Buttmunker

This always amazed me. Here are the nominees for Best Picture of 1932/1933 (yes, back then, they combined two years worth):

1. Cavalcade (*the winner)
2. A Farewell To ARms
3. 42nd Street
4. I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang
5. Lady For A Day
6. Little Women
7. The Private Life of Henry VIII
8. She Done Him Wrong
9. Smilin' Thru
10. State Fair

With ten films, they nominated three directors: Frank Capra (Lady for a Day), George Cukor (Little Women), and Frank Lloyd (Cavalcade *the winner)

I have nothing bad to say about any of these films, alas I have not seen a single one of them to comment.

But where is King Kong in all this?! Wasn't "King Kong" the entire idea behind a Hollywood film? Bigger than life? I mean, you can see a good drama on stage, but the special effects were years ahead of their time in "Kong," and deserved a nod, in my opinion. Movie-goers had seen nothing like it in all their lives!

Heck, in 1933, my grandmother was still washing her clothes by hand, scraping her knuckles in the process. Goes to show how long ago 1933 really was. Makes you appreciate the technology they displayed in "King Kong."

Brain Stew

King Kong was, for better or worse, a monster movie.

The academy usually only nominates dramas for the best picture.

I know that someone will argue that it has dramatic elements and that it is an allegory about being an outsider and a fish out of water, but it's a giant ape messing up New York.

audrey

I don’t know why the lack of a best picture nomination surprises you. Many great movies failed to garner a nomination for that award…Citizen Kane, Rear Window, Paths of Glory, and on and on. Some pictures require perspective to appreciate and time to develop an audience. And besides, as noted above, it’s a monster movie---how many flicks in this genre has the Academy acknowledged?

Groucho

Citizen Kane was nominated for Best Picture, and even won for Best Screenplay.

And Hitchcock was nominated for Best Director for Rear Window.

audrey

My bad about best pic; given the question though, I don't think the other nominations count.

RyoHazuki

Im a little too late but I really hope this doesnt turn into a "My Favorite Movie got Robbed at the Oscars and now I want the Academy's blood!!" thread. We have plenty of those already.

marty888

Actually, the Academy Awards have ALWAYS been an annual event, they simply redefined the "year" to a calander year, so they never combined two years' worth.

From www.oscars.org

The annual Oscar presentation has been held since 1929.