1. Do the Right Thing vs. Driving Miss Daisy
The Oscars have increasingly come under scrutiny for how overwhelmingly white the films and nominees tend to be. The hashtag #OscarsSoWhite in past years helped draw attention to the lack of diversity. This lack of diversity was perhaps most pointed in 1989. Spike Lee’s incredible film Do the Right Thing, which chronicled recent racial tensions during a heat wave, was not even nominated for an award. What picture won that year? Driving Miss Daisy, which depicts the friendship between a Jewish woman and her black hired driver in the 1960s American South. The contrast did not amuse Spike Lee.
Where did we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“The 20 greatest Oscar snubs ever – Ranked!” Ryan Gilbey, The Guardian. January 25, 2018.
“The Worst Oscar Snubs of All Time” Originally by Ranker Film, n.d.