Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Least Deserving of the Oscar?

BBC NEWS | Entertainment | Shakespeare film is Oscar turkey: "Shakespeare in Love has been voted the most undeserving Oscar best film winner of all time.

The romantic comedy, which won seven Oscars in 1999 - including best actress for Gwyneth Paltrow - was voted top Oscar turkey in a poll by MSN Movies.

It was was followed by the 2002 musical Chicago, and the 1997 epic Titanic.

Golden oldie Top Hat was voted the film most deserving of a best picture win, despite it losing out to Mutiny on the Bounty in 1936.

Paltrow was also voted the actress least deserving of her award for Shakespeare in Love, just ahead of Halle Berry's turn in dark romantic drama Monster's Ball.

Berry's over-emotional speech following her 2002 win - during which she referred to herself as the 'vessel through which this blessing might flow' - also earned her the worst speech award."

6 comments:

pattinase (abbott) said...

I'd vote for Forrest Gump and Greatest Show on Earth. But SIL would be right up there. Paltrow's star has really fallen.

Graham Powell said...

Huh, as I recall the three movies they name were all extremely entertaining. Though SAVING PRIVATE RYAN did get the shaft.

Anonymous said...

I haven't sat through more than a minute or two of SIL, but can't imagine it's remotely as offensive as FORREST GUMP, TITANIC, or CRASH. Nor as vastly overrated as SCHINDLER'S LIST or SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (sorry, Graham).

Brent McKee said...

Obviously no one who voted on that list has ever seen Cimmaron or Cavalcade. I have. There is no possible way that Shakespeare in Love or Forrest Gump or Kramer vs. Kramer could possibly be less deserving than either of those two wastes of silver and nitrate film stock.

Steve Allan said...

CRASH and A BEAUTIFUL MIND should be at the top. But I think a lot of films get backlash because they are seen as too successful, or a better way to put it: too familiar. I think this is what happened to FORREST GUMP. The other thing that happens is that other nominees overshadow the winners as time goes by. In 1995, GUMP was up against not only PULP FICTION, but THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION as well. In 12 years I think SHAWSHANK has proven to be the best movie of 1995, but it wasn't deemed that during award season.

There are other injustices for Best Picture: 1941's HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY over CITIZEN KANE or THE MALTESE FALCON; DANCES WITH WOLVES over GOODFELLAS; THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH over THE QUIET MAN and HIGH NOON. So it shouldn't be a surprise when LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE wins this weekend.

Anonymous said...

Forrest Gump would be right up there, along with Out of Africa, Crash and American Beauty, which I hated with a passion.

Shakespeare in Love does not come close to that class.