’s probably why he’s not here explaining stuff

79. Sedulous - August 20th, 2008 at 9:07 am

Little Miss Sunshine wasn’t better than the Departed, it was funny but I honestly don’t get where the nomination came from for that. I prefer Crash to Brokeback Mountain as well. I agree with the rest of your choices. I thought Good Will Hunting was a better movie than Titanic but I can see why they gave it best picture it was……titanic.

80. logar - August 20th, 2008 at 9:09 am

#70 Sedulous

Ahh… As Good As It Gets… One of my favorite lines from any movie (As I recall it):

Secretary: “How do you write women so well?”

Melvin: “I think of a man… And I take away reason and accountability.”

Friggin’ hilarious.

81. Miss Destiny - August 20th, 2008 at 9:10 am

When I first started seeing the previews for Titanic I swore I would never watch it. It’s what, 10, 11 years later? I still haven’t.

I’m not watching a boat sink for three hours. I’m sure there are some neat video game versions of Battleship that will satisfy that desire in about ten minutes.

I’ve actually never seen any of these movies. I typically stay away from the long and boring Oscar stuff unless I see something I like in the previews or if maybe there’s a certain actor/actress I like in it. I guess I prefer crappy superhero and action movies, goofy comedies and the occasional chick flick. I’m definitely not a movie person and I get told I have awful taste in movies.

Strange list though, I’m not sure I get the concept.

82. logar - August 20th, 2008 at 9:13 am

75. REHuntJr

I have to agree with Sedulous on this one, too… Little Miss Sunshine was a cute little movie, but I much preferred The Departed. Granted, The Departed is probably less deserving of an Oscar than some of Scorsese’s other work, but…

83. Carol - August 20th, 2008 at 9:15 am

I usually don’t agree with the Oscar’s best movies…I never know what the crieteria is, but that’s just me.

Randall: I think you’re right on this one…this list seems really confused.

I can’t find some connection between those movies to understand why they are on the list…maybe it’s the IMDB rating, the only thing I could spot…but to me it should be just one more fun detail than the actual base of the list…But who am I to criticize? I have never posted anything here…don’t know the hard time it must be.

84. Blogball - August 20th, 2008 at 9:17 am

Good list. Thanks for including films it beat. It mad the list even more interesting.
Copperdragon, I agree pretty much with alternative choices.
REHuntJr, I agree except for I think Forrest Gump & Crash deserved it over the others.
So many times there are a huge amount of great movies in one year which causes so many to lose out.

For instance 1939 movies: Gone with the Wind (winner)
Films it beat
o Dark Victory –
o Goodbye, Mr. Chips –
o Love Affair
o Mr. Smith Goes to Washington –
o Ninotchka –
o Of Mice and Men -
o Stagecoach -
o The Wizard of Oz -
o Wuthering Heights -

85. chaitanya - August 20th, 2008 at 9:46 am

just to set the record straight …. titanic is a great movie. an epic! and I don’t care about the number of oscars it won or the money it grossed. 10/10

86. Blogball - August 20th, 2008 at 9:46 am

I was curios about how IMDb rankings work and came across this.
http://www.azillionmonkeys.com/qed/imdbfix.shtml

87. Joe - August 20th, 2008 at 9:51 am

We mustn’t take the Academy Awards too seriously. The members of the academy don’t. “Art” isn’t a contest. Nobody “decides” anything. It’s just a big, fun show.

88. smurff - August 20th, 2008 at 9:54 am

Ive scrolled up and down a couple of times and can not see the logic.
Titanic if I am not mistaken, was one of the biggest money spinners at the time.
I stand to be corrected.

89. Zac R C - August 20th, 2008 at 9:55 am

Awwwr… Crash isn’t on here?

90. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 9:58 am

One of my favorite books on movies is a trade paperback by the film critic, Danny Peary, titled, ALTERNATE OSCARS.http://www.listsofbests.com/list/18898?page=1
As for the listversers who don’t like SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, #11 and #14, I suggest you read William Goldman’s famous essay about why that film deserved to win over SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
And don’t get me talking about CRASH. I just finished watching season five of the greatest television show in history, THE WIRE, which has a similar theme. That’s sixty-four one hour episodes, every single one of them better written and better acted than the clunker that won best picture. We are indeed in the golden age of television, the reason being, the best writers are working in that medium. American movies for the most part are visual eye candy, stripped of dialogue so they appeal to an international audience.
I’m not sure whether IMBD gets their ratings from critics or viewers, I think it’s the later. If you are looking for ratings based on critical review, metacritics is a good site. http://www.metacritic.com/

91. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 10:00 am

Well that’s irritating. I just wasted ten minutes on a comment that didn’t appear.

92. Tempyra - August 20th, 2008 at 10:00 am

Does this list work if you substitute “Lowest Rated” for “Least Popular”?

93. bucslim - August 20th, 2008 at 10:02 am

Randall - working at an institution of higher learning myself, I feel your pain. I’ve had several of those ‘resume update’ moments myself in the last two weeks.

I sometimes expect the buildings to be on fire when I arrive to work in the morning - what with all the nin-com-poops and the grabassery and downright buffonery they engage in on a daily basis. Most of these people might have extra capitolized letters after their name, but most of them have shit for brains and shit coming out of their mouths.

These are the same people who when the teacher was dismissing everybody for Christmas break they raised thier hand and reminded the teacher to assign homework.

94. Blogball - August 20th, 2008 at 10:04 am

YogiBarrister, me too, did it have a link in it?
I think somtimes it takes longer when there is.

95. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 10:05 am

I’ll give the Reader’s Digest version of my disappeared comment, without the links.
Read Danny Peary’s book, ALTERNATE OSCARS
Read William Goldman’s essay about SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Watch more television, especially THE WIRE
CRASH sucks because the dialogue is clunky, the acting forced.
Metacritics is a good site to find movies.

96. Blogball - August 20th, 2008 at 10:10 am

I was curious about how IMDb works and came across this
http://www.azillionmonkeys.com/qed/imdbfix.shtml

97. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 10:11 am

Blogball, yeah, it had a bunch of links. Here’s the link to Danny Peary’s book, ALTERNATE OSCARS. It’s now outdated by fifteen years. but still one of my all time favorites.
http://www.listsofbests.com/list/18898

98. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 10:14 am

Blogball, yeah, it had a bunch of links. Now I know you can no longer put links in the comments. Too bad, that was a cool feature of this site. There are often more interesting things down here than in the actual list.

99. thematic - August 20th, 2008 at 10:19 am

Good effort on the list, seems to have done the trick judging by the amount of comments so far.

Its hard to say whether the amount of money made at the box office is indicative of the calibre of a movie, I have seen plenty movies that were crap purley because of the hype around them, Titanic being one that was worth seeing once and never again in my opinion anyway.

100. Blogball - August 20th, 2008 at 10:30 am

YogiBarrister, Wow I didn’t know that was not allowed anymore. I just thought it took longer to show up. That is really too bad. I really liked that feature too. Maybe we can work it by leaving out the www.or something and then we can at least cut and paste it and then add what’s missing in the link.
For instance here is a link about IMDb rankings I left out the www. In the beginning
azillionmonkeys.com/qed/imdbfix.shtml

101. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 10:31 am

YogiBarrister:

Can you summarize Goldman’s thoughts on Saving Private Ryan? Just curious.

102. Blogball - August 20th, 2008 at 10:33 am

YogiBarrister Wow I didn’t know that was not allowed anymore. I just thought it took longer to show up. That is really too bad. I really liked that feature too. Maybe we can work it by leaving out the .com or something and then we can at least cut and paste it and then add what’s missing in the link.

103. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 10:39 am

bucslim:

Those people aren’t my problem–remember, I’m kind of an academic myself. Faculty aren’t the ones causing me grief. See, I also work at a university where most of the faculty are very secure with themselves, and are successful people at the top of their respective fields… it’s, uh… *that* prestigious a university. So they don’t tend to be idiots, and they don’t tend to be the insecure types who take their insecurities out on other people.

Rather, it’s the self-important moronic assholes in administration that are my problem. These are the people who are not at all bright, who went to bad schools, and this is all they have in life–and then they proceed to make stupid, idiotic decisions based on zero logic and common sense.

sorry folks, just a brief exchange betwixt bucslim and myself about the horrors of working in higher education. Nothing to see here, go back to your little list web site.

104. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 10:50 am

Randall, if my faulty memory serves me right, Goldman was basically saying that after the first incredible scene, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN was just one war movie cliche after another, with Tom Sizemore playing the part of William Bendix. I don’t necessarily agree, but I do think SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE was a better movie. Tom Stoppard knows a thing or two about the subject and writing dialogue.
Most movies today are non stop action films, stripped of clever dialogue so as to appeal to an international audience.

105. Anon - August 20th, 2008 at 11:00 am

Just pooped (sorry, *popped*) in in a great rush. Haven’t read a single comment yet. Sorry. But I’ll have to run these through ‘1000′ films to see before you die, so I shall know which one (ones) to die to! First glance suggests you’re asking us to clear out half our Video/DVD shelves here at home!

106. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 11:02 am

YogiBarrister:

Interesting. I think I’d agree with Goldman’s assessment in large measure–like all things Spielberg, Saving Private Ryan did a good job with the visceral get-the-point-across stuff, but other than that was… lacking. In other words, it was shallow. It doesn’t SEEM that way because Spielberg as ever distracts us with spectacle and action and well-knit and composed scenes. But if you take those bits out of the film that affect you and/or visually excite you or get to you…. you find that what you have left is… not much. I found the final scene moving and touching… I found Tom Hanks’ performance to be good and I liked the point of his character. It’s not a BAD movie by *any* means. But its not the GREAT film that some people say it is.

I thought “Band of Brothers” was a far better piece of work (never mind that it was a miniseries… same difference) but of course that was based on an excellent book which was truth, not fiction.

107. kiwiboi - August 20th, 2008 at 11:02 am

Astraya - interesting list..thanks.

108. stanundman - August 20th, 2008 at 11:14 am

OMG HOW THE HELL DID TITANIC BEAT L.A. CONFIDENTIAL.
L.A. Confidential is such an amazing movie and Titanic was mediocre romance at best. Great list though my friend

109. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 11:20 am

58. Randall
segue:
You were a script supervisor? When? Where? Hollywood? Are you still connected?
Do tell! I have personal reasons for asking… (and no, please don’t think I wanna send you a script… I don’t have… a script.
****
Randall, yes, I was a script supervisor in Hollywood, CA. during the 80’s and 90’s. I worked fairly constantly, which is pretty good considering it’s a free-lance world.
The only real connection I still have would be my brother, a commercial director, who has won 7 or 8 Clio’s.

110. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 11:27 am

Randall, I should mention that I had a lot of other connections, like Malvin Wald, who wrote “The Naked City” and scads of documentaries…even traveling to Cuba to interview Castro. He would phone me up until the day before he died.
I was good friends with a lot of the old-time movie and radio actors, but they had the bad taste to keep on dying, and so end our friendship.
Life is a funny old duck, Randall.
But it’s fun while it lasts.

111. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 11:37 am

segue:

Good lord… we need to talk.

Not only do I have a powerful love for old Hollywood and films in general… I am, also, you know… well how do I put this? I’m of course not just the smart-ass know-it-all who contributes his annoying persona to this web site. I have of course a real-life existence, which I mention here from time to time, but I also have *another* real-life existence which I keep more quiet about, which has to do with writing. I have something large in the works which is nearly finished… (okay, why am I being so cagey? It’s a book, a novel). And it has a cousin right behind it that I’m also working on.

Publication looks likely… but the thing is, I wrote this thing with the express idea in mind of it being “cinematic.”

Well, I may be saying too much. Anyway, I’d love to talk….

112. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 11:42 am

Mom424, knowing a bit about how the Academy members actually select the movies each year (not really because it’s the *best* movie, the reasons are myriad and absurd), no one could do such a list without angering 3/4’s of the readers.
If the Academy members actually voted for the movie they thought was the best movie for that year, then yes, a list could be done and make sense. That isn’t how it is. That isn’t how it ever was, or likely ever will be.
Sad, but true.

113. Island_boggs - August 20th, 2008 at 11:49 am

i like chariots of fire, the rest of these i saw sucked

114. Deziner - August 20th, 2008 at 11:51 am

You know you can look at a historical list of the winners of best picture and think “Wow , that’s a klunker”, or ” gee, I liked that”, or all the other little comments your brain utters as you continue to scan downward. Sure doesn’t hit home until you read a list like this and actually get to see what the contenders were for each of those winning positions. I know that out of the possible choices, these are definitely not MY pick for winner…much less most of my family members, friends I call, friends I don’t call, or even the stranger I meet in line at the market. (Lists like this sometimes helps in those meetings of strangers)

Regardless aren’t these awards a United States opinion? Do they reflect the reception of a film on an international basis? If this is an international award why is it only held in Hollywood, unlike the Olympics, and if not, then why is this rating such a guidepost of all is “worthwhile” to the entertainment community of the world?

Astraya– Thank you for the list.I think I’ll add a few titles to my DVD service.

Oh and..Titanic=A lot of drama..the ship sinks..with drama…:-)

115. Gravy - August 20th, 2008 at 11:54 am

Thats like Metallica losing to Jethro Tull.

116. revkev - August 20th, 2008 at 12:02 pm

As someone that has actually seen all these films (except Cavalcade - not available on DVD) I cannot disagree with the list, although I liked Cimarron and The Great Ziegfeld more than your list does. I hear Cavalcade is dreadful. But number one on my list would be the Greatest Show on Earth. It is laughably bad. Gentlemen’s Agreement is just boring.

117. Anon - August 20th, 2008 at 12:10 pm

blogball, (84),

For instance 1939 movies: Gone with the Wind (winner)
Films it beat
o Dark Victory –
o Goodbye, Mr. Chips –
o Love Affair
o Mr. Smith Goes to Washington –
o Ninotchka –
o Of Mice and Men -
o Stagecoach -
o The Wizard of Oz -
o Wuthering Heights -

You left out Korda’s magnificent ‘The Four Feathers’! How could you? How could you?

118. glittershrooms - August 20th, 2008 at 12:16 pm

Sorry Astraya, good effort on the list but I did not like it. The title was indeed confusing and I agree with Randall particulary When he wrote :”…I think I saw in the comments that you say you don’t know much about film, in a scholarly sense–well I would have left this topic alone then…”
I’m sure we have a few movie buffs/experts/scholars on this site that would have rocked this list (Segue?) and gave us an opinion instead of the dull and boring “1.blah 2.blah 3.blah etc…” format.

119. Anon - August 20th, 2008 at 12:23 pm

1939.

For what it’s worth, Halliwell adds:

Destry Rides Again
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
La Rêgle du Jeu (Best foreign film???)

Just goes to show how bloody absurd *the best* of anything is.

Bach better than Beethoven?
Einstein than Newton?
Maradona than Pelé?
Freud than Jung? (Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh)

I would stick my neck out and say ‘The Godfather’ is better than ‘The Punisher¡ when they are that far apart. O.K. I’m now waiting for an outraged response. Come on then.

120. Anon - August 20th, 2008 at 12:25 pm

Correction: ‘The Punisher’

121. Adam - August 20th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

One of the best films I’ve ever seen in my life is Cloverfield. The special effects of that movie were awesome and spectacular! It’s like the 1998 remake of Godzilla only this time the monster in Cloverfield remained a mystery to the public until the grand opening. After the ends credits of Cloverfield have passed in the very end, you will hear a transmission that sounds like “Help us!” But if you put that transmission in reverse, it says “It’s still alive!” It is very likely that there will be a Cloverfield sequel.

122. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 12:51 pm

111. Randall -Good lord… we need to talk.
****
Especially when I tell you that after I left the script supervising job, I went to work for a novelist in Hollywood, that expanded into publicity/setting up events and doing first line edits for a number of the members of the Southern California Mystery Writers of America.
I’m not just a pretty face, Randall. I know my way around.

123. jfrater - August 20th, 2008 at 12:53 pm

Randall (68): I think the Color Purple should absolutely have beaten Out of Africa - it is an absolutely incredible movie with some stunning acting - particularly from Oprah and Woopie Goldberg.

124. jfrater - August 20th, 2008 at 12:57 pm

YogiBarrister: if you put more than one link in a comment it goes to moderation and cyn or I have to approve it - I just got up and there is nothing in moderation - did your comment show up in the end?

125. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 12:57 pm

segue:

“I’m not just a pretty face, Randall. I know my way around.”

I’m sure… well we DO have to talk…

would you….. care to read a chapter?

126. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 1:03 pm

jfrater:

re: The Color Purple. To each his own. It’s known how I feel about Spielberg. But yes, it’s a good movie. I just think, you know… three good movies, roughly the same quality…

As I recall though, the talk about that back then was because Spielberg was still viewed as the kiddie action film guy. Thus he didn’t win.

re: the comment thing with YogiBarrister–I had the same problem yesterday on the Animal Testing thread–I submitted a comment OVER and OVER again with ONE link in it, and it would not take it, no matter how many times I tried.

127. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 1:07 pm

Randall, YES!

128. segue - August 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm

How do you want to handle getting it to me?
email or snailmail?

129. Riya B. - August 20th, 2008 at 1:10 pm

…meh, this list is okay. You kind of turned me off of this list when I saw that Titanic was on it. It’s not my number one favorite film,but it is in my top twenty, so…yeah.

130. Bill - August 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

How “Terms of Endearment” beat “The Right Stuff” to me, ranks #1 as the biggest Oscar ‘Best Movie’ blunder ever. That movie was a masterpiece. “The Sand Pebbles” is another great movie that was robbed of an Oscar by an inferior movie.

131. Randall - August 20th, 2008 at 1:22 pm

segue:

Definitely email.

what you could do is email ME at [email address removed] (NO that is NOT my real name, by the way) and send me your email address if you like—that way you don’t have to post it here… how’s that? Then I’ll email you back.

132. goof_ball - August 20th, 2008 at 1:26 pm

why is titanic on tis list? its a good movie.

133. lightningclash - August 20th, 2008 at 1:38 pm

The oscars are a complete farce. the studios control who wins. Titanic for example cost a LOAD of money to make. How to make that money back? DVD sales. And what sells DVDs more than a header above the title that says “Winner: Best picture”. This is the way it always has been with the “big” awards like best director/picture/actor/actress. You’ll never see a film that truly deserves an Oscar based on originality and talent. last years Best Picture was the only one that truly deserved the honour in years. (”No country for old men”… just try to find a movie that deserves best picture more than that film.) The studios decide who wins, it’s all about money. Sad really, but when you think about it long enough it shouldn’t be too big of a surprise.

134. YogiBarrister - August 20th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

Jamie, the comment and links now appear. It just occurred to me that checking out the links before you post them isn’t such a bad idea. I was guilty of linking to a disgusting clip from PINK FLAMINGOES myself, and then yesterday, that split penis link was too much. I’ll never masturbate again, until that awful image is deleted from my memory.

135. Cdavis - August 20th, 2008 at 1:53 pm

Might want to check for more plagiarism. Another crappy list that reeks of “borrowed” writing.

136. jfrater - August 20th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

Yogi: hahaha

137. jfrater - August 20th, 2008 at 1:55 pm

Cdavis: some synopses are from IMDB - it says so at the bottom of the list.

138. Emibby - August 20th, 2008 at 1:59 pm

Titanic is flippin’ amazing! How did it win 11 Academy Awards? I haven’t seen any of the other ones though, so I won’t say anything.

139. MzFly - August 20th, 2008 at 2:05 pm

Jfrater, I agree with you about The Color Purple. I’m not a huge Speilberg fan but the actors’ performances in that film certainly made a more lasting impression than anything I witnessed in Out Of Africa.
Also, I can’t believe Gigi won over Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Cat is one of my personal faves.
I do have to disagree with #15 though. I think Terms is a great film and has stood the test of time.

140. jfrater - August 20th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

MzFly: you are right about Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - it is amazing as well. I have a copy on DVD.

141. Tivvyred - August 20th, 2008 at 2:16 pm

CRASH anyone?

142. Anon - August 20th, 2008 at 2:38 pm

Randall, (111),

Surely during your time and experiencce in LV and other sites you must have culled ideas for characters? Perhaps we’d all better be on the qui vive!

I wonder how many more of us here are actual or aspiring writers of some kind or other?

Sounds as though your ambition over-arches any other possibility though.

Writing *well* can be a soul-wrenching business (not for nothing do such creations get referred to as the