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Every Best Picture Winner In Oscar History

By Cheryl Wassenaar

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The ’90s

The ’90s belonged to period and historical dramas. Of the following films, only The Silence of the Lambs and American Beauty are mainly contemporary. (We know it’s been 84 years, Titanic, but the point remains.)

The Winners

1990: Dances with Wolves

  • Dances With Wolves snagged the wins for Best Director (Kevin Costner), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Music for an Original Score as well.

1991: The Silence of the Lambs

  • The Silence of the Lambs swept the four major categories with its Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Jodie Foster), Best Director (Jonathan Demme), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Tally).

1992: Unforgiven

  • Unforgiven took home Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Gene Hackman), Best Director (Clint Eastwood), and Best Film Editing awards as well.

1993: Schindler’s List

  • Steven Spielberg won an Oscar for Best Director, and Schindler’s List also added Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Decoration for Set Decoration, Best Film Editing, and Best Music for an Original Score.

1994: Forrest Gump

  • Forrest Gump ran away (pun intended) with several more Oscars: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Tom Hanks), Best Director (Robert Zemeckis), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects.

1995: Braveheart

  • Braveheart also won Best Director (Mel Gibson), Best Cinematography, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Makeup.

1996: The English Patient

  • The English Patient won a slew of awards: Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Juliette Binoche), Best Director (Anthony Minghella), Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Music for an Original Dramatic Score.

1997: Titanic

  • Get ready, because Titanic is one of the big winners at the Oscars. Here we go: Best Director (James Cameron), Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Song (“My Heart Will Go On,” naturally), and Best Music for an Original Dramatic Score.

1998: Shakespeare in Love

  • Shakespeare in Love snagged additional awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Gwyneth Paltrow), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Judi Dench), Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Music for an Original Musical or Comedy Score.

1999: American Beauty

  • American Beauty also won for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Kevin Spacey), Best Director (Sam Mendes), Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.

Key Picks

One could easily just go for three winners in succession here for the ’90s. Start with The Silence of the Lambs (try not to shudder at “Hello, Clarice”), head through Unforgiven, and then watch Schindler’s List. Then, you may want to also go watch something happy afterwards.

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