Did you know one of, if not THE, greatest film directors of all time never won an Oscar for Best Director? Yep. That is the premise for this bonus episode… Join Adam “Tex” and Mark as we examine the glorious career of the legendary Sir Alfred Hitchcock and discuss how the Motion Picture Academy just never got around to awarding him its top prize.
Along the way we’ll dissect Hitchcock’s greatest known films, tell little-known behind the scenes stories, and identify some lesser-known, hidden gems among the 53 films he directed. And we’ll discover how even when the Academy did nominate him (including his one Best Picture win) they still got it wrong!
Hitchcock may have had a long and storied career telling crime stories — but the greatest crime of all may be the one the Academy committed against him! As always, thanks for listening!
Films Mentioned
(* Recommended)
*Dial M for Murder
*Rear Window
Three Coins in a Fountain
*The Lodger
*Blackmail
The Ring
*Murder!
*Rebecca
*Foreign Correspondent
*Grapes of Wrath
*The Letter
*Lifeboat
*Rope
*Double Indemnity
*Laura
Wilson
Going My Way
*The Lost Weekend
Anchors Aweigh
The Bells of St. Mary’s
*Mildred Pierce
Spellbound
*Rear Window
*Sabrina
The High and the Mighty
*The Country Girl
*On the Waterfront
*Gentleman’s Agreement
*The Graduate
*The Miracle Worker
*Psycho
*The Apartment
*Never on Sunday
Sons and Lovers
The Sundowners
*The Birds
*Jaws
*Notorious
*Suspicion
*To Catch a Thief
*Strangers on a Train
*The Lady Vanishes
*Shadow of a Doubt
*North by Northwest
*Vertigo
*The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
*The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
*The Wrong Man
*Marnie
*1941
*Birdman
*The Trouble With Harry
*Casablanca
*The 39 Steps
*Secret Agent
*Sabotage
The Paradine Case
Torn Curtain
*M
*Goodbye Mr. Chips
*Jamaica Inn
*The Best Years of our Lives
*Mrs. Miniver
I* Confess
*The Offence
*The Hill
Saboteur
Under Capricorn
Frenzy
*Topaz
Family Plot
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1:10:47
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1:10:47
1955 - I Coulda Been a (Oscar) Contender
Hey Oscar fans — welcome to the 1955 Oscars for the films of 1954. In case you weren’t aware, 1954 was an absolutely outstanding year full of great movies…some of which even got nominated for Academy Awards! Which means some of the best movies that are still beloved, rewatched, referenced and remade today did NOT get any Oscar love. This includes a few shockingly egregious omissions that we’re pretty sure will have you scratching your head. So join us down on the waterfront as Bruce and “Tex” attempt to solve the mystery of “What they were thinking?” when the Academy looked out their rear window and saw…nothing. As always, thanks for listening and joining us at The Oscars!
Films Referenced
(* Recommended)
**On the Waterfront
**The Caine Mutiny
**The Country Girl
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Three Coins in a Fountain
**Rear Window
*A Star is Bron
**Dial M For Murder
**Notorious
Robinson Crusoe
The High and the Mighty
The Zero Hour
The Barefoot Contessa
*Carmen Jones
**Sabrina
**The Glenn Miller Story
*Magnificent Obsession
**Executive Suite
Broken Lance
*Genevieve
Knock on Wood
Rogue Cop
The Egyptian
The Silver Chalice
*Gate of Hell
*Le Plaisir
**The Earrings of Madame de
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1:17:24
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1:17:24
1965 Bonus - Oscars on a Wet Afternoon
Hey Oscars & Movie Fans — we’re proud to present a Bonus Episode that explores 3 great, HIDDEN GEM films from 1964 that we briefly mentioned during our 1965 - MY FAIR OSCAR episode.
Each film was nominated for something — but we really didn’t talk much about them…until now. If you’re anything like us — we guarantee you’ll dig at least one if not more of these films which include: TOPKAPI - the inspiration for the most iconic scene in the Mission Impossible franchise. SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON - a creepy, psychological thriller that will stay with you long after it’s over. And THE VISIT, a twisted little movie starring Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn that takes a turn we guarantee you won’t see coming.
Enjoy our discussion on these movies and more and we’ll be back with another full OSCARS episode next week!
Oscars What Were They Thinking? Is edited by Kelley Marcano
Films Referenced
Topkapi
Seance on a Wet Afternoon
The Visit
Riffi
Night and the City
Never on a Sunday
Spartacus
Ocean’s 11
Mission Impossible
Heist
The Asphalt Jungle
Body Double
Rear Window
Vertigo
Obsession
Frances
Zorba
My Fair Lady
Gandhi
Jurassic Park
One Night in Soho
All is Lost
Jeremiah Johnson
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45:09
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45:09
1994 - Oskar’s (Schindler) Oscar
Finally! Finally, that Steven Spielberg fellow did something worthy of an Oscar. We’re kidding of course, but it is shockingly true that after 20 years of making some of the greatest films of all-time, Spielberg finally got his richly deserved Oscar.
And while Schindler's List would earn several more awards that evening (including Best Picture) the Academy would still find a way to mess it up. Join us for an absolute banner year for movies as we debate the snubs, flubs, oversights and deserving wins — as well as Bruce's role in this history making Oscar’s telecast! As always, thanks for listening and joining us at The Oscars!
MOVIES MENTIONED
(*Recommended)
*Schindler’s List
*The Piano
*The Remains of the Day
*The Fugitive
*In the Name of the Father
*Philadelphia
In the Age of Innocence
*Cliffhanger
*In the Line of Fire
*Jurassic Park
*Farewell my Concubine
*The Firm
Orlando
*Shadowlands
Sleepless in Seattle
*What’s Love Got to Do with It
Shortcuts
*M*A*S*H
*Nashville
The Player
Gosford Park
*Close Encounters of the Third Kind
*Raiders of the Lost Ark
*E.T.
*Jaws
*Fearless
The Man With One Red Shoe
Turner & Hooch
*Big
*In and Out
*Groundhog’s Day
Mrs. Doubtfire
Six Degrees of Separation
*Broadcast News
*Terms of Endearment
*Urban Cowboy
Black Widow
*What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
Under Siege
*Paper Moon
*Dave
*Dazed & Confused
*Rudy
*The Nightmare Before Christmas
*Alive
*Army of Darkness
*El Mariachi
*Falling Down
*Indecent Proposal
*Naked
*Blue (Three Colors Trilogy)
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1:06:14
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1:06:14
The Oscars and The Sundance Kid - Special Episode
With the passing of Hollywood legend Robert Redford on Sept. 16th, we were moved to do a special episode of THE OSCARS: WWTT? in order to honor his legacy and commemorate his relationship with The Oscars. Enjoy hearing about some great films and some fun movie history as we celebrate The Natural who made it look too easy.
Robert Redford Films Referenced
Barefoot in the Park
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
The Candidate
Jeremiah Johnson
The Way We Were
The Sting
The Great Gatsby
Three Days of the Condor
All the President's Men
A Bridge Too Far
The Electric Horseman
Brubaker
Ordinary People
The Natural
Out of Africa
The Milagro Beanfield War
A River Runs Through It
Quiz Show
Indecent Proposal
The Horse Whisperer
The Last Castle
Spy Game
The Clearing
All is Lost
The Conspirator
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Avengers Endgame
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Ever watched the Academy Awards and thought, What were they thinking? You’re not alone. Join legendary comedian and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Bruce Vilanch, and screenwriter/film nerd Adam “Tex” Davis (Just Friends) as they dive into Oscar history, unpacking the flubs, snubs, and surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night. From behind-the-scenes stories of A-list stars to insider insights on how the nominations and winners are really chosen, Bruce and Tex break down each Oscar ceremony year by year to reveal what the Academy got right—and what they didn’t. If you’ve ever questioned why your favorite movie or actor got overlooked, this podcast is for you. The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?
Did you know that two of the Top 100 American Films of All-Time came out the same year but weren’t even nominated for an Academy Award? Or that the film often cited as the ‘Greatest Film of All Time’ didn’t win the Oscar in its year? Or that Cuba Gooding Jr. has the same number of acting Oscars as Al Pacino?
Look, stuff happens. But if you’ve ever watched or read about the Academy Awards, you’ve probably been left scratching your head over which movies and performers won – and how many beloved films weren’t even considered.
Why do so many Best Picture winners become some of the least remembered movies? How is it that legendary directors like Stanley Kubrick never won an Oscar? And why do great actors miss out on their best performances, only to win later for less impressive work?
Sure, the Oscars aren’t sports – there’s no scoreboard to show the winners. But with so many Academy members voting, you’d think they’d get it right. Spoiler alert: They often don’t.
On The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, Bruce Vilanch and Adam “Tex” Davis take a deep dive into Oscar history, looking back at the biggest mistakes, controversies, and snubs. From Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan to Dances with Wolves winning over Goodfellas, we’ll examine where the Academy went wrong.
Along the way, you’ll hear incredible behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-told moments from Hollywood’s biggest night. We’re re-examining each Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to see what the Academy got right, what they missed, and how we would “fix” the Oscars.
Whether you’re a dedicated movie buff or just a casual fan, this is the podcast for you. Join us for The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, where we break down the flubs, snubs, and forgotten gems of Oscar history.
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