Thank the Academy

In this episode we discuss the seventieth Best Picture winner, Titanic, the many records it broke on its way to winning eleven Academy Awards, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s win for Best Original Screenplay, and Billy Crystal’s continued hosting duties. We also explore the making of Titanic, the ever-expanding budget of the most expensive film to date in 1997, and James Cameron’s obsession with deep-sea diving.

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In this episode we discuss the early years of the Coen Brothers’ careers, their process of making Fargo, and the continued critical and growing commercial success of their films. We also talk about Francis McDormand, her friendship with Holly Hunter, her marriage to and working relationship with Joel Coen, and her many career and Academy Award achievements.

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Based in Tinseltown, well just north of it (North Hollywood), Zach and Kristen are married film industry professionals on a deep dive into the history of the Academy Awards. Every other week they watch the Academy Award winning Best Picture starting with the original ceremony in 1929 to now. Fascinated by the concept of The Oscars and curious about the culture surrounding them, the Phaneufs are on a mission to share the history and context of the "best" films in American history - thanks to Oscar and his Academy.

In this episode we discuss the sixty-ninth Best Picture winner, The English Patient! We discuss Gil Cates’s and Billy Crystal’s return to producing and hosting the Academy Awards Ceremony, Miramax’s grassroots campaign strategies for convincing voters to favor The English Patient, and Francis McDormand’s exciting Oscar win. We talk about Saul Zaents’s struggles finding a studio partner, director Anthony Minghella’s insistence on casting decisions, and Kristin Scott Thomas’s thoughts on the expectations for women in Hollywood.

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In this episode we discuss the 1995 film Apollo 13, Tom Hanks’ involvement in the film and lifelong interest in space and the Apollo era of NASA space exploration, and the extensive lengths that Ron Howard, Hanks, and the whole team went through to make this film a reality. We also discuss Emma Thompson’s career, from burgeoning comedienne to two time Academy Award winner, her creative and marital partnership with Kenneth Branaugh, and her endearing Academy Award winning adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. 

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In this episode we discuss the sixty-eighth Best Picture winner, Braveheart! Quincy Jones takes on the role of producing the ceremony, Whoopi Goldberg comes back to host, and the yearly themes of Gil Cates are gone. Braveheart surprises everyone by winning Best Picture and Best Director over Apollo 13, Sense and Sensibility, Ron Howard, and Ang Lee, and Mel Gibson is seen in a new light by the industry. We talk about the making of Braveheart, Randall Wallace’s inspiration for writing the screenplay, Alan Ladd Jr.’s involvement in the project, and Mel Gibson’s reluctance and eventual acceptance of the role of William Wallace. 

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In this episode we discuss the critical successes and box-office failures of The Shawshank Redemption, writer and director Frank Darabont’s path to adapting the Stephen King work, and Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins’ stirring performances. We also look back through Tim Hanks’ long and illustrious career, his many hits, his second Academy Award win in a row, and his place in American pop culture.

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In this episode we discuss the sixty-seventh Best Picture winner, Forrest Gump! We recap the 67th Oscar ceremony, Dave Letterman’s first and only time hosting the awards, Gil Cates’ new theme of “Comedy and the Movies,” and Forrest Gump’s record 13 nominations. We talk about Wendy Finerman’s quest to get this film made, Tom Hanks’ incredible, award winning performance, and the many box office records broken by the film as well.

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In this episode we discuss Jurassic Park, the incredible CG effects and animatronics that went into making believable dinosaurs on the big screen, Michael Crichton’s involvement in the film, and Spielberg’s massive success in 1993. We also discuss the life and career of legendary filmmaker Jane Campion, her breakout success with The Piano and Academy Award win for Best Original Screenplay, her involvement with the Cannes film festival, and her eventual win for Best Director for The Power of the Dog. 
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In this episode we discuss the sixty-sixth Best Picture winner, Schindler’s List! We discuss Steven Spielberg’s hugely successful year and night at the Academy Awards, with Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park winning 10 Oscars combined, Whoopi Goldberg’s historic turn at hosting the ceremony, and the exciting wins for Tom Hanks, Holly Hunter, Anna Paquin, and Jane Campion. We also discuss Schindler’s List, the startling, true story of Oscar Schindler, the toll it took on all involved, and the praise heaped on the film by those who lived through the real-life events.

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