Finally, Scorsese has an Oscar. He always trotted out the old line that he wasn’t too bothered either way, but damn he looked relieved to finally get one. I actually cheered when they announced his name for Best Director, as if the Oscars were a sporting event and I was supporting Team Marty.
In fact this was my favourite Oscars in a long time. Not just the Scorsese win, or Ellen DeGeneres stand up job of hosting, or even those surprisingly good shadow puppet people. Not even because Dreamgirls didn’t win Best Song, which made me very happy for some reason.
The best thing about the 79th Oscars was seeing Francis Ford Coppola onstage, looking alive, well and not mental. I’ve really been worried about the old fella in recent years and had sort of assumed he was finished as a filmmaker, but seeing him on stage doing his Three Stooges thing with Spielberg and Lucas was very reassuring (especially the way they crowded out Lucas and his wobbly chin).
Other highlights included:
Jack Nicholson’s shaved head, and possible (probable?) on-stage drunkenness. Was Diane Keaton holding him up at the end there?
Helen Mirren’s toast to the Queen, which was oddly touching. Wonder if she was watching…
Forest Whitaker’s emotional speech. Emotional but not indulgent, plus I loved the way he strode off at the end with his statue. Well done sir.
Scorsese getting teary eyed when Thelma Schoonmaker won for Best Editing.
Ellen giving Spielberg cinematography tips.
Ellen wrongly telling everyone that Penelope Cruz was Mexican, but then having the good grace to apologise.
Clint Eastwood. The man is so confident. He completely screwed up Ennio Morricone’s honorary Oscar presentation, but then waved off the debacle with “I should have worn my glasses.”
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Mobilewhack said
February 23 2007 @ 12:26 am
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Peter Nellhaus said
February 26 2007 @ 6:03 am
Since the Oscars was only broadcast on cable and satellite stations overseas, I wasn’t able to watch it this year. I was glad to read that William Monahan, screenwriter of The Departed had the class and courtesy to thank Alan Mak and Felix Chong, the writers of Infernal Affairs. If it weren’t for them and co-director Andrew Lau, there would have been no The Departed.
The unofficial Oscar winner is Brad Gray, head of Paramount – Gray was a producer for The Departed, signed Scorsese to Paramount, Best Documentary for Paramount, and those Oscars will bring a little more money for Dreamgirls and Babel.
Eoin said
February 26 2007 @ 7:49 am
It all seemed pretty predictable except for Alan Arkin winning for LMS. He was pretty funny, I do admit. Would have preferred if Greengrass won over Marty, but I think everyone knew it was Marty’s time. Actually, it was his time to win 26 years ago, but oh well
Richard Pulfer said
February 26 2007 @ 9:19 am
Favorite line: “Valium works!” by Departed screenwriter William Monahan.
I was actually a little disappointed that Dreamgirls didn’t win Best Song, or rather, Inconvienent Truth took home the Oscar. It just seemed that the Academy’s support for the Al Gore documentary, although made commendable by Gore’s gracious and humble statesmanship, seemed to spill into other, less deserving categories. Not that Mellisa Etheridge was bad or that Beyonce was great, but against the likes of Jennifer Hudson and Randy Newman, I just didn’t buy it.
Second favorite line: “Here are five incredibly depressing films!” Jerry Seinfield when present Best Documentary.
ChillyWilly said
February 26 2007 @ 11:02 am
Excellent show this year. Wonderful win by Marty and for The Departed.
Ellen was a great host and had some funny gags and jokes.
Funniest line of the night was by Robert Downey Jr. when he poked fun at his lifestyle in the mid-90’s.
Lorin said
February 26 2007 @ 11:05 am
I haven’t seen Dreamgirls, and the clips that were shown don’t make me want to, but those songs were surprisingly crappy and rote. If Motown had actually sounded like that, we wouldn’t be talking about it now.
The Great Oscar Debate: Richard’s Side » ScreenHead said
February 26 2007 @ 12:03 pm
[...] I agree with Daryl – it was a great ceremony with a lot of innovation. I enjoyed how the Oscar ceremony began – with [...]
daryl said
February 26 2007 @ 12:25 pm
Lorin,
I sat through the whole of Dreamgirls and agree with you 100%. It’s basically what Motown would have sounded like if you replaced Berry Gordy with Walt Disney.
Eoin said
February 26 2007 @ 5:20 pm
By the by, I completely disagree with you on Ellen. Her timing was awful, she fluffed a bit, and her opening monologue almost sent me to sleep! Bring back Jon Stewart, i say. Or maybe Chris Rock.
ChillyWilly said
February 27 2007 @ 11:52 am
Jon Stewart.. yes. Chris Rock… NO! I like him and his comedy is pretty on target, but as a host, he wasn’t all that. Jon Stewart was tops.