Steven Spielberg was still just a cocky 29-year-old kid – albeit an immensely talented one – on the winter morning in 1976 when Academy Award nominations were announced. He had just finished directing his blockbuster “Jaws” and was so excited and confident about the film’s Oscar prospects that he filmed the announcement. The result is a fascinating look back at who Spielberg was on that fateful day. Watch the three-and-a-half-minute video above.
It opens with Spielberg speaking directly to the camera: “My name is Steve Spielberg, and I just directed a movie called ‘Jaws.’ And ‘Jaws’ is about to be nominated in 11 categories. You’re about to see a sweep of the nominations. We’re very confident this very moment. And so you all have a seat and we’ll get on with it.” (There’s a smattering of applause.)
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We see that Spielberg is joined by a couple of friends (including one in a “Jaws” t-shirt) in a home that we presume is his own. There’s a “Jaws” poster positioned behind him. As a film, it’s not terribly well-directed. The focus then shifts to a small television monitor where fuzzy figures are sharing the Oscar info. The Best Director nominees are read off live, one after the other: Milos Forman for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” Federico Fellini for “Amarcord,” Stanley Kubrick for “Barry Lyndon,” Sidney Lumet for “Dog Day Afternoon” and finally Robert Altman for “Nashville.”
As soon as the fifth name is read, a somewhat shocked Spielberg, his hands balled into fists while leaning on his cheeks, blurts, “Oh, I didn’t get it! I didn’t get it! I wasn’t nominated. (beat) I was beaten out by Fellini!” Then comes the Best Picture nominations announcement. When “Jaws” is read, there are cheers in the room accompanied by Spielberg’s observation. “Well it’s about time.”
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The indignant friends then begin to gripe about how Spielberg’s being snubbed for directing “Jaws” indicates that this is “a dark day in Hollywood” and “Who made it? The shark?”. Spielberg then decides, “All right, enough, enough, I’m suffering enough. I’m suffering.” He jokingly adds, “Cancel my day. Cancel my week. I’m going to Palm Springs.” When an unseen voice informs him that “Jaws” received nominations only for its sound, editing and musical score (along with picture), he replies in astonishment, “That’s it? Not even special effects?”
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Spielberg then concludes, “This is called commercial backlash. When a film makes a lot of money, people resent it.” Finally, looking straight into the camera, he adds, “Everybody loves a winner. But nobody loves a WINNER.” He trails off with an ironic chuckle.
“Jaws” would wind up winning three Oscars – for everything it was nominated for apart from Best Picture. That last one went to “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” Spielberg had to wait until “E.T.” in 1983 for a Best Director bid, and “Schindler’s List” in 1994 for a win. His second triumph for directing came in 1999 for “Saving Private Ryan.” He could take home his third directing Oscar this year for “The Fabelmans.”
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