3. 1981: Chariots of Fire vs. Warren Beatty & Reds
Chariots of Fire was a drama, using the 1924 Olympics as the backdrop for a tale of struggles with religious persecution. It used an iconic score that has literally never been used without either employing slow motion or someone raising their arms in victory. But ultimately, the film has too much running in it. The same year, Warren Beatty of Bonnie and Clyde fame wrote, produced, starred in and directed Reds, the story of the man who wrote the book Ten Days That Shook the World. Beatty has been under-appreciated in recent times, perhaps solely because of Ishtar. But regardless, the man is a true craftsman and artist, often producing and writing his own films going back to the '60s when he helped start the revolution of the New Hollywood with Bonnie and Clyde. In fact, besides Orson Welles, Beatty is the only person who has received nominations for a film he wrote, directed, starred in and produced, and he's done it twice.