The 79th Annual Academy Awards (2007) (TV)

Directors:

Louis J. Horvitz
Joel Gallen

Writers:

Ellen DeGeneres (special material) &
Karen Anderson (special material) ...

Release Date:

25 February 2007 (USA)

Plot:

Films nominated for the annual awards include Babel (2006), _Departed, The (2006)_ , Letters from Iwo Jima (2006), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), and _Queen, The (2006)_ . |

Plot Keywords:

TV Special | Awards Show | Film Industry

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 8 nominations

Cast

Ellen DeGeneres	...	Herself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ben Affleck	...	Himself - Presenter
Samantha Aisling	...	Best Costume Model
June Allyson	...	Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Konstantine Anthony	...	Eastern European #1
Alan Arkin	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Michael Arndt	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay
Adriana Barraza	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Brandon Barton	...	Dreamgirls dancer
Jessica Biel	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Sound
Jack Black	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Achievement in Makeup
Sorana Black	...	Best Costume Model
Cate Blanchett	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Presenter
Emily Blunt	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Costume Design
Peter Boyle	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Eric Bradley	...	Sound Effects Choir
Abigail Breslin	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Co-Presenter: Best Animated & Live Action Short Film
Henry Bumstead	...	Himself - In Memoriam Tribute (archive footage)
Milena Canonero	...	Herself - Winner: Best Costume Design
Steve Carell	...	Himself - Presenter
Rodney Charles	...	Dreamgirls dancer
Chyna Chuu	...	Best Costume Model
George Clooney	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Francis Ford Coppola	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Picture
Daniel Craig	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Art Direction
Tom Cruise	...	Himself - Presenter
Penélope Cruz	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Presenter: Best Original Score
Judi Dench	...	Barbara Covett (archive footage)
Catherine Deneuve	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Foreign-Language Films Montage
Cameron Diaz	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature
Leonardo DiCaprio	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Green Oscars / Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Céline Dion	...	Herself - Performer
Tamara Dobson	...	Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Robert Downey Jr.	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Visual Effects
Kirsten Dunst	...	Herself - Presenter
Clint Eastwood	...	Himself - Presenter: Honorary Oscar / Nominee: Best Director, Best Picture
Melissa Etheridge	...	Herself - Winner: Best Original Song
Jayme Lynn Evans	...	Best Costume Model
Will Ferrell	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Achievement in Makeup
Patricia Field	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Costume Design
Todd Field	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Glenn Ford	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Jodie Foster	...	Herself - Presenter: In Memoriam
Stephen Frears	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director
Jennifer Gall	...	Actress Devil Wears Prada - Ann Hathaway Costume Design
Gael García Bernal	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary Short Subject
Alejandro González Iñárritu	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Picture & Best Director
Al Gore	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: 'Go Green' Campaign
Ryan Gosling	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Eva Green	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Documentary Short Subject
Davis Guggenheim	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary, Features
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Himself
Maggie Gyllenhaal	...	Herself - Presenter
Jackie Earle Haley	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Tom Hanks	...	Himself - Presenter
Anne Hathaway	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Costume Design
Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck	...	Himself - Winner: Best Foreign Language Film
Corinthea Henderson	...	Dreamgirls dancer
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Djimon Hounsou	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jennifer Hudson	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role & Performer: Original Song Nominees from 'Dreamgirls'
Hugh Jackman	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Original Score
Aakomon Jones	...	Dreamgirls dancer
Diane Keaton	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Picture
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Art Direction
Rinko Kikuchi	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Graham King	...	Himself - Winner: Best Picture
Greg Kinnear	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Sound Editing
Don Knotts	...	Himself - In Memoriam Tribute
Don LaFontaine	...	Announcer (voice)
Sherry Lansing	...	Herself - Winner: Jean Hersholt Award
Queen Latifah	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Original Song
Jennifer Lopez	...	Herself - Presenter: Original Song Nominees from 'Dreamgirls'
Nick LoPiccolo	...	Himself
George Lucas	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Director
Tobey Maguire	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Original Screenplay
Mako	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Gabriel Mann	...	Himself
David Martí	...	Himself - Winner: Best Achievement in Makeup
James McAvoy	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Sound
Darren McGavin	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
George Miller	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Feature Film
Helen Mirren	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Presenter
William Monahan	...	Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay
Ennio Morricone	...	Himself - Winner: Honorary Award
Toyin Moses	...	Herself
Eddie Murphy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Guillermo Navarro	...	Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography
Thomas Newman	...	Himself - Nominee
Jack Nicholson	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Picture
Peter O'Toole	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Clive Owen	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film
Jack Palance	...	Himself - In Memoriam Tribute (archive footage)
Gwyneth Paltrow	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Cinematography
Gordon Parks	...	Herself - In Memoriam Tribute (archive footage)
Stuart Parkyn	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Live Action Short
John C. Reilly	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Achievement in Makeup
Pilar Revuelta	...	Herself - Winner: Best Achievement in Art Direction
Montse Ribé	...	Herself - Winner: Best Achievement in Makeup
Keith Robinson	...	Himself - Performer
Anika Noni Rose	...	Herself - Performer
Nadia Sahari	...	Herself
Julian Salazar	...	Mayan
Gustavo Santaolalla	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score
Thelma Schoonmaker	...	Herself - Winner: Best Film Editing
Martin Scorsese	...	Himself - Winner: Best Director
Jerry Seinfeld	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Documentary
Jaden Smith	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Animated & Live Action Short Film
Will Smith	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role & Presenter: America Film Clip
Steven Spielberg	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Director
Maureen Stapleton	...	Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Meryl Streep	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Stephanie Tanner	...	Best Costume Model
Peter Templeman	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Live Action Short
Guillermo del Toro	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Foreign Language Film & Best Original Screenplay
John Travolta	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Best Original Song
Gina Tuttle	...	Announcer
Alida Valli	...	Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Mark Wahlberg	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jack Warden	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Ken Watanabe	...	Himself - Co-Presenter: Foreign-Language Films Montage
Dion Watson	...	Dreamgirls dancer
Naomi Watts	...	Herself - Co-Presenter: Best Visual Effects
Rachel Weisz	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Eric Weldon	...	Trophy Presenter
Forest Whitaker	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Gerald White	...	Singer
Jack Wild	...	Himself - In Memoriam Tribute (archive footage)
Kate Winslet	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Presenter: Best Film Editing
Reese Witherspoon	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jane Wyatt	...	Herself- Memorial Tribute (archive footage)

Runtime:

USA:232 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

For the first time since 1929, the year the Oscars were handed out first, none of the actors nominated for Best Actor received a nomination for a performance in any of the Best Picture nominees.

Goofs:

Factual errors: At one point, Jack Black refers to Peter O'Toole as "English." While O'Toole speaks with an English accent, he is actually Irish.

Quotes:

Steve Carrell: Sound editing is like sex. It is often done alone, late at night and in a room of electronic gadgets.
Greg Kinnear: And if you want it done right you'll pay top dollar for a true professional.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Soundtrack:

Our Town

A suiting and satisfying conclusion of the movie year 2006.

The Academy Awards of 2006 will be remembered as the year Scorsese finally won his Oscar and the year of evenly handed out Oscars and little real surprises. It's never fun when one movie completely dominates the awards, this really wasn't the case this year. The awards were evenly handed out and there was no big winner, although "The Departed" of course won the most important awards. But perhaps the biggest winner of the evening was the Mexican/Spanish movie "El Laberinto del Fauno", that took home 3 awards though not the most important (Best foreign language film) one. Nevertheless I think that Guillermo del Toro went home extremely satisfied.

Lets face it, 2006 wasn't the greatest year for movies. Sure there were some great movies released but not exactly the type of movies that will grown into becoming classics. There also wasn't really one movie or person this year that I hoped would win. I didn't really felt much for any of the nominations this year, with perhaps the exception of the more 'smaller' awards, like best visual effects.

The ceremony also wont be remembered as the most hilarious or legendary one. Nevertheless it's good to see that they brought back the show-element and the entire ceremony felt less organized and scripted. The ceremony felt like one big whole this year and was more personal and natural, with presenter Ellen DeGeneres actually walking between- and talking to the stars and taking part of the show elements, without feeling the constant obligation to constantly talk after, between and before the handing out of every single award. Normally there is a tense atmosphere, this year it was more relaxed, which was i think due to the presenting skills of DeGeneres and the flow of the entire show. Normally the comedy of the show is more of a spoofing caliber, it now felt professional and well thought out, with some fun moments with comedians Will Ferrel and Jack Black. But of course that all doesn't mean that DeGeneres also doesn't take time to make fun of some of the stars. I love the Oscars for that, it's the only time of the year you can say anything straight into the face of those persons, knowing that you can get away with it.

The award presenters were all good. None of them really did their best to make a lasting impression, which I take as a positive thing. I mean after all, this is THE evening of the nominees, not of the presenters. Most memorable the duo Jaden Smith and Abigail Breslin, with Smith messing up his lines but still staying cool and funny under it and continue with presenting. Not bad for an 9 year old, who obviously has his parents talents. Also fun was Robert Downey Jr. who wasn't too embarrassed to make fun of his own drugs past. Clint Eastwood seemed very nervous presenting and messed up his lines, which was odd to see from a person of his caliber and acting past, though he would claim it was because of he forgot his glasses. It was good to see that the old American Zoetrope-gang, Lucas, Spielberg and Coppola were the ones to hand out the best director award, which went to their old friend Martin Scorsese. It was the bald(!) Jack Nicholson that had the honor of presenting the award for the best movie of the year.

The evening didn't had that many big surprises. The acting awards went to the most predicted ones, with the exception of the best supporting actor award that went to Alan Arkin instead of favorite Eddie Murphy. No big surprise that Helen Mirren won an Oscar, which was perhaps the most in advance predicted winner of the evening. Same goes for Forest Whitaker who did the best speech of the evening, though he of course was also the one that could prepare himself the best, since it almost was a formality for him to pick up the award.

There were some memorable events the evening, such as Ennio Morricone getting an Honorary Award. Just like Scorsese, he should already had won an Oscar years ago for at least 3 of his works but nevertheless it was great to see that he finally got the recognition he deserved from the Academy before his death. Because lets face it, the guy is almost 80-years already and he has his best years behind him, though he himself would probably disagree with me. Morricone wasn't too happy in advance that he received this Honorary Award, claiming that it would look like as if his career was over already but nevertheless he seemed emotional and touched by this honor when he stood on the stage, next to his friend and interpretor Clint Eastwood, since Morricone himself (still) doesn't speak a word English.

Another highlight was Scorsese getting a standing ovation, not necessarily for his win for "The Departed" but more for his career and the fact that he finally won an Oscar, after being nominated 7 times already. Of course "The Departed" is not his best or most influential works, so it's sort of a double feeling that he won his long deserved Oscar for this movie. For him "The Departed" obviously was a movie for 'in between', who could had ever thought that this would be his movie for which he would win the biggest awards. But on the other hand I'm of course glad that he now will always be remembered as Oscar winner-Martin Scorsese instead of 8(+ probably) time Oscar nominee.

Too bad that the ceremony turned a bit too political at times with a too prominently present Al Gore. It was also weird to see Gore holding an Oscar, though the cause he fights for is of course a good one. Nevertheless, politics and Oscars should never mix in my opinion.

Not the best year for the Oscars but a memorable enough evening nevertheless.

7/10