Scorsese Finally Meets Oscar At 79th Academy Awards
Posted February 25, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If a bit long, the Oscars are certainly an entertaining spectacle.
And what started on Sunday night ended Monday morning when another year honouring the best in film ended with “The Departed” receiving the nod for best picture at the 79th annual Academy Awards.
It was a night with some surprising winners as well as some expected ones.
On the one hand, few were shocked when Helen Mirren was crowned best actress for her role in “The Queen.”
“I thank her (Queen Elizabeth II), if it wasn’t for her I most certainly wouldn’t be here,” said Mirren. “My sister told me that all kids love to get gold stars and this is the biggest and best gold star I’ve ever had in my life.”
Forest Whitaker won top acting honours for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in “The Last King of Scotland.”
In the supporting categories, newcomer Jennifer Hudson won the supporting-actress award for “Dreamgirls,” though her co-star and fellow front-runner Eddie Murphy lost the supporting-actor prize to Alan Arkin of “Little Miss Sunshine.”
But the biggest moment of the night came when director Martin Scorsese finally received his first ever Academy Award as best director for “The Departed.” A brilliant career that had yet to see a statue finally got one, and when it did the audience leapt to its feet to cheer on a visibly relieved Scorsese.
Just minutes later he won his second when the film took home the night’s biggest prize.
“Could you double check the envelope?” he joked. “I’m overwhelmed.”
Hudson won an Oscar for her first movie, outshining Beyonce Knowles as a powerhouse vocalist booted from a 1960s girl group. Not bad for a former American Idol contestant.
“Oh my God, I have to just take this moment in. I cannot believe this. Look what God can do. I didn’t think I was going to win,” Hudson said through tears of joy. “If my grandmother was here to see me now. She was my biggest inspiration.”
Meanwhile, the low-budget “Little Miss Sunshine,” also won the original screenplay Oscar for first-time screenwriter Michael Arndt.
“When I was a kid, my family drove 600 miles in a VW bus with a broken clutch,” Arndt said, describing a road trip that mirrored the one in the film. “It ended up being one of the funnest things we did together.”
And there was a political tilt to the night as well.
Nonfiction hit “An Inconvenient Truth,” which chronicles former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore’s campaign to warn the world about global warming, was picked as best documentary.
“People all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis. It’s not a political issue. It’s a moral issue,” Gore said.
“An Inconvenient Truth” also won original song for Melissa Etheridge’s “I Need to Wake Up.”
“Mostly, I have to thank Al Gore for inspiring me, showing me that caring about the earth is not Republican or Democrat, it’s not red or blue. It’s all green,” Etheridge said.
Composer Gustavo Santaolalla won his second consecutive Oscar for original score for his work on “ Babel ,” a film he claimed, ” helped us understand better who we are and why and what we are here for.”
He won the same prize a year ago for “ Brokeback Mountain .”
Dancing-penguin musical “Happy Feet” won the Oscar for feature-length animation.
“I asked my kids, `What should I say?’ They said, `Thank all the men for wearing penguin suits,”‘ said “Happy Feet” director George Miller.
Here’s a complete list of winners at the 79th annual Academy Awards, presented Sunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles :
Best Motion Picture: “The Departed”
Lead Actor: Forest Whitaker, “The Last King of Scotland “
Lead Actress: Helen Mirren, “The Queen”
Supporting Actor: Alan Arkin, “Little Miss Sunshine”
Supporting Actress: Jennifer Hudson, “Dreamgirls”
Directing: Martin Scorsese, “The Departed”
Foreign Language Film: “The Lives of Others,” Germany
Adapted Screenplay: William Monahan, “The Departed”
Original Screenplay: Michael Arndt, “Little Miss Sunshine”
Animated Feature Film: “Happy Feet”
Art Direction: “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Cinematography: “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Sound Mixing: “Dreamgirls”
Sound Editing: “Letters From Iwo Jima “
Original Score: “ Babel ,” Gustavo Santaolalla
Original Song: “I Need to Wake Up” from “An Inconvenient Truth,” Melissa Etheridge
Costume: “Marie Antoinette”
Documentary Feature: “An Inconvenient Truth”
Documentary Short Subject: “The Blood of Yingzhou District”
Film Editing: “The Departed”
Makeup: “Pan’s Labyrinth”
Animated Short Film: “The Danish Poet”
Live Action Short Film: “ West Bank Story”
Visual Effects: “Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man’s Chest”
So the multi-award winners did well on Hollywood ‘s biggest night. How did they do at the theatres? Here’s a look:
“The Departed,” Warner Bros., four Oscars, including best picture, released in October, $131.4 million.
“Pan’s Labyrinth,” Picturehouse, three Oscars, including best art direction, released in December, $30.4 million.
“Dreamgirls,” Paramount Pictures, two Oscars, including best supporting actress, released in December, $100.01 million.
“Little Miss Sunshine,” Fox Searchlight, two Oscars, including best supporting actor, released in July, $59.7 million.
“An Inconvenient Truth,” Paramount Vantage, two Oscars, including best documentary feature, released in May, $20.1 million as of July 31.
Memorable Moments
Some critics referred to the show as a Hollywood snore, but there were a few classic quoytes. Among them:
“Could you double check the envelope?”
Martin Scorsese, best director winner for “The Departed.”
“It is possible for a kid from East Texas, raised in South Central L.A. and Carson, who believes in his dreams, commits himself to them with his heart, to touch them and to have them happen.”
Forest Whitaker, best actor winner for “The Last King of Scotland.”
“My sister told me that all kids love to get gold stars and this is the biggest and the best gold star that I have ever had in my life.”
Helen Mirren, winner of the best actress Oscar for “The Queen.”
“I have to thank Al Gore for inspiring us, inspiring me, showing that caring about the Earth is not Republican or Democrat, it’s not red or blue, we are all green.”
Melissa Etheridge, winner of best original song, “I Need to Wake Up,” from “An Inconvenient Truth.”
“I should have worn my glasses.”
Clint Eastwood, after flubbing his scripted introduction to the presentation of an honourary Oscar for composer Ennio Morricone.
