Robert Zemeckis’Forrest Gumpwon six Academy Awards, but 30 years later this is starting to look like a mistake. Based on Winston Groom’s novel of the same name,Forrest Gumpfollows the titular character throughout a remarkable life that touches on some of the biggest events in American history throughout the 20th century, including the Vietnam War, the Watergate Scandal and the AIDS crisis. It’s often cited as one ofTom Hanks' best movies, and his portrayal of the low-IQ hero earned him the Oscar for Best Actor, beating the likes of Paul Newman and Morgan Freeman.
Forrest Gumpmixes real historywith pure fiction, creating a warped vision of American history that resembles fantasy more often than fact. This ethos has been at the heart of some ofForrest Gump’s most positive reviews, as well as its most passionate detractors. Zemeckis' film gestures at the broad strokes of a tumultuous time in American history, but its conclusions often seem a little muddy. Less charitable readings ofForrest Gumphave suggested that it’s little more than propaganda designed to dampen the impacts of real-world events, with a politically naive ideology that Forrest’s blind faith is the only way forward.
Forrest Gump Shouldn’t Have Won Best Picture Over Pulp Fiction & The Shawshank Redemption
Forrest Gump’s Reputation Has Declined A Little Since 1994
In the decades sinceForrest Gump’s big night at the Oscars, it has continued to enjoy a certain level of critical success. However,more and more voices of dissent have started to creep in, and audiences are now just as likely to see negative reviews on sites like Rotten Tomatoes and Letterboxd than positive ones. Aside from its controversial political ideas,Forrest Gumphas all been attacked for its saccharine sweetness. To a more cynically-minded generation,Forrest Gumprepresents the kind of Oscar-bait filmmaking that uses learning disabilities to tug at the heartstrings.
1994 created a competitive field at the Oscars. Back when only five films were nominated for Best Picture, there were at least three top-class contenders, and it now seems as thoughThe Shawshank RedemptionorPulp Fictionwould have been wiser choices.The Shawshank Redemptionhas stood the test of timeas one of the best Stephen King adaptations, even though it eschews horror in favor of an emotionally devastating exploration of crime, justice and institutionalization. It often pops up on lists of the best movies ever made.
Pulp Fictionwould have been another worthy winner. Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore outing afterReservoir Dogsultimately changed the crime genre forever, and its influence can be seen throughout a variety of films in the following decades. With a complex, tangled case and a fantastic ensemble cast packed with eccentric characters,Pulp Fictionbalances the darkest kind of humor with explosive drama. In retrospect,Forrest Gumpcomes with too much baggage to suggest that it should have been a clear winner over either of these two masterpieces.
Robert Zemeckis Shouldn’t Have Won Best Director Over Quentin Tarantino
Tarantino Still Hasn’t Won Best Director
Even ifPulp Fictionwasn’t destined to win Best Picture, it should have at least scored Tarantino the award for Best Director.Pulp Fiction’s sizzling dialogue and unorthodox structure were enough to win Tarantino Best Writing (Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen), but his direction is just as impressive. Although it was just Tarantino’s second movie,Pulp Fiction announces the arrival of a director completely unafraid to tear up the rule bookand create something strikingly original. Of course, the film showcases Tarantino’s deep love of cinema, but he refuses to reduce himself to mere homage.
It will be interesting to see how the reputations of these movies continue to evolve in the next few years.
Pulp Fictionis packed with startling imagery that has since become iconic, like Vincent peering into the glowing briefcase or his beguiling dance with Mia. These are the products of a director with a unique eye for cinematic style operating at the top of his game.Pulp Fictionwouldn’t work nearly as well if it didn’t have its inimitable sense of swagger. While Zemeckis provides a steady hand inForrest Gump,he doesn’t push the boundaries quite like Tarantino does inPulp Fiction.It will be interesting to see how the reputations of these movies continue to evolve in the next few years.
