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Woody Allen’s quaint, quirky movie “Annie Hall” incited one of the good controversies in Oscar historical past when it captured the Academy Award for Best Picture over revolutionary blockbuster and American cultural landmark “Star Wars” on this day in historical past, April 3, 1978.
The Hollywood hullabaloo has grown solely better in the many years since.
“‘Annie Hall’ comprises extra mental wit and cultural references than another film ever to win the Oscar for greatest image,” celebrated late film critic Roger Ebert wrote in 2002.
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But even he referred to as the “Star Wars” snub “an outcome unthinkable today.”
“Annie Hall” was a industrial hit in addition to a essential success, netting $44 million on the field workplace.
It helped make Allen one of essentially the most profitable filmmakers and actors of his period.
“Star Wars” (aka “Episode IV-A New Hope”) foyer card, with three of essentially the most well-known characters in film historical past. From left, Luke Skywalker (performed by Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and Han Solo (Harrison Ford) (LMPC through Getty Images)
The unique “Star Wars” (now higher often known as “Star Wars Episode IV-A New Hope”) garnered $776 million from filmgoers and impressed a franchise of eight different movies (and rising) that has generated over $10 billion in gross sales.
But the George Lucas story from “a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away” was greater than only a box-office blockbuster.
“‘Star Wars’ taps the pulp fantasies buried in our memories, and because it’s done so brilliantly, it reactivates old thrills, fears and exhilarations.” — Roger Ebert
“Star Wars” has grown into a world cultural leviathan far past the confines of the silver display. It’s maybe extra standard right now, practically half a century later, than when it first hit theaters in 1977.
“The case for ‘Star Wars’ winning is well-known by now. It is without question one of the most influential films ever released, and just about every director working in the realm of studio blockbusters cites it as a reason they broke into the profession,” Chris Agar wrote for ScreenRant.com in a 2017 retrospective of the Oscar controversy.
“Annie Hall” foyer card, Diane Keaton, Woody Allen, 1977. The film gained the 1978 Oscar for Best Picture, whereas Keaton gained for Best Actress. (LMPC through Getty Images)
“Even in the film’s immediate aftermath, it was inspiring aspiring helmsman; James Cameron quit his job as a truck driver after seeing ‘Star Wars’ to work in movies. It’s easy to see why ‘Star Wars’ landed with this kind of impact — it represents the pinnacle of movie magic.”
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In distinction to the “pinnacle” of filmmaking, “Annie Hall” is Allen’s rom-com story in which he performs a neurotic New York City comic reflecting on his personal insecurities and loves misplaced, most notably his failed relationship with the title character performed by Diane Keaton.
Ebert’s unique critiques of the movies for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1977 betray what will need to have been his personal shock on the Best Picture nod for “Annie Hall.”
He enthuses breathlessly over “Star Wars” whereas providing solely gentlemanly reward for Allen’s storytelling.
Fans attend the panel for “Star Wars: The Bad Batch” collection at Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, on May 29, 2022. (Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)
“Every once in a while I have what I think of as an out-of-the-body experience at a movie,” Ebert wrote of “Star Wars” and its timeless story of unwitting insurgent Luke Skywalker and evil darkish lord Darth Vader.
“The movie’s happening, and it’s happening to me.”
“‘Annie Hall’ was nominated for five Academy Awards and won four: ‘Star Wars’ was nominated for 11 Oscars and won six.”
He added, “‘Star Wars’ taps the pulp fantasies buried in our memories, and because it’s done so brilliantly, it reactivates old thrills, fears and exhilarations we thought we’d abandoned when we read our last copy of ‘Amazing Stories.’”
He wrote solely tepidly of “Annie Hall” in 1977.
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“‘Annie Hall’ is a comedy, yes, and there are moments in it as funny as anything Woody has done,” wrote Ebert, “but the movie represents a growth on Allen’s part … into a much more thoughtful and (is it possible?) more mature director.”
Diane Keaton makes her acceptance speech after she gained the Oscar for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role on the fiftieth Annual Academy Awards presentation in Los Angeles on April 3, 1978. (Getty Images)
“Annie Hall” actually boasted an A-list solid.
In addition to Allen and Keaton, it starred Shelly Duvall, Christopher Walken and singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Author Truman Capote had a cameo function, whereas stars of the long run Jeff Goldblum, Beverly D’Angelo and Sigourney Weaver additionally appeared in the movie.
“Annie Hall” was nominated for 5 Academy Awards and gained 4: In addition to Best Picture honors, Allen earned Oscars for Best Director and Best Original screenplay, whereas Keaton took house Best Actress honors.
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“Star Wars” earned much more love from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in its awards for 1977 filmmaking.
“With ‘Star Wars,’ the age of the blockbuster was upon us.” — Roger Ebert
It was nominated for 11 Oscars and gained six, greater than another movie that yr: Best Art Direction, Costume Design, Editing, Visual Effects, Sound and, maybe most famously, Original Score for the triumphal soundtrack by composer John Williams.
The cache of {hardware} makes the unique “Star Wars” one of essentially the most profitable movies in the historical past of the Academy Awards.
Star Wars, poster (aka: EPISODE IV-A NEW HOPE). In the rear: Darth Vader. In the foreground, from left, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, C-3PO, R2-D2. Poster artwork, 1977. (MPC through Getty Images)
But the snub for Best Picture is the one which inflames the passions of many “Star Wars” lovers nonetheless to this day.
Regardless of the awards, “Star Wars” modified the long run of filmmaking.
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“The victory (by ‘Annie Hall’) marked the beginning of Woody Allen’s career as an important filmmaker (his earlier work was funny but slight) and it signaled the end of the 1970s golden age of American movies,” Ebert wrote in 2002.
“With ‘Star Wars,’ the age of the blockbuster was upon us,” Ebert additionally wrote.
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