Worst movie to win best picture oscar (watching, film)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
That's a pretty damned bold thing to say. How Green Was My Valley is a damned good picture and while one can make an argument for Kane to use the term "travesty" betrays a serious lack of knowledge and taste. And on top of it you never even saw the picture?!!?
By the way, "Valley" was made by the director Welles said had the greatest influence on him, John Ford.
How Green Was My Valley is in my Blockbuster queue, it is a movie that I have wanted to see for years. I'm also a big fan of John Ford's work.
The word "travesty" had nothing to do with the quality of How Green Was My Valley. It has everything to do with the politics that affect the outcome of the vote. Not that it matters much, but I don't think I've ever seen How Green Was My Valley at the top of one critic's list of best all-time movies. Citizen Kane, while not my personal favorite, was probably the biggest artistic leap forward in the medium and the inovations made by Wise and Welles still stand the test. The fact that it didn't win best picture was completely due to politics and that is the travesty.
So yeah, maybe travesty was a poor choice of words and maybe I didn't properly explain my reasoning, but I don't think that it betrays a serious lack of taste and knowledge anymore than finding Apocalypse Now to be drivel does. My opinion differs from yours but I will not question your knowledge and I will never disparage anyone else's taste.
Last edited by dano04631; 06-28-2008 at 11:46 AM..
Agreed, Dano, this thread's opinions are all subjective--of course. And yes indeed, the voting on those Oscars can be very political, and I don't doubt that some voters are swayed by various influences--including the box office.
When it comes to discussing the "worst movie to win best picture Oscar," I personally would give more credence to someone who has actually viewed the film--they are offering an *informed* opinion.
This is not a swipe at you, Dano, and I appreciate the fact that you explained that you had not seen Valley, and also that you have it in your queue.
Is How Green Was My Valley the greatest movie ever made? No--it is a nostalgic B&W slice of life made many, many years ago. But its aim is true.
The coal miner's songs, the Academy-award-winning, cinematography, Maureen O' Hara, Roddy MacDowell--this film has much to recommend it.
I found this factoid in Wikipedia: In 1990, How Green Was My Valley was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
I doubt very few on here can offer an informed opinion on the worst movie to win best picture in that I doubt few on here have seen all 80. I guess my post would have been better served in a "Best picture robbery" thread or such.
If I was to pick my least favorite of the 52 I've seen I would have to go with "The Lost Weekend". Now someone else might find Lost Weekend to be a profound statement on addiction produced in a time when such things weren't discussed. It is all subjective.
Say what you will about any of the 80 films, they all must have had something going for them to even be nominated - regardless of the politics.
i was going to name The English Patient too, but you beat me to it. I remember one episode of Seinfeld where Elaine (a character in Seinfeld) was literally pulling her hair out while she was forced to watch the movie by her boss and in her frustration she yelled at the movie screen "Why don't you stop telling stories and just die already!!"
Exactly how I feel about the movie.
I have never watched another of Minghella's movie ever since and never will.
You wont be able to watch a new film by Minghella- he's dead.
You wont be able to watch a new film by Minghella- he's dead.
More's the pity.
I enjoyed every film he ever made, especially Truly Madly Deeply.
He did some very good work as producer, as well.
But The English Patient has always been a love-it-or-you-hate-it movie.
All I can say it that I’m glad that I’ve never sacrificed 3 hours of my life to watch a movie to which I already know the ending of.
And I’m sure that DiCaprio in Titanic wasn’t as good as in Blood Diamond, the Aviator or Gangs of New York.
I’m also sure that Kate was better in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or The Life of David Gale than she was in Titanic.
I agree about The English Patient (boring), Shakespeare in Love and American Beauty (hated it).
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
All I can say it that I’m glad that I’ve never sacrificed 3 hours of my life to watch a movie to which I already know the ending of.
