Oscars: Why doesn't sci-fi win best picture?

[Gerald]

When it comes to the Oscars, science fiction films are rarely rewarded outside the technical categories. So what chance does British director Chris Nolan's nominated film Inception have of being named best picture this year?

"Inception hasn't got a chance of winning in the same way that District 9 didn't have a chance last year," says Dave Calhoun, film editor of Time Out.

"If we had five instead of 10 best picture nominees it's unlikely that Inception would have been nominated."

The Academy increased the number of best picture nominees in 2010, which saw District 9 and James Cameron's 3D juggernaut Avatar rubbing shoulders with low-budget indie fare like the Coen brothers' A Serious Man and The Hurt Locker.

It was the latter film - Kathryn Bigelow's bomb disposal drama - that won on the day.
Technical awards

Oscars history shows that sci-fi films haven't fared well when up for best picture.

The original Star Wars (1977) may have starred a robot that looked like a golden Oscar statuette, but the top prize that year went to Woody Allen's Annie Hall.

George Lucas's space adventure was rewarded with seven other Oscars, including editing, visual effects and music.

In 1982, Steven Spielberg's blockbuster ET: The Extra-terrestrial was beaten by Gandhi.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12540392


Note: 24 February 2011 Last updated at 10:31 GMT

[Lord_magerius]

Good point. Maybe it's because sci-fi films are seen as a bit geeky and sometimes too attention grabbing to win oscars. People generally look at sci-fi for special effects, not storyline, even though the story could be brilliant it is largely overlooked when it comes to judging IMO.

[gimpy117]

inception better win. That movie amazed me me. best picture ive seen in years IMO it had it all.

[Platapus]

SciFi could win best special effects and music, but honestly, I have not seen a SciFi that I would consider "best" picture. But then best is very subjective.

Far too many times, in my opinion, SciFi is mostly special effects and with the advent of CGI, even more so.

Take a SciFi movie and take away all the special effects. If you still have a good movie, then I think it would win "best" picture. But frankly, from what I have seen in the past, many (not all) SciFi movies would fall apart without the special effects/cgi.

As for Inception? I think my record is 20 minutes before I walk out of the room. But then, realize that I am the only human on this planet that did not like the Matrix. :D

[Gerald]

inception better win. That movie amazed me me. best picture ive seen in years IMO it had it all. Inception very good, :yep:

[frau kaleun]

Sci-fi is not a genre that is taken very seriously, except by its fans. It's still considered a niche genre and I think in the minds of many is still associated with low quality pulp publishing for kids and maladjusted adults, and mid-century B-movies aimed at a lowbrow (and primarily adolescent) audience.

That this is not necessarily true is obvious to anyone paying careful and open-minded attention, but the stereotype still seems to win out a great deal of the time.

I think this holds true in literature as well as film. IMO anything labeled as "fantasy" also gets short shrift when it comes to being taken seriously in the literary world, altho it doesn't seem to hold true as much for film but you still have to go above and beyond to get recognized by the major awards. I'm not sure Return Of The King would've won had it not been the third highly regarded film in a trilogy where the level of quality and achievement overall was so amazing.

OTOH the fact that sci-fi/fantasy is so often not taken seriously means that those who create it can often explore issues which are relevant to the "real world" but still considered too controversial to be addressed in a "real world" setting.

[The Third Man]

This is just one reason SiFi doesn't win oscars.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zWNJHS9PBE

[Oberon]

Well, it was good for a while...

[Gorduz]

I actually did not like inception that, much to many logical fallacies. And on whole found it to be overrated.

That being said it's not like overrated movies haven't won oscars before..

regards

Grumpy Groduz :)

[Takeda Shingen]

Well, it was good for a while...

Indeed; the ebb and flow.


http://nomindseye.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/dame-fortunes-wheel.jpg?w=500&h=334

[Sailor Steve]

But then, realize that I am the only human on this planet that did not like the Matrix. :D
That's rather presumptuous. We are legion. :yep:

[Takeda Shingen]

That's rather presumptuous. We are legion. :yep:

Ditto. I didn't like it either.

[frau kaleun]

I luuuuuuurve The Matrix.

The first one, anyway. Visually stunning and way cool metaphysical underpinnings, which is what keeps it interesting for me personally.

[Betonov]

But then, realize that I am the only human on this planet that did not like the Matrix. :D

You're not, trust me

[Gerald]

Matrix,you need to say much more...

[Dowly]

5 Reasons The Oscars Matter Even Less Than You Thought (http://www.cracked.com/article_18460_5-reasons-oscars-matter-even-less-than-you-thought.html) | Cracked.com

6 Awards That Would Actually Make The Oscars Worth Watching (http://www.cracked.com/article_19047_6-awards-that-would-actually-make-oscars-worth-watching.html) | Cracked.com

[Tchocky]

I luuuuuuurve The Matrix.

The first one, anyway. Visually stunning and way cool metaphysical underpinnings, which is what keeps it interesting for me personally.

Mm, agreed. Thank Jebus they never made a sequel.

[Platapus]

Wow, that is encouraging that I am not the only one that did not like the Matrix. Everyone at work and all our friends simply loved the matrix and one at work insists on bringing it up in almost any conversation (which is not easy, but he does it).

Good that I am not alone. :yeah:

[STEED]

ALIEN

Apart from the great sci-fi the acting was good and the storyline was also good.

[frau kaleun]

ALIEN

Apart from the great sci-fi the acting was good and the storyline was also good.

I'll second that. I always felt like it had more of that classic horror/thriller feel, but in a sci-fi setting. The setting/tech/gadgets/effects were not the stars of the movie. Sometimes they are and that's a common failing in less-than-stellar sci-fi entertainment.

[NeonSamurai]

But then, realize that I am the only human on this planet that did not like the Matrix. :D

I absolutely hate the matrix series. 2 reasons, 1: Keanu Reeves, 2: Humans as battery cells (one of the most retarded ideas I've ever seen in a film).

[The Third Man]

Perhaps the Alisa Zinov'yevna Rosenbaum movie Atlas Shrugged will cross over and win an oscar. It is a work of [sci]fiction with a dark side.

Look for it in theaters soon, April.