On this episode of ‘The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?’ Bruce and Tex look at the 1986 Oscars for the films of 1985. This year was a battle of two Oscar-bait juggernauts -- the sweeping romance of Out of Africa and the struggle to survive during slavery of The Color Purple. With 22 nominations between them (11 each) this was gearing up to be a battle for the ages. However, while one movie collected award after award, the other was completely shut out. Not only that, its esteemed director was possibly snubbed and wasn't even nominated despite garnering nominations in nearly every other category. But that's not the most interesting part. Another film released that year not only dominated the box office -- it spawned two sequels and has stood the test of time and is still beloved, quoted and talked about by most film fans today -- (unlike either Out of Africa or The Color Purple). So come 'back' to the 1986 Oscars with us to see which movies, performances & achievements won -- and which had the 'Power of Love'... just not from the Academy. 

EPISODE 3 (1986 Oscars) - Movies Mentioned

Out of Africa

The Color Purple

Kiss of the Spider Woman

Prizzi’s Honor

Witness

Back to the Future

Rambo: First Blood Pt. 2

Ladyhawke

English Patient

Evita

Butterfly

Trip to Bountiful 

Agnes of God

Sweet Dreams

Tootsie

Cocoon

Twice in a Lifetime

Ice Pirates

Murphy’s Romance

Runaway Train

Jagged Edge

Things Change

Trading Places

The Story of Alexander Graham Bell

Cocoon 2

The Way We Were

Absence of Malice

Three Days of the Condor

They Shoot Horses Don’t They?

Ran

C.H.U.D.

C.H.U.D. 2: Bud the C.H.U.D.

The Official Story

Parasite

Mask

The Phantom of the Opera

The Mask

Remo Williams: the Adventure Begins

A Chorus Line

White Nights

Silverado

Young Sherlock Holmes

Return to Oz

The Black Hole

The Sting

Quiz Show

Ordinary People

Save the Tiger

Last Tango in Paris

The Last Detail

Serpico

The Natural

Barefoot in the Park

Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid

The Candidate

Purple Rose of Cairo

Brazil

Rifkin’s Festival

Midnight in Paris

Radio Days

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Bananas

Take the Money and Run

Manhattan

Stardust Memories

12 Years a Slave

Do the Right Thing

Boyz in the Hood

Malcolm X

Glory

Training Day

A Beautiful Mind

Scent of a Woman

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On this episode of ‘The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?’ Bruce and Tex look at the 2010 Oscars for the films of 2009.  Imagine, you’ve just made one of the most groundbreaking movies of all time, a timeless, epic, 3D adventure that not only captivated audiences by creating a never-before-seen world and characters, but also went on to become the highest grossing movie ever.  But instead of winning the Oscar… you lose… to your ex-wife.  Yep, we’re talking about James Cameron’s Avatar losing the best picture award to The Hurt Locker directed by Kathryn Bigelow who divorced him nearly 20 years earlier.  So, did Hurt Locker deserve to win over Avatar?  Was either of them the best film of the year?  Or, was there a third film that has not only stood the test of time, but whose opening 7 minutes are considered some of the best filmmaking / storytelling of all time. We leave it UP to you to decide — but either way, Bruce’s insight and stories will not have you feeling blue.

EPISODE 2 (2010 Oscars) - Movies Mentioned

Avatar

The Hurt Locker

Crazy Heart

Inglorious Basterds

The Blind Side

District 9

An Education

Precious

A Serious Man

Up

Up in the Air

The Dark Knight

A New Leaf

Invictus

A Single Man

Star Man

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot

The Last Picture Show

The Messenger

The Last Station

The Lovely Bones

The Hangover

Julie and Julia

Cactus Flower

Erin Brockovich

Nine

Glitter

Star Wars

Coraline

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Secret of Kells

Oppenheimer

Asteroid City

Isle of Dogs

Moonrise Kingdom

Grand Budapest Hotel

Bowling For Columbine

My Cousin Vinnie

Sudden Fear (1952 starring Joan Crawford & Jack Palance)

City Slickers

Basic Instinct

In the Loop

Titanic

Dances With Wolves

American Beauty

Boys Don’t Cry

Being Julia

Million Dollar Baby

The Wife

Nomadland

Bagdad Cafe

Buster

Against All Odds - (See Out of the Past (1947) instead)

The Princess & The Frog

Paris 36

Star Trek

Dreamgirls

Sherlock Holmes

HONORABLE MENTION: To Leslie (Andrea Riseborough campaign controversy)

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Welcome to the inaugural episode of ‘The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?’  In this episode we’re looking at the 1989 Oscars for the films of 1988.  This is also the first year Bruce Vilanch was hired to write the telecast.  After learning how Bruce got the gig and how his first awards show was almost his last — we get into the awards.  The big question is — Does best picture winner Rain Man stand the test of time?  Were there any better movies that were nominated that year?  Or perhaps, the best movie of that year happened to be a non-nominated film that contained a fusion of live action, animation and a neurotic rabbit. And don’t even get us started about Die Hard — one of the best and most beloved action movies of all time. Join us for an in-depth look at the awards and behind-the-scenes stories about the show — which included an 11-minute, opening musical number that is considered one of the biggest disasters in Oscar history. Oh well, at least Bruce is an excellent driver!

EPISODE 1 (1989 Oscars) - Movies Mentioned

C.C. and Company

Grease 

Grease 2

Where the Boys Are ’84

Can’t Stop the Music (Bruce co-wrote)

Great Balls of Fire

Dangerous Liaisons

Rain Man

The Accidental Tourist

Mississippi Burning

Working Girl

A Fish Called Wanda

Cruel Intentions

Last Temptation of Christ

A League of Their Own

Bird

Unforgiven

Million Dollar Baby

Tucker: A Man and his Dreams

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Die Hard

The Dark Knight

Pelle the Conqueror

The Favourite

The Greatest Show on Earth

A Cry in the Dark

The Accused

Network

Gorillas in the Midst

My Left Foot

Little Dorrit

Unbearable Lightness of Being

Bull Durham

Beetlejuice

HONORABLE MENTION: Triumph of the Spirit (unnamed Auschwitz boxing movie)

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Have you watched the Academy Awards and thought… ‘What were they thinking?’ Have you ever wondered, how is it that so many of the awards for Best Picture go to one movie when there’s a much better movie staring them in the face? Or, why have so many actors not won Oscars for their best roles? Or, why is it that so many movies that everyone loves and made a ton of money at the box office get no Oscar love while little-seen movies rake in the nominations and awards? If so, then this is the podcast for you. Co-hosted by legendary comedian, pop-culture icon and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Mr. Bruce Vilanch, you’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at the nominating process, how and why some winners may have been chosen as well as tons of incredible, never-before-told, backstage stories about the world’s biggest stars on Hollywood’s biggest night. Joining Bruce is screenwriter, producer podcaster, and film nerd, Adam “Tex” Davis, writer of the very non-Oscar nominated movie Just Friends (starring Ryan Reynolds). Together, Bruce and “Tex” break down every Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to reveal what the Academy got right, what it got wrong, the flubs, snubs and oversights. In the end, they’ll answer the question every movie-loving, Academy Awards watcher always asks – The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?

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