75th Academy Awards
Template:Oscars short description Template:Featured list Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox film awards
The 75th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) took place on March 23, 2003, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories honoring films released in 2002.<ref name="Oscars2003" /> The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Gilbert Cates and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Actor Steve Martin hosted for the second time, having previously presided over the 73rd ceremony held in 2001.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Three weeks earlier in a ceremony at Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California held on March 1, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Kate Hudson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Chicago won six awards, including Best Picture.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Other winners included The Pianist with three awards, Frida and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers with two, and 8 Mile, Adaptation, Bowling for Columbine, The ChubbChubbs!, The Hours, Nowhere in Africa, Road to Perdition, Spirited Away, Talk to Her, This Charming Man, and Twin Towers with one. The telecast garnered about 33 million viewers in the United States, making it the least-watched and lowest-rated televised Oscar ceremony to that point.
Winners and nominees
The nominees for the 75th Academy Awards were announced on February 11, 2003, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, by Frank Pierson, president of the Academy, and Academy Award winning-actress Marisa Tomei.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Chicago received the most nominations with thirteen. It was the eighth film to receive that many nominations.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Gangs of New York came in second with ten.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> John C. Reilly became the only performer in the five-nominee era to appear in three Best Picture nominees in a single year: Gangs of New York, The Hours, and the winner, Chicago.
The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on March 23, 2003.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Chicago became the first musical film to win Best Picture since 1968's Oliver!<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At age 29, Adrien Brody was the youngest person to win Best Actor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nicole Kidman became the first Australian to win Best Actress. With her 13th nomination, Meryl Streep became the most nominated actor in Oscar history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Meanwhile, Best Actor nominee Jack Nicholson earned his 12th nomination, extending his record as the most nominated male performer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Julianne Moore was the ninth performer to earn two acting nominations in the same year.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile became the first hip hop song to win the Best Original Song award.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Awards
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Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (Template:Double-dagger).<ref name="Oscars2003">Template:Cite web</ref>
Honorary Award
- To Peter O'Toole, whose remarkable talents have provided cinema history with some of its most memorable characters.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Films with multiple nominations and awards
Template:See also Template:See also
| Nominations | Film |
|---|---|
| 13 | Chicago |
| 10 | Gangs of New York |
| 9 | The Hours |
| 7 | The Pianist |
| 6 | Frida |
| Road to Perdition | |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | |
| 4 | Adaptation |
| Far from Heaven | |
| 2 | Talk to Her |
| About Schmidt | |
| Catch Me If You Can | |
| Spider-Man |
| Awards | Film |
|---|---|
| 6 | Chicago |
| 3 | The Pianist |
| 2 | Frida |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers |
Presenters and performers
The following individuals presented awards or performed musical numbers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Presenters
| Name(s) | Role |
|---|---|
| Template:Sortname Randy Thomas |
Announcers for the 75th annual Academy Awards |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Animated Feature Film |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Visual Effects |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Supporting Actor |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Art Direction |
| Template:Sortname | Introducer of the performance of Best Original Song nominee "I Move On" |
| Template:Sortname Mickey Mouse |
Presentations of the award for Best Animated Short Film |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Live Action Short Film |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Costume Design |
| Template:Sortname | Introducer of the performance of Best Original Song nominee "Father and Daughter" |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Makeup |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Supporting Actress |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers on the Best Picture segment |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the segment of the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement and the Gordon E. Sawyer Award |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Original Score |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the montage highlighting past Academy Award telecast musical numbers |
| Template:Sortname | Introducer of the performance of Best Original Song nominee "Burn it Blue" |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Foreign Language Film |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the awards for Best Sound and Best Sound Editing |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the film Gangs of New York on the Best Picture segment |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Documentary Feature |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Documentary Short Subject |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Cinematography |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the montage interviewing previous acting Oscar winners |
| Template:Sortname | Introducer of the performance of Best Original Song nominee "The Hands That Built America" |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Film Editing |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the In Memoriam Tribute |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the film The Hours on the Best Picture segment |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Actor |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Original Song |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the Academy Honorary Award to Peter O'Toole |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the film The Pianist on the Best Picture segment |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Actress |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the Oscar Family Album segment |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the film Chicago on the Best Picture segment |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Adapted Screenplay |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Original Screenplay |
| Template:Sortname | Presenter of the award for Best Director |
| Template:Sortname Michael Douglas |
Presenters of the award for Best Picture |
Performers
| Name(s) | Role | Performed |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Sortname | Musical arranger and Conductor | Orchestral |
| Template:Sortname Catherine Zeta-Jones |
Performers | "I Move On" from Chicago |
| Template:Sortname | Performer | "Father and Daughter" from The Wild Thornberrys Movie |
| Template:Sortname Caetano Veloso |
Performers | "Burn It Blue" from Frida |
| Template:Sortname | Performers | "The Hands That Built America" from Gangs of New York |
Ceremony information
In November 2002, the Academy hired veteran Oscar telecast producer Gilbert Cates to oversee the telecast for the eleventh time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> "With ten shows under his belt, no other living producer even comes close to the depth of his experience," said AMPAS president Frank Pierson in a press release announcing the selection. "Gil practically invented the awards show as a stylistic genre. We're privileged to have him present a very special event to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Oscars."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A few days later, actor and comedian Steve Martin was chosen to emcee the upcoming telecast. Cates explained his reason to bring back the veteran comedian saying, "A host who's witty, clever, sharp, intelligent, quick on his feet and always on top of the unfolding action. Wait, I've forgotten something. Oh yeah, and outrageously funny."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> According to the article published in the Los Angeles Times, Cates approached actor and veteran Oscar host Billy Crystal for emceeing duties. However, as time passed and Crystal was still undecided regarding the job, Cates offered the hosting role to Martin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a statement, Martin expressed that he was honored to be selected to emcee the telecast joking, "I'm very pleased to be hosting the Oscars again, because fear and nausea always make me lose weight."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In addition, this was the first Oscar ceremony broadcast in high-definition.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
The ceremony took place on March 23, 2003, at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. To commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Academy Awards, 59 actors who have received both competitive and honorary awards appeared seated onstage together during a segment called Oscar's Family Album.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Each former winner was acknowledged by announcer Neil Ross and Randy Thomas with the films he or she won for. At the end of the segment newly minted winners Adrien Brody, Chris Cooper, Nicole Kidman, and Catherine Zeta-Jones, along with Honorary Oscar recipient Peter O'Toole, joined them.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Furthermore, the American-led invasion of Iraq affected the telecast and its surrounding events. Hours after news that the war had commenced several actors such as Cate Blanchett, Jim Carrey, and Will Smith resigned from their roles as presenters citing safety concerns and respect for military families.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Despite pleas from broadcaster ABC to postpone the proceedings up to a week, AMPAS president Pierson and ceremony producer Cates refused to delay the gala to a different date citing unavailability of the Kodak Theatre during that time.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pierson also stated that moving the festivities to a different venue would be too expensive for the Academy.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> However, they also announced that the red carpet festivities would be severely curtailed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The bleacher seats situated along Hollywood Boulevard would also be dismantled, and ticket holders for those seats would receive rain checks that were good towards the following year's event.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Periodically during commercial breaks, ABC News anchor and journalist Peter Jennings gave news brief updates regarding the events happening overseas.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Box office performance of nominated films
At the time of the nominations announcement on February 11, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees at the US box office was $486 million, with an average of $97.3 million per film.<ref name=BoxOfficeOscars>Template:Cite news</ref> The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $321 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by Gangs of New York ($70.1 million), Chicago ($64.5 million), The Hours ($21.8 million), and finally The Pianist ($9.1 million).<ref name=BoxOfficeOscars/>
Of the top 50 grossing movies of the year, 47 nominations went to 14 films on the list. Only The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2nd), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (5th), Ice Age (9th), Catch Me If You Can (11th), Lilo & Stitch (13th), Road to Perdition (23rd), Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (35th), Gangs of New York (37th), and Chicago (41st) were nominated for Best Picture, Best Animated Feature, or any of the directing, acting, or screenwriting awards.<ref name="boxofficemojooscars">Template:Cite web</ref> The other top 50 box office hits that earned nominations were Spider-Man (1st), Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones (3rd), Minority Report (16th), 8 Mile (22nd), and The Time Machine (44th).<ref name="boxofficemojooscars" />
Bowling for Columbine acceptance speech
Shortly after winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, Bowling for Columbine director Michael Moore spoke out against U.S. President George W. Bush and the Iraq War which had just started three days prior. He further criticized the president by stating, "We live in a time where [sic] we have fictitious election results that elects a fictitious president. We live in a time where [sic] we have a man sending us to war for fictitious reasons."<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> The speech was received with a cacophony of boos, applause, and standing ovations from the audience at the theater.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Moments after the speech concluded, in order to lighten the mood, host Martin joked, "The Teamsters are helping Michael Moore into the trunk of his limo."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Critical response
The show received a positive reception from most media publications. Television critic Robert Bianco of USA Today commended Martin's hosting performance writing that, "Luckily for viewers, Martin has two other qualities that are essential to a good Academy Awards host: wit and insider status. He used both to his and our advantage, winning the crowd's confidence and then gleefully mocking them all night." He also noted that the political remarks from presenters and speeches "a touch of tension to what is so often a dull evening."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pittsburgh Post-Gazette television columnist Rob Owen raved that "Martin radiates class and wit, something often lacking in awards show hosts. From jokes about the allegedly scaled-down ceremony to reaction to his return to the Oscar stage, Martin entertained consistently." He also quipped that even the segments honoring Oscar history "seemed tighter and less tedious."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Tom Shales of The Washington Post gave high marks to Martin commenting, "Helping immeasurably to make it a great show was Steve Martin, who served as host for the second time and triumphed as a welcome sardonic voice amid all the usual piousness and self-adulation." He also commented that despite the toned-down atmosphere, the speeches and tributes provided several heartfelt and memorable moments desperately needed in uncertain times.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Some media outlets were more critical of the show. Television critic Ken Tucker of Entertainment Weekly bemoaned, "A wonderful, intelligent Oscar host two years ago, Martin on this night looked as though he'd thrown in the towel backstage and let comedy writer Bruce Vilanch come up with a batch of gormless ain't-Hollywood-goofy lines to absolve him of responsibility for being hilarious."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Johnson lamented, "Martin in his second turn hosting Hollywood's big night was, especially in the early going, slightly off-key, his attempt to keep a jovial face on things understandable but eventually coming to seem a touch disrespectful." He went on to say, "Except for the Moore line, he simply was not able to perform a perhaps impossible task, putting people at ease about attending, or watching, a party as a war raged, visible to anyone who flipped over to CNN."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> David Zurawik of The Baltimore Sun quipped, "As the rest of the world saw televised images of captives and corpses identified as American soldiers, we watched host Steve Martin and a theater full of celebrities celebrating their self importance. Try as they might last night in the capital of Fantasy Land to create a program that would transport us beyond current events, they never came close." He also complained that many of the evening's comments and jokes seemed tone deaf and disrespectful in light of the war.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Ratings and reception
The American telecast on ABC drew in an average of 33.04 million people over its length, which was a 21% decrease from the previous year's ceremony.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> An estimated 62.55 million total viewers watched all or part of the awards.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The show also earned lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 20.58% of households watching over a 40.34 share.<ref name="TVB Oscars">Template:Cite news</ref> In addition, it garnered a lower 18Template:Ndash49 demo rating with a 12.55 rating over a 35.37 share among viewers in that demographic.<ref name="TVB Oscars" /> Many media outlets observed that cable news coverage of the Iraq War diverted home viewers' attention from the ceremony and therefore contributed to the lower ratings.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> At the time, it earned the lowest viewership for an Academy Award telecast since figures were compiled beginning with the 46th ceremony in 1974 and the lowest ratings for any broadcast since Nielsen Media Research kept track of such data since the 33rd ceremony in 1961.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In July 2003, the ceremony presentation received eight nominations at the 55th Primetime Emmys.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two months later, the ceremony won three of those nominations for Outstanding Art Direction For A Variety Or Music Program (Roy Christopher), Outstanding Lighting Direction (Electronic, Multi-camera) for a Variety, Music or Comedy Program (Robert Barnhart, Robert A. Dickinson, Andy O'Reilly), and Outstanding Music Direction (Bill Conti).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
"In Memoriam"
The annual "In Memoriam" tribute, presented by actress Susan Sarandon, honored the following people.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> Template:Div col
- Lew Wasserman – Executive
- Richard Sylbert – Production designer
- Eddie Bracken – Actor
- George Sidney – Director
- Katy Jurado – Actress
- Jack Brodsky – Producer
- Dudley Moore – Actor, comedian, musician
- John Frankenheimer – Director
- Rod Steiger – Actor
- Norman Panama – Writer, director, producer
- Horst Buchholz – Actor
- J. L. Thompson – Director
- Leo McKern – Actor
- Kay Rose – Sound editor
- Milton Berle – Comedian, actor
- Ward Kimball – Animator
- Margaret Booth – Editor
- Signe Hasso – Actress
- Daniel Taradash – Writer
- Richard Crenna – Actor
- Walter Scharf – Composer, conductor
- Rosemary Clooney – Singer, actress
- Charles Guggenheim – Documentarian
- Kim Hunter – Actress
- Adolph Green – Screenwriter, lyricist
- Alberto Sordi – Actor
- Marvin Mirisch – Executive
- Conrad Hall – Cinematographer
- George Roy Hill – Director
- Richard Harris – Actor
- James Coburn – Actor
- Billy Wilder – Director
See also
- 9th Screen Actors Guild Awards
- 23rd Golden Raspberry Awards
- 45th Grammy Awards
- 55th Primetime Emmy Awards
- 56th British Academy Film Awards
- 57th Tony Awards
- 27th Laurence Olivier Awards
- 60th Golden Globe Awards
- List of submissions to the 75th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
References
Bibliography
External links
- Official websites
- Academy Awards Official website Template:Webarchive
- The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Official website Template:Webarchive
- Oscar's Channel Template:Webarchive at YouTube (run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences)
- Analysis
- 2002 Academy Awards Winners and History Template:Webarchive Filmsite
- Academy Awards, USA: 2003 Template:Webarchive Internet Movie Database
- News resources
- Oscars 2003 Template:Webarchive BBC News
- Academy Awards coverage Template:Webarchive CNN
- Oscars: 2003 Academy Awards Template:Webarchive USA Today
- Other resources