While the Oscars are prestigious awards recognizing the best in cinema and are highly sought after by professionals in the industry, the Golden Raspberry Award, or Razzie Award as it is sometimes known, stands in stark contrast. This satirical award is presented to acknowledge the worst cinematic works released over the course of a year. The “winners” or their representatives receive a small trophy worth about five dollars—a golf ball-sized raspberry on top of a film reel, painted gold. The intent behind this is to encourage filmmakers and artists to strive for excellence and avoid poor choices. Established in the early 1980s, the first ceremony was held in a living room in Hollywood, USA. Sylvester Stallone holds the record for the most Razzie wins, with ten awards to his name.
The inception of the Razzie Award began when John J.B. Wilson, a public relations expert, watched two films, Can’t Stop the Music and Xanadu, and deemed them deserving of awards solely for their poor quality. This led him to reflect on other disappointing films from 1980, having watched hundreds during his career in creating promotional clips. Consequently, in the following year, Wilson hosted a small gathering at his Hollywood home on the night of the 53rd Academy Awards. After the event, he distributed ballots to attendees to vote for the worst film and invited friends to perform impromptu comedic skits in his living room. Wilson then stood on a cardboard podium wearing a tacky suit and holding a makeshift microphone—a ball attached to a broomstick. The event was a success, and local newspapers, including the Los Angeles Daily News, covered it.
At the first Razzie Awards, attendance was around 30 people, which doubled at the second event and again at the third. By the fourth ceremony, held at an elementary school in Los Angeles, CNN and two major news agencies began covering the event. Wilson realized that scheduling the Razzie Awards before the Oscars would garner more press coverage. He noted that competing directly with the Oscars was futile, but holding the event the night before ensured extensive media coverage from around the world. Over the years, the Razzie Awards became more organized, with a membership association of 650 members from 19 different countries paying fees for their membership. The ceremony, where nominations and awards are announced, now takes place the day before the Oscars.
Currently, the Razzie Awards are presented in various categories including Worst Film, Worst Director, Worst Actor, Worst Actress, Worst Supporting Actor, Worst Supporting Actress, Worst Screenplay, Worst Remake, Worst Ensemble, and others. Previously, additional categories such as Worst Original Song, Worst New Star, Worst Musical Score, Worst Visual Effects, and Worst Screen Couple were included but have been discontinued. Each decade concludes with a special Razzie for the worst performers and films of that decade, except for the year 2000 when actors were deemed the worst of the entire 20th century.
The Razzie Awards have seen notable coincidences, such as three individuals winning both an Oscar and a Razzie in the same year for different works. These include composer Alan Menken in 1993, screenwriter Brian Helgeland in 1997, and actress Sandra Bullock in 2010. Additionally, three actors received nominations for both an Oscar and a Razzie for the same role: James Coco, Amy Irving, and Glenn Close. The film Wall Street (1987) is unique for winning both awards in the same year, with Michael Douglas receiving the Oscar for Best Actor and Daryl Hannah the Razzie for Worst Supporting Actress. Some films have elements nominated for a Razzie while other aspects win Oscars, such as Flashdance (1983), which was nominated for Worst Screenplay but won the Oscar for Best Original Song. Similarly, The Bodyguard (1992) received seven Razzie nominations despite its major box-office success.
