Although I saw the writing on the wall a few weeks ago, I'm still disappointed that ""The Social Network"" didn't take home the best picture Oscar Sunday night at the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. However, I was genuinely shocked that David Fincher was robbed of his best director statuette—and by ""The King's Speech"" director Tom Hooper no less, whom I would argue may be the least deserving of all the nominees. All I can say is that the Academy really showed its age last night and its disconnect from the modern film community.
The entire night, whenever the camera cut to Fincher, he seemed so nervous and apprehensive. When he lost I couldn't help but feel outraged on his behalf. So, in honor of David Fincher and ""The Social Network"" failing to take home the big awards last night, let's have a look back at a few deserving movies that have also lost big on Oscar night.
""Pulp Fiction""
1994 was a great year for movies. Two iconic films were released, both still ranking in the top five on IMDB's top 250 films of all time list—""Pulp Fiction"" and ""The Shawshank Redemption."" But neither one snagged the best picture Oscar that year. Instead, it went to ""Forrest Gump."" I agree that Tom Hanks deserved the acting Oscar—but did the film really deserve best picture, especially in light of its competition?
""Pulp Fiction"" ushered in a new era of American filmmaking and defined a decade of movies. It's as relevant and watchable today as it was seventeen years ago. ""Forrest Gump,"" on the other hand, gave us Bubba Gump's, the folksy seafood restaurant chain. That being said, I acknowledge that I am a Tarantino lover, and I understand how ""Pulp Fiction"" can be a love-it-or-hate-it movie. But even for the haters, I have to ask, how could you not have at least picked ""The Shawshank Redemption""?
""Goodfellas""
I'd like to see someone explain to me how ""The Departed"" was more Oscar-worthy than Martin Scorsese's quintessential mob masterpiece ""Goodfellas."" Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed ""The Departed,"" but I don't see it having anywhere near the staying power that ""Goodfellas"" has demonstrated. Two decades from now I don't think film classes will be studying scenes from ""The Departed."" Let's face it—we all know Scorsese won big for ""The Departed"" mostly to make up for his stinging three-peat snub for ""Taxi Driver,"" ""Raging Bull,"" and ""Goodfellas,"" and perhaps ""Gangs of New York"" as well, if you think that deserved a win. Unfortunately ""Goodfellas"" lost out to Kevin Costner saving the Indians. Considering that ""Goodfellas"" is a resident of almost every ""Greatest Movies of All Time"" list, and ""Dances With Wolves"" hasn't even made the IMDB top 250, the right choice is obvious, in hindsight.
""Saving Private Ryan""
Although it certainly walked away with it's fair share of golden men, including being one of the few movies to win for best director and not best picture, ""Saving Private Ryan"" ultimately lost out to underdog ""Shakespeare in Love."" I like ""Shakespeare in Love,"" and I don't mind being emasculated here for the purpose of honesty. But I do not think it deserved best picture—and certainly not over ""Saving Private Ryan,"" one of the most iconic films of the ‘90s, and one of the best war movies of all time. In fact, I think the first 20 riveting minutes of ""Saving Private Ryan"" alone could justify a best picture win.
""Citizen Kane""
While it may be the oldest on this list, I would say that ""Citizen Kane"" has more in common with ""The Social Network"" than any of the rest. Both are biographical stories inspired by well-known, successful corporate figures—Mark Zuckerberg and William Randolph Hearst. Both have been praised for their innovative cinematography and non-conventional narrative structure. And on Oscar night both lost big. Despite being nominated in nine categories, ""Citizen Kane"" finished Oscar night with only one award, for original screenplay. Its snub has been attributed in part to pressure from Hearst himself, and in part to the fact that director Orson Welles was only in his mid-twenties, leading to the Academy's disregard of his talent. Despite getting snubbed on Oscar night, 70 years later ""Citizen Kane"" is widely considered the greatest movie of all time, so I guess ""The Social Network"" and the rest of the best picture losers are at least in good company.
Disappointed David didn't mention ""Beverly Hills Chihuahua"" as one of history's great Oscar snubs? Feel free to complain at dcottrell@wisc.edu.
