Best Picture Oscar Winners That Nobody Remembers

Some Best Picture winners have stood the test of time. Others have been forgotten in the annals of history. Are you one of the few who remembers these forgotten pictures?

‘The Last Emperor’ (1987)

Two of the films it was up against, “Fatal Attraction” and “Moonstruck” are referenced to this day. “The Last Emperor”, however, doesn’t have that same staying power. This epic biographical drama runs only 17 minutes short of three hours, which makes it a much harder re-watch.

Also, while the phrase “epic biographical drama” is primed for an Oscar, it isn’t necessarily as primed for people’s hearts.

‘Out of Africa’ (1985)

If someone were to stop you in the street and say, “Quick! Which film starred Meryl Streep and Robert Redford?” would you even be able to think of the name? It doesn’t help that the film hasn’t aged well. It would be hard in this day and age to make a film about Africa starring two white people. It would be doubly hard if it were based on a book by someone with racist views. While Sydney Pollack addressed that head-on in 1987, it would likely have a different reception today, and so has been stuck into the “let’s just leave this one alone” pile.

‘Ordinary People’ (1980)

Roger Ebert said of this movie that it had an “understated matter-of-factness.” While its understatement is its brilliance, it’s also its downfall. When compared to “Raging Bull” or “The Elephant Man”, other nominees in the same year, this domestic drama is a much quieter film. Unfortunately, that’s made it somewhat more forgettable than its counterparts with their larger-than-life stars.

‘The Sting’ (1973)

The issue with “The Sting” was not the size of its stars. It starred two juggernauts, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. It was not a domestic drama, but a caper film. In this case, the quietness of the film itself isn’t to blame for being forgotten, but its place in history.

Unfortunately, the winners the year before and after were both “Godfather” films, and it’s hard to be remembered when you’re sandwiched between two such huge classics.