More often than not over the years, Oscar gets it wrong. Be it an iffy decision in the Best Supporting category - Cuba Gooding, Jr. over Ed Norton, anyone? - or the more egregious crimes of picking the wrong Best Picture - need we remind you that Ordinary People delivered a knockout to Raging Bull at the 53rd Academy Awards? Even as recently as this year, a certain hip hop biopic has been left out of all the major categories, which has really brought to light the impact it can have on the filmic community when a well-received, popular movie isnt given recognition in what is arguably the most coveted awards ceremony on the planet. These examples, and the debate regarding whether the Oscars are losing their prestige given the startling omissions being made, are causing people to wonder just who the hell votes for these things and whether we should take Hollywood's favourite little soiree seriously anymore. Perhaps not as well documented are those films that didn't even make the cut; no nomination, nothing. While we all have our favourite films that are put so high on our own shiny pedestals that they should have won a Nobel prize, let alone an Oscar, this does not necessarily make, say, The Brave Little Toaster a forgotten contender. It's just one of many films that while great, aren't necessarily awards-worthy pieces of cinema. This is about a different type of film. The really frustrating cases are the films that probably feature in many folks' favourite lists but which didn't, for reasons unknown, have an Oscar nomination bestowed upon them. In short, these are the foremost baffling exclusions in Oscar history. Word of warning, there's some genuine classics in here that will leave you confused, frustrated and weighing up whether there is a future for the ceremony, given the negative press that continues to encircle it.
Shaun is a former contributor for a number of Future Publishing titles and more recently worked as a staffer at Imagine Publishing.
He can now be found banking in the daytime and writing a variety of articles for What Culture, namely around his favourite topics of film, retro gaming, music, TV and, when he's feeling clever, literature.
