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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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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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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Welcome to the 2012 Academy Awards, a year just outside our ‘test-of-time’ range for judging the merits of the winners, non-winners, and forgotten gems.  This year featured a lot of very good movies but no true odds-on favorite, which is why the eventual winner is seen as kind of a let down. So who or what should have won?  What should have been nominated and wasn’t?  Are there too many nominees in the first place leading to a paradox of choice (where it’s hard to even make a decision).  Not to mention, what might be the best movie of the year wasn’t even considered for a Best Picture Oscar. Bruce and “Tex” get into it all as they try to make sense of a crazy year with Oscar imitating Art… Or in this case, The Artist.

Movies Mentioned

(*Recommended)

Tower Heist

*The Descendants

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

*The Help

*Midnight in Paris

*The Artist

*Hugo

*Moneyball

*Warhorse

The Tree Life

*Bridesmaids

*We Need to Talk About Kevin

J Edgar

*Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

*Drive

*A Better Life

*Bicycle Thieves

*Celebrity

*Take Shelter

My Week With Marilyn

The Prince and the Showgirl

*The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

*Albert Nobbs

The Iron Lady

*Young Adult

Warrior

Beginners

*21 Jump Street

*Superbad

*Margin Call

*The Father

**A Separation

*The Ides of March

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Welcome Oscars fans to the 7th Academy Awards (it definitely wasn’t called The Oscars yet) — as we dive into the 1935 Oscars for the films of 1934.  

Now some of you might be thinking, ‘How can awards for films this old possibly be interesting today?’ To which we say, get ready because things are going to get wild! 

 For starters, there were 12 nominees for best picture (and they still got some wrong!)  There were also awards that are no longer given out as well as no awards for things we award today.  The Hays Code had just begun in mid-1934, affecting the way movies were made. An actress was in three of the Best Picture nominees (a record that still stands) — and on top of it all, the winner this year just so ‘happened’ to set the template for every RomCom you love (or love to hate) today.  

Trust us when we say you’re going to have a treat learning about some incredible movies you probably never heard of but you’ll be glad you did once you see them!  As always, thanks for joining us at The Oscars! 

Movies Mentioned

(*Recommended)

*It Happened One Night

*The Thin Man

*Imitation of Life

Flirtation Walk

Here Comes the Navy

*The House of Rothschild

One Night of Love

*The Barretts of Wimpole Street

*The Gay Divorcee

*Viva Villa!

*Cleopatra (Cecil B. DeMille version)

The White Parade (nearly impossible to see)

*The Affairs of Cellini

*Of Human Bondage

*Manhattan Melodrama

Eskimo

Flying Down to Rio

*Gone With the Wind

*Dangerous

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Hey Oscar fans, welcome to the 1968 Oscars for the films of 1967 — AKA the year that changed everything (movie wise)!  What an amazing year for films both domestic & foreign and to our shock and delight the Oscars were there to recognize and appreciate some truly groundbreaking films…mostly. 

From movies that touched on race in new and exciting ways — In The Heat of the Night and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; to one of the most violent movies ever made - Bonnie & Clyde; and a new kind of generational comedy - The Graduate... There was no shortage of great films...and Doctor Dolittle. 

Join the legendary Bruce Vilanch and “Tex” as they dive into one of the most important years for movies and debate the snubs, flubs and oversights, while celebrating the triumphs and telling great behind the scenes stories.  As always, thanks for listening!

Movies Mentioned

(*Recommended)

*Bonnie & Clyde

*Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner?

Doctor Dolittle

*The Graduate

*In the Heat of the Night

*Thoroughly Modern Millie

*Camelot

*Cool Hand Luke

*The Dirty Dozen

*In Cold Blood

*Barefoot in the Park

Doctor Dolittle (Eddie Murphy)

Doctor Dolittle (Robert Downey Jr.)

*Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

*Lilles of the Field

*John Wick

*One Thousand Clowns

WUSA

Pocket Money

*Brubaker

Amityville Horror

*Voyage of the Damned

*The Pawnbroker

*The Hustler

*HUD

*Wait Until Dark

The Whisperers

*Tom Jones

*The Importance of Being Earnest

*Bye Bye Birdie

*The Pumpkin Eater

Divorce American Style

Two for the Road

The War is Over

*Eyes Wide Shut

*It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

*Divorce Italian Style

Ulysses

*The Towering Inferno

*Rebecca

*Psycho

*Lifeboat

Spellbound

*Rear Window

*The Sound of Music

*Closely Watched Trains

*Point Blank

*Le Samouraï

*Casino Royale

In Like Flint

*The Fearless Vampire Killers

*Belle du Jour

*Playtime

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Welcome Oscar fans to the 1984 Oscars for the amazing films of 1983. What a time for movies! All the big stars, nearly all the big directors and lots of brilliant, compelling stories were on display this year...and Flashdance. 

With so many objectively great movies to choose from, it's hard for even the Academy to get it wrong. And yet, using the test of time, there are still some curious choices and omissions worth looking into.

But at least one award was never in doubt. While accepting her Best Actress Award for Terms of Endearment, Shirley MacLaine famously said, "I deserve this."

Take a listen to see if you think the other winners deserved their awards as well!  As always thanks for joining us at the Oscars!    

For more info, go to www.Oscars.wtf

email us at [email protected]

Oscars: What Were They Thinking is edited by Kelley Marcano

Movies Mentioned (*Recommended)

*Terms of Endearment

*The Right Stuff

*Fanny & Alexander

*The Dresser

*Silkwood

*Tender Mercies

Yentl

*Cross Creek

*The Big Chill

*Educating Rita

*Reuben, Reuben

*War Games

*Star Wars: Return of the Jedi

*Trading Places

*The Outsiders

Flashdance

*Risky Business

*Sudden Impact

*The China Syndrome

*The Insider

*Norma Rae

*Breaking Away

*Bullitt

Krull

Mother, Jugs & Speed

*The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Face to Face

*The Graduate

*Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe

*Working Girl

*Raiders of the Lost Ark

Henry & June

*Unbearable Lightness of Being

The Mirror Has Two Faces

*The Prince of Tides

Rhinestone

*Dr. Zhivago

*Tom Jones

*Murder on the Orient Express

*The Godfather

*Apocalypse Now

*The Great Santini

*Ray

*Crazy Heart

*Testament

Melvin and Howard

*To Be or Not to Be (1984 & 1942)

*One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

*Easy Rider

*Five Easy Pieces

*Reds

*The World According to Garp

Precious

*Network

*To Kill a Mockingbird

Betrayal

Octopussy

Striptease

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Hey Oscar fans, welcome to the 2005 Oscars for the films of 2004.  Interestingly, nearly all the nominees were either bio-pics or felt like bio-pics.

Even more interesting, while the choice for best picture isn’t bad — there was at least one film from that year that has become an all-time classic and an absolute favorite for many people — which was completely shut out of the Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor categories. 

 With the recent release of the New York Times’ Top 100 Films of the 21st Century, this grave injustice (at least according to Adam “Tex”) has been rectified — as the ‘forgotten film’ is on the list (at #7) while none of the Best Picture nominees or winner even made the list!  Take a listen and see if you agree with the list or the Academy (and Bruce). 

 As always, thanks for joining us at the Oscars!

Movies Mentioned

(*Recommended)

*Million Dollar Baby

The Aviator

*Ray

Finding Neverland 

*Sideways

*Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

*Vera Drake

*Being Julia

*Before Sunset

*Before Sunrise

*Fahrenheit 9/11

*Hotel Rwanda

*Maria Full of Grace

Kinsey

*The Incredibles

*Collateral

Closer

*The Motorcycle Diaries

*Born into Brothels

*Super Size Me

*Downfall

Dodgeball

*Just Friends  ;)

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Hey Oscars fans, welcome to the 1944 Oscars for the films of 1943.  Not surprisingly the theme of many movies this year was war as most of the globe fought in WWII.  

There was a movie just called Air Force!  And among these war and war adjacent films came one of the most beloved, quoted and classic movies of all time… Casablanca!  But while Casablanca did take home some awards… did it take home enough awards?  In fact, two movies that year had more nominations than Casablanca.  

Join us as we take you on a journey through some of the best movies and performances ever and discuss how and why some of them inexplicably lost out or weren’t even nominated.  

Along the way you’ll discover lots of films to add to your must-watch list and learn some great film history in the process.  Oh, and we know the title of this episode is a mis-quote from Casablanca!  As always, thanks for listening. 

Contact us and let us know your opinions!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577252340445

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.oscars.wtf

Movies Mentioned!

Casablanca (must see)

The Song of Bernadette  (must see)

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Air Force

This is the Army

Heaven Can Wait

The Human Comedy

In Which We Serve

Madame Curie

The More the Merrier

The Ox-Bow Incident  (must see)

Watch on the Rhine

To Be or Not to Be

Ninotchka

Trouble in Paradise

Design for Living

The Shop Around the Corner

Shadow of a Doubt  (must see)

12 Angry Men  

Five Graves to Cairo

The Gunfighter

Mildred Pierce

Yankee Doodle Dandy

The Adventures of Robin Hood

The African Queen

Sergeant York

High Noon

Duel in the Sun

Sahara

The Constant Nymph

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Maltese Falcon

So Proudly we Hail!

Gone With the Wind

Princess O’Rourke

Action in the North Atlantic

Destination Tokyo

Holy Matrimony

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

How Green Was my Valley

Citizen Kane

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Hello, Oscars: WWTT? fans. Welcome our look at the 1973 Oscars, honoring the films of 1972. It was an outstanding year for movies with some great contenders in every category battling it out. Ironically, the most cheerful best picture nominee was about the inner-workings of the Mafia and all the killing and revenge that comes along with it. But while The Godfather may have been the big winner...did it win enough? And what snubs, flubs and oversights will have you reaching for a gun and a canoli.

Contact us and let us know your opinions!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577252340445

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.oscars.wtf

Movie Recommendations

The Godfather

Cabaret

Deliverance

Sounder

The Emigrants

The Lady Sings the Blues

The Poseidon Adventure

Jeremiah Johnson

The Ruling Class

The Candidate

Fat City

Butterflies Are Free

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

The New Land

Solaris

Aguirre: Wrath of God

Cries and Whispers

Sleuth

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