oscarupsets
Oscar Upsets
Amanda / Pretend Movie Snob / 27 / Academy Award Best Picture upsets and snubs. Posted weekly on Instagram @oscarupsets :)
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8½ (1963)
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I really have nothing to say, but I want to say it anyway.
8½ (1963)
dir. Federico Fellini
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Academy Award for Best Picture:
36. Tom Jones (1963, Tony Richardson)
Heroes, whatever high ideas we may have of them, are mortal and not divine. We are all as God made us, and many of us much worse.
#oscars#academy awards#36th academy awards#best picture#tom jones#tom jones 1963#1960s#film#1960s film
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Tom Jones (1963)
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1963 is known in my research as one of the few years with a weak nominee pool. Therefore, it makes sense why an obscure, sex-filled satire comedy like Tom Jones would somehow emerge as the Best Picture.
The remaining nominees were three bloated epics - America America, How the West Was Won, and Cleopatra - and Sidney Poitier's Lillies of the Field.
None of my critics could agree on an Upset. However, the vast majority of the (non-critic) internet seemed to favor 8 1/2, the Italian, Foreign Film Oscar winner. I figured I'd give it a shot.
Current reviews are still mixed on Tom Jones, with some finding it hilarious while others finding it crass. I will admit, I did enjoy it. I still remember it vividly, even though it was several years ago. Especially the overly long scene of Tom and a woman eating seductively!
But overall, the plot is pretty thin. Tom Jones is the illegitimate son of his adoptive father's maid, and he gets into trouble. He's a quirky dude. The filming style is equally as weird, with lots of interesting shots, narration, and staring into the camera.
8 1/2 was equally as weird, but at least I was prepared for it. An avant-garde, surrealist film boasted as one of the "greatest and most influential of all time", 8 1/2 was definitely interesting.
First and foremost, the dialogue shocked me. Apparently (I'm just reading the Wikipedia) it was common for Italian films of this time to completely dub in the dialogue during post-production. So not only am I reading the English subtitles, but the Italian is not even matching the mouths of the actors. It is really jarring and difficult to watch.
The film is interesting because it is described as (Wiki again) "a film about making a film, and the film that is being made is the film that the audience is viewing". This is entirely true, and makes for an intriguing watch. Struggles that Guido is having with his film and its characters directly parallel with his own life, all which are supposed to be parallel to Fellini himself.
At the 36th Academy Awards, Tom Jones had a record-tying 5 acting losses, but still managed 4 wins from 10 nominations. 8 1/2 joins a short list of foreign language films to earn Oscars outside of foreign/international film. Writer/Director Federico Fellini also holds a (tied) record for most International Film wins, with 4.
Tom Jones won top awards from most of the major organizations, while 8 1/2 mainly succeeded at the Italian Nastro d'Argento awards.
Tom Jones was recognized as the Best Film of 1963, which amazes me. 8 1/2 was recognized by OFTA in 2004. Other than that, these two films are not heavily decorated.
The National Film Registry does include several of the nominees from 1963, including America America, Lillies of the Field, and Hud (another fan-favorite). Hud is also included on the OFTA list. No films from 1963 appear on the AFI list at all.
Unofficial Review: Both films are fine? I wouldn't call either groundbreaking. I'm kind of disappointed by 1963. Down the line, I should probably watch Hud.
#oscars#academy awards#36th academy awards#tom jones#tom jones 1963#8 1/2#8 1/2 1963#1960s#film#1960s film#oscarupsets
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GREGORY PECK as Atticus Finch
in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) dir. Robert Mulligan
#oscars#academy awards#35th academy awards#to kill a mockingbird 1962#to kill a mockingbird#1960s#film#1960s film
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FILMS IN 2023:
→ To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) — dir. robert mulligan
#oscars#academy awards#35th academy awards#to kill a mockingbird 1962#to kill a mockingbird#1960s#film#1960s film
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I pray that I may never see the desert again. Hear me, God.
You will come. There is only the desert for you.
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) | dir. David Lean
#oscars#academy awards#35th academy awards#lawrence of arabia#lawrence of arabia 1962#1960s#film#1960s film
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-Garlands, for the conqueror. Tribute for the prince, flowers for the man.
-I'm none of those things, Ali.
Peter O'Toole as T.E Lawrence & Omar Sharif as Ali ibn el Kharish
#oscars#academy awards#35th academy awards#lawrence of arabia#lawrence of arabia 1962#1960s#film#1960s film#peter o'toole#omar sharif
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We seem to be nearing the end of the epics era with Lawrence of Arabia, the second longest Best Picture winner. We'll see a few other films reaching or approaching 200 minutes in the coming decades, but not many.
To Kill a Mockingbird was the only upset suggestion for 1962, but it felt like a good fit given its impact and box-office success.
Seeing Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 cost as much as $4.80 at the Criterion, an amount that I have trouble even paying today to see something in theaters!
Also, I'm losing even more of my sources on the Internet Archive, so read these long reviews or don't! I won't be offended.
Lawrence of Arabia has about the same impact as any other epic. Shockingly beautiful in scope and plot, but lacking in rewatch-ability. While I have thoroughly enjoyed all of the Best Picture epics I've seen so far, it's very difficult to consider sitting down for 3+ hours again and again. Once? Sure! Twice? Fine. More than that? No way.
I was really hoping for a personal redemption for To Kill a Mockingbird. As an avid non-reader in high school language arts class, I was excited to give To Kill a Mockingbird (both book and film) a second chance. But overall, I was really disappointed.
The plot, which heavily discusses prejudice and rape, is clearly not meant for 8-12 year old children. Yet, it's told from their perspective and filmed like an after school special as if they are the audience. The plot is a bit all over the place, with the main action not occurring until the final 15 minutes of the film. The beginning almost 2 hours does not grab any interest.
At the 35th Academy Awards, Lawrence of Arabia took home 7 Oscars, including typical wins for Directing and Editing. It also scored big at the previous Golden Globes, winning additional awards for Sharif and O'Toole.
To Kill a Mockingbird won at both ceremonies for Gregory Peck, as well as a now-retired award for Promoting International Understanding at the Golden Globes, which was awarded from 1945-1964.
The reception for both is ridiculously close, with Lawrence of Arabia only ~really~ beating out To Kill a Mockingbird in its Metascore.
Both films were also recognized on the 1998 and 2007 AFI lists. Lawrence of Arabia placed #5 and #7, and To Kill a Mockingbird placed #34 and #25, respectively.
Unofficial Review: I might be a hater, but To Kill a Mockingbird was not worth the hype. Not an upset.
#oscars#academy awards#35th academy awards#lawrence of arabia#lawrence of arabia 1962#to kill a mockingbird#to kill a mockingbird 1962#1960s#film#1960s film#oscarupsets
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THE HUSTLER (1961) dir. Robert Rossen
cinematography by Eugen Schüfftan
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The Hustler (Robert Rossen, 1961).
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natalie wood
West Side Story (1961)
#oscars#academy awards#34th academy awards#west side story#west side story 1961#1960s#film#1960s film
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West Side Story (1961 & 2021)
Robert Wise & Steven Spielberg
#oscars#academy awards#34th academy awards#west side story#west side story 1961#1960s#film#1960s film
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Both films from 1961 were adapted screenplays that spurred additional films - West Side Story was adapted from the 1957 Broadway musical and adapted again in 2021 by Steven Spielberg, while The Hustler was adapted from the 1959 book and continued with a 1986 sequel. I can already tell you that the sequel, The Color of Money, will not be mentioned as a future upset, but will get Paul Newman his one Academy Award win!
West Side Story feels ridiculously cheesy at times, but Leonard Bernstein nails the soundtrack, the dancing is good, and the production quality is ahead of its time. It's an absolute classic and a joy to watch.
(FYI: The "one major role" that was mentioned as not terrific was Richard Beymer as Tony)
There was overwhelming support for The Hustler as the upset for 1961, and I'm still trying to understand why. I sat through the first 10-15 minutes so optimistic that it was going to be a good film, and after the first 30-45 minutes I debated if I wanted to finish it at all.
The plot was decent and the film style was quite pleasing to watch, but it was overwhelmingly slow and could not hold my interest at all! I tried my best!
At the 34th Academy Awards, West Side Story took home the second highest number of Oscars to date (and 4th highest of all time), missing out on only one Oscar for Screenplay.
The Hustler was nominated for 9 Oscars, the third highest of the night, and took home two for Art Direction and Cinematography.
George Chakiris and Rita Moreno (as Bernardo and Anita, respectively), were awarded at both the Oscars and the Golden Globes for their performances.
Unofficial Review: This ain't an upset. Unless I'm SERIOUSLY missing something about The Hustler.
#oscars#academy awards#34th academy awards#west side story#west side story 1961#the hustler#the hustler 1961#1960s#film#1960s film#oscarupsets
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"It's not as if is she were a maniac, a raving thing. She just goes - a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?"
Cinematography Appreciation - Psycho (1960) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
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They’re probably watching me. Well, let them. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I’m not even going to swat that fly. I hope they are watching… they’ll see. They’ll see and they’ll know, and they’ll say, “Why, she wouldn’t even harm a fly…”
PSYCHO (1960) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
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