Inside Oscar: The Unofficial History of the Academy Awards

by Mason Wiley, Damien Bona

A social history of our place and time...Mr. Wiley and Mr. Bona have found just the right tone for writing about this most particular of American phenomena.

Genres: Film, History, Nonfiction, Media Tie In

1248 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1985

Reviews

[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want gossip, try this book since it is full of it. It covers the Academy Awards from 1927-1985 which really doesn't affect what the book is trying to accomplish........how are nominees chosen, how are winners selected. additional categories added through the years, etc. Interesting history.

But it is the behind the scenes machinations by studios and actors in their attempt to win the coveted Oscar which turned the honor into rather a joke. Almost as much money was spent promoting a film/actor as it cost to make the film. Actors would call voters and ask for their support - studios would threaten - unions would threaten - ad nauseum. Personal pride was tossed aside, especially by actors, as they canvassed everyone they knew in an attempt to garner their vote. And winning an Oscar was reduced to "politics'. Granted, some actors, couldn't have cared less if they were nominated or won but they were few and far between. And many of the winners were deserving of recognition but many selections were questionable.

I am probably not being fair in giving this book a lower rating since it was informative. But it also revealed the really unpleasant atmosphere of the Academy in a gossipy manner.

[Lynne Stringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book fascinating, with all its insights into the history and infamy that is the Academy Awards. I generally enjoy watching the Oscars, although I don't always take the winners - sorry, the person who the Oscar goes to - as being the best actor/actress/movie of the year. So much politics comes into play, as this book demonstrates. This is a great book for anyone who wants to catch up on what's been happening since the Oscars came into being.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this handy over the years. Lots of behind the scenes stories. And, yes, absolutely, the Oscars are about money (first and foremost) and marketing and politics. And on the side, some truly wonderful work is rewarded. But not very often. But don't we all have our speeches prepared anyway?

[Robby Poffenberger · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some fun history and juicy goss, but it can get pretty tedious. The chapters get longer as the author feels it necessary to give a play-by-play for every ceremony and has more archival footage to work with.

If you like this, try Oscar Wars by Michael Schulman, a recent one that delivers all the good stuff without the fluff, plus some fascinating cultural context.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read that I bought at a remainder book store once (when they HAD remainder book stores in malls). Dishy yet well-written, back when the Oscars meant something, very interesting stories behind the scenes.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

COVID reading.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 1992. Fascinating loos at the Academy Awards.

[Elliott Folds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful, pulpy nonsense. Especially invaluable as an informal record of contemporary thought for 70-odd years of the Oscars. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t flip through it a few times a year.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a giant Oscars nerd, this is SO good. Every cinephile should have this in their library.

[Jillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really truly love John K. King Bookstore in downtown Detroit. I love the four floors filled with books, I love the fact they have stacks of vintage postcards for sale (I collect them), and I especially love the $1 table. That is where I found Inside Oscar, and I doubt I would have brought this book home if it hadn't been on that table.

Inside Oscar is meticulously detailed. It's almost too much detail, the book clocking at about 920 pages, but it is fascinating. It's not just the history of the Oscars detailed but of the studios and their rivalries, of how films get made and actors are cast. No one wanted to star in It Happened One Night; it was Claudette Clobert's punishment by her studio. For me, the best part of the book was the stuff before award night: the campaigning, the drama over nominations, etc. I didn't know studios campaigned for Oscars like they did. Inside Oscar is an excellent study of not just the evolution of the Oscars but of the studios and the film industry and how film changed.

I enjoyed this book to a point, but by the 1970s I started to lose steam. It is very long and a bit dry, and I had to force myself to keep going. This edition also only goes to 1987, and I would have liked a more modern version. I wasn't alive for most of the 90s, and I'm too young to remember the early 2000s Oscars. Still, I recommend any version of Inside Oscar to film buffs and fans of Oscar night.

[Shawn Thrasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very witty and full of fun information. Lots of "did you knows" that you can use at the next Oscar watch party you throw or attend. Each Oscar year is a little story with a cast of characters, and plenty of backstage and audience gossip. All the famous moments from Oscars past are here. I read this last in 2005 (with no review) and I know I read it in the 1990s (B.G. - before Goodreads) - it's a fun re-read.

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's silly to say I read this in 1986 (though I did or whenever it first launched) because I read it every year. Not cover to cover but whenever I get interested in a particular year or film.

Embarrassingly rich with Hollywood detail. NO OTHER OSCAR BOOKS COMPARE. Please know that since there are so many of them.

[Jim Berkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Indispensable one-stop shopping for all things Oscar history & trivia. Wiley & Bona do a great job compiling general narratives, behind the scenes gossip & some of the stories behind various publicity campaigns for all the Academy Awards ceremonies going back to the beginning. A fun read for movie trivia, as well as a great bookshelf reference source & bar bet settler!

[Doug Long · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pull this great book out every Oscar season. Its style makes it a great way to digest the history of film from the end of silents to the present. The authors consolidate the films' releases, awards season, Oscar ceremony, and aftermath, usually with droll with and concise writing.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this whole thing from cover to cover and refer to it often for Oscar history facts. It is a gold mine of Hollywood information.

[Herb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. There were, however, some noticeable errors when reporting facts, otherwise I would have given this 5 stars.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

4th time read