Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film

I have seen every short animation to win the Oscar. Since the 1960s the winners have become more diverse and less predictable. Here are, in my humble opinion, the top ten animated shorts of the past 50 years (since 1963). Also, as a bonus, what I consider the five most unpleasant to have won the Oscar in that time.

Best

1. The Man Who Planted Trees (1987), Frederic Back

2. The Old Man and the Sea (1999), Aleksander Petrov

3. The Wrong Trousers (1993), Nick Park

4. Mona Lisa Descending a Staircase (1992), Joan C. Gratz

5. Balance (1989), Wolfgang and Christoph Lauenstein

6. La Maison en Petit Cubes (2008), Kanio Kato

7. Closed Mondays (1974), Will Vinton and Bob Gardiner

8. Leisure (1976), Suzanne Baker

9. Geri’s Game (1997), Jan Pinkava

10. The Critic (1963), Ernest Pintoff

Honorable Mentions:

Frank Film (1973), Frank Mouris

Paperman (2012), John Kahrs

Worst

5. A Greek Tragedy (1986), Linda Van Tulen and Willem Thijsen

4. A Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass Band Double Feature (1966), John and Faith Hubley

3. The Crunch Bird (1971), Ted Petok

2. Charade (1984), Jon Minnis

1. Sundae in New York (1983), Jimmy Picker

In the first 30 years of the award there were some great titles as well, but in general they are more predictable, with the same directors and plots (9 Tom and Jerry cartoons, for example). Here are the top ten, and worst five of that era.

Best

1. The Old Mill (1937), Walt Disney

2. Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953), Walt Disney

3. Gerald McBoingBoing (1950), Stephen Bosustow

4. Der Fuehrer’s Face (1942), Walt Disney

5. Munro (1960), Jules Feiffer and William L. Snyder

6. Ferdinand the Bull (1938), Walt Disney

7. The Cat Concerto (1946), Fred Quimby

8. Birds Anonymous (1957), Edward Selzer

9. Ersatz (The Substitute) (1961), Dusan Vukotic

10. Lend a Paw (1941), Walt Disney

Worst

5. Moonbird (1959), John and Faith Hubley

4. The Little Orphan (1948), Fred Quimby

3. The Milky Way (1940), Fred Quimby and Rudolph Ising

2. When Magoo Flew (1954), Stephen Bosustow

1. Magoo’s Puddle Jumper (1956), Stephen Bosustow