| 77th Academy Awards | |
|---|---|
 Official poster | |
| Date | February 27, 2005 |
| Site | Kodak Theatre Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Hosted by | Chris Rock |
| Preshow hosts | Billy Bush Jann Carl Chris Connelly Shaun Robinson[1] |
| Produced by | Gil Cates |
| Directed by | Louis J. Horvitz |
| Highlights | |
| Best Picture | Million Dollar Baby |
| Most awards | The Aviator (5) |
| Most nominations | The Aviator (11) |
| TV in the United States | |
| Network | ABC |
| Duration | 3 hours, 14 minutes[2] |
| Ratings | 42.14 million 25.4% (Nielsen Ratings) |
The77th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by theAcademy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), took place on February 27, 2005, at theKodak Theatre inHollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presentedAcademy Awards (commonly referred to as the Oscars) in 24 categories honoringfilms released in 2004. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced byGil Cates and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz.[3][4] ActorChris Rock hosted the show for the first time.[5] Two weeks earlier in a ceremony atThe Ritz-Carlton Huntington Hotel & Spa inPasadena, California, held on February 12, theAcademy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by hostScarlett Johansson.[6]
Million Dollar Baby won four awards, includingBest Picture.[7] Other winners includedThe Aviator with five awards,The Incredibles andRay with two, andBorn into Brothels: Calcutta's Red Light Kids,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,Finding Neverland,Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events,Mighty Times: The Children's March,The Motorcycle Diaries,Ryan,The Sea Inside,Sideways,Spider-Man 2, andWasp with one. The telecast garnered over 42 million viewers in the United States alone.
The nominees for the 77th Academy Awards were announced on January 25, 2005, at theSamuel Goldwyn Theater inBeverly Hills, California, byFrank Pierson, president of the academy, and actorAdrien Brody.[8]The Aviator received the most nominations with eleven;Finding Neverland andMillion Dollar Baby tied for second with seven nominations each.[9]
The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on February 27, 2005.[10] At age 74,Clint Eastwood became the oldest winner for Best Director in Oscar history.[11] With his latest unsuccessful nomination for directingThe Aviator, nomineeMartin Scorsese joinedRobert Altman,Clarence Brown,Alfred Hitchcock, andKing Vidor as the most nominated individuals in the Best Director category without a single win at the time.[12] Best Actor winnerJamie Foxx became the third actor and tenth individual overall to earntwo acting nominations in the same year.[13] By virtue of her portrayal ofKatharine Hepburn, Best Supporting Actress winnerCate Blanchett was the first performer to win an Academy Award for a portrayal of a previous Academy Award winner.[14] "Al otro lado del río" fromThe Motorcycle Diaries became the second song with non-English lyrics to win Best Original Song. The first to achieve this feat was thetitular song from the 1960 Greek filmNever on Sunday at the33rd Academy Awards.[15]
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Winners are listed first, highlighted inboldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[16]
The following 22 films received multiple nominations: | The following four films received multiple awards:
|
The following individuals, listed in order of appearance, presented awards or performed musical numbers.[19][20][21][22]
| Name(s) | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Bill Conti | Musical Arranger and Conductor | Orchestral |
| American Boychoir Beyoncé Knowles | Performers | "Vois sur ton chemin (Look to Your Path)" fromThe Chorus |
| Counting Crows | Performers | "Accidentally in Love" fromShrek 2 |
| Beyoncé Knowles | Performer | "Learn to Be Lonely" fromThe Phantom of the Opera |
| Antonio Banderas Carlos Santana | Performers | "Al otro lado del rio" fromThe Motorcycle Diaries |
| Yo-Yo Ma | Performer | Performed musical selection during theIn Memoriam tribute |
| Josh Groban Beyoncé Knowles | Performers | "Believe" fromThe Polar Express |
Opting for a younger face in an attempt to increase viewership, while renewing interest with the nominated films, producerGil Cates selected actor and comedianChris Rock to host the 2005 ceremony.[5] Cates explained his decision to hire Rock for the telecast in a press release saying, "I am a huge fan of Chris Rock. He always makes me laugh and he always has something interesting to say. Chris represents the best of the new generation of comics. Having him host the Oscars is terrific. I can't wait."[24] By virtue of his selection, Rock became the firstAfrican American man to solo host the gala.[25]
Nearly a month before the ceremony Rock told Josh Wolk ofEntertainment Weekly, "Come on, it's a fashion show. No one performs; it's not like a music show. What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars? Show me one."[26] Political bloggerMatt Drudge later reported that several anonymous AMPAS members wanted Rock fired from his hosting job as a result of the comments.[27] Nevertheless, producer Cates issued a statement defending the host saying, "Chris' comments are meant to be humorous digs at a show that some people, obviously including Chris himself, think may be a bit too stuffy."[28] Furthermore, Wolk dismissed any controversy regarding Rock's comments and that Drudge exaggerated the host's comments.[29]GLAAD Executive Director Joan Garry also issue a statement in light of the controversy stating, "Chris Rock isn't making fun of gays – he's poking fun at the Oscars."[30] Rock appeared onThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno the Monday before the ceremony to clarify his comments. WhenLeno asked about the statement, Rock replied "I did not say that. I said only gay people watch theTonys." However, he reiterated, "I really don't know any straight men who aren't in show business that have ever watched the Oscars."[31]
Notable changes were made to give the ceremony a sleek, interactive look while shortening the length of the ceremony. Cates announced that in certain categories, all five nominees would be up onstage prior to the announcement of the award.[32] In other instances, the actor or actress would present the award in the audience.[33] In addition, production designer Roy Christopher designed an technologically ambitious stage for the telecast that both saluted the past while look toward the future. The set prominently featured 26high-definition video monitors floating over the first twelve rows of the audience and a 40-footLED screen situated beneath a layer of plexiglass on the stage floor.[34] Both screens were used display images of previous Oscar appearances as presenters took the stage or random film clips during several commercial breaks.[35] A gold rod featuring 23 different life-sized Oscar statuettes spiraling upward was placed at center stage.[36]
Several other people were involved with the production of the ceremony. Film composer and musicianBill Conti served as musical director of the ceremony.[37] AMPAS graphics designer Brett Davidson designed the official ceremony poster consisting of a profile of the Oscar statuette in front of four neon-colored squares.[38] Freelance producer Cochise and media firm Dig and Media Island released a trailer shown in movie theaters nationwide promoting the ceremony featuring clips from past Oscar ceremonies against the four squares backdrop in the aforementioned poster. The trailer featured the song "Hey Mama" byThe Black Eyed Peas.[39] Two-time Oscar-winning actorDustin Hoffman narrated the opening montage highlighting the evolution of the movies.[21]
When the nominations were announced on January 25, the field of Best Picture nominees did not include a bona fide blockbuster at the U.S.box office. It was the first time since 1986 that none of the five films in that category were among the top ten releases in box office prior to the nominations announcement.[40] Furthermore, before the ceremony, all five films sold the lowest cumulative number of tickets sold since 1984.[41]Ray was the highest-grossing film among the Best Picture nominees with $73 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed byThe Aviator ($58.4 million),Finding Neverland ($32.7 million),Sideways ($32.4 million), and finallyMillion Dollar Baby ($8.4 million).[42] The combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees when the Oscars were announced was $205 million with an average gross of $41.3 million per film.[42]
Among the rest of the top 50 releases of 2004 in U.S. box office before the nominations, 44 nominations went to 14 films on the list. OnlyShrek 2 (1st),The Incredibles (4th),Shark Tale (11th),Collateral (22nd),Ray (37th), andThe Aviator (49th) were nominated for Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, directing, acting, or screenwriting.[43] The other top 50 box office hits that earned the nominations wereSpider-Man 2 (2nd),The Passion of the Christ (3rd),Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (5th),The Polar Express (10th),I, Robot (12th),Troy (13th),Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (18th), andThe Village (20th).[43]
During his monologue, host Rock joked, "Clint Eastwood's a star, OK?Tobey Maguire's just a boy in tights," He also added, "You wantTom Cruise and all you can get isJude Law? Wait. You wantRussell Crowe and all you can get isColin Farrell? Wait.Alexander is notGladiator." In response, Sean Penn rebutted Rock's remarks praising Law as one of his generation's "finest actors".[44] Over a year later, Law expressed his anger toward Rock inThe New York Times telling columnist Craig Modderno, "At first I laughed because I didn't think he knew who I was. Then I got angry as his remarks became personal. My friends were livid. It's unfortunate I had five or six films come out at the same time."[45]
Robin Williams initially wanted to sing a humorous song written byMarc Shaiman andScott Wittman during the presentation of the Best Animated Feature award satirizing the controversy regardingFocus on the Family and a music video sponsored byWe Are Family Foundation featuring animated characters such asSpongeBob SquarePants singing the song "We Are Family". The song contained lyrics such as "Pinocchio's had his nose done!Sleeping Beauty is popping pills!/ TheThree Little Pigs ain't kosher!Betty Boop works Beverly Hills!"[46] However, Cates and ABC officials deemed the song overly vulgar and offensive for the telecast and was dropped altogether after writers Shaiman and Wittman had trouble rewriting more appropriate lyrics.[47] Williams eventually presented the Best Animated Feature award as scheduled, but silently mocked the debacle by entering the stage with duct tape over his mouth before speaking.[48]
The show received a mixed reception from media publications. Some media outlets were more critical of the show and Rock's performance as host.USA Today television critic Robert Bianco wrote, "Loud, snide and dismissive, he wasn't just a disappointment; he ranks up there with the worst hosts ever." He also called the decision to have several nominees of several technical categories stand on stage embarrassing and disrespectful.[49] Columnist Robert. P. Lawrence of theSan Diego Union Tribune commented, "It was a frustratingly average, three-hour-12-minute exhibition of mutual admiration in the inimitable Hollywood style." He later said that despite Rock's edgy and provocative opening, his humor and energy diminished as the night wore on.[50] Vince Horiuchi ofThe Salt Lake Tribune wrote of Rock's performance, "He was bound by stale jokes (none of the winners "tested positive for steroids"), a rigid opening monologue (he didn't even make reference to his prior controversial comments about the Oscars), and tired comedy bits (Rock playing likeCatherine Zeta-Jones withAdam Sandler)." He also described the cast and production of the ceremony as "moribund" and "clumsy".[51]
Other media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Film criticRoger Ebert noted that Rock "opened on a high-energy quick-talking note" He also added, "Chris Rock hit a home run with his opening monologue, which was surprisingly pointed, topical, and not shy of controversy."[52] Television criticFrazier Moore commented that Rock's performance was a "needed pick-me-up, presiding over the broadcast with saucy finesse." He added, "In sum, the broadcast felt brisk, though not rushed. It felt modern and refreshingly free of chronic self-importance."[53] Brian Lowry ofVariety gave an average review of Rock but remarked, "For all the hand-wringing about the awards descending into the muck, the 77th Academy Awards proved a classy affair, with precious little red meat to satiate Hollywood bashers."[2]
The American telecast on ABC drew an average of 42.14 million people over its length, which was a 3% decrease from theprevious year's ceremony.[54] The show also drew lowerNielsen ratings compared to the two previous ceremonies with 25.4 of households watching over a 38 share.[54][55] It also drew a lower 18–49 demo rating with a 15.1 rating over a 34 share among viewers in that demographic.[54]
The annual "In Memoriam" tribute was presented by actressAnnette Bening. MusicianYo-Yo Ma performed during the segment.[20]
A special tribute to five-time hostJohnny Carson was presented by host Chris Rock with previous presenterWhoopi Goldberg discussing Carson's legacy to television and the Academy Awards in the segment.[56] Later on in the broadcast, Best Actor winnerJamie Foxx briefly eulogized singer and musicianRay Charles, who died in June 2004, during his acceptance speech.[57]
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