Best Director, 1987

For the first time in its history, the Best Director lineup at the Academy Awards had no room for Americans! That was the controversy at the time, at least, and became the subject of many an article about the nominations. It's perhaps a wee overstated: this isn't exactly a group of Hollywood outsiders, and even the ones that were wouldn't remain so for very long.

Canada's Norman Jewison already had five Oscar nominations at this point, while Britain's John Boorman was previously up as producer-director of Deliverance; his fellow countryman Adrian Lyne gave the world Flashdance and 9 1/2 Weeks. Sweden's Lasse Hallström was a newcomer, but he adapted very well to Hollywood life: two Best Picture nominees (The Cider House Rules, Chocolat), two Nicholas Sparks flicks (Dear John, Safe Heaven), and two more "dog" pictures (Hachi, A Dog's Purpose). Italy's Bernardo Bertolucci, though nominated for The Conformist and Last Tango in Paris, always did his own thing, more of an outsider. But not on this Oscar night...

Deserved? Let's talk after the jump...

Book Club Time: Best Adapted Screenplay, 1971

Finding the common thread between the nominees of 2014 and those of 1971 will be a challenge indeed. The landscape of cinema and Oscar has changed so completely in those 40-plus years. Back then, all five nominees were based on novels, and two of them were foreign. This year, one nominee is based on a novel, three on bios, and one on a short film -- the latter especially stands out, since in 1971, such things just did not happen. 

Still, there are some similarities, if you choose to look for them. So allow me to suggest, a la Amazon, some companion watches/reads ... after the jump

You Spoil Us, Really: Director, 1973

What the hell, 1973? Is this why we get nominees like Alejandro Gonsalez Inarritu and Paul Haggis and Alexander Payne? Did 1973's vortex of visionaries spoil the rest of the Academy Awards for all time?

The winner, George Roy Hill