Oscars Playback: Revisiting the 1994 ceremony when ‘Schindler’s List’ swept and Tom Hanks’ speech spawned a movie [WATCH]
Welcome back to Oscars Playback, in which Gold Derby editors and Experts Christopher Rosen and Joyce Eng revisit Oscar ceremonies and winners of yesteryear. This week, we break down the 66th Academy Awards in 1994, honoring the films of 1993.
This was one of the most predictable years in Oscar history, but it’s hard to find, by even some nominees’ own accounts, many people who take issue with most of the winners. “Schindler’s List” won seven awards from 12 nominations, including Best Picture and a long-awaited Best Director trophy for Steven Spielberg. 1993 was just Spielberg’s year in general as his other massive hit, “Jurassic Park,” nabbed three Oscars, giving his films 10 statuettes overall.
The lead acting categories were also locked for Tom Hanks (“Philadelphia”) and Holly Hunter (“The Piano”); the former, after headlining numerous comedies, turned in a dramatic performance as AIDS-stricken gay lawyer Andy Beckett in the first mainstream studio film tackling the crisis, while the latter completely swept for her turn as the mute Ada McGrath. They beat several people who likely would’ve won in any other year, including Liam Neeson in “Schindler’s List” and Angela Bassett in “What’s Love Got to Do with It.” Hanks’ co-star Denzel Washington ran lead and was not nominated, but should he have gone supporting instead?
Elsewhere, we get a kick out of Hunter comparing the Best Supporting Actress category to Hamburger Helper and praise Elijah Wood‘s precocious performance as a presenter.
Timestamps:
Intro and our favorite 1993 films (0:00)
Whoopi Goldberg’s hosting debut (27:20)
Best Picture (40:51)
Best Director (45:35)
Best Actor (57:52)
Best Actress (1:11:45)
Best Supporting Actor (1:16:47)
Best Supporting Actress (1:23:45)
Screenplay awards (1:31:49)
Music awards (1:33:20)
Other awards (1:36:52)
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