The Sound of Music won exactly 5 Oscars, lost exactly 5 Oscars, and won in a year ending in the number 5Today's magic number is 5 and it's too overwhelming a number in Oscar lore for a list of trivia items since it's the 'traditional' size of Oscar shortlists in every Oscar category with the exception of Best Makeup and Hairstyling. We've harped on that one before but we consider it brazenly insulting that Oscar views those craftsmen as the bastard stepchildren of the industry since they've never been allowed more than 3 nominees despite literally every live action film using their services. Several categories have experimented with varying sizes of their nominated lists over the years (Best Picture under the current rules, being obviously the most prominent and inconsistent *sigh* but the number five can safely be called one of Oscar's favourite things...
Every year we fear that Oscar will go further off the deep end and become as amateurishly inconsistent as most other awards shows which generally don't have rules about tiebreakers and way less institutional fortitude in general (which is saying a lot given how weak-willed AMPAS looks of late!). This has resulted in a constant flux of "3 no 4 no 5 no 6 no 7 no 8 no 9 no 10 no 11 (!!!) nominees in this category!" which is always vaguely embarrassing so we hope Oscar never goes there. In fact, we dream that Oscar will stop with the flux in Best Picture. We've accepted the expanded field after years of complaining but we only wish that it were consistent like everything else. Whatever it's going to be just pick that! 5, 8, 9, 10. Whatever. But please stick with it.
This has been today's highly unecessary train-of-thought Oscar rant. HAPPY FINAL DAY OF OSCAR BALLOTING FOR THE SEASON! Oh, except on our Oscar charts where you can keep voting for your favourites in each category, daily, until the big night.
P.S. For fun, here are the Best Picture winners from the '5 years, ranked...
The Sound of Music (1965)
One of the most pleasurable things ever made in any artform. Put simply we don't trust people who don't enjoy this movie. It's been knocked and dragged constantly over the years for its sentimentality which we'll never understand as the delicious sidebar snark of The Baroness and Max Detweiler, the tragedy of Rolfe's trajectory, as well as Captain Von Trapp's stoicism and slow-thaw constantly keep mushiness at bay, and Julie Andrews second-consecutive Oscar-worthy star turn is a marvel of humanity, moodswings, romantic confusion, and comic timing. Plus the glorious music! And anything that inspires spectacular-spectacular silliness in other genius movies deserves our love.
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
Not exactly sure why I have such affection for this picture. Is it just my Franchot Tone problem (I dont consider a problem but maybe you or Joan Crawford might?) Or all the shirtless sailors? Or the tropical beauty? Or Gable without a moustache?
Spotlight (2015)
Such a solid humanist entertainment and its modesty remains so appealing, particularly in the annals of Best Picture where modesty is not general seen as a strength.
I hold too many Oscar grudges against this picture. I need therapy!
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Everyone is supposed to worship this movie. I've never been able to get there but I'll give it another go at some point. It's definitely juicy in the acting department but there's something about it that screams "bro favourite!" to me which has kept the love slightly at bay. Well, that and the fact that 1975's Best Picture roster is one of the greatest of all time and Nashville, Jaws, and Dog Day Afternoon are total all-timers, soaring well beyond the reach of Cuckoo's Nest. And then there's the fact that Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher beat two of the best performances of all time (Al Pacino's and Isabelle Adjani's) in their categories. I hold too many Oscar grudges; please recommend a good therapist!.
Out of Africa (1985)
To be honest it's a distant distant memory but I was obsessed with it as a kid. Perhaps a rewatch is in order?
I dont know why but I'm always startled when I remember that Marty's supporting actress nominated Betsy Blair was Gene Kelly's wife at the time.
Marty (1955) / The Lost Weekend (1945)
We often get frustrated with the Academy for ignoring contemporary pictures but it's also true that sometimes contemporary pictures don't age particularly well, beyond a kind of time capsule appeal. This is what an indie woulda looked like in 1955 / This was how people were grappling with addiction and the conversation around in in 1945, etcetera.
Crash (2005)
No. Shan't. Not even posting a photo.
Braveheart (1995)
Sheer torture. And that it beat such kindhearted, warm, and beautifully crafted examples of their genres as Sense & Sensibility, Apollo 13, and Babe makes its toxicity that much worse still.
DO YOU WISH ALL OSCAR CATEGORIES WERE FIVE-WIDE? HOW WOULD YOU RANK THESE 9 BEST PICTURES ABOVE?