Joey Magidson
Back at it even on a holiday! As you all know, I’m ranking the newest crop of Academy Award winners, with the column almost complete. For nearly all of the Oscar categories (including a new one today), you’ll see me list the top 25 recipients of that prize. Sometimes, our newest winner will appear. Other times, they’ll be relegated to the Honorable Mention category. Who knows, maybe one or two won’t even make the cut? It’s a list series that I’ll do each and every single year, in the weeks after the ceremony concludes. So, while this is a fun way to think about the Oscars in the aftermath of the latest telecast, it’s also a beginning for another column here on the site. Of course, definitely show us your own lists as well, in the comments section below. We’re definitely keen to know what you think!
This time around, I’m taking a third crack at a Best Sound ranking. In years past, I used to avoid doing Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing just because there was so much in the way of crossover. More recently, the move to Best Sound gave me a new excuse. Today, however, in an effort to stretch out this series, since I know it’s enjoyed by you all, I’m giving it another shot! Where does our most recent winner in The Zone of Interest fall amongst my picks? How about the year before’s winner in Top Gun: Maverick Find out below…
Here now are what I consider to be the 25 best winners of the Oscar for Best Sound, to date:
25. Lawrence of Arabia
24. Arrival
23. Back to the Future
22. Aliens
21. Gravity
20. Inception
19. 1917
18. The Hurt Locker
17. West Side Story
16. Black Hawk Down
15. The Matrix
14. Dunkirk
13. The Zone of Interest
12. The Dark Knight
11. Saving Private Ryan
10. Mad Max: Fury Road
9. Jaws
8. Sound of Metal
7. Star Wars
6. Dune
5. Whiplash
4. The Empire Strikes Back
3. Top Gun: Maverick
2. Ford v Ferrari
1. Jurassic Park
Honorable Mentions: Apollo 13, Chicago, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, U-571, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Stay tuned for the next category early on next week!
I like seeing The Zone of Interest ranked so high. In a category so dominated by action movie explosions and car engine roars, for a small arthouse darling to win solely on the way it evokes its themes and atmosphere through unconventional uses of sound juuust out of frame was an inspired choice.
It definitely provides a different flavor, regardless of anything else, amongst the rest of the winners.
I don’t know if you have considered animated shorts (unless I missed that one) but I have recently been on a binge with that category .I already watched more than I realized.
I did plan on doing this yesterday but ended up going with family and friends to see Kingdom of The Planet of The Apes.
Some changes from last year
25.Zero Dark Thirty
24.Skyfall
23.Les Miserable
22.The Hurricane
21.Amadeus
20.West Side Story
19.Gladiator
18.Inception
17.The Last of The Mohicans
16.From Here To Eternity
15.Star Wars
14.Ray
13.Gravity
12.The English Patient
11.Whiplash
10.The Snake Pit
9.Jurassic Park
8.Cabaret
7.Master and Commander The Far Side of The World
6.The Sound of Music
5.Chicago
4.Who Framed Roger Rabbit
3.The Zone of Interest
2.Bird
1.Sound of Metal
HM
Jaws
Arrival
Dreamgirls
Oliver !
In The Heat of The Night
I’ve been toying with Animated Short, actually! Any that you particularly love?
This isn’t a full list but in no particular order I am partial to
If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)
Munro (1960)
Bob’s Birthday (1993)
Every Child(1979)
The Fly (1980)
Gerald McBoing -Boing(1950)
Piper (2016)
Feast (2014)
Hair Love (2019)
The Pink Phink (1964)
I’ll keep those in mind! Might tackle this for next week if the schedule works out…