10 times the Baftas did it better than the Oscars
While the Oscars is often considered the greatest and most significant awards ceremony in the film industry calendar, in the United Kingdom, the Baftas is the cream of the crop, and actors, directors and producers have never turned their noses up at plaudits coming from the home of so many British cinema greats.
After all, it’s quite often that UK and US cinematic works share a spoken form of communication and the kind of language that forms the medium of film itself. In that light, the Oscars and the Baftas share a special relationship and sometimes reflect one another’s choices.
However, it’s also worth pointing out that the Bafta and Oscar winners often vary. Seeing as the Baftas is the first of the two ceremonies that occur, some believe that it serves as a prediction of what will happen in Los Angeles just a few weeks later, but this has often proved to be incorrect.
As such, there have been many occasions on which the Baftas have rightfully given out a prize, only for the Oscars to seemingly get it all wrong with their consideration. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of ten times the Baftas outdid the Oscars and gave out the better-chosen awards.
10 brilliant Baftas moments:
Mickey Rourke (‘Best Actor’ – 2009 Baftas)
Mickey Rourke made one hell of a comeback with Darren Aronofsky’s sports drama The Wrestler, which might just serve as the greatest return to form of all time. The Baftas duly awarded Rourke the ‘Best Actor’ prize, which he was more than deserving of having given such a remarkable portrayal of a struggling, ageing wrestler.
However, the Oscars seemed to get it all wrong. Sean Penn ended up getting the ‘Best Actor’ for his effort in Milk, which was admittedly commendable. Penn already had an Oscar for Mystic River and Rourke not only gave a brilliant performance, but an important one on a personal level, too.
Emmanuelle Riva (‘Best Actress’ – 2013 Baftas)
While we’re not doubting Jennifer Lawrence’s performance in Silver Linings Playbook, which made her one of the youngest ever ‘Best Actress’ winners at the Oscars, we’re glad Emmanuelle Riva was recognised for her incredible turn in Amour by the Baftas.
Directed by Austrian master Michael Haneke, Riva, who starred in Alain Resnais’ 1959 French New Wave classic Hiroshima mon amour, gave a moving performance as a woman coming to the end of her life. She made history as the oldest Bafta winner, beating competition such as Judi Dench, Amy Adams and Sandra Bullock. While Riva was nominated for ‘Best Actress’ at the Academy Awards, the Oscars crowned Lawrence the champion of the category.
Goodfellas (‘Best Film’ – 1991 Baftas)
Many consider Martin Scorsese’s 1990 biographical crime film GoodFellas, telling of the life and criminal enterprise of Henry Hill, to be amongst his best-ever works. The Baftas ended up adorning the classic movie with several awards, including ‘Best Film’, Scorsese ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’.
However, the Academy’s American cousins went with Kevin Costner’s Dances With Wolves for the ‘Best Film’ award, leaving Scorsese to concede the prestigious prize. Interestingly, GoodFellas didn’t have to contend with Costner’s film due to strange UK release dates, easily beating Driving Miss Daisy instead. Thankfully, Scorsese got the credit he deserved that year.
Al Pacino (‘Best Actor’ – 1976 Baftas)
During the mid-1970s, Al Pacino’s star power was rising fast thanks to roles in movies such as The Godfather and Serpico. After starring in The Godfather Part II and Dog Day Afternoon, the Baftas awarded Pacino with ‘Best Actor in a Leading Role’ for both movies.
However, the Oscars instead awarded Jack Nicholson for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, with Pacino receiving a nomination for Dog Day Afternoon. While Nicholson was a worthy winner, we’re just shocked it took the Oscars until 1993 to award Pacino with a gold statuette for Scent of a Woman. Clearly, the Baftas were ahead of the curve.
Brokeback Mountain (‘Best Film’ – 2006 Baftas)
Brokeback Mountain, directed by Ang Lee and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger as two cowboys in a complex romantic and sexual relationship, was good money at the Baftas in 2006, scooping not only the ‘Best Film’ and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’ award, but the ‘Best Director’ gong for Lee and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ for Gyllenhaal.
The Academy, though, made quite a strange choice in giving Paul Haggis’ Crash, starring Sandra Bullock, Don Cheadle and Matt Dillon, the most coveted prize of all. This was a real controversy, with many believing Lee’s film deserved the highest credit. Thankfully, the Baftas went with its gut and got the decision so right.
David Fincher (‘Best Director’ – 2011 Baftas)
David Fincher’s The Social Network, the tale of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook, was released to high acclaim and is still considered one of the filmmaker’s finest works. Subsequently, the Baftas recognised his talents and awarded him the ‘Best Direction’ award, beating competition such as Darren Aronofsky with Black Swan, Christopher Nolan with Inception and Tom Hooper with The King’s Speech.
However, at the Oscars, Fincher lost out to Hooper, who took home ‘Best Director’ for his historical biopic starring Colin Firth. The Social Network has proved to be much more enduring than Hooper’s film.
Peter Weir (‘Best Director’ – 1999 Baftas)
Getting his start in the ‘70s with movies such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, making him a significant name in the Australian New Wave, Peter Weir rose to further prominence with mainstream movies like Dead Poet’s Society and The Truman Show. For the latter, starring Jim Carrey, Weir won ‘Best Direction’ at the 52nd Baftas.
Meanwhile, the Oscars awarded Steven Spielberg for his war epic/American propaganda, Saving Private Ryan, starring Tom Hanks. While Spielberg’s film was widely praised, we can’t help but feel like the Baftas had the better idea of heralding Weir for his unique movie.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (‘Best Film’ – 2002 Baftas)
In terms of fantasy movies, they just don’t get any bigger nor better than The Lord of the Rings, and in 2002, the Baftas credited the first film in Peter Jackson’s mesmerising trilogy as that year’s ‘Best Film’. There was some serious competition in the category, but the legendary Tolkien adaption came out swinging to a big win.
One might have thought that the Oscars would follow suit and give The Lord of the Rings the ‘Best Film’ prize too, but the American Academy ended up gifting the award to Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind, starring Russell Crowe as mathematician John Nash. The Lord of the Rings’ impact and legacy says all you need to know about the Oscars getting it all wrong that year.
Cate Blanchett (‘Best Actress’ – 1999 Baftas)
In 1999, Shakespeare in Love ended up dominating the Academy Awards by winning ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Original Screenplay’ and several other prizes, including ‘Best Actress’ for Gwenyth Paltrow. She portrayed Viola de Lesseps, the love interest of William Shakespeare, helping to inspire Romeo and Juliet.
Across the pond, the Baftas chose Cate Blanchett as ‘Best Actress in a Leading Role’ for her stunning performance as Queen Elizabeth I in Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth. She beat Paltrow, as well as Emily Watson and Jane Horrocks.
The Full Monty (‘Best Film’ – 1998 Baftas)
It’s only right that the British Academy of Film and Television give respect to one of their own, in the case of the 1998 awards, to Peter Cattaneo’s comedy-drama The Full Monty, which sees Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy and Steve Huison play part of a group of unemployed former Sheffield steel workers who form a male striptease act to make money for one of them to continue to see his son.
The Oscars that year just had to give the biggest prize to James Cameron’s Titanic, which went on to become one of the highest-grossing movies of all time. However, the Baftas stuck true to their British backing, rejecting the sentimentality of Cameron’s romantic drama in favour of some of the 1990s most classic comedy.
