Re-ranking my top 10 favorite nominees 1932-2011

A week ago I had completed my ranking of the 50 nominees from the past ten years (2012-2021) by how much I liked them. During the introduction I noted that my tastes change with time, so the overall rankings could feature some differences from the individual rankings. That led me to thinking about the rankings I did for the previous decades that I did as I was writing those reviews. I created the rankings after every ten years I reviewed, but since I finished my last review in 2013 that would meant those rankings were made between 8-10 years ago. Surely there would be some changes during that time.

I didn't revisit every single ranking, but instead I focused on the top ten favorites from every decade. I re-watched those in the top ten, as well as some of the films that were near misses just to see if some might sneak into the top ten. Well, as it turns out every single decade had some changes in the individual rankings. What are those changes? Well, let's visit each of them and find out.

2002-2011

Original Rankings (posted 3/25/2012)
10. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2011)
9. Das Rad (Rocks) (2002)
8. The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005)
7. Moya Lyubov (My Love) (2007)
6. Logorama (2009)
5. Guard Dog (2004)
4. Wild Life (2011)
3. Harvie Krumpet (2003)
2. The Little Matchgirl (2006)
1. La Maison en Petits Cubes (2008)

New Rankings
10. The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2011)
9. Atama-yama (Mt. Head) (2002)
8. The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello (2005)
7. Moya Lyubov (My Love) (2007)
6. Guard Dog (2004)
5. Lorenzo (2004)
4. Wild Life (2011)
3. Harvie Krumpet (2003)
2. The Little Matchgirl (2006)
1. La Maison en Petits Cubes (2008)

Since I wrote the reviews in reverse chronological order, the first decade whose films I ranked was the most recent decade prior to this one, which would be the films from 2002-2011. And because I ranked that one first, more time has elapsed between this decade's ranking than that of any other decade. Needless to say because so much time has passed, there have been more changes in this ranking than any others.

The first major change was the addition of Lorenzo, which Disney finally released in 2015 as part of their Disney Short Films collection. There had been seven films I was missing back when I did the rankings, of which I had eventually caught up with six of them. Lorenzo was the most recent and also my favorite. This tango-inspired film about a cat and his tail that has come to life was dripping in atmosphere and dark humor. In my review of the film I wrote that I would slot the film fifth, and that's where it remains even today. However, the addition of Lorenzo meant one film had to fall, and yet the unfortunate film wasn't the tenth-placed The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore but the German film Das Rad about rocks that had come to life.

The other major change is the fall of Logorama. The biting commentary of American consumerism ranked sixth due to its clever use of logos and corporate mascots to make for a wild and enjoyable experience. However, I bemoaned the complete mess of a story. I was able to overlook that flaw back in 2012, but it just wasn't enough in 2022, at least not enough to keep the film in the top ten. That left room for another film to enter the top 10, but instead of Das Rad reaping the benefit, it was fellow 2002 nominee Atama-yama that did. The animated rakugo didn't just enter the top ten but jumped The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore into ninth place. So you could say Atama-yama and Das Rad essentially swapped positions, although it took a lot of shifting in between.

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1992-2001

Original Rankings (posted 5/26/2012)
10. The Chicken from Outer Space (1995)
9. The Sandman (1992)
8. The Canterbury Tales (1998)
7. Rejected (2000)
6. Screen Play (1992)
5. The Village (1993)
4. A Close Shave (1995)
3. More (1998)
2. The Wrong Trousers (1993)
1. Geri's Game (1997)

New Rankings
10. Rejected (2000)
9. The Sandman (1992)
8. The Chicken from Outer Space (1995)
7. The Canterbury Tales (1998)
6. Screen Play (1992)
5. The Village (1993)
4. A Close Shave (1995)
3. More (1998)
2. The Wrong Trousers (1993)
1. Geri's Game (1997)

The changes in this decade came exclusively from the bottom of the top 10, which is still in the top 10. The biggest change was the fall of Rejected, the film that initially put Don Hertzfeldt on the map. The bizarre non-sequitur nature created a film that was as funny as it was profound. However, it paled in comparison to World of Tomorrow, his most recent Oscar nominee that ranked number 1 for this past decade. Rejected's standing had suffered in comparison. It stayed in the top 10, but fell into the tenth spot.

Theoretically the original eighth to tenth ranked films could each move up a spot to fill the void left by Rejected falling. However, I ultimately decided that I preferred the darkly comic horror of The Chicken from Outer Space over the gothic horror of The Sandman. I was never a fan of Courage the Cowardly Dog the show, but there was enough poignancy amidst all of the chaos in the pilot, and it now sits in the eighth slot, leaving The Sandman in the same spot as it did almost ten years earlier.

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1982-1991

Original Rankings (posted 8/4/2012)
10. Blackfly (1991)
9. The Man Who Planted Trees (1987)
8. Technological Threat (1988)
7. George and Rosemary (1987)
6. The Cat Came Back (1988)
5. Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
4. Tango (1982)
3. The Big Snit (1985)
2. Luxo Jr. (1986)
1. Anna & Bella (1985)

New Rankings
10. Blackfly (1991)
9. The Man Who Planted Trees (1987)
8. Technological Threat (1988)
7. George and Rosemary (1987)
6. The Cat Came Back (1988)
5. Tango (1982)
4. Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)
3. The Big Snit (1985)
2. Luxo Jr. (1986)
1. Anna & Bella (1985)

There's only one change in this decade, a swap between Tango and Mickey's Christmas Carol for the fourth and fifth slots. I was impressed by Tango's overwhelming visual genius, and while it is still impressive, I ultimately succumbed to the Disney charm from Mickey's Christmas Carol. It helps that Mickey's Christmas Carol is an integral part of my childhood that I didn't get to see all the time (because we never had it on VHS), but it was always a treat whenever I did get to watch it.

I did have a selfish interest in getting Second Hand Mail, which ranked 11th, into the top 10. It was nominated in 1985, the year I was born, and I thought it would be nice if all three nominees from the year of my birth could get into the top 10. However, in watching all of the films again I just couldn't do it. It was a little bit too weird.

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1972-1981

Original Rankings (posted 10/13/2012)
10. Oh My Darling (1978)
9. Rip Van Winkle (1978)
8. Closed Mondays (1974)
7. Kick Me (1975)
6. Special Delivery (1978)
5. Tout Rien (All Nothing) (1980)
4. The Family that Dwelt Apart (1974)
3. Frank Film (1973)
2. Great (1975)
1. Hunger (1974)

New Rankings
10. Oh My Darling (1978)
9. Rip Van Winkle (1978)
8. Kick Me (1975)
7. Special Delivery (1978)
6. Closed Mondays (1974)
5. Tout Rien (All Nothing) (1980)
4. The Family That Dwelt Apart (1974)
3. Frank Film (1973)
2. Great (1975)
1. Hunger (1974)

I had fond memories of creating the rankings for this decade, since when I was finalizing the top ten I watched it with friends with whom I was staying while doing a rotation. Alas, even then there had to be some changes. Closed Mondays, the creative Claymation by Will Vinton and Bob Gardiner ranked eighth. However, I was able to get a version in much higher quality, which heightened the emotions that was contained in the film, and it jumped two spots to number six, with Special Delivery and Kick Me dropping accordingly. 

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1962-1971

Original Rankings (posted 3/20/2013)
10. A Symposium on Popular Songs (1962)
9. Is It Always Right to Be Right? (1970)
8. A Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Double Feature (1966)
7. What on Earth! (1967)
6. The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics (1965)
5. Of Men and Demons (1969)
4. Igra (The Play) (1963)
3. The House that Jack Built (1968)
2. The Critic (1963)
1. Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968)

New Rankings
10. Is It Always Right to Be Right? (1970)
9. A Symposium on Popular Songs (1962)
8. A Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Double Feature (1966)
7. What on Earth! (1967)
6. The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics (1965)
5. Of Men and Demons (1969)
4. Igra (The Play) (1963)
3. The House that Jack Built (1968)
2. The Critic (1963)
1. Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968)

Once again there was only one change involving two films swapping spots. Is It Always Right to Be Right? provided strong social commentary as it ended up ninth in the original rankings. Now it's been over 50 years since it came out, and it feels that not only has nothing changed but things may have gotten worse in the political landscape. With such dismal prospects, is it any wonder that I bumped up A Symposium of Popular Songs and its charming and catchy tunes? 

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1952 - 1961

Original Rankings (posted 6/5/2013)
10. The Truth About Mother Goose (1957)
9. Johann Mouse (1952)
8. When Magoo Flew (1954)
7. Knighty Knight Bugs (1958)
6. The Legend of Rockabye Point (1955)
5. Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953)
4. Surogat (Substitute) (1961)
3. Munro (1960)
2. The Tell-Tale Heart (1953)
1. Rugged Bear (1953)

New Rankings
10. The Truth About Mother Goose (1957)
9. Johann Mouse (1952)
8. When Magoo Flew (1954)
7. Knighty Knight Bugs (1958)
6. Surogat (Substitute) (1961)
5. The Legend of Rockabye Point (1955)
4. Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom (1953)
3. Munro (1960)
2. The Tell-Tale Heart (1953)
1. Rugged Bear (1953)

Surogat was the first foreign winner, as the then-Serbian (now-Croatian) masterpiece presents a stylized depiction of a world where everything is inflatable. I was certainly enchanted by it, ranking it fourth amidst a relatively strong cast of nominees that includes the final gasp of the old studio system. As I watched it again for this project, I still find it a wonderful film, but was it really deserving to be that high? Or was I too caught up in the catchy song the main character hums? It's a worthwhile question, but in the end I dropped it two slots to six, with Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom as well as The Legend of Rockabye Point reaping the benefits and moving up.

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1942-1951

Original Rankings (posted 8/21/2013)
10. The Little Orphan (1948)
9. Toy Tinkers (1949)
8. Mouse Trouble (1944)
7. Tulips Shall Grow (1942)
6. Rooty Toot Toot (1951)
5. Quiet Please! (1945)
4. The Cat Concerto (1946)
3. Chip an' Dale (1947)
2. Der Fuehrer's Face (1942)
1. Donald's Crime (1945)

New Rankings
10. Jerry's Cousin (1950)
9. Mouse Trouble (1944)
8. Tulips Shall Grow (1942)
7. Toy Tinkers (1949)
6. Rooty Toot Toot (1951)
5. Quiet Please! (1945)
4. The Cat Concerto (1946)
3. Chip an' Dale (1947)
2. Der Fuehrer's Face (1942)
1. Donald's Crime (1945)

This particular decade might be the strongest of them all. It is the golden age of the studio animation, and so many of these films are steeped in nostalgia. When I attempted to rank my 100 favorite nominees a few years back, more films from this particular decade made it in. It's true there has been more short films nominated this decade than any others, but How to Play Football at number 16 made it into the initial rankings. So it is an intense competition to get into the top ten, one that resulted in a change in this re-ranking.

Besides watching the top 10, I also watched several films outside the top 10. Most of the ones on the outside looking in stayed outside the top 10. However, this time I was pleasantly amused by the antics of Muscles Mouse in Jerry's Cousin, much more so than the food-related jokes involving Nibbles in The Little Orphan. It helps that a shot of Tom directing members of Dirty Work Inc. towards Muscles has become a meme on the internet. 

Jerry's Cousin wasn't the only film to be getting a boost. I've always loved Disney's Christmas-themed Chip and Dale film Toy Tinkers, and it jumped ahead of both the Oscar winning Tom and Jerry film Mouse Trouble as well as George Pal's tremendous anti-war Tulips Shall Grow. It's a jolly good showing for such a competitive decade.

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1932 - 1941

Original Rankings (posted 1/15/2014)
10. The Night Before Christmas (1941)
9. Good Scouts (1938)
8. Lend a Paw (1941)
7. Rhapsody in Rivets (1941)
6. A Wild Hare (1940)
5. Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936)
4. The Old Mill (1937)
3. Brave Little Tailor (1938)
2. Three Little Pigs (1933)
1. Ferdinand the Bull (1938)

New Rankings 
10. The Night Before Christmas (1941)
9. Good Scouts (1938)
8. Lend a Paw (1941)
7. The Old Mill (1937)
6. Rhapsody in Rivets (1941)
5. Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor (1936)
4. A Wild Hare (1940)
3. Brave Little Tailor (1938)
2. Three Little Pigs (1933)
1. Ferdinand the Bull (1938)

At last we came to the earliest decade of the Best Animated Short Oscar. It is the most recent of my rankings, but that doesn't mean it is immune from changes. The biggest change is related to The Old Mill, the Oscar winning masterpiece that revolutionized animation with the multiplane camera. I ranked it fourth back then, but while watching these films again I came to realize that cute woodland animals in a storm wasn't quite as enjoyable as I had felt back then. It fell to seventh, still in the top ten but out of the top five. 

You could imagine the other films would move up one slot, but that wasn't necessarily the case. The Hungarian Rhapsody-themed construction comedy Rhapsody in Rivets moved up one slot, but A Wild Hare moved up two. Bugs Bunny's debut film still holds up well, and it was a cartoon I watched a lot when I was a child. All of that helped it to jump Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor, which is also a hilarious and revolutionary, but it lacks the nostalgia that I felt for A Wild Hare, as I only watched it when I got to college. I tried not to let nostalgia color my preferences, but it is impossible to deny. 

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And there you have it, the new top 10 for the eight decades that preceded this latest one. There haven't been too many significant changes. Only three films that were not in the initial rankings made it in, and one of them was a film that I had not yet seen. The other two in Atama-yama and Jerry's Cousin were also highly ranked. Furthermore, none of the changes involved the top three. I did briefly consider moving Three Little Pigs ahead of Ferdinand the Bull, but ultimately the Robert Lawson film won out.

So these are the top 10 for each of the decades as it stands. Who knows? Maybe I'll rank them all once again in ten years when it comes time for the 100th anniversary of the Best Animated Short category. If the Academy doesn't eliminate it before then.