The '80s were a pivotal decade when it comes to Hollywood films, and so many new directors and actors hit the big screen in huge and innovative ways. Of course, the best celebration of these talents is the annual Academy Awards. The '80s had many impressive flicks, but only 10 could be named Best Picture.
With so many to choose from, it's time for movie lovers and film buffs to celebrate all those nominees that were so close to having their name on the golden envelope. Here are 10 nominees from the '80s that could have, and probably should have, won Best Picture instead.
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Kramer Vs. Kramer took this year by storm, but there was another clear nominee that many movie lovers were probably devastated didn't take home the win. Directed by the irreplaceable Francis Ford Coppola, this war drama is unlike any seen before.
With rich cultural context and stunning monologues and performances, Apocalypse Now is not only one of the best Vietnam War movies ever made, but simply one of the best war flicks of all time. It definitely stabbed the hearts of all fans when it didn't get named Best Picture.
Raging Bull (1980)
Following a string of successes that includes Taxi Driver, Martin Scorsese teamed up with Robert De Niro for this timeless and iconic boxing flick, but it didn't get the credit it deserved. With Ordinary People being named Best Picture at the time, Raging Bull certainly slipped through the cracks.
While there were certainly many great flicks from this year, this one might be the most timeless of the bunch. Looking back at it in 2020, it seems devastating that this iconic sports drama didn't take win the Oscar for Best Picture.
Reds (1981)
For the 1982 Oscars, there's no disputing that Chariots of Fire was a refreshing, intriguing, and momentous take on the sports movie. However, there is also no arguing that Warren Beatty's Reds fit all those adjectives and more.
This biographical drama follows a radical American journalist who, following his coverage of the Communist revolution in Russia, hopes to bring the movement's ethos to his country. Culturally relevant flicks are always hits, and it's a shame that Diane Keaton and Warren Beatty didn't get to celebrate their landmark flick with a Best Picture win.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
The 55th Academy Awards named Ghandi Best Picture, but all film lovers know that its competition -- this classic Steven Spielberg film about a boy and his alien -- has certainly held up better to remain a memorable and iconic flick even three decades later.
This flick might be one of the most classic and iconic films in Hollywood history and honestly, it will likely always be timeless and memorable. Looking back, it's almost crazy it didn't win Best Picture.
The Right Stuff (1983)
This flick is a whopping three hours long, and it tells the true story of the Mercury 7 astronauts and their risky approach to the program. Directed by Philip Kaufman, The Right Stuff stars Sam Shepard, Scott Glenn, and Ed Harris.
While it did win four Oscars, fans are certainly still a little torn about Terms of Endearment taking the title of Best Picture instead. This drama certainly didn't get its rightful credit and praise.
The Killing Fields (1984)
This year at the Oscars had many diverse and intriguing stories that were all nominated for Best Picture. Of course, the winner was Amadeus, which was a brilliant flick about the musical genius Mozart and his story.
However, The Killing Fields was a unique and mesmerizing tale, that is also a true story, about a journalist in Cambodia who gets trapped in the country during the Khmer Rouge's ethnic cleansing campaign. This devastating story and brilliant flick deserved more recognition than it actually got.
The Color Purple (1985)
This might be the biggest loss on the list. Nominated for a whopping 11 Oscars including Best Picture, this Steven Spielberg-directed flick didn't take home a single one. With Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey in the lead, this beautiful period drama tells the story of a Black woman living in Georgia struggling over her past while trying to make something of her present.
Out of Africa took home the win instead which, coincidentally, is the exact opposite of The Color Purple. This biogrpahical romance starring Mery Streep and Robert Redford told the story of a Danish plantation owner living in colonial Kenya who falls in love with a hunter. The Academy missed the mark here.
The Mission (1986)
While Platoon certainly deserved its time in the spotlight, this historical drama was another riveting flick that certainly slipped through the cracks. With Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons in the lead roles, this Best Picture nominee only took home one Oscar for cinematography.
Taking place in the 18th Century, The Mission follows Spanish Jesuits who try to protect a tribe in Portugal from slavery. This daring film about a dark chapter in human history was definitely different and a lot better than most of its competition that year.
Hope & Glory (1987)
At the 1988 Academy Awards, The Last Emperor was named Best Picture, and it certainly offered a diverse and mesmerizing film. However, this comedy drama is also totally unique.
A young boy in London lives through World War II, and must learn about life, death, love, and hypocrisy, all while he lives through the devastation of bombed ruins. This flick has an interestingly human take on war and its effects on those who don't fight in them, and definitely deserved a shot at the win.
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Rain Man was a wonderful story and starred Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, but there were plenty of other incredible flicks that year that deserved more credit than they actually got.
Mississippi Burning starred Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe, and Frances McDormand. Following two FBI agents and a case surrounding the mysterious disappearances of prominent civil rights activists, this movie was brilliant in its cultural context that still resonates today, and has certainly remained an iconic movie about one of America's darkest social ills. For the 1989 Oscars, there were certainly many who wished it won.