A retrospective montage played at the Academy Awards Ceremony this year, commemorating 90 years of film achievements in the span of four minutes.
The video is circulating widely online, as it captures many of the most compelling moments in cinema history. The montage isn’t made in chronological order, but rather cuts between contemporary movies, black-and-white movies, and in some cases even movies that just came out within the last month.
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The video is fascinating for both casual movie-goers and hardcore movie buffs. It is full of fast cuts between some of the most iconic and recognizable shots in movies. However, peppered in are some lesser known images. Many of the most powerful moments moments are scenes that are rarely referenced, yet the majority of the audience can recognize instantly.
Throughout the video, sound bites from the various movies intersect with each other, forming a general message about the transcendent effect the art form can have on people. It includes quotes from Willy Wonka, Toy Story and E.T. among many others. The clips range from movies from the very beginning of the 20th century, to last year’s blockbuster hit Black Panther.
While the video indirectly celebrated some of the greatest films of nearly the past century, it was meant to celebrate the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as a whole. The organization is behind the Oscars themselves, and have been doing so for nine decades.
“The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s pre-eminent movie related organization, comprised of 8,000+ accomplished men and women working in cinema,” reads the academy’s website. “We recognize and uphold excellence in the motion picture arts and sciences, inspire imagination, and connect the world through the medium of motion pictures.”
Whether intentional or not, the montage made use of many film moments that are widely used for GIF reactions online these days. One in particular, seemed appropriate in reference to the video itself.