| 71st Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Date | March 21, 1999 |
| Site |
|
| Hosted by | Whoopi Goldberg |
| Preshow hosts | |
| Produced by | Gil Cates |
| Directed by | Louis J. Horvitz |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Shakespeare in Love |
| Most awards | Shakespeare in Love (7) |
| Most nominations | Shakespeare in Love (13) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC |
| Duration | 4 hours, 2 minutes[2] |
| Ratings |
|
The71st Academy Awards ceremony, organized by theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best of1998 in film and took place on March 21, 1999, at theDorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m.PST / 8:30 p.m.EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presentedAcademy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States byABC, was produced byGil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz.[3][4] ActressWhoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the third time.[5] She first hosted the66th ceremony held in 1994 and had last hosted the68th ceremony in 1996.[6] Nearly a month earlier in a ceremony held at theRegent Beverly Wilshire Hotel inBeverly Hills, California on February 27, theAcademy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hostAnne Heche.[7]
Shakespeare in Love won 7 awards, includingBest Picture.[8] Other winners includedSaving Private Ryan with 5 awards,Life Is Beautiful with 3, andAffliction,Bunny,Election Night,Elizabeth,Gods and Monsters,The Last Days,The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years,The Prince of Egypt, andWhat Dreams May Come with 1. The telecast garnered nearly 46 million viewers in the United States.
The nominees for the 71st Academy Awards were announced on February 9, 1999, at theSamuel Goldwyn Theater inBeverly Hills, California, byRobert Rehme, president of the Academy, and the actorKevin Spacey.[9]Shakespeare in Love earned the most nominations with 13;Saving Private Ryan came in second place with 11.[10]
The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on March 21, 1999.[11]Life Is Beautiful was the second film nominated simultaneously for Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film in the same year (the first beingZ in1969).[12] Best Actor winnerRoberto Benigni was the second person to direct himself to an acting Oscar win.Laurence Olivier first achieved this feat for his performance in 1948'sHamlet.[13] He also became the fourth individual to earn acting, directing, screenwriting nominations for the same film.[14] In addition, Benigni was the third performer towin an Oscar for a non-English speaking role.[15] Best Actress nomineeFernanda Montenegro was the first Latina to be nominated in that category.[16]By virtue of their nominations for portraying QueenElizabeth I of England, Best Actress nomineeCate Blanchett and Best Supporting Actress winnerJudi Dench became the first pair of actresses to earn acting nominations in the same year for portraying the same character in different films.[17]
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
Winners are listed first, highlighted inboldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[18]
The following 19 films received multiple nominations: | The following three films received multiple awards:
|
The following individuals presented awards or performed musical numbers.[21][22]
| Name(s) | Role |
|---|---|
| Randi Thomas | Announcer for the 71st annual Academy Awards |
| Robert Rehme (AMPAS President) | Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony |
| Kim Basinger | Presenter of the award forBest Supporting Actor |
| Gwyneth Paltrow | Presenter of the award forBest Art Direction |
| Patrick Stewart | Presenter of the filmsElizabeth andShakespeare in Love on the Best Picture segment |
| Mike Myers | Presenter of the award forBest Makeup |
| Christina Ricci | Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "When You Believe" |
| Brendan Fraser | Presenter of the award forBest Live Action Short Film |
| Flik Heimlich | Presenters of the award forBest Animated Short Film |
| Robin Williams | Presenter of the award forBest Supporting Actress |
| Chris Rock | Presenter of the award forBest Sound Effects Editing |
| Liv Tyler | Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" |
| Anjelica Huston | Presenter of the award forBest Sound |
| Tom Hanks | Introducer of presenter John Glenn |
| John Glenn | Presenter of the "Historical Figures in Cinema" montage |
| Sophia Loren | Presenter of the filmLife Is Beautiful on the Best Picture segment and the award forBest Foreign Language Film |
| Andy García Andie MacDowell | Presenters of the award forBest Original Musical or Comedy Score |
| Geena Davis | Introducer of the special dance number to the tune of theBest Original Dramatic Score nominees and presenter of the award for Best Original Dramatic Score |
| John Travolta | Presenter of theFrank Sinatra tribute montage |
| Anne Heche | Presenter of the segment of theAcademy Awards for Technical Achievement and theGordon E. Sawyer Award |
| Jim Carrey | Presenter of the award forBest Film Editing |
| Renée Zellweger | Introducer of the performance of the Best Song nominee "A Soft Place to Fall" |
| Nicolas Cage | Presenter of theIrving G. Thalberg Memorial Award toNorman Jewison |
| Liam Neeson | Presenter of the award forBest Visual Effects |
| Val Kilmer | Presenter of theGene Autry andRoy Rogers tribute montage |
| Helen Hunt | Presenter of the award forBest Actor |
| Lisa Kudrow | Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "That'll Do" |
| Ben Affleck Matt Damon | Presenters of the awards forBest Documentary Short Subject andBest Documentary Feature |
| Robert De Niro Martin Scorsese | Presenters of theHonorary Academy Award toElia Kazan |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Presenter of the award forBest Costume Design |
| Catherine Zeta-Jones | Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "The Prayer" |
| Jennifer Lopez | Presenter of the award forBest Original Song |
| Annette Bening | Presenter of theIn Memoriam tribute |
| Jack Valenti | Introducer of presenter Colin Powell |
| Colin Powell | Presenter of the filmsSaving Private Ryan andThe Thin Red Line on the Best Picture segment |
| Uma Thurman | Presenter of the award forBest Cinematography |
| Jack Nicholson | Presenter of the award forBest Actress |
| Steven Spielberg | Presenter of theStanley Kubrick tribute montage |
| Goldie Hawn Steve Martin | Presenters of the awards forBest Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen andBest Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published |
| Kevin Costner | Presenter of the award forBest Director |
| Harrison Ford | Presenter of the award forBest Picture |
| Name(s) | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Conti | Musical arranger | Orchestral |
| Mariah Carey Whitney Houston | Performers | "When You Believe" fromThe Prince of Egypt |
| Aerosmith | Performers | "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" fromArmageddon |
| Joaquín Cortés Savion Glover Tai Jiminez Desmond Richardson Rasta Thomas[23] | Performers | Performed dance number synchronized with selections from Best Original Dramatic Score nominees |
| Allison Moorer | Performer | "A Soft Place to Fall" fromThe Horse Whisperer |
| Peter Gabriel Randy Newman | Performers | "That'll Do" fromBabe: Pig in the City |
| Celine Dion Andrea Bocelli | Performers | "The Prayer" fromQuest for Camelot |
Riding on the success of theprevious year's ceremony which garnered record-high viewership figures and severalEmmys, AMPAS sought changes to the festivities that would help build upon this recent success. In June 1998, Academy presidentRobert Rehme announced that the show would be held on a Sunday for the first time in history.[24] AMPAS and networkABC hoped to capitalize on the high television ratings and viewership that benefit programs airing on that particular day of the week.[25] The Academy also stated that the move to Sunday would ease concerns about traffic gridlock and transportation that are significantly lower on weekends.[26]
The following January,Gil Cates was selected as a producer of the telecast.[27] He immediately selected Oscar-winning actressWhoopi Goldberg as host of the 1999 ceremony.[28] Cates explained his decision to bring back Goldberg as host saying, "The audience adores Whoopi and that affection, plus Whoopi's extraordinary talent makes her a terrific host for the show."[29] In a statement, Goldberg expressed that she was honored and excited to be selected to emcee the telecast commenting, "I am thrilled to escort Oscar into the new millennium. Who would have thought that I would be hosting the last Oscar telecast of the century? It's a huge deal."[29]
.JPEG)
Several other people participated in the production of the ceremony and its related events.Bill Conti served as musical director for the festivities.[30] In addition to supervising the Best Song nominee performances, choreographerDebbie Allen produced a dance number featuring five dancers from around the world showcasing the nominees for Best Original Dramatic Score.[31] For the first time, the Academy produced its ownpre-show that preceded the main telecast. Produced by Dennis Doty, the half-hour program was hosted by actressGeena Davis andCNN reporterJim Moret.[32] Similar to coverage of red carpet arrivals on networks such asE!, the pre-show featured interviews with nominees and other guests, recaps of nominations and segments highlighting behind-the-scenes preparations for the telecast.[33]
At the time of the nominations announcement on February 9, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees was $302 million with an average of $60.4 million per film.[34]Saving Private Ryan was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $194.2 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed byShakespeare in Love ($36.5 million),The Thin Red Line ($30.6 million),Elizabeth ($21.5 million), and finallyLife is Beautiful ($18.4 million).[34]
Of the top 50 grossing movies of the year, 36 nominations went to 13 films on the list. OnlySaving Private Ryan (2nd),The Truman Show (11th),A Civil Action (40th) andPrimary Colors (50th) were nominated for Best Picture, directing, acting or screenwriting.[35] The other top 50 box office hits that earned nominations wereArmageddon (1st),A Bug's Life (5th),Patch Adams (12th),Mulan (13th),The Mask of Zorro (17th),The Prince of Egypt (18th),The Horse Whisperer (24th),What Dreams May Come (37th) andPleasantville (49th).[35]
The show received a mixed reception from media publications. ColumnistLisa Schwarzbaum ofEntertainment Weekly quipped that "Whoopi bombed last night, she knew it—and yet, crassly, she took it as a sign of her own outrageousness."[36]The Washington Post television criticTom Shales bemoaned that Goldberg "spent a great deal of time laughing at her own jokes, many of which were dirty, a few dirty." He also lambasted the host's presentation of the five Best Costume Design nominees saying calling it time-consuming and tasteless.[37] Film critic John Hartl ofThe Seattle Times lamented that the telecast "was the longest and possibly the dullest Oscar show of the century, clocking in at four hours."[38]
Other media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Television columnist Robert Bianco ofUSA Today commended Goldberg's hosting performance writing that he liked "the sharper, more socially conscious edge Goldberg brings."[39]The Boston Globe television critic Matthew Gilbert commented, "It was the perfect year with more than enough Hollywood intrigue and a battle for her to play off."[37] Joanne Ostrow ofThe Denver Post raved that "Whoopi definitely was on, more so than in her two previous hosting stints." She added that "the show was exceptionally smooth."[40]
The American telecast on ABC drew an average of 45.51 million viewers over its length, which was an 18% decrease from the previous year's ceremony.[41][42] An estimated 78.10 million total viewers watched all or part of the awards.[42] The show also drew lowerNielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 28.63% of households watching over a 47.79 share.[43] It also drew a lower 18–49 demo rating with an 18.85 rating over a 37.31 share among viewers in that demographic.[44]
In July 1999, the show received seven nominations at the51st Primetime Emmy Awards.[45] Two months later, the ceremony won two of those nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program (Roy Christopher and Stephen Olson) and Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Robert Dickinson, Robert T. Barnhart, Andy O'Reilly, Matt Ford).[46]
The annual "In Memoriam" tribute was presented by actressAnnette Bening. The montage featured an excerpt of the main title fromEver After composed byGeorge Fenton.[47]
A separate tribute to actor, singer and former Oscar hostFrank Sinatra was presented byJohn Travolta.[48] Later, actor Val Kilmer presented one to actorsGene Autry andRoy Rogers.[49] After theIn Memoriam segment was shown, host Goldberg and directorSteven Spielberg eulogized film criticGene Siskel and directorStanley Kubrick respectively.[50][51]
