Thank the Academy
Thank the AcademyEpisodes
Episodes of Thank the Academy
Mark All
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In this episode we discuss Martin Scorsese’s gangster epic, Goodfellas. We talk about why it stands above the rest of the gangster genre, the book Wiseguy and author Nicholas Pileggi, Ray Liotta’s involvement in the film, and the positive criti
In this episode we discuss the sixty-third Best Picture winner, Dances with Wolves, Kevin Costner’s first time producing, directing, and acting in the same film, the continued success of Billy Crystal’s hosting of the Oscar ceremony, the cultur
In this episode we discuss the Oscar-nominated Civil War film Glory: what inspired the making of the film, the involvement of Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, and why the Academy might have overlooked it as a nominee for Best Picture. We a
In this episode we discuss the sixty-second Best Picture winner, Driving Miss Daisy, how it was the safest choice for race-related films from 1989, Morgan Freeman’s breakout, Jessica Tandy’s first Oscar Award, and Billy Crystal’s exciting debut
In this episode we discuss the 1988 classic Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Steven Spielberg’s involvement in the film, the innovation that went into mixing live action and animation, and the great success of the film that spurred Disney into its 90’s
In this episode we discuss the sixty-first Best Picture winner, Rain Man, the notorious opening number starring Rob Lowe and Snow White, the historic financial success of Rain Man, Dustin Hoffman’s performance as Raymond, and the critique and p
In this episode we discuss Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables, Kevin Costner’s breakout role as Elliot Ness, and Sean Connery’s Best Supporting Actor win. We also discuss John Patrick Shanley’s career as a writer, his penchant for magical realis
In this episode we look back at our first 100 episodes, going through the first 60 years of the Academy Awards. We discuss our favorite stories from the making of the first sixty Best Picture winners, special moments from the first sixty Oscar
In this episode we discuss the sixtieth Best Picture winner, The Last Emperor, the big six-decade milestone for the Academy, the lackluster ceremony and poor performance by host Chevy Chase, the predictability of a historical epic winning Best
In this episode we discuss Children of a Lesser God, Randa Haines’ contributions to the film, our qualms with the film’s perspective on deafness, and William Hurts’ one-note character. We also talk about Marlee Matlin’s award winning performanc
In this episode we discuss the 59th Best Picture winner, Platoon, the shift in American culture to discuss the Vietnam war more honestly, the brutality of the film, and the lengths to which the actors went to do their characters justice. We als
In this episode we discuss The Color Purple, Alice Walker’s involvement in making the film, Quincy Jones’ first turn at producing a film, Steven Spielberg’s reluctance to direct, and Whoopi Goldberg’s and Oprah’s breakout roles. We also discuss
In this episode we discuss the fifty-eighth Best Picture winner, Out of Africa, the politics of The Color Purple not winning any awards, the low ratings for the 58th Award ceremony, and the low point for the film industry and the Academy in awa
In this episode we discuss Places in the Heart, Danny Glover’s stirring turn as Moze, Robert Benton’s semi-autobiographical script, and Sally Field’s second Oscar win. We also discuss Sally Field’s career up to this point in history, her start
In this episode we discuss the fifty-seventh Best Picture winner, Amadeus, the many quintessential 1980’s movies to come out in 1984, the historic Best Supporting Actor win for Haing S. Ngor, and the story of Amadeus from real life, to play, to
In this episode we discuss the music of Flashdance and Tender Mercies, Irene Cara’s historic songwriting win for Best Original Song, the music in the films of the 80’s, Shirley MacLaine’s Best Actress Oscar, and her long career in the film indu
In this episode we discuss the fifty-sixth Best Picture winner, Terms of Endearment, Shirley MacLaine’s and Jack Nicholson’s wins for acting, rumors of Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger not getting along, and Irene Cara’s historic win for Best
We’re back! Thank you for your patience during our long hiatus! In this episode we discuss the end of the SAG-AFTRA strike, wrap up the end of our 2023, and look forward to this new year for the podcast! Info on the SAG-AFTRA agreement: http
In this episode we break down the current entertainment industry strike, especially from the point of view of SAG-AFTRA (the Screen Actor’s Guild). We outline a few of the biggest current talking points, A.I. In entertainment, residuals, and ke
In this episode we discuss E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and 50 years of the Screen Actors’ Guild. We discuss Steven Spielberg’s continued success in technical filmmaking, his new working partnership with Kathleen Kennedy, and Melissa Mathison’s s
In this episode we discuss the fifty-fifth Best Picture winner, Gandhi, and the foibles of having multiple uncommitted hosts for the ceremony, the night of peace, and The Temptations’ suprise appearance. We also discuss Sir Richard Attenborough
In this episode we discuss On Golden Pond, Jane Fonda’s involvement in producing and acting in the film, her relationship with her father, Henry, and their climactic scene together. We also discuss Katherine Hepburn’s final Oscar winning perfor
In this episode we discuss the fifty-fourth Best Picture winner, Chariots of Fire, a controversy free 54th Academy Awards ceremony, the historic wins for Henry Fonda and Katherine Hepburn, behind the scenes of David Puttnam’s Chariots of Fire,
In this episode we discuss two Academy Award favorites from 1980, Raging Bull and The Elephant Man and discuss Thelma Schoonmaker’s first Academy Award win for Best Editing. We talk about her immense contribution to the film industry, to Martin
In this episode we discuss the fifty-third Best Picture winner Ordinary People, the ceremony delay after the attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, Robert Redford’s directing debut, Mary Tyler Moore’s exciting break from type, and
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