The History of the Academy Awards: Best Art Direction (revised for 2010)

Oscar and Nighthawk approved for Best Art Direction: the ice palace in Dr. Zhivago (1965)

Art Direction is one of the original technical categories, although for the first twenty years it was called Best Interior Decoration. Of course, Art Direction has always been important to films – especially given how many early films were period pieces. And over the course of the last eighty years, the Oscar for Art Direction has been awarded to some of the most important images on film: Miss Havisham’s mansion, Norma Desmond’s aging house, the ice palace, the Washington Post newsrooms and Gotham City’s towers.

Only twice in its history have the Art Direction nominees been completely void of Best Picture nominees: 1945 and 2006. It’s interesting to note that the 5 films with the most nominations without a Best Picture nomination (They Shoot Horses Don’t They, The Poseidon Adventure, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Dreamgirls and The Dark Knight) all were nominated for Art Direction (and lost).  I also feel I should mention The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari here, as it pre-dates the Oscars and had some of the most brilliant Art Direction of all-time, with brilliant sets and angles that confounded the senses.

It used to be quite common for films to get an Art Direction nomination and nothing else, but that has been less common since they did away with the separation of Color and Black-and-White in 1967. Since then, it is just as likely that a nominee get 2 nominations (for Art Direction and Costume Design), than to just get Art Direction. Also of note — Batman (the 1989 Burton film) is the only film since 1945 to win Art Direction without getting any other nominations. Art Direction also seems to be the tipping point for getting more than 10 nominations. Of the 46 films to get 11 or more nominations, all but 3 (Mrs. Miniver, From Here to Eternity, Julia) received a nomination for Art Direction, yet 9 films have gotten 10 nominations without Art Direction.

By a long way, the king of Art Direction is Cedric Gibbons.  With his 38 nominations (4th most behind Walt Disney, John Williams and Alfred Newman), and 11 Oscars (2nd most behind Walt Disney) he is far and away the most successful art director in film history.  He had a stretch of 11 straight years with a nomination (1936-46) and then another string of 8 straight years (1949-56).  Art Direction is the category most dominated by the Studio Era, partially because of the no limit on nominations in the early 40’s, partially because of the split Black and White and Color categories and partially because they were afforded a steady stream of films to work on.  Of the top 20 art directors (in terms of Oscar points), none of them were nominated after 1974.  You have to go all the way down to Stuart Craig, tied for 23rd place to find a modern art director on the list.

Top Art Directors:

1. Cedric Gibbons  –  1000 points  (38 noms, 11 Oscars) – those official numbers for the noms don’t include his win in 1930
2. Edwin B. Willis  –  800 points  (32 noms, 8 Oscars)
3. Lyle Wheeler  –  680 points  (29 noms, 5 Oscars)
4. Sam Comer  –  600 points  (26 noms, 4 Oscars)

Grades: Winners: A- / Nominees: A- / Seen: 86.72% 95.98% (Unfortunately, between The Dove, The Bridge of San Louis Rey and Transatlantic this category has the most Oscar winners I haven’t seen)

(remember – blue won Best Picture, red was nominated for Best Picture and purple received no other nominations)

Honor Roll: Pride and Prejudice (1940) / Batman / Romeo + Juliet / Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Shame Roll: Son of Monte Cristo / Blood on the Sun / Heaven’s Gate

Best Interior Decoration

1927-28 AA: The Dove / The Tempest (two winners) / Seventh Heaven / Sunrise

me: Metropolis / The Man Who Laughs / The Tempest / Tartuffe / The Crowd

note:  There are two films that win the Oscar because William Cameron Menzies was awarded his Oscar for his work on both films.

1928-29 AA: The Bridge of San Luis Rey / The Patriot / Dynamite / Hollywood Revue / The Iron Mask / Street Angel / The Awakening

me: Fall of the House of Usher / Napoleon / October / Nosferatu / The Iron Mask

note:  According to the Academy, there were no actual nominees in this year.  It also does not include the nomination for Hollywood Revue that is included in Inside Oscar.  If it were an actual nominee, it would add another nomination (and another 20 points) to Cedric Gibbons.

1929-30 AA: King of Jazz / The Love Parade / Bulldog Drummond / Sally / The Vagabond King

me: The Great Gabbo / Arsenal / Disraeli / All Quiet on the Western Front

1930-31 AA: Cimarron / Just Imagine / Morocco / Svengali / Whoopee

me: Dracula / The Three Penny Opera / Dracula (spanish version) / City Lights / The Front Page

note:  A ridiculous slate of nominees, especially when you see what they could have nominated.  It’s been 80 years and people still love the Art Direction in Dracula.

1931-32 AA: Transatlantic / Arrowsmith / A Nous La Liberte

me: Frankenstein / A Nous La Liberte / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde / Vampyr / Scarface

1932-33 AA: Cavalcade / A Farewell to Arms / When Ladies Meet

me: M / Berkeley Square / The Story of Temple Drake / The Private Life of Henry VIII / The Invisible Man / Little Women / Blood of a Poet

1934 AA: The Merry Widow / The Gay Divorcee / Affairs of Cellini

me: The Scarlet Empress / The Barretts of Wimpole Street / Madame Bovary / The Thin Man / Cleopatra

1935 AA: The Dark Angel / Lives of a Bengal Lancer / Top Hat

me: Bride of Frankenstein / Les Miserables / A Midsummer Night’s Dream / Anna Karenina / David Copperfield

note:  Top Hat came in 2nd and Lives came in 3rd.  Personally, I can’t understand how that slate of films even got nominated.

1936 AA: Dodsworth / The Great Ziegfeld / Anthony Adverse / Romeo and Juliet / Lloyds of London / The Magnificent Brute / Winterset

me: Modern Times / The Great Ziegfeld / A Tale of Two Cities / My Man Godfrey / Romeo and Juliet

note:  Jack Otterson begins his string of 7 straight years with a nomination, all of which he loses with The Magnificent Brute.

1937 AA: Lost Horizon / The Life of Emile Zola / Dead End / Conquest / A Damsel in Distress / Every Day’s a Holiday / Manhattan Merry Go-Round / The Prisoner of Zenda / Souls at Sea / Vogues of 1938 / Wee Willie Winkie / You’re a Sweetheart

me: Lost Horizon / A Star is Born / Camille / La Marseillaise / The Awful Truth

1938 AA: The Adventures of Robin Hood / Alexander’s Ragtime Band / The Adventures of Tom Sawyer / Algiers / Carefree / Goldwyn Follies / Holiday / If I Were King / Mad About Music / Marie Antoinette / Merrily We Live

me: The Adventures of Robin Hood / Marie Antoinette / You Can’t Take It With You / Pygmalion / The Great Waltz

1939 AA: Gone with the Wind / Love Affair / Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / Stagecoach / The Wizard of Oz / Wuthering Heights / Beau Geste / Captain Fury / First Love / Man of Conquest / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / The Rains Came

me: The Wizard of Oz / Gone with the Wind / Wuthering Heights / The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex / Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Best Interior Decoration (Black-and-White) / Best Interior Decoration (Color)

1940 AA (B&W): Pride and Prejudice / Rebecca / Foreign Correspondant / Our Town / Arise, My Love / Arizona / The Boys from Syracuse / Dark Command / Lillian Russell / My Favorite Wife / My Son, My Son / Sea Hawk / The Westerner

1940 AA (C): The Thief of Bagdad / Bitter Sweet / Down Argentine Way / North West Mounted Police

me: Rebecca / The Thief of Bagdad / The Philadelphia Story / The Great Dictator / Sea Hawk

1941 AA (B&W): How Green Was My Valley / Citizen Kane / Hold Back the Dawn / The Little Foxes / Sergeant York / Flame of New Orleans / Ladies in Retirement / Son of Monte Cristo / Sundown / That Hamilton Woman / When Ladies Meet

1941 AA (C): Blossoms in the Dust / Blood and Sand / Louisiana Purchase

me: Citizen Kane / That Hamilton Woman / Here Comes Mr. Jordan / The Little Foxes / The Maltese Falcon

1942 AA (B&W): This Above All / The Magnificent Ambersons / The Pride of the Yankees / Random Harvest / The Talk of the Town / George Washington Slept Here / The Shanghai Gesture / Silver Queen / The Spoliers / Take a Letter, Darling

1942 AA (C): My Gal Sal / Arabian Nights / Captain of the Clouds / Jungle Book / Reap the Wild Wind

me: Yankee Doodle Dandy / The Magnificent Ambersons / Arabian Nights / Kings Row / To Be or Not to Be

1943 AA (B&W): The Song of Bernadette / Madame Curie / Five Graves to Cairo / Flight for Freedom / Mission to Moscow / The North Star

1943 AA (C): The Phantom of the Opera / For Whom the Bell Tolls / The Gang’s All Here / This is the Army / Thousands Cheer

me: Casablanca / The Phantom of the Opera / Heaven Can Wait / Shadow of a Doubt / The Crimes of Dr. Mabuse

1944 AA (B&W): Gaslight / Laura / Since You Went Away / Address Unknown / The Adventures of Mark Twain / Casanova Brown / No Time for Love / Step Lively

1944 AA (C): Wilson / The Climax / Cover Girl / The Desert Song / Kismet / Lady in the Dark / The Princess and the Pirate

me: Gaslight / Arsenic and Old Lace / Kismet / Meet Me in St. Louis / Double Indemnity / Wilson

1945 AA (B&W): Blood on the Son / Experiment Perilous / The Keys of the Kingdom / Love Letter / The Picture of Dorian Gray

1945 AA (C): Frenchman’s Creek / Leave Her to Heaven / National Velvet / San Antonio / A Thousand and One Nights

me: The Lost Weekend / The Picture of Dorian Gray / The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp / Spellbound / Frenchman’s Creek

1946 AA (B&W): Anna and the King of Siam / The Razor’s Edge / Kitty

1946 AA (C): The Yearling / Henry V / Caesar and Cleopatra

me: Children of Paradise / Henry V / Brief Encounter / It’s a Wonderful Life / The Big Sleep

note:  The drop in the number of nominees doesn’t hurt the top people in the category.  All of the top 7 (Gibbons, Willis, Wheeler, Comer, Hans Dreier, Thomas Little, Richard Day) receive nominations.  It is the only time all 7 are nominated in the same year, though in 4 of the previous 5 years, 6 of the top 7 received nominations.

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Black-and-White) / Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Color)

1947 AA (B&W): Great Expectations / The Foxes of Harrow

1947 AA (C): Black Narcissus / Life with Father

me: La Belle et la Bette / Great Expectations / Ivan the Terrible Part I / Brighton Rock / This Happy Breed / Black Narcissus

note:  For the first time since 1930, neither Cedric Gibbons nor Richard Day are nominated.

1948 AA (B&W): Hamlet / Johnny Belinda

1948 AA (C): The Red Shoes / Joan of Arc

me: Hamlet / The Red Shoes / The Eagle Has Two Heads / Fanny / Joan of Arc / The Emperor Waltz

note:  The blip in the Studio Era.  The only year until 1971 that no one in the top 20 receives a nomination.

1949 AA (B&W): The Heiress / Come to the Stable / Madame Bovary

1949 AA (C): Little Women / Adventures of Don Juan / Saraband

me: The Heiress / Adventures of Don Juan / Inspector General / A Letter to Three Wives / Under Capricorn

1950 AA (B&W): Sunset Boulevard / All About Eve / The Red Danube

1950 AA (C): Samson and Delilah / Annie Get Your Gun / Destination Moon

me: Sunset Boulevard / The Third Man / All About Eve / Night and the City / Kind Hearts and Coronets

1951 AA (B&W): A Streetcar Named Desire / Fourteen Hours / House on Telegraph Hill / La Ronde / Too Young to Kiss

1951 AA (C): An American in Paris / Quo Vadis / David and Bathsheba / On the Riviera / Tales of Hoffmann

me: Oliver Twist / A Streetcar Named Desire / An American in Paris / La Ronde / Death of a Salesman

note:  The year of frustration.  Lyle Wheeler and Thomas Little earn 4 Oscar nominations each and neither wins an Oscar.

1952 AA (B&W): The Bad and the Beautiful / Carrie / My Cousin Rachel / Rashomon / Viva Zapata!

1952 AA (C): Moulin Rouge / The Quiet Man / Hans Christian Anderson / The Merry Widow / The Snows of Kilimanjaro

me: Singin in the Rain / Rashomon / Moulin Rouge / Miss Julie / A Christmas Carol

note:  Lyle Wheeler continues with 3 more nominations and still fails to win.

1953 AA (B&W): Julius Caesar / Roman Holiday / The President’s Lady / Martin Luther / Titanic

1953 AA (C): The Robe / Knights of the Round Table / Lili / The Story of Three Loves / Young Bess

me: 5000 Fingers of Dr. T / Roman Holiday / The Band Wagon / From Here to Eternity / Julius Caesar / Pickup on South Street

note:  Lyle Wheeler finally breaks through, winning the Oscar for The Robe.  From 1951 to 1953 he earns 10 Oscar nominations.

1954 AA (B&W): On the Waterfront / The Country Girl / Executive Suite / Le Plaisir / Sabrina

1954 AA (C): 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea / Brigadoon / Desiree / Red Garters / A Star is Born

Deserving of its Oscar: the magnificent sets and art direction in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

me: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea / Gate of Hell / On the Waterfront / Sabrina / A Star is Born

1955 AA (B&W): The Rose Tattoo / Marty / The Blackboard Jungle / I’ll Cry Tomorrow / The Man with the Golden Arm

1955 AA (C): Picnic / Love is a Many-Splendored Thing / Daddy Long Legs / Guys and Dolls / To Catch a Thief

me: To Catch a Thief / Night of the Hunter / Samurai I / East of Eden / The Man with the Golden Arm

1956 AA (B&W): Somebody Up There Likes Me / The Seven Samurai / The Proud and the Profane / The Solid Gold Cadillac / Teenage Rebel

1956 AA (C): The King and I / Around the World in 80 Days / Giant / Lust for Life / The 10 Commandments

me: The Seven Samurai / Richard III / Around the World in 80 Days / War and Peace / Lust for Life

Best Art Direction – Set Decoration

1957 AA: Sayonara / Funny Face / Les Girls / Pal Joey / Raintree Country

me: Smiles of a Summer Night / Bridge on the River Kwai / Nights of Cabiria / Les Girls / Raintree Country

1958 AA: Gigi / Auntie Mame / Bell, Book and Candle / A Certain Smile / Vertigo

me: The Seventh Seal / Cat on a Hot Tin Roof / Gigi / Mon Oncle / Touch of Evil

Best Art Direction – Set Decoration (Black-and-White) / Best Art Direction – Set Decoration (Color)

1959 AA (B&W): The Diary of Anne Frank / Career / The Last Angry Man / Some Like It Hot / Suddenly, Last Summer

1959 AA (C): Ben-Hur / The Big Fisherman / Journey to the Center of the Earth / North by Northwest / Pillow Talk

me: Some Like it Hot / Wild Strawberries / Ben-Hur / The Diary of Anne Frank / Drunken Angel

1960 AA (B&W): The Apartment / Sons and Lovers / The Facts of Life / Psycho / Visit to a Small Planet

1960 AA (C): Spartacus / Cimarron / It Started in Naples / Pepe / Sunrise at Campobello

me: Spartacus / Ikiru / The Cranes are Flying / Elmer Gantry / Lola Montes

1961 AA (B&W): The Hustler / Judgment at Nuremberg / The Absent-Minded Professor / The Children’s Hour / La Dolce Vita

1961 AA (C): West Side Story / Breakfast at Tiffany’s / El Cid / Flower Drum Song / Summer and Smoke

me: Throne of Blood / La Dolce Vita / Breakfast at Tiffany’s / West Side Story / The Hustler

1962 AA (B&W): To Kill a Mockingbird / The Longest Day / Days of Wine and Roses / Period of Adjustment / The Pigeon That Took Rome

1962 AA (C): Lawrence of Arabia / The Music Man / Mutiny on the Bounty / That Touch of Mink / The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm

me: Lawrence of Arabia / The Music Man / Lolita / To Kill a Mockingbird / Last Year at Marienbad

1963 AA (B&W): America America / 8 1/2 / Hud / Love with the Proper Stranger / Twilight of Honor

1963 AA (C): Cleopatra / Tom Jones / How the West Was Won / The Cardinal / Come Blow Your Horn

me: Tom Jones / The Leopard / 8 1/2 / High and Low / Cleopatra

note:  Among the 10 films, there are a total of 40 nominees, including 13 first-time nominees.  The Oscar for Cleopatra is awarded to 10 different people.

1964 AA (B&W): Zorba the Greek / The Americanization of Emily / Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte / The Night of the Iguana / Seven Days in May

1964 AA (C): My Fair Lady / Becket / Mary Poppins / The Unsinkable Molly Brown / What a Way to Go

me: Mary Poppins / My Fair Lady / Dr. Strangelove / Harakiri / What a Way to Go

1965 AA (B&W): Ship of Fools / King Rat / A Patch of Blue / The Slender Thread / The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

1965 AA (C): Doctor Zhivago / The Sound of Music / The Agony and the Ecstasy / The Greatest Story Ever Told / Inside Daisy Clover

me: Doctor Zhivago / The Pawnbroker / The Sound of Music / Red Desert / The Agony and the Ecstasy

1966 AA (B&W): Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? / The Fortune Cookie / The Gospel According to St. Matthew / Is Paris Burning? / Mister Buddwing

1966 AA (C): Fantastic Voyage / The Sand Pebbles / Gambit / Juliet of the Spirits / The Oscar

me: A Man for all Seasons / Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? / A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum / You’re a Big Boy Now / The Wrong Box

Best Art Direction – Set Decoration

1967 AA: Camelot / Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner / Doctor Dolittle / The Taming of the Shrew / Thoroughly Modern Millie

me: Bonnie and Clyde / The Graduate / The Exterminating Angel / Doctor Dolittle / Thoroughly Modern Millie

1968 AA: Oliver! / The Shoes of the Fisherman / Star! / 2001: A Space Odyssey / War and Peace

me: 2001: A Space Odyssey / The Lion in Winter / Belle de Jour / The Producers / Oliver!

1969 AA: Hello, Dolly! / Anne of the Thousand Days / Gaily, Gaily / Sweet Charity / They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?

me: Oh! What a Lovely War / The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie / Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid / Midnight Cowboy / Anne of the Thousand Days

1970 AA: Patton / Airport / The Molly MaGuires / Scrooge / Tora! Tora! Tora!

me: Women in Love / The Music Lovers / The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes / The Twelve Chairs / The Molly MaGuires

1971 AA: Nicholas and Alexandra / Fiddler on the Roof / The Andromeda Strain / Bedknobs and Broomsticks / Mary, Queen of Scots

me: A Clockwork Orange / Garden of the Finzi-Continis / McCabe and Mrs. Miller / The Go-Between / The Last Picture Show

1972 AA: Cabaret / Lady Sings the Blues / The Poseidon Adventure / Travels with My Aunt / Young Winston

me: The Godfather / Cabaret / Sleuth / The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie / Young Winston

1973 AA: The Sting / The Exorcist / Brother Sun, Sister Moon / Tom Sawyer / The Way We Were

me: Cries and Whispers / The Sting / Playtime / The Way We Were / Last Tango in Paris

1974 AA: The Godfather Part II / Chinatown / The Towering Inferno / Earthquake / The Island at the Top of the World

me: Chinatown / The Godfather Part II / Young Frankenstein / Murder on the Orient Express / The Great Gatsby

1975 AA: Barry Lyndon / The Hindenburg / The Man Who Would Be King / Shampoo / The Sunshine Boys

Even those who aren't fans of Barry Lyndon can't deny it deserved the Oscar for Best Art Direction in 1975.

me: Barry Lyndon / The Man Who Would Be King / Shampoo / Amarcord / The Sunshine Boys

1976 AA: All the President’s Men / The Incredible Sarah / The Last Tycoon / Logan’s Run / The Shootist

me: All the President’s Men / Solyaris / Network / The Seven Per-cent Solution / Bugsy Malone

1977 AA: Star Wars / The Turning Point / Airport ’77 / Close Encounters of the Third Kind / The Spy Who Loved Me

me: Star Wars / Eraserhead / Julia / Saturday Night Fever / Annie Hall

1978 AA: Heaven Can Wait / The Brink’s Job / California Suite / Interiors / The Wiz

me: Pretty Baby / Interiors / The Chess Players / Heaven Can Wait / The Wiz

1979 AA: All That Jazz / Apocalypse Now / Alien / The China Syndrome / Star Trek – The Motion Picture

me: Alien / All That Jazz / Being There / Picnic at Hanging Rock / La Cage Aux Folles

1980 AA: Tess / Coal Miner’s Daughter / The Elephant Man / The Empire Strikes Back / Kagemusha

me: Kagemusha / The Elephant Man / The Shining / The Empire Strikes Back / Tess

1981 AA: Raiders of the Lost Ark / Reds / The French Lieutenant’s Woman / Heaven’s Gate / Ragtime

me: Raiders of the Lost Ark / Ragtime / Reds / The French Lieutenant’s Woman / Excalibur

1982 AA: Gandhi / Annie / Blade Runner / La Traviata / Victor/Victoria

me: Blade Runner / Victor/Victoria / Sophie’s Choice / Gandhi / Mephisto

1983 AA: Fanny & Alexander / Terms of Endearment / The Right Stuff / Return of the Jedi / Yentl

me: Fanny & Alexander / Zelig / Return of the Jedi / The Dresser / Yentl

1984 AA: Amadeus / A Passage to India / The Cotton Club / The Natural / 2010

me: Amadeus / A Passage to India / The Cotton Club / Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom / And the Ship Sails On

1985 AA: Out of Africa / The Color Purple / Witness / Brazil / Ran

me: Ran / Brazil / The Purple Rose of Cairo / Kiss of the Spider Woman / The Color Purple

1986 AA: A Room with a View / Hannah and Her Sisters / The Mission / Aliens / The Color of Money

me: A Room with a View / Blue Velvet / Aliens / Hannah and Her Sisters / The Color of Money

1987 AA: The Last Emperor / Hope and Glory / Empire of the Sun / Radio Days / The Untouchables

me: The Last Emperor / The Princess Bride / The Untouchables / The Dead / Broadcast News

1988 AA: Dangerous Liaisons / Rain Man / Beaches / Tucker: The Man and His Dream / Who Framed Roger Rabbit

me: Dangerous Liaisons / Beetlejuice / Who Framed Roger Rabbit / Married to the Mob / Red Sorghum

1989 AA: Batman / Driving Miss Daisy / The Abyss / The Adventures of Baron Munchausen / Glory

me: Glory / The Adventures of Baron Munchausen / Batman / Valmont / Henry V

1990 AA: Dick Tracy / Dances with Wolves / The Godfather Part III / Cyrano de Bergerac / Hamlet

me: Dick Tracy / GoodFellas / Miller’s Crossing / Edward Scissorhands / Dances with Wolves

1991 AA: Bugsy / The Prince of Tides / Barton Fink / The Fisher King / Hook

me: The Fisher King / Bugsy / Barton Fink / Dead Again / Hook

1992 AA: Howards End / Unforgiven / Bram Stoker’s Dracula / Chaplin / Toys

me: Bram Stoker’s Dracula / Howards End / Raise the Red Lantern / Toys / Batman Returns

1993 AA: Schindler’s List / The Remains of the Day / Addams Family Values / The Age of Innocence / Orlando

me: The Age of Innocence / Schindler’s List / The Remains of the Day / Much Ado About Nothing / Farewell, My Concubine

note:  In my opinion, the single best year for Art Direction, followed closely by 1996 and 2002.

1994 AA: The Madness of King George / Forrest Gump / Bullets over Broadway / Interview with the Vampire / Legends of the Fall

me: Interview with the Vampire / Ed Wood / Hudsucker Proxy / Bullets over Broadway / The Madness of King George

1995 AA: Restoration / Apollo 13 / Babe / A Little Princess / Richard III

me: Sense and Sensibility / Richard III / Shanghai Triad / City of Lost Children / An Awfully Big Adventure

note:  For the first time since 1928, all of the nominees are first-time nominees.

1996 AA: The English Patient / Hamlet / Evita / The Birdcage / Romeo + Juliet

me: Hamlet / The English Patient / Evita / The Birdcage / Romeo + Juliet

1997 AA: Titanic / L.A. Confidential / Kundun / Men in Black / Gattaca

me: Titanic / Boogie Nights / Amistad / Kundun / The Fifth Element

1998 AA: Shakespeare in Love / Elizabeth / Saving Private Ryan / Pleasantville / What Dreams May Come

me: Shakespeare in Love / Elizabeth / Velvet Goldmine / The Big Lebowski / Dark City

1999 AA: Sleepy Hollow / The Cider House Rules / The Talented Mr. Ripley / Topsy-Turvy / Anna and the King

me: Topsy-Turvy / Eyes Wide Shut / Sleepy Hollow / American Beauty / Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace

2000 AA: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon / Gladiator / Quills / How the Grinch Stole Christmas / Vatel

me: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon / Oh Brother Where Art Thou / How The Grinch Stole Christmas / The Cell / High Fidelity

2001 AA: Moulin Rouge! / The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring / Gosford Park / Amelie / Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone

me: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring / Moulin Rouge! / The Royal Tenenbaums / Gosford Park / Amelie

2002 AA: Chicago / Gangs of New York / The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers / Frida / Road to Perdition

me: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers / Gangs of New York / The Hours / Chicago / The Pianist

2003 AA: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King / Master and Commander: Far Side of the World / Seabiscuit / The Last Samurai / Girl with a Pearl Earring

me: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King / Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl / Down with Love / Master and Commander: Far Side of the World / The Last Samurai

2004 AA: The Aviator / Finding Neverland / Phantom of the Opera / A Very Long Engagement / Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events

me: The Aviator / House of Flying Daggers / Hero / A Very Long Engagement / Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events

2005 AA: Memoirs of a Geisha / Good Night and Good Luck / Pride and Prejudice / King Kong / Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

me: King Kong / Memoirs of a Geisha / Pride and Prejudice / Good Night and Good Luck / Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

2006 AA: Pan’s Labyrinth / Dreamgirls / The Prestige / Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest / The Good Shepherd

me: The Prestige / Marie Antoinette / Pan’s Labyrinth / The Fountain / The Queen

2007 AA: Sweeney Todd / There Will Be Blood / Atonement / American Gangster / The Golden Compass

me: Atonement / Sweeney Todd / There Will Be Blood / Across the Universe / The Golden Compass

2008 AA: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / The Dark Knight / The Duchess / Revolutionary Road / Changeling

me: Revolutionary Road / The Duchess / The Dark Knight / The Curious Case of Benjamin Button / Milk

2009 AA: The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus / Nine / Avatar / Sherlock Holmes / The Young Victoria

me:  The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus / Inglourious Basterds / Nine / Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince / Public Enemies

Honorary Mentions: The King and I (1956) / The Trial (1963) / Empire of the Sun (1987) / Emma (1996) / Oscar and Lucinda (1997) / Pleasantville (1998) / Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone (2001) / Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) / Perfume (2006)

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