Every Best Picture Winner In Oscar History

The ’80s

If the ’60s were the decade of musicals, the ’80s belong to biopics and films based on true stories. This category includes Chariots of Fire, Gandhi, Amadeus (though it is based on a play about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), and The Last Emperor. 

The Winners

1980: Ordinary People

• Timothy Hutton won the Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Robert Redford won Best Director. Finally, the film won Best Adapted Screenplay.

1981: Chariots of Fire

• Chariots of Fire added the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Music for an Original Score. (You probably recognize the theme song even if you haven’t seen the movie.)

1982: Gandhi

• Gandhi also won the Best Actor in a Leading Role (Ben Kingsley), Best Director (Richard Attenborough), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing Oscars.

1983: Terms of Endearment

• Terms of Endearment had three more wins: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Shirley MacLaine), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jack Nicholson), Best Director (James L. Brooks), and Best Adapted Screenplay.

1984: Amadeus

• Weirdly, Amadeus didn’t win any awards for its music. However, it did win seven more Oscars: Best Actor in a Leading Role (F. Murray Abraham), Best Director (Milos Forman), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, and Best Makeup.

1985: Out of Africa

• Out of Africa took home six more awards: Best Director (Sydney Pollack), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, and Best Music for an Original Score.

1986: Platoon

• Platoon snagged three more awards in Best Director (Oliver Stone), Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.

1987: The Last Emperor

• The Last Emperor had nine total wins: Best Director (Bernardo Bertolucci), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Music for an Original Score.

1988: Rain Man

• Rain Man won Dustin Hoffman another Best Actor in a Leading Role Oscar as well as Best Director for Barry Levinson and Best Original Screenplay.

1989: Driving Miss Daisy

• Driving Miss Daisy had three more Oscar wins: Best Actress in a Leading Role (Jessica Tandy), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Makeup.

Key Picks

Due to Mary Tyler Moore’s recent passing, we think it appropriate to watch her Oscar-nominated work in Ordinary People. The Last Emperor is our pick for the biopic-heavy ’80s because of its gorgeous costuming. Finally, Out of Africa has Meryl Streep doing a Danish accent. (Alternatively, substitute Driving Miss Daisy.)