Only in a political vacuum would anyone be surprised “The Dark Knight” was all but snubbed by Academy voters this morning. The defense will be that it’s a comic book movie, as though “Frost/Nixon” isn’t.
What happened to all the “modern day masterpiece” talk? This, perhaps?
If you look at today’s Best Picture nominees and ask yourself which one of these nominees people will still be watching a few years from now, the best possible answer is, “Lemme think.” Throughout its 81 year history, the Academy has overlooked a number of timeless films for best picture nominations; here, in my opinion, are the five best films completely overlooked, not counting “Dark Knight”:
1. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) – Not just the best picture of that year, but one of the greatest achievements in cinema history. Were it not for the height of the MGM musical in the late forties and early fifties, you’d now be reading an argument that film as an art form peaked with “Sunrise.”2. The Searchers (1956) – Arguably the greatest film — not just Western – ever produced. John Ford’s epic character study of a man who helps create a civilization that will not have a place for him received a grand total of zero nominations.
3. The Wild Bunch (1969) – Was it the violence, which looks pretty tame by today’s standards, that turned the Academy off? Something has to explain why “Hello, Dolly!” And “Anne of a Thousand Days” made the cut and Peckinpah’s masterpiece did not.
4. A Night At The Opera (1934) – It would take a revival three decades later for the genius of the Marx Brothers to be fully appreciated. “Duck Soup” was never nominated either, but I’m partial to this one.
5. Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – The dark, cynical response to anyone who says Tony Curtis wasn’t one helluva actor.
What say you? Here’s a list to help you get started. *link fixed*
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