The Best List

I was an Oscar junkie before I knew what the word meant - "junkie", not oscar, those were wieners. I loved movies and everything about them. I spent whole afternoons at my library reading about Capra, Hitchcock and Ford. Yes, a kid reading film criticism is a bit weird, but hey, it was a small town, I had to do something.

I was probably a pain to go to the movies with. I remember the people sitting next to me were often "shushed" so I could hear the dialogue – this was at the Saturday matinee, playing such cinematic gems as "Pinocchio In Outer Space" (yes, that is a real movie - see the still above).

Oscar night was one of the few nights that I could stay up late - even until midnight, if needed, and it often was. For some reason, I remember them as being in April, but that must be some childhood fog. But I do recall vividly how I was mesmerized by the spectacle. A lot of the movies, I had never seen, actors and directors I had barely heard of – but would be researching at the library the next week. I remember watching the clips for Cabaret (what's that about, mom?) and seeing the streaker run past David Niven (what's THAT about, mom?).

I haven't missed an Oscar night in years. I now have a devoted group of movie lovers that come over to eat, laugh at the dresses, drink, yell at the screen, and eat some more. We have the ballots and everyone throws a toonie in the pot - yours truly has faired well over the years, gaining some coffee money for the week. Alas, last night was a bust, my crystal ball was way off and I had to be satisfied with the fact that one of my favorite actors of all time (Alan Arkin) won, against the odds. Hell, I didn't even put his name on the ballot – but I was still happy.

This being a blog about fiction, I finally reach my point about storytelling. I have become increasingly aware that my favorite film of the year walks away with one of the screenplay awards, usually the Best Original Screen-play. When I am watching a movie that I love, I can almost sense it, this is such damn fine writing, it HAS to win screenplay. And quite often, it does. Looking at the list of screenplay winners over the years, it's like a list of my favorite films.

Starting with Citizen Kane (1941), then On the Waterfront (1954), The Apartment (1960), The Producers (1968), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), Midnight Cowboy (1969 - adapted) Patton (1970 - written by Francis Ford Coppola!), MASH (1970 adapted). When it hits the 70's, that is when I really notice - The French Connection (1971 - adapted)), The Godfather (1972 and Part Two in 1974 adapted), The Candidate (1972), The Sting (1973), Chinatown (1974), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (1975 - adapted), All the President's Men (1976 - adapted).

 
The 70's were called the Second Golden age in American Film making for a reason. As the studios rose in power and the blockbuster emerged (curse you George Lucas and Spielberg), the 80's tanked. I looked over the winners and shook my head. Maybe Melvin and Howard (1980) and a couple of others, but mostly the well written movie went in the toilet.

The 90's started out bad, I mean Ghost (1990)! That piece of crap with Demi Moore and Mr.Dirty Dancing himself? Oh please, could we just have someone original appear, anyone, someone....

Then a ray of hope - Pulp Fiction (1994) - thank-you Mr. Tarentino. Then, the Usual Suspects (1995) and even better Fargo (1996) -thank-you Mr. and Mrs. Cohen for your brilliant sons. Then in quick succession L.A. Confidential (1997 - adapted from the amazing James Ellroy), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and American Beauty (1999) - I am like, whoa, check your decade clock! Is this another golden age?

I haven't checked the data, but in my head the other trend that emerged was that the best written picture did not translate to the Best Picture award. That award seemed to be based on some other criteria, possibly signals sent from another planet (Titanic anyone?). But that's okay, I knew which category mattered.

Almost Famous (2000), Gosford Park (2001), Lost in Translation (2003), Lord of the Rings (2003 - adapted - showing that blockbusters can also be well written. Though, it helps when you have Tolkien as source material) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Sideways (2004 Adapted) and last night, my favorite movie of the year, the one I knew would not win Best Picture (but secretly hoped), Little Miss Sunshine (2006). I remember watching it and remarking to me son, best written thing I have seen this year, gotta win screenplay.

Until next year.