Which Genres Have Won Most Best Picture Oscars

Since its beginning in 1929, the best picture award has remained the highest honor of the Oscars. The best picture award has been bestowed on 96 films to date and winning was dependent upon the social trends of the time. Musicals, which dominated the best picture award during the 1950's and 60's, have not won a best picture award since 'Chicago' in 2002. 

So, let's take a look back and see how each of nine movie genres vied for and won the top prize. 

- Biographical Dramas explore the way individuals have impacted history. Over the years, nine bio-dramas have won best picture with 'Oppenheimer' the most successful. 

- Biopics stories about one person and how they lived. Only two biopics have won best picture awards. 'Ghandi' won in 1982 and 'The Life of Emile Zola' in 1937.

- Romantic Comedies have won best picture five times. The romcom 'It Happened One Night' is one of only two movies ever to sweep the big five awards: best picture, best director, best actor, best actress, and best screenplay, the other being 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.

-Epic, a movie with a sweeping theme and big production budget. This genre has won best picture 21 times. Some of the winners had multiple parts, such as 'The Godfather'.

- Historical Drama, similar to bio dramas, this genre is defined as fictionalized accounts of specific events set in a distinct time period. Only four films have won in this genre with 'Mutiny of the Bounty' the most well-known.

- Horror, only seven horror films have ever even been nominated for best picture, including this year's 'The Substance'. Only one has won a best picture Oscar, 'The Silence of the Lambs'.

-Musicals, have won 10 best picture awards. The musical that won 10 of 11 Oscars it was nominated for and set the record for most awards won by a musical was 'West Side Story'.

- Thriller, a film with suspense and drama. Six have won best picture awards. 'Rebecca' (1940), the Hitchcock thriller, was the first to win in this genre.

- Sci-Fi movies have won only two best picture awards. It wasn't until 1971 when 'A Clockwork Orange' was nominated for best picture. It took another 46 years when in 1971 'The Shape of Water' actually won best picture. 

And there you have it.

By: Jim Lavorato