4. Aguirre, The Wrath Of God (1972)
The film that deservedly put writer/producer/director Werner Herzog on the map is also one of the greatest Oscar misses of all time. A film of dreamlike brilliance, Aguirre, The Wrath Of God is considered by many to be one of the best films ever made. It is a mainstay on every film school curriculum (On a personal note, I saw this film for the first time from a 16mm dupe print in film school) and is the most celebrated of all of Herzog's collaborations with his frequent leading man, Klaus Kinski. Oscar nominations? Zero. The film, set in the late 1500's, tells the story of a Spanish expedition led by Don Aguirre (Kinski) in search of El Dorado through the jungle. How could the Academy overlook Kinski's near maddening performance in the lead, as a man who imposes more fear than respect to his soldiers while bringing both them and himself up river and into insanity. The film was an arduous and problematic shoot, the crew dealing daily with the dangerous Amazon river, inclement weather and of course, Klaus Kinski. Throughout the disasters going on behind the camera, director Herzog manages to thread the film together and capture some beautiful and haunting images centered around a powerful and captivating story. This would be the criteria for any Best Director or Best Picture nomination, yet Herzog was left off the ballot, as well as cinematographer Thomas Mauch for his surreal and imaginative cinematography. As a consolation, Aguirre, The Wrath Of God will continue to amaze audiences for years to come, Oscars or none.