Shawshank Redemption Tops ‘Robbed of Oscar’ Poll

The Shawshank Redemption has topped a poll of films that should have won an Academy Award but never did.

The prison escape drama, starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, was nominated for seven Oscars in 1995, including best picture, which was awarded to Forrest Gump.

Supernatural M Night Shyamalan thriller The Sixth Sense, which was nominated for best picture in 2000, took second place.

Fight Club (1999), starring Brad Pitt and Helena Bonham Carter, was third in the poll for Pearl & Dean, followed by Ridley Scott sci- fi movie Blade Runner.

It’s A Wonderful Life (1946), nominated for five Oscars including best actor for James Stewart, and The Great Escape (1963) were joint fifth in the poll.

Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976) and Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) were joint seventh followed by Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and four-times nominated Dr Strangelove (1964).

Pearl & Dean spokeswoman Kathryn Jacob said: “Oscars night always brings a raft of surprises and shocks and looking back it seems astounding that these classics of cinema failed to be recognised by the Academy.

“The question remains will this year’s awards get it right?”

The top 10 films that missed out

1. The Shawshank Redemption

2. The Sixth Sense

3. Fight Club

4. Blade Runner

5= It’s a Wonderful Life

5= The Great Escape

7= Taxi Driver

7= Psycho

9. Singin’ in the Rain

10. Dr Strangelove

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