The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004) (TV)

Directors:

Louis J. Horvitz
Troy Miller

Writers:

Hal Kanter (written by) and
Rita Cash (written by) ...

Release Date:

29 February 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Music

Plot:

In the annual awards presentation, the nominated films include _Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, The (2003)_ , Lost in Translation (2003), Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003), Mystic River (2003), and Seabiscuit (2003). |

Plot Keywords:

TV Special | Wheelchair | Awards Show | Number In Title

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 10 nominations

Cast

Billy Crystal	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shohreh Aghdashloo	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Liam Aiken	...	Himself
Denys Arcand	...	Himself - Best Foreign Language Film Winner
George Axelrod	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Alec Baldwin	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role / Co-presenter: Best Documentary Feature
Alan Bates	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Jack Black	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Song
Béatrice Bonifassi	...	Herself - Performer ("Belleville Rendez-vou")
Russell Boyd	...	Himself - Best Cinematography Winner (also archive footage)
Philippa Boyens	...	Herself - Best Adapted Screenplay Winner
Christopher Boyes	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Stan Brakhage	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Adrien Brody	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Charles Bronson	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Pierce Brosnan	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Editing
Sandra Bullock	...	Herself (Co-Presenter)
T-Bone Burnett	...	Himself - Performer: 'The Scarlet Tide'
Nicolas Cage	...	Himself - Presenter: 'Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World' Film Clip
Art Carney	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Jim Carrey	...	Himself - Presenter: Honorary Award to Blake Edwards
Keisha Castle-Hughes	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Benoît Charest	...	Himself - Performer: 'Belleville Rendez-vous'
César Charlone	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography (archive footage)
Patricia Clarkson	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Phil Collins	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Original Score
Sean Connery	...	Himself - making opening announcement
Randall William Cook	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Chris Cooper	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress
Francis Ford Coppola	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Sofia Coppola	...	Herself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay / Nominee: Best Picture, Best Director / Co-presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Elvis Costello	...	Himself - Performer: 'The Scarlet Tide'
Jeanne Crain	...	Herself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Shane Bitney Crone	...	Himself
Hume Cronyn	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Tom Cruise	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Director
Jamie Lee Curtis	...	Herself - Presenter: Song Performances from 'A Mighty Wind, ' 'The Triplets of Belleville'
John Cusack	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Documentary Short
Maryann DeLeo	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary Short
Benicio Del Toro	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actor
Johnny Depp	...	Himself
Ngila Dickson	...	Herself - Winner: Best Costume Design
Michael Douglas	...	Himself
Clint Eastwood	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Picture, Best Director (archive footage)
Buddy Ebsen	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Blake Edwards	...	Himself - Honorary Award Recipient
Jack Elam	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Adam Elliot	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Short
Will Ferrell	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Song
Alex Funke	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Jennifer Garner	...	Herself - Host: Scientific and Technical Awards Banquet
Buddy Hackett	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Tom Hanks	...	Himself - Presenter: Bob Hope Tribute
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Michael Hedges	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
David Hemmings	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Dan Hennah	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Katharine Hepburn	...	Herself (Special Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Wendy Hiller	...	Herself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Gregory Hines	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Bob Hope	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Holly Hunter	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Peter Jackson	...	Himself - Winner: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay
Michael Jeter	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Scarlett Johansson	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Makeup
Angelina Jolie	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Art Direction
Elia Kazan	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Diane Keaton	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Peter King	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Richard King	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Ben Kingsley	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Alison Krauss	...	Herself - Performer: 'You Will Be My Ain True Love, ' 'The Scarlet Tide'
Diane Lane	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Best Documentary Short
Hope Lange	...	Herself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Jude Law	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Dave LeBolt	...	Himself - accepting Award of Merit (pre-recorded)
Heath Ledger	...	Himself - Audience Member
Alan Lee	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Annie Lennox	...	Herself - Best Song Winner / Performer: 'Into the West'
Joe Letteri	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Eugene Levy	...	Himself - Performer: 'A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow (as Mitch & Mickey)
Tobey Maguire	...	Himself - Presenter: 'Seabiscuit' Film Clip
Grant Major	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Michael McKean	...	Himself-Nominee:Best Original Song
Ian McKellen	...	Himself
Fernando Meirelles	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director (archive footage)
Ann Miller	...	Herself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Julianne Moore	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Film Editing
Karen Morley	...	Herself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Errol Morris	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary Feature
Samantha Morton	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Bill Murray	...	Himself - Presenter: 'Lost in Translation' Film Clip
David Newman	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Donald O'Connor	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Catherine O'Hara	...	Perfomer: 'A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow' (as Mitch & Mickey)
Ron O'Neal	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Barrie M. Osborne	...	Himself - Winner: Best Picture
Annette O'Toole	...	Herself-Nominee: Best Original Song
Peter Parks	...	Himself - Gordon E. Sawyer Award Recipient (pre-recorded) (as Peter D. Parks)
Gregory Peck	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Hammond Peek	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Sean Penn	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Frank Pierson	...	Himself - Academy President, presenting Memorial Tribute
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Best Visual Effects
Leni Riefenstahl	...	Herself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
John Ritter	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Miles Robbins	...	Himself
Tim Robbins	...	Himself - Winner: Best Supporting Actor / Co-presenter: Best Original Screenplay
Denise Robert	...	Herself - Best Foreign Language Film Winner
Julia Roberts	...	Herself - Presenter: Katharine Hepburn Tribute
Jim Rygiel	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Andrew J. Sacks	...	Himself - Winner: Best Live Action Short
Susan Sarandon	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Best Original Screenplay
John Schlesinger	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Aaron Schneider	...	Himself - Winner: Best Live Action Short
John Schwartzman	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography (archive footage)
John Seale	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography (archive footage)
Jamie Selkirk	...	Himself - Winner: Best Film Editing
Michael Semanick	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Eduardo Serra	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography (archive footage)
Marc Shaiman	...	Himself - Conductor
Howard Shore	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score, Best Original Song
Will Smith	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Visual Effects
Steven Spielberg	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Picture
Robert Stack	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Andrew Stanton	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Feature
Ray Stark	...	Himself (Memorial Tribute) (archive footage)
Ben Stiller	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Live Short and Best Animated Short
Sting	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Score / Performer: 'You Will Be My Ain True Love'
Richard Taylor	...	Himself - Winner: Best Costume Design, Best Makeup
Charlize Theron	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress / Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film
Uma Thurman	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Best Cinematography
Bill Tondreau	...	Himself - Award of Merit Recipient (pre-recorded)
John Travolta	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Sound, Best Sound Editing
Liv Tyler	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Song nominees "Into the West", "The Scarlet Tide", "You Will Be My Ain' True Love"
Fran Walsh	...	Herself - Winner: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Song
Naomi Watts	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role / Co-presenter: Best Documentary Feature
Michael Weaver	...	Himself
Peter Weir	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Picture, Best Director (archive footage)
Harold Wheeler	...	Himself - Conductor
Michael Williams	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary Feature
Robin Williams	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature
Owen Wilson	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Live Short and Best Animated Short
Oprah Winfrey	...	Herself - Presenter: 'Mystic River' Film Clip
Renée Zellweger	...	Herself - Winner: Best Supporting Actress / Presenter: Best Costume Design
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor

Runtime:

USA:225 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Kodak Theatre - 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood & Highland, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Quotes:

Billy Crystal: All of the hobbits' wardrobe is now for sale at The House of DeVito, if anyone is interested.

Movie Connections:

Features Operation Petticoat (1959)

Soundtrack:

You Will Be My Ain True Love

Predictable entertainment

It is funny how one of the most predictable Oscar shows in years was also one of the most fun to watch in years. Billy Crystal was back as the host and what a tremendous job he did. All of his jokes worked, not all of them planned, and together with other comedians like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson he made sure we had a lot of fun.

The winners themselves were very predictable. I didn't expect the clean sweep for 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' but I thought there was a possibility it would happen. I like the 'Rings'-trilogy, although I am not a huge fan, and I think the trilogy deserved the recognition. Still, I was hoping for a little more diversity.

My personal favorite of 2003, 'Lost in Translation', won for Best Original Screenplay and that as well was pretty predictable. As were Charlize Theron for 'Monster', Renée Zellweger for 'Cold Mountain' and Tim Robbins for 'Mystic River'. Sean Penn deserved to win an Oscar although I hoped for Bill Murray this year and they both had a chance. Adrien Brody announced Best Actress and made a little fun of himself after his kiss last year with Halle Barry. Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing went to 'Master and Commander' (it deserved some technical recognition) probably only because 'The Lord of the Rings' wasn't even nominated in those categories. If it was it would have won.

The Best Foreign Language Film went to Canadian 'Les Invasions Barbares' and the woman who accepted the Oscar had a nice joke being thankful to 'The Lord of the Rings' that it could not be nominated in that category. Of course, being from The Netherlands, I was hoping for 'De Tweeling'. I think both films were good enough to win. Again being from The Netherlands I was also hoping for 'Girl with a Pearl Earring', about Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, in the categories Best Costume Design and Best Art Direction since Ducth persons were nominated. Both went, of course, to 'The Lord of the Rings' although I think Best Art Direction could have gone to 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'. That movie looks so beautiful.

Best Animated Feature was for the great 'Finding Nemo', again very predictable, and Best Documentary was for 'The Fog of War'. The only real competition for that movie was 'Capturing the Friedmans'. Of course the filmmaker gave us some political words but he kept everything pretty decent. Although the category is not very important, I liked the Best Animated Short for 'Harvie Krumpet'. 'Boundin'' from Pixar or 'Gone Nutty' with the little creature from 'Ice Age' were my guesses.

In the end the main thing I liked was the show itself. I had only a couple of my favorites really winning (Best Original Screenplay, Best Actress, both Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress and Best Animated Feature) but had a great time as well. I think that is the most important thing. Especially after last year's show where things were a little different because of the war in Iraq I thought it was some kind of a relieve. If next year will be as much fun as this, a little less predictable may be, I will be very satisfied.