This sneaks in on the back end of the list because it technically didnt qualify for the Oscars. While the premiere of Hearts Of Darkness was at Cannes Film Festival, the US premiere ended up being via a television broadcast which made it fall under the Emmys sphere of influence. Still, it was a documentary originally set for the big screen and its later distribution deal should not have affected its Oscar worthiness. This rings true more so today than it did in the past considering the ever expanding number of films which debut on TV on demand before a limited theatrical runs. Should those films also not qualify for the Oscars? It is the intent of the filmmakers not the negotiations of the producers which should matter. Hearts of Darkness is one of the finest documentaries in history and is arguably better than the film whose making it chronicles. It deserved recognition.
23. Titanic Spoiled The Best Oscars On The List
The 70th Oscars were unbelievably close to being adequate. Every winner had a reasonable case to make except one. Titanic simply wasnt the Best Picture. James Cameron even works as Best Director because of the technical achievements he was responsible for, but Titanic as Best Picture simply doesnt compute. The film is admittedly a technical marvel for its time, and if you buy in it can be a magical romantic tale. There are too many Titanic-sized flaws though to distract people from the good. The obscenely bloated, near 200 minute, run-time makes the payoffs feel redundant and unworthy for many. If editors had left even twenty minutes of cliches on the chopping room floor a worthy film might have emerged, but thats not the case. L.A. Confidential was far more deserving of the award. In hindsight it seems like a slam dunk because it was universally acclaimed by both critics and audiences unlike the very mixed reception Titanic received. Confidential engrosses itself in film noir by seamlessly deconstructing the genre and paying homage to it at the same time. Stellar performances across the board only serve to enhance the rock solid style and screenplay.
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