22 Oscar-Worthy Movies That Never Won: The Academy’s Biggest Snubs

1. Don’t Look Now 1973，IMDB Rating: 7.1, IMDB Votes: 63706, ID: 0069995
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Nicolas Roeg’s ‘Don’t Look Now’ is a psychological horror film about a pair of parents who travel to Venice to heal after the loss of their daughter. As John and Laura stay in the mysterious and brooding city of Venice, John continues to witness a mysterious red-clad figure that resembles their daughter, intensifying their grief and fear. The film deftly weaves suspense and supernatural elements through its non-linear narrative structure and constantly interlocking images.
2. Rebel Without a Cause 1955，IMDB Rating: 7.6, IMDB Votes: 98667, ID: 0048545
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‘Rebel Without a Cause’ is a classic teen drama film that insightfully depicts the emotional turmoil within suburban youth. James Dean delivers an iconic performance as rebellious teenager Jim Stark. The film follows Jim’s conflicts with his family, peers and society, showing his struggle to find identity and a sense of belonging. Although the film was nominated for three Oscars, it ultimately failed to win.
3. King Kong 1933，IMDB Rating: 7.9, IMDB Votes: 91724, ID: 0024216
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King Kong is a visually stunning film about an expedition that discovers King Kong, a giant gorilla, on a mysterious island. King Kong’s relationship with the female lead, Ann, unfolds the emotional threads while showing the huge contrast from the savage jungle to the bustling city. The film was a huge success in terms of visual effects and the scale of the production, which was impressive. However, the film failed to win the Oscars it deserved at the time.
4. It’s a Wonderful Life 1946，IMDB Rating: 8.6, IMDB Votes: 503099, ID: 0038650
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It’s a Wonderful Life is a classic Christmas film that tells the story of George Bailey, a man in despair who rediscovers the meaning of life with the help of an angel. The film shows the importance of humanity, hope, and community through George’s contemplation of the value of his life in the face of adversity. Despite being nominated for five Oscars, the film ultimately failed to win any awards.
5. Fight Club 1999，IMDB Rating: 8.8, IMDB Votes: 2353653, ID: 0137523
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Fight Club is a film that sharply criticises consumer culture. An ordinary white-collar worker starts a rebellion against the social order by co-founding a secret fight club in the midst of his depressing daily life. The film sparked widespread debate with its bold narrative and deep criticism of social norms. The film was only nominated for Best Sound Editing at the Oscars, but did not win.
6. The Great Dictator 1940，IMDB Rating: 8.4, IMDB Votes: 239158, ID: 0032553
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Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator is a bold satirical comedy that reveals the absurd nature of fascism by mocking it. Despite the comedic approach, the film delivers a strong political statement. Chaplin’s portrayal of the dictator, Heinkel, who speaks in a comical pseudo-German language, is impressive. Although the film generated widespread attention for its bold themes and exceptional performances, it unfortunately failed to win an Oscar.
7. Shichinin no samurai 1954，IMDB Rating: 8.6, IMDB Votes: 370125, ID: 0047478
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Seven Samurai, a story that shows a group of samurai protecting a small village from bandits, delves into honour, sacrifice and class relations through the complexity of its characters and the spirit of collective struggle. The film’s impact on world cinema is unparalleled, inspiring countless subsequent productions. Despite this, this masterpiece failed to win an Oscar.
8. 12 Angry Men 1957，IMDB Rating: 9.0, IMDB Votes: 876460, ID: 0050083
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Twelve Angry Men follows the deliberations of a jury in a murder trial. The film’s appeal lies in the in-depth portrayal of the jurors’ personalities and the tension that gradually builds in the enclosed space. Each juror’s prejudices, beliefs and moral conflicts intertwine to drive the plot. Although the film became a classic for its strong narrative and widespread critical acclaim, it failed to win an Oscar.
9. Psycho 1960，IMDB Rating: 8.5, IMDB Votes: 725311, ID: 0054215
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Psycho is the story of a woman, Marianne, who is fleeing from a burglary and strangely disappears after checking into the Bates Hotel on her way. The iconic ‘Shower Murder’ scene in the film has become one of the most famous horror moments in film history. The film was groundbreaking in the field of suspense cinema, but it failed to win an Oscar.
10. The Shawshank Redemption 1994，IMDB Rating: 9.3, IMDB Votes: 2921245, ID: 0111161
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The Shawshank Redemption is about Andy and Reed building a deep friendship by facing the hardships in prison together. The story focuses on Andy’s wisdom and perseverance, conveying a powerful message of hope and freedom. Although the film received widespread critical acclaim and profoundly influenced countless viewers, becoming an enduring classic, it did not win an award at the Oscars.
11. Vertigo 1958，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 431165, ID: 0052357
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Vertigo is about retired police detective Scotty, who suffers from agoraphobia and is hired to follow a mysterious woman, Madeleine. Scotty gradually becomes fascinated by Madeleine and falls into a psychological spiral of obsession and illusion. The ‘push-pull’ technique adds a unique visual tension to the film. Despite its artistic innovation, the film did not receive the recognition it deserved at the Oscars.
12. The Graduate 1967，IMDB Rating: 8.0, IMDB Votes: 290365, ID: 0061722
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Directed by Mike Nichols, The Graduate tells the story of Benjamin, a recent graduate, who tries to find his way into the future while embroiled in a complicated relationship with the married Mrs Robinson. The film’s insightful exploration of societal expectations and young rebelliousness remains culturally influential and critically acclaimed today, but failed to win an Oscar.
13. 2001: A Space Odyssey 1968，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 726290, ID: 0062622
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2001: A Space Odyssey begins with the discovery of the mysterious Black Tablet by mankind and gradually leads the story into a space mission to Jupiter. It revolutionised the landscape of science fiction cinema through its profound contemplation of artificial intelligence, space exploration and human evolution, despite which it failed to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
14. The Wizard of Oz 1939，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 432166, ID: 0032138
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The Wizard of Oz film presents, in innovative Technicolor, the adventures of a young girl, Dorothy, who is taken to the magical land of Oz during a tornado, befriends the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion, and embarks on a quest to find her way home. Although The Wizard of Oz is now regarded as one of the most beloved films in cinema history, it failed to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
15. Citizen Kane 1941，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 468915, ID: 0033467
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Orson Welles’ ‘Citizen Kane’ centres on the life of newspaper tycoon Kane, gradually revealing the complexities of his personal life and inner world. Through the image of Kane pieced together from multiple perspectives, the film explores themes of power, wealth and loneliness. Although often hailed as the greatest film in history, it failed to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
16. Taxi Driver 1976，IMDB Rating: 8.2, IMDB Votes: 932442, ID: 0075314
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Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver vividly depicts protagonist Travis Bickle, a taxi driver whose life is gradually consumed by violence and obsession. An influential exploration of the character’s psyche and the dark side of the city through insightful analyses of Travis’ inner world, Taxi Driver failed to win an Oscar.
17. Apocalypse Now 1979，IMDB Rating: 8.4, IMDB Votes: 716620, ID: 0078788
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Apocalypse Now reveals the absurdity of war and the darkness of human nature through the course of soldier Willard’s assassination mission. Not only does it show the brutality of the Vietnam War, but it also reveals the psychological breakdown of human beings under extreme circumstances through symbols and metaphors. Despite the film’s critical acclaim and far-reaching cultural impact, it surprisingly failed to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
18. Raging Bull 1980，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 383325, ID: 0081398
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Directed by Martin Scorsese, Raging Bull follows the legendary life of boxer Jake La Motta. La Motta’s tumultuous life is shown through highly realistic performances, including his professional brilliance and personal emotional breakdown. Despite being highly acclaimed in the film industry, it failed to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
19. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1982，IMDB Rating: 7.9, IMDB Votes: 441191, ID: 0083866
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E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, directed by Steven Spielberg, is a heartwarming tale of friendship between a boy and an alien. The film is beloved for its touching narrative and innovative special effects. Despite its popularity and impact, it did not win an Academy Award.
20. Star Wars 1977，IMDB Rating: 8.6, IMDB Votes: 1463169, ID: 0076759
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Star Wars, directed by George Lucas, was a groundbreaking science fiction film that revolutionised the presentation of the genre. The story revolves around the struggle between the Resistance and the Empire, creating iconic characters such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, and profoundly influencing the film culture that followed. A huge commercial success and cultural influence, it surprisingly failed to win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
21. Chinatown 1974，IMDB Rating: 8.1, IMDB Votes: 353523, ID: 0071315
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‘Chinatown’, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jack Nicholson, tells a story of corruption, deception and the quest for power. Although the film was critically acclaimed and nominated for 11 Oscars, it only won for Best Original Screenplay. Its intricate plot and Nicholson’s stellar performance truly deserved an Oscar.
22. Double Indemnity 1944，IMDB Rating: 8.3, IMDB Votes: 168897, ID: 0036775
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Billy Wilder directed Double Indemnity, the story of Walter Neff, an insurance salesman who conspires with a married woman, Phyllis Dietrickson, to murder her husband and cheat him out of his insurance payout by faking an accident. Its nominated for seven Oscars but ultimately failed to win any. The film’s narrative and thematic innovations certainly make it a masterpiece that should have won an Oscar.