It's again time for a movie tournament, with a contest between the Best Picture Academy Award winners from the past 64 years.
The Academy Awards have long been considered the pinnacle awards ceremony of the film industry. It is an annual event where Academy voters decide on the best-of-the-best for acting, directing, writing, editing, costumes, sound, and much more. (* the Academy has decided not to air all the categories live this year, which is a huge mistake.)
On March 27, 2022 the 94th Academy Awards will be held. Films like Power of the Dog, Belfast, Dune, King Richard, and West Side Story are among the ten films vying for the honor of being named Best Picture.
Because it's March, and tournaments are in vogue this time of year, it's the perfect time to have a tournament of the Best Picture winners from the last 64 years.
In recent years, the Best Picture category has been expanded, allowing for up to ten films to be nominated. There has always been debate on what these films usually are, putting critical darlings against box office champs in some instances. The latter can often be ignored when it comes to major awards, with the biggest moneymakers not always receiving the accolades.
That being said, the 64 films were ranked on their domestic box office totals. There are some big winners included; films like Titanic and Lord of the Rings: Return of the King that won awards and dominated the box office. And others from the 1950s and early 60s that had no box office total at all.
Prior to 1958, there were well-known winners of the Best Picture award. On the Waterfront, Casablanca, Gone with the Wind, All About Eve, Marty, and All Quiet on the Western Front were fantastic films that are not in this tournament because, well, 64 is a nice number for a bracket.
Speaking of which, let's take a look at the matches.
Red Carpet region
Once the highest grossing film at the box office, Titanic has fallen all the way to 7th. Despite this, the red carpet has been rolled out for them with the top overall seed in this tournament. Titanic is also tied with two other films for most Academy Awards, with 11.
- 1) Titanic - 1998
- 16) In the Heat of the Night - 1968
- 8) Green Book - 2019
- 9) No Country for Old Men - 2008
- 5) The Silence of the Lambs - 1992
- 12) The Deer Hunter - 1979
- 4) Platoon - 1987
- 13) Midnight Cowboy - 1970
- 6) Terms of Endearment - 1984
- 11) Parasite - 2020
- 3) The Sound of Music - 1966
- 14) Birdman - 2015
- 7) Million Dollar Baby - 2005
- 10) Chariots of Fire - 1982
- 2) Dances with Wolves - 1991
- 15) The Apartment - 1961
Glamour region
Musicals are represented well in this region, with three. And so is Jack Nicholson. Nicholson, winner of three Academy Awards himself, is in two films in this region.
This region also contains the 2nd film with 11 Academy Award wins, Ben-Hur.
- 1) Gladiator - 2001
- 16) GiGi - 1959
- 8) Ben-Hur - 1960
- 9) Patton - 1971
- 5) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest - 1976
- 12) Spotlight - 2017
- 4) The Departed - 2007
- 13) West Side Story - 1962
- 6) Unforgiven - 1993
- 11) The French Connection - 1972
- 3) The King's Speech - 2011
- 14) Bridge on the River Kwai - 1958
- 7) Out of Africa - 1986
- 10) Crash - 2006
- 2) Chicago - 2003
- 15) Oliver! - 1969
Gold Statue region
The top-seed in this region, and second highest overall, is LOTR: Return of the King. In 2004, this film became the third film to earn 11 Academy Awards. It was the final chapter of the initial run of Peter Jackson films, and was a force with critics and the box office alike.
- 1) Lord of the Rings: Return of the King - 2004
- 16) A Man for All Seasons - 1967
- 8) The English Patient - 1997
- 9) My Fair Lady - 1965
- 5) American Beauty - 2000
- 12) Godfather: Part II - 1975
- 4) Argo - 2013
- 13) The Artist - 2012
- 6) Driving Miss Daisy - 1990
- 11) Gandhi - 1983
- 3) The Sting - 1974
- 14) Annie Hall - 1978
- 7) Shakespeare in Love - 1999
- 10) 12 Years a Slave - 2014
- 2) Rain Man - 1989
- 15) The Hurt Locker - 2010
Glitz region
A wide-range of films in this range, where the real question might be: "Will The Godfather be given any real competition?"
Plenty from each decade to put up a fight, that's for sure.
- 1) Forrest Gump - 1995
- 16) Tom Jones - 1964
- 8) Braveheart - 1996
- 9) The Shape of Water - 2018
- 5) Rocky - 1977
- 12) Lawrence of Arabia - 1963
- 4) The Godfather - 1973
- 13) The Last Emperor - 1988
- 6) Kramer vs Kramer - 1980
- 11) Amadeus - 1985
- 3) Slumdog Millionaire - 2009
- 14) Moonlight - 2017
- 7) Schindler's List - 1994
- 10) Ordinary People - 1981
- 2) A Beautiful Mind - 2002
- 15) Nomadland - 2021
Voting for the 1st round will begin on March 2 on Twitter and continue in the weeks leading up to this year's ceremony. Be sure to follow along @jasonrh_78 and feel free to share.
photo credit: Flickr
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