Film as an art form is an inherently collaborative medium, and whilst the individual achievements of directors, writers and actors are often singled out for acclaim, ultimately a film requires the work of hundreds, sometimes thousands of people to complete.
An actor starting out having completed their online acting classes is as essential to a film’s completion as its leading actors, and the best examples of winning together and losing together are in films by acclaimed actors which ultimately are somewhat less well-received.
The Golden Raspberry Awards (also known as the Razzies) are a parody of the Oscars that often takes place on the very same weekend, which satirises films that are somewhat less regarded.
Whilst it has been criticised for some of its choices, often because it tends to choose “easy targets” for derision, it has become as much of an annual tradition for showcasing cinematic underachievement as the Oscars for showing the best of what film has to offer.
One of the most interesting facts about the Razzies is that only three people have ever won both a Razzie and an Oscar in the same weekend:
- Composer Alan Menken won the Oscar for A Whole New World from Aladdin and the Razzie for High Times, Hard Times from Newsies in 1993.
- Screenwriter Brian Helgeland won the Oscar for LA Confidential and the Razzie for The Postman in 1997.
Only one actor has ever won both the Oscar and the Razzie in the same weekend, however, and it is a credit not only to her exceptional range as a performer but also to how important scripting and direction are to a performance.
Sandra Bullock starred as Michael Oher’s adoptive mother Leigh Anne Tuohy in the film The Blind Side, often considered to be the highlight of a film that often divides opinion.
On the other hand, All About Steve, about eccentric crossword puzzle constructor Mary Horowitz, was considered to be somewhat the opposite of this.
Sandra Bullock received her award in person with a giant cart of copies of the All About Steve DVD to give to every member of the audience, in a performance every bit as iconic as the two she received awards for.