Many filmmakers’ life-long dream is to be nominated by the Academy. Not solely does it completely etch a film’s place in cinematic historical past, nevertheless it additionally perpetually maintains its legacy and fame. On the finish of the day, whereas many filmmakers can declare credit score for having been nominated earlier than, the duty of truly clinching that win is a a lot taller order. The title of “Finest” something is one thing everybody needs — particularly within the aggressive surroundings of the leisure trade.

Sadly, this win by no means got here true for a lot of motion pictures, even with a number of contending nominations. Quite a few iconic motion pictures which might be seen as staples of any nice movie record have been snubbed from receiving a single prestigious award regardless of their many nominations, because it’s merely not possible to offer each groundbreaking movie an Academy Award. Even so, among the circumstances right here may be particularly complicated, contemplating the massively excessive fame that they’ve garnered over time. So this is your warning as you might be left befuddled.

12 ‘Psycho’ (1960)

4 Nominations

Some of the legendary and influential horror motion pictures of all time, Alfred Hitchcock‘s Psycho follows the story of actual property clerk Marion Crane, who leaves with a wad of money seeking a brand new life. She finds herself making a grave mistake as she stays on the infamous Bates Motel, the place supervisor Norman Bates cares for his mom. It is already a rarity for horror motion pictures to be nominated for Academy Awards, but the status and mastery of Hitchcock’s opus proved to be an excessive amount of even for the Academy, who supplied the movie nominations for Finest Director, Finest Supporting Actress, and Finest Cinematography.

Whereas the Academy was keen to offer the movie a break when it got here to nominations, they have been just too rooted of their old style methods to be keen to offer such a terrifying horror movie an award. It did not assist that the movie was going up in opposition to Billy Wilder‘s The House, a movie that’s nonetheless extensively beloved and regarded among the finest of all time to today. Nonetheless, that is nonetheless one of many clearest examples of the Academy snubbing a genre-defining horror movie.

11 ‘A Clockwork Orange’ (1971)

4 Nominations

After committing a horrific crime spree together with his gang, Alex (Malcolm McDowell), their chief, is caught and imprisoned. As a way to scale back his sentence, he chooses to take part in an experimental rehabilitation approach run by the federal government. On condition that it makes use of psychological conditioning, sudden twists occur alongside the best way. The movie was capable of successfully steadiness its deeply disturbing premise with sufficient masterful filmmaking craft to make it a shoo-in for quite a few Academy Award nominations.

As one among Stanley Kubrick‘s most polarizing and controversial movies, some followers would argue that it is not shocking that A Clockwork Orange misplaced in all its nominated classes. Even contemplating the top quality that’s to be anticipated from Kubrick’s work, the movie confronted steep competitors, dropping all 4 of its nominations to William Friedkin‘s The French Connection, some of the influential motion thrillers of all time. Up for awards like Finest Image and Finest Director, it wasn’t an enormous downer for Kubrick since he had already obtained his Oscar in 1968 for 2001: A House Odyssey.

10 ‘Taxi Driver’ (1976)

4 Nominations

Travis Bickie (Robert De Niro), an insomniac ex-marine, takes on work as a cabbie on the streets of New York. With a deteriorating psychological state and violent and obsessive tendencies, Travis develops a misguided concept that he is the savior of town’s streets. One in every of his missions is to avoid wasting Iris (Jodie Foster), an underaged prostitute, from her pimp. Even regardless of its surprising and controversial premise, Taxi Driver made huge waves upon its launch, garnering it a number of Academy Award nominations, together with one for Finest Image.

As one among Martin Scorsese’s most iconic movies, some might marvel how Taxi Driver did not rating an Oscar win. The reply comes much less from the dearth of perceived high quality from Taxi Driver, however the nice deal of powerful competitors round each nook from the likes of Rocky, Community, and All of the President’s Males. The place the excessive praises for De Niro have been anticipated, Foster was seen as a breakthrough star as she earned her first nomination for Finest Supporting Actress on the age of 14. Neither of them can be complaining now, provided that they’ve two Oscars every.

Watch on Roku

9 ‘It is a Great Life’ (1946)

5 Nominations

Clarence (Henry Travers), a guardian angel from heaven, is shipped down to assist George Bailey (James Stewart), a severely pissed off businessman who’s suicidal after a sequence of economic mishaps. To persuade him to not perform any ultimate acts, Clarence reveals George what life would have regarded like if he had by no means existed. Whereas the movie garnered a number of nominations, together with ones for Finest Image, Finest Director, Finest Actor, and Finest Modifying, it might discover itself constantly dropping out to an enormous sweep by Samuel Goldwyn‘s The Finest Years of Our Lives.

Regardless of being one among probably the most beloved romantic Christmas motion pictures of all time, It is a Great Life sadly did not accomplish that splendidly throughout its Oscar season. Whereas the movie is widely known these days for being one of many biggest classics of Hollywood’s golden period, it might take a few years and fixed reruns for It is a Great Life to grow to be the American establishment that it’s in the present day. Nonetheless, its lack of an Academy Awards victory hasn’t stopped the movie from repeatedly being liked and rewatched each vacation season.

Watch on Amazon Prime

8 ‘The Wolf of Wall Road’ (2013)

5 Nominations

Primarily based on the true story of rich stockbroker Jordan Belfort (DiCaprio), this film follows the highs of his extravagant life of cash, intercourse, and medicines, in addition to its fast fall as he is caught committing crimes and corruption. The movie as an entire featured an electrical and high-octane vitality that might discover itself influencing a number of awards budding dramas going ahead, but this fashion sadly could not translate into an Academy Award win.

The Wolf of Wall Road could not convey any extra accolades to Scorsese regardless of being a extremely beloved image with stellar performances from stars like Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie. The movie was merely regarded over in favor of different large hitters like 12 Years a Slave and Dallas Consumers Membership in all of its nominated classes. Not solely that, nevertheless it continued the unlucky Oscar dry spell of DiCaprio, who was up for Finest Lead Actor for the third time (making this his fourth performing nomination).

7 ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994)

7 Nominations

Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a younger profitable banker, is wrongfully convicted of murdering his spouse and her lover; sadly, solely he is aware of of his innocence. Now, charged with two consecutive life sentences, he navigates via the brutalities of jail life whereas making just a few allies alongside the best way — one among them being Purple (Morgan Freeman). Frank Darabont‘s tragic portrayal of hardship and the jail system made it a giant hit among the many Academy when it got here to nominations, being tied for the 2nd most nominations for the 12 months.

Typically described as one of many biggest motion pictures of all time, it was an important shock when The Shawshank Redemption exited the Academy Awards empty-handed. Nominated for large classes like Finest Image, Finest Actor in a Main Function, and Finest Cinematography, they have been sadly up in opposition to powerhouse movies like Forrest Gump and Pulp Fiction. The movie is definitely some of the notable circumstances of hindsight giving the movie justice, as The Shawshank Redemption solely continues to cement a strong legacy because the years go by as Forrest Gump continues to subsequently age worse.

6 ‘The Elephant Man’ (1980)

8 Nominations

Primarily based on the true story of Joseph Merrick, this film follows John Merrick (Sir John Harm) – a person from the late nineteenth century who’s severely disfigured because of a congenital illness. Making ends meet by being a side-show attraction, he is found by Dr. Fredrick Teeves (Sir Anthony Hopkins), who takes him underneath his care. Collectively, each males study necessary classes from one another that final a lifetime. The movie diverged from what was anticipated of director David Lynch‘s regular work, and within the course of enchanted the academy, tying with Raging Bull for probably the most nominations of the 12 months.

An iconic and influential piece on the subject of Academy Awards historical past as an entire, The Elephant Man is particular as, regardless of not profitable in any of its nominated classes, it brought on the creation of a brand new one. The Academy Award for Finest Make-up was created in 1981 (and handed out in 1982) on account of The Academy being flooded by letters of protest when Christopher Tucker‘s make-up for The Elephant Man wasn’t not less than honored with a nomination.

5 ‘Gangs of New York’ (2002)

10 Nominations

One other one among many Scorsese classics that might find yourself getting snubbed regardless of a large quantity of nominations, Gangs of New York was regarded as the movie that would lastly break his dropping streak. Within the aftermath of his father’s brutal demise, Amsterdam Vallen (Leonardo DiCaprio) seeks revenge in opposition to Invoice “The Butcher” (Daniel Day-Lewis), the crime lord who instigated the deadly gang battle that killed his father. All of the whereas, the American Civil Warfare continues to method.

With iconic photos like Chicago and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers additionally being nominated that 12 months, it was at all times going to be a squabble for Gangs of New York to win the large awards, even regardless of them having the second-most nominations. Even in classes the place Chicago and Two Towers weren’t nominated, the movie at all times discovered itself simply brief, dropping Finest Authentic Screenplay to Pedro Almodovar‘s Discuss to Her and Finest Cinematography to Street to Perdition. Sadly, the movie had a horrible final result on the award ceremony and have become the primary to lose all 10 nominations.

4 ‘True Grit’ (2010)

10 nominations

Mattie Ross (Hailee Steinfeld), a fiery 14-year-old farm lady, hires the growing older but powerful US Marshall Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to assist monitor down the outlaw, Tom Chaney (Josh Brolin) for murdering her father. Alongside the best way, the squabbling duo is joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who’s additionally been looking for Chaney. There’s nothing the Academy appears to like greater than a well-executed trendy remake of a golden age traditional, with the love and enthusiasm for True Grit being blatantly obvious with its 10 nominations, the second many of the 12 months.

Sadly for this beloved Western remake, True Grit misplaced in all its classes, even with Steinfeld’s sensible function movie debut that earned her a Supporting Actress nomination. Its poor final result made it the second movie in historical past to be nominated for 10 awards and win nothing. Nonetheless, it was within the operating with The King’s Speech, Inception, and The Social Community, which paints a clearer image of its probabilities.

3 ‘American Hustle’ (2013)

10 Nominations

Having been caught by the FBI, con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his lover Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) should now work with FBI agent Richie DiMazzio (Bradley Cooper) in an undercover sting operation to take down New Jersey’s mayor, Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). One risk to the operation is Irving’s jealous spouse, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence). Contemplating David O. Russell‘s earlier Oscars success with Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter, American Hustle all however assuredly gave the impression to be one other resounding victory for the filmmaker.

As one of many movies that obtained probably the most nominations that 12 months (American Hustle tied with Gravity), this O. Russell flick was anticipated to clinch not less than one award. Sadly, American Hustle severely underperformed and have become the third movie to lose all 10 classes. This 12 months, nonetheless, was significantly aggressive for the Oscars race provided that its contenders have been movies like 12 Years a Slave and Dallas Consumers Membership, attaining a destiny equally shared with The Wolf of Wall Road.

2 ‘The Irishman’ (2019)

10 Nominations

Thought of to be a swan tune for Scorsese’s legacy and filmography of gangster movies as an entire, The Irishman tells the story of struggle veteran Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) and his involvement with mobsters. After forming a friendship with head honcho Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci), he’s tasked with going to Chicago in an effort to assist Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), the highly effective union chief who has connections to organized crime. The trio would discover themselves working and related for almost twenty years earlier than the playing cards slowly start to fold in upon themselves.

The Irishman is one other premiere instance of an important movie that was merely going through an excessive amount of excellent competitors throughout your entire board, leading to it not taking dwelling a single award regardless of being tied for second most nominations. The huge competitors of the 12 months got here from movies like Parasite, As soon as Upon a Time in Hollywood, and 1917, alongside quite a few different movies that made up some of the stacked years in Academy Awards historical past.

1 ‘The Colour Purple’ (1985)

11 Nominations

Celie (Desreta Jackson as a toddler and Whoopie Goldberg as an grownup), a younger Black lady from the early twentieth century, spends years struggling in abusive households on account of her father and her husband. This tragic but epic story follows Celie’s life throughout 40 years as she grapples together with her id. The Colour Purple was simply some of the necessary movies of its period, as a landmark and career-defining movie for almost all of individuals concerned with the venture.

Regardless of its big box-office success and excessive essential reward, The Colour Purple didn’t win a single one among its whopping 11 nominations. Because of this, it tied with 1977’s The Turning Level to grow to be the movie with probably the most nominations in Oscar historical past with none wins. Fortunately for Goldberg, her expertise was lastly rewarded 5 years later in Ghost as she gained an Academy Award for Finest Supporting Actress. Nonetheless, the movie sarcastically has a second probability at life with the 2023 remake’s singular nomination for Finest Supporting Actress on the upcoming Academy Awards.

Watch on Max

NEXT: Each Film That Obtained 5 Performing Nominations on the Oscars