Academy Awards are one of those accolades that actors, directors, and writers, fantasize about. Seriously, who in Hollywood wouldn’t like the golden trophy? Even getting a nomination for the Oscars is a moment of honor in the career profiles of stars. But, while the wins are almost always well-deserved, some productions don’t even get nominated despite excellent performance and great reception, only to receive cult status later on.
The late release date of the movie, cultural unacceptance, and unfortunately but not unwittingly sheer luck can be some of the reasons that make these movies fall short of the Academy’s praise. Here are the ten such movies that didn’t win a nomination, but deserve all appreciation.
Movies Shunned By The Oscars
10. Zodiac (2005)
This crime thriller is one of the films that didn’t make it to nominations. Directed by Alexander Bulkley, it’s based on the true story of a serial killer on the run in California during the 60s and 70s. One might find the film dragging at a point but the viewers feel the prolonged frustration of the artist and reporter. Overall, the movie was a psychological delight. It’s no wonder that ‘Zodiac’ received a positive reception from critics.
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In spite of the acclaim, it was overlooked by the Academy. Many theories claim that the film’s late release in March was the reason for no nominations. This might seem fair enough on the part of the association but this great movie needs to be on every person’s watch list.
9. Heat (1995)
If you are a fan of crime thrillers, ‘Heat’ must be on your list. Directed and written by Michael Mann, this film stars Al Pacino, Val Kimmer, Robert Di Nero, and Jon Voight. The plot revolves around a group of three robbers and the police officer tailing their crimes and the next steps. The film opened to huge success in the ’90s. With a production budget of $60 million, ‘Heat’ made $187.4 million at the box office.
Like ‘Zodiac‘, ‘Heat’ is also based on true crime, that of a burglar named Neil McCauley. Unfortunately, the movie was an inspiration to other robberies around the world. Rédoine Faïd, a French gangster, shared that Mann gave him inspiration for his actions. The film was engaging and was received well beyond anyone’s imagination, but Oscar didn’t pay any heed to it.
8. King Kong (1933)
‘King Kong’ is the old gold monster of Hollywood. The film was a contemporary visual feat. When it was released in 1933, the ape became a phenomenon. The gigantic monkey wreaks havoc on the city while trying to covet a young woman. Rotten Tomatoes ranks the movie as the greatest horror movie of all time. The US Library of Congress stated the movie was “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” and was preserved in the National Film Registry.
Being a cinematographic success, it’s a tragedy that the movie was not nominated for even a single Academy Award. However, at the time, there was no award for visual effects, but its legacy continued through the sequel ‘Son of Kong’ and even two remakes in 1976 and 2005.
7. Touch Of Evil (1958)
‘Touch of Evil’ was initially ignored by the Oscars, too. However, it gained popularity among the European crowd, and in 1993 it was preserved in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Over the years, ‘Touch of Evil’ has come to be a classic crime drama in Hollywood’s cinematic history. The plot of the film follows a police captain, Hank Quinlan investigating a puzzling case of the bombing and murder of Rudy Linnekar.
Orson Welles was brought in by Universal International to direct and star in the movie. ‘Touch of Evil’ had its European premiere at the 1958 Brussels World Film Festival, where Wells collected two prestigious awards. The film had a fair box office collection of $2.2 million with a budget of $829,000.
6. Mean Streets (1973)
Martin Scorsese has received many Academy Awards in his career, however, his ‘Mean Streets‘ didn’t make the critical cut. Starring Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro, the crime film was well-received by critics and even did well at the box office. With a production budget of $500,000, the film made an impressive collection of $3 million.
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Besides the Academy Association, the movie won the National Society of Film Critics and even the New York Film Critics Circle award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as ‘Johnny Boy’ Civello. ‘Mean Streets‘ was preserved by the Library of Congress in the National Film Registry. The New York Times asserted, “No matter how bleak the milieu, no matter how heartbreaking the narrative, some films are so thoroughly, beautifully realized they have a kind of tonic effect that has no relation to the subject matter.”
5. Paths Of Glory (1957)
‘Paths of Glory’ was a remarkable anti-war film by Stanley Kubrick. The film beautifully criticizes war while commenting upon the unrealistic standards and norms of the army. Starring then-rising star Kirk Douglas, upon its release, the film’s anti-military plot was criticized. Perhaps, America’s undying love for its army reached unhealthy standards to appreciate fictional art. However, after a few years, the film started to resurface, and in 1992, it was preserved by the Library of Congress in the United States National Film Registry.
The movie follows Colonel Dax who refuses to lead a troupe of French soldiers on a suicide mission and defends them during the court-martial. Though the film didn’t receive an Oscar nomination, it bagged a BAFTA nomination under the category of Best Film. Moreover, in 1959, it was nominated for the Writers’ Guild of America Award. Kubrick also won the Italian Critic’s Silver Ribbon award for this venture, which recognized him as the best foreign director of 1958 for the movie.
4. The Shining (1980)
‘The Shining’ was one of those unfortunate movies that didn’t just get shunned by the Oscars, but also by the Golden Globes, critics, and basically everyone. Upon release, the production was not liked by the author of the psychological horror story, Stephen King, either. However, the film has come to be one of the most influential horror movies of all time. This was another film by Stanley Kubrick that was ignored by the Academy Awards.
The plot of the film revolves around a recovering alcoholic writer who moves to an isolated hotel for the winter with his family. Jack cannot seem to concentrate on writing as the quiet quarters start closing in on him and he starts hallucinating and descending into mania. In later years, the scene where Jack places his face through the broken door and says in his bloodthirsty hysteria, “Here’s Johnny!” has become iconic. The movie is known for the motifs of cabin fever, toxic masculinity, and the delusional powers of our minds.
3. Scarface (1983)
The 1983 ‘Scarface‘ surpassed the original 1933 film. Directed by Brian De Palma, the film revolves around the life of four criminal refugees. When the movie was first released, it had a negative reception. Perhaps it was the portrayal of criminal Cubans. This might be one of the reasons why Academy Awards also turned a blind eye towards Al Pacino’s career swing.
However, in later years, when viewers could look past racial sensitivity, they appreciated the plot, direction, and overall production. ‘Scarface‘ was recognized by other award associations – it was nominated for three Golden Globes, Golden Rasberry Awards, and Golden Satellite Awards.
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2. The Searchers (1956)
‘The Searchers’ – a Western film that though won the hearts of many, was not nominated for an Oscar. The achievement lies in the fact that the epic was the first of its kind. Director John Ford requested elaborate props, set, and, filming techniques. Upon its release, the movie was a huge success. Critics claimed it was the best American West film. In many ‘Best Movies All Time’ lists, ‘The Searchers’ ranks among the top 10. It even made its cut to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
The plot of the film revolves around Ethan Edwards, a Civil War veteran, looking for his niece who has been missing for years along with his adopted nephew. The location takes the audience to the dusty, rugged yet picturesque landscape of Monument Valley. The setting perfectly fits the Western background of the film’s story and mood. The movie had a humongous budget of $3.75 million during the 1950s.
1. The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)
‘The Good, The Bad and The Ugly’ is a Spaghetti Western film by Sergio Leone. The genre was not very popular in the 1960s, therefore this movie was left out by the Academy. However, when the genre started gaining acclaim, everyone honored this original gem, including filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. The plot revolves around a mercenary namely “Angel Eyes” who sets out to find stolen Confederate gold which he learns from his contract’s victim.
The film features intense violence, action, and famous Western gunfights. Though the film is about the American West, it was filmed in Rome. The theme music of the film became very popular, and today, it represents anything related to the typical country culture. The film touches upon greed, cruelty, and war. Upon its release, the film had a box office collection of $6.5 million in Rome and $25.1 million in the USA and Canada combined.
