Wednesday, February 11, 1998
Academy announcments waken interest in Oscars
FILM: ‘Titanic’ makes big splash with 14 nominations, while
surprise choices confound contenders, press
By Aimee Phan
Daily Bruin Staff
There are few things that people will wake up early in the
morning for. But for many television and news journalists,
publicists and agents, the Oscar nominations would be one of
them.
Certainly most of Hollywood were wide-awake and anxious
yesterday morning as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences announced their nominations for the 70th Annual Academy
Awards.
Before the ceremonies, an international media of 500 journalists
and cameramen were elbowing for more room in the crowded Samuel
Goldwyn Theater and giving their predictions on who would and
wouldn’t get nominated.
Some common questions buzzed in everyone’s ears. Would "Titanic"
make a nominations sweep? Would the Oscars just be a repeat of last
month’s Golden Globes? Would they still be serving breakfast
downstairs after the nominations are announced?
Most of these questions were answered as Academy President
Robert Rehme and actress Geena Davis announced the major categories
at 5:30 a.m. The announcements included predictable nominees,
several long shots, a couple of surprises and an idiotic Howard
Stern fan who somehow got into the press audience and started
chanting his idol’s name during the Best Actor nominations.
For Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role, the
nominees included Kim Basinger, who won the Golden Globe in the
same category for her glamorous turn as Lynn Bracken in "L.A.
Confidential," Julianne Moore for her acclaimed acting as a porn
queen in "Boogie Nights," Gloria Stuart as the older Rose in
"Titanic," and two surprises, Joan Cusack for her scene-stealing
role in the comedy "In & Out," and Minnie Driver as Matt
Damon’s girlfriend in "Good Will Hunting."
In the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting
Role, the list turned out to be the most motley bunch with Anthony
Hopkins as John Quincy Adams in "Amistad," Greg Kinnear for his
endearing role as a gay painter in "As Good As It Gets," Robin
Williams as the sympathetic psychiatrist Sean McGuire in "Good Will
Hunting," and a couple of comeback kids from the ’70s, actor Burt
Reynolds for his Golden Globe award-winning role as a porn director
in "Boogie Nights," and Robert Forster as bail bondsman Max Cherry
in Quentin Tarentino’s "Jackie Brown."
For Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, the list was
dominated by men from the ’70s superstar generation. They included
Robert Duvall for his acclaimed role in the latecomer "The
Apostle," "Easy Rider" alums Peter Fonda and Jack Nicholson for
their parts in "Ulee’s Gold" and "As Good As It Gets,"
respectively, Dustin Hoffman for his razor-sharp role as a producer
in the satire "Wag the Dog," and the only young puppy, Matt Damon
for his star-making role as a pretty boy genius in "Good Will
Hunting."
The nominations in the category of Best Performance by an
Actress in a Leading Role were all predicted before and, as is
typical, dominated by British women. They included Helena Bonham
Carter, the period piece queen, for her role as the manipulative
Kate Croy in "The Wings of the Dove," Judi Dench as Queen Victoria
in the acclaimed but little seen "Mrs. Brown," Kate Winslet for her
heroine turn in the acclaimed and extremely popular "Titanic,"
Julie Christie as a middle-aged betrayed wife in the apparently
unwatchable (except for her) "Afterglow," and television’s honey,
Helen Hunt, as Carol Connelly in "As Good As It Gets."
The announcement of Best Achievement in Directing received the
biggest and most pleasant surprise as the Academy honored Atom
Egoyan for his film and critics’ favorite "The Sweet Hereafter."
The other directors nominated were Peter Cattaneo ("The Full
Monty,") Gus Van Sant ("Good Will Hunting,") Curtis Hanson ("L.A.
Confidential") and James Cameron ("Titanic.")
Nominees for the big one, the category everyone always pays
attention to because it’s always announced last, Best Picture of
the Year, included "As Good As It Gets," "Good Will Hunting," "L.A.
Confidential," "Titanic," and the surprise British comedy, "The
Full Monty."
While most of the nominations made were predictable and
expected, there were many significant surprises that caught the
attention of the normally jaded and cynical press. Since the
Academy is notorious for honoring mostly dramatic pictures, the
strong showings of comedies "As Good As It Gets" and "The Full
Monty" indicated that the usually somber Academy voters were
lightening up.
Records were matched and broken. "Titanic" tied with 1950
classic "All about Eve" with 14 Oscar nominations. Also,
"Titanic’s" Kate Winslet and Gloria Stuart have the unique honor of
being nominated for portraying the same character within the same
year. Jack Nicholson also broke the record of most nominations for
a male actor with 11.
Almost as intriguing as who got nominated is who didn’t. Those
ignored but expected to garner a nomination included newcomer
Djimon Hounsou for his starring role in "Amistad," Leonardo
DiCaprio as the heroic Jack Dawson in "Titanic," Rupert Everett for
his scene-stealing part as the gay best friend in the summer hit
"My Best Friend’s Wedding," Sigourney Weaver as a jaded and cynical
cheating wife in "The Ice Storm," and Judy Davis for her
spotlighted part in Woody Allen’s "Deconstructing Harry." But for
the most part, those who were predicted to gain a nomination did,
leaving only a bit of room for dark horses like Atom Egoyan to slip
in.
After the major categories were quickly announced, the press
made a stampede out the theater for their press kits for the full
and detailed list of nominations, while agents made tearful calls
to their clients who did or didn’t get a kiss from Oscar. All the
drama and chaos during the nominations ceremonies indicate that the
Oscar race will certainly be an exciting one.
Inquiries answered today were only replaced with even more
questions that will be answered on March 23 when the awards will be
given out. Will "Titanic" steamroll everyone in its path? Will "The
Full Monty" receive a surprise honor from the usually prudent
Oscar? One thing’s for sure: Howard Stern is not going to win
anything, despite his No. 1 fan picketing outside the Academy’s
door all morning.