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Posted by on Mar 10, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

60 Years of Oscar Winners (1980-1989)

 

 

60 YEARS OF OSCARS:

WHAT MOVIES WON VS. WHAT MOVIES SHOULD HAVE WON?

PART 2 OF 5 (1980-1989)

Read: PART 1

I was pleased to see so many interesting replies and comments here on Facebook to PART 1 of this series on Oscar-winning movies. I expect even more pushback and discussion as we move into movies that more people will remember in the 1980s. As promised, here’s PART 2. I also changed the parts up in this article — and will do the rest of the way BY DECADE. So, this segment is 1980 through 1989.

[Note: Each year refers to the Academy Award ceremony and winner for BEST PICTURE from movies released the year before.]

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Posted by on Mar 8, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

60 Years of Oscar Winners (1955-1979)

 

 

60 YEARS OF OSCARS:

WHAT MOVIES WON VS. WHAT MOVIES SHOULD HAVE WON?

PART 1 OF 3 (1955-1979)

Sorry to say, I’ve lost much of my interest and most of my affection for Academy Awards. Has any cultural institution become so utterly uninteresting and embarrassingly lacking in social significance?

Indeed, I lament the decline of Oscar night — coming up next weekend — with a deep personal sadness. It used to be one of my favorite nights of the year. For most of my life, I loved the Oscars. But for many reasons, which I may write about later, the Academy Awards just don’t mean much to me anymore.

Still, that doesn’t change traditions and a fascinating history that’s not only been controversial many times, but has also reflected who we are and what society aspires to, sometimes in the most embarrassing fashion.

Let’s take the “BEST PICTURE” winner each year. What follows is this: I’ll give my opinion not only on if the Oscar winner stands up over time, but also comment on what movie from that same year should have won. I’ve also included some of the “underappreciated” films that deserved more nominations and awards and were overlooked at the time.

Let’s go in chronological order and see where you agree, or disagree–and please feel free to do so!:

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Posted by on Feb 19, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

The Best Albums of 1973

 

 

Here’s my seventh musical retrospective on the best albums released, by year. My previous “Best Albums” lists covered 1976, 1977, 1975, 1978, 1974, and 1979 (in that order).

—– Summation —–

1973 was a relatively weak year in pop music, with several one-hit wonders from artists who never again reached the same heights. Dozens of flash-in-the-pan singers and groups crowded the charts, most notably Vicki Lawrence’s “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” King Harvest’s “Dancing in the Moonlight,” Focus’s “Hocus Pocus,” and even “Dueling Banjos” from the movie “Deliverance.” This forgettable phenomenon tumbled off the cliff of absurdity when Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods’ “Billy—Don’t Be a Hero” hit the #1 spot in the UK, USA, and Australia, remaining there for eight excruciating weeks. Absolute dreck. Fortunately, a select few great albums managed to rise above the mass mediocrity of really bad hit songs. Pink Floyd’s unconventional concept album The Dark Side of the Moon helped to salvage what could have been a brutal year otherwise.

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Posted by on Feb 12, 2026 in Blog | 0 comments

The Best Albums of 1979

 

 

THE BEST ALBUMS OF 1979

Here’s my sixth musical retrospective on the best albums released, by year. My previous “Best Albums” lists covered 1976, 1977, 1975, 1978, 1974 (in that order).

Summation: 1979 was an astounding year for rock, one of the best ever. This was highly unexpected given that R&B/Soul dominated so much of the mid-1970s, combined with the mass popularity of disco. Pop music was about to experience a seismic shift into New Wave and other variations, as well as the birth of MTV, which would soon steamroll over the entire musical landscape. So, to see how many great rock albums were released that year was a surprise. Some may call this the last great year for traditional rock.

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