Which casts win each year? Pick your favorites. The film should be an ensemble film though – not just something where you liked the leads. Wikipedia has a serviceable definition:
1994 Pulp Fiction
1997 Boogie Nights <- This is the one that caused me to think of the idea of an ensemble Oscar in the first place.
The Screen Actors Guild gives an award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. While the award does not go to an ensemble cast every year, some of the award winners definitely fit into this category. Of the ones I’ve seen, I think Gosford Park (2001); The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003); and The Help (2011) were all great ensemble cast winners.
My personal nominee would be Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing (1993).
The SAG awards didn’t start until 1995, but Boogie Nights was a nominee in 1997; it lost to The Full Monty.
Godfather 1 - where 3 supporting actors got nominations and launched the careers of the others.
Pulp Fiction - launched/revitalized the careers of everyone in it.
Oliver! - a similar launch for all.
Sound of Music - ditto
Singing in the Rain - the only one I didn’t like was Jean Hagen and she won.
The Caine Mutiny - required really good actors.
The old Holy Week series - anything from Richard Harris as Cain to Olivia Husy as Mother Mary and “God”-knows-who-else
The Harry Potter anthology basically uses up a good part the UK’s stock of character actors and actresses.
Not impressed with the Oceans series, the Batman series and all the movies that featured “dream casting.”
Special mention: The Outsiders - nearly all of them became named actors.
Clue for 1985, for sure.
Princess Bride for 1987.
The Big Chill
This year’s has to belong to The Avengers. And if not, HULK SMASH JURY!
I really want to agree, I looove Much Ado…, but unfortunately '93 was also the year Short Cuts came out. Also, Keanu.
I’d give this year’s award to Moonrise Kingdom without a second thought (at least at this point in the year). Every part is played beautifully, and the group of young actors is very impressive.
Casablanca
The recent remake of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. I thought everyone was fantastic, and as a huge fan of the BBC miniseries, which was absolutely perfect, I was prepared to sniff dismissively at the casting in the new one.
At least two from old Scorcese flicks:
Taxi Driver - Robert DeNiro, Jodi Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Harvey Keitel, Peter Boyle, Albert Brooks
Goodfellas - Deniro, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino (and a dozen other terrific “character actors”)
A Fish Called Wanda came to mind immediately.
Spinal Tap
Best In Show
A Might Wind
Waiting For Guffman
1982 - Diner
Best ensemble ever!
And that’s the problem with it; I can only guess how many voters treat the category as if it was named “Best Picture.”
Yep. Slumdog Millionaire winning that award was totally ridiculous. And I actually liked that movie. But best ensemble? Where?
Admittedly, that wasn’t a vintage lineup (other nominees were Milk, Doubt, Frost/Nixon, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), but Milk and Frost/Nixon would have been far more worthy.
Usual Suspects