Hey Oscar fans - “Tex” and Mark are back with another standout year of films noir. We kind of teased this episode during our 1953 Oscars episode — when four noirs (The Bad and the Beautiful, Sudden Fear, The Narrow Margin, and The Sniper) were nominated for various Oscars. But as we soon discovered, that was just the tip of the iceberg! 1952 was an absolute banger of a year for films noir and we are all too happy to walk you through at least a dozen more of our favorites, as well as introduce you to some hidden gem talent both in front of and behind the camera! So sit back and take note of some films that expose both the bad and beautiful sides of life as seen through the dark lens of film noir. Thanks for listening!
Films Mentioned
The Bad and the Beautiful
Sudden Fear
The Narrow Margin
Narrow Margin (1990)
The Sniper
M (1931 & 1951)
Kansas City Confidential
Angel Face
Laura
Fallen Angel
The Man with the Golden Arm
Don’t Bother to Knock
Inferno
Clash by Night
Affair in Trinidad
Gilda
The Turning Point
Strange Fascination
Pickup
The Girl on the Bridge
Bait
Hit and Run
One Girl’s Confession
This Woman is Dangerous
The Thief
Man Bait
Tread Softly Stranger
Yield to the Night
Passport to Shame
Scandal Sheet
The Phenix City Story
Hell’s Island
99 River Street
All the King’s Men
Deadline USA
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1953 - The Not-So-Greatest Oscar on Earth!
2026-03-23 | 1h 14 mins.
Hey Oscar fans — Bruce and “Tex” find themselves under the big top for an Oscar year that’s… well… not exactly the greatest show on Earth. While The Greatest Show on Earth somehow walks away with Best Picture, a lineup of stronger, more enduring classics is left juggling in the background (including an all-time classic that wasn’t even nominated!) So, who were the clowns that let this spectacle steal the spotlight — and which films actually deserved center ring? Step right up for a lively debate, a few raised eyebrows, and one of the biggest Oscar head-scratchers of the decade! As always, thanks for listening!
Films Mentioned
*Recommended
The Greatest Show on Earth
**High Noon
*Ivanhoe
*Moulin Rouge
The Quiet Man
**Singin’ in the Rain
**The Bad and the Beautiful
*Come Back Little Sheeba
*The Star
*Five Fingers
*Viva Zapata
Melania
*The Lavender Hill Mob
**Sudden Fear
The Member of the Wedding
With a Song in My Heart
*My Cousin Rachel
The Big Sky
**Angel Face
*The Narrow Margin
*The Man in the White Suit
*Ruby Gentry
*The Sound Barrier
The Pride of St. Louis
*The Sniper
*The Atomic City
Pat and Mike
Navajo
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Bonus - 2026 Oscars Reaction!
2026-03-17 | 51 mins.
Hello Oscars Fans! Join "Tex" and Mark for an "entirely too soon to be having this conversation" conversation about the 2026 Oscars. As you probably know, it goes entirely against the premise of our show to discuss the recent Oscars -- since we rely on the 'test of time' to judge and score the winners & non-winners. At the same time, good luck keeping these certified film nerds from giving their takes on the proceedings. Some you might agree with, others not so much -- but isn't that the joy of movies? Either way, thanks for listening and being part of the fun! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
1974 Bonus - The Worst Sequels to the Best Movies
2026-03-09 | 1h 4 mins.
Hey Oscar fans, welcome to a fun Bonus Episode that looks at a strange thing that happened following the 1974 Oscars (which we recently covered). 3 of the Best Picture Nominees (The Exorcist, American Graffiti & The Sting) went on to have sequels that were… less than successful. This led us to looking back at all the Oscar BP nominated or winning films that had sequels. It turns out, prior to 1970 there were only a handful. Why was that? And why did this year have so many? What film set the bar for the prestige sequel and how come none of these films from 1973 were able to come close to crossing it? And what were some planned sequels to classic films that (thankfully) never got made? Join us as we go sequel crazy at the Oscars!
FILMS MENTIONED
**The Exorcist
The Exorcist II: The Heretic
*American Graffiti
More American Graffiti
**The Sting
The Sting 2
The Birth of a Nation
The Fall of a Nation
The Broadway Melody
The Broadway Melody of (1936, 1938, 1940)
**The Thin Man
*After the Thin Man
*Going My Way
*The Bells of St. Mary’s
**King Kong
Son of Kong
Airport
Airport 1975
Airport 1977
Concorde: Airport 1979
**The Godfather
**The Godfather II
**Deliverance
Halloween III
Caddyshack 2
*Exorcist III
*The Great Waldo Pepper
*Slap Shot
**The French Connection
*The French Connection 2
*Chinatown
The Two Jakes
*Roger Dodger
Into the Wild
*The Hustler
*The Color of Money
*Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins Returns
**Psycho
*Psycho II
**Blade Runner
*Blade Runner 2049
*Top Gun
Top Gun: Maverick
Tron
Tron Legacy
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1974 - Get the Butter, this Oscar is Going to Sting!
2026-03-02 | 1h 20 mins.
Hey Oscar fans, Bruce and “Tex” are back with another outstanding year for movies (you really can’t go wrong in the ’70s). And yet, they still found a way to include some head-scratchers while leaving some ‘time-tested’ film classics out in the cold. Or not. It all depends on whether you think certain movies are more cult classics, than classic-classics. Or something like that. But in a year when you have films like Serpico, Papillon, Save the Tiger, Paper Moon, The Paper Chase and the The Last Detail on the outside looking in — then you know it’s a banger of a year. Enjoy a spirited debate over what we think should or shouldn’t have made the cut and whether the winner was the right choice or just a con job! As always, thanks for Oscar-ing with us!
Films Mentioned
**The Exorcist
**The Sting
*American Graffiti
**Papillon
The Way We Were
*Magnum Force
Last Tango in Paris
**Paper Moon
*Live and Let Die
**Serpico
*Cinderella Liberty
*The Last Detail
*The Paper Chase
**Save the Tiger
**Cries and Whispers
A Touch of Class
*Badlands
*Don’t Look Now
*Day for Night
*Amarcord
*Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
**The Offence
Tom Sawyer
*Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams
*Dirty Harry
*Sudden Impact
The Long Goodbye
*Day of the Jackal
*Bang the Drum Slowly
**The Wicker Man
*Sisters
*Soylent Green
*Sleeper
*Scenes From a Marriage
*Jonathan Livingston Seagull
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Ever watched the Academy Awards and thought, What were they thinking? You’re not alone. Join legendary comedian and writer of over 25 Oscar telecasts, Bruce Vilanch, and screenwriter/film nerd Adam “Tex” Davis (Just Friends) as they dive into Oscar history, unpacking the flubs, snubs, and surprises from Hollywood’s biggest night. From behind-the-scenes stories of A-list stars to insider insights on how the nominations and winners are really chosen, Bruce and Tex break down each Oscar ceremony year by year to reveal what the Academy got right—and what they didn’t. If you’ve ever questioned why your favorite movie or actor got overlooked, this podcast is for you. The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?
Did you know that two of the Top 100 American Films of All-Time came out the same year but weren’t even nominated for an Academy Award? Or that the film often cited as the ‘Greatest Film of All Time’ didn’t win the Oscar in its year? Or that Cuba Gooding Jr. has the same number of acting Oscars as Al Pacino?
Look, stuff happens. But if you’ve ever watched or read about the Academy Awards, you’ve probably been left scratching your head over which movies and performers won – and how many beloved films weren’t even considered.
Why do so many Best Picture winners become some of the least remembered movies? How is it that legendary directors like Stanley Kubrick never won an Oscar? And why do great actors miss out on their best performances, only to win later for less impressive work?
Sure, the Oscars aren’t sports – there’s no scoreboard to show the winners. But with so many Academy members voting, you’d think they’d get it right. Spoiler alert: They often don’t.
On The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, Bruce Vilanch and Adam “Tex” Davis take a deep dive into Oscar history, looking back at the biggest mistakes, controversies, and snubs. From Shakespeare in Love beating Saving Private Ryan to Dances with Wolves winning over Goodfellas, we’ll examine where the Academy went wrong.
Along the way, you’ll hear incredible behind-the-scenes stories and never-before-told moments from Hollywood’s biggest night. We’re re-examining each Oscar ceremony, year-by-year, award-by-award, to see what the Academy got right, what they missed, and how we would “fix” the Oscars.
Whether you’re a dedicated movie buff or just a casual fan, this is the podcast for you. Join us for The Oscars: What Were They Thinking?, where we break down the flubs, snubs, and forgotten gems of Oscar history.
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