Catch up with the idea behind this series here.
So sorry to have neglected this column for two weeks but life got in the way. A life without Oscar, you could even say. 1951 saw some major shakeups in Oscar-land, with producers taking the Best Picture award rather than the studio for the first time in a symbolic shift away from Hollywood’s mogul origins. “An American in Paris” landed an upset victory over more typical Academy fare like “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “A Place in the Sun,” giving rise to a decade that would see the debut of cinemascope, 3D, VistaVision and a number of other gimmicks meant to enhance the theatrical experience.
The Academy would see fit to honor a number of extravagant but hollow titles throughout the decade, including 1952 winner, “The Greatest Show on Earth.” A gluttonous example of combating TV, it ironically won the first year that the big show was televised, easily becoming one of the largest commercial broadcasts in history at that point. (Video evidence!) Distracted by flashy colors and sets, the Academy missed the chance to honor these excellent titles.
1951 – “The Day the Earth Stood Still” (Robert Wise)
Robert Wise is probably the most famous and accomplished director to come from one of the other technical crafts of filmmaking, specifically editing, where his credits include a little ditty called “Citizen Kane.” He won two Oscars for directing, yet remains an unsung hero because his ability to switch genres and styles effortlessly prevented any kind of recognizable continuity to his work. I mean, did you know the same man directed “West Side Story” and “Star Trek: The Motion Picture?”