The 78th Annual Academy Awards (2006) (TV)

Directors:

Louis J. Horvitz
Roger Goodman

Writers:

Rich Blomquist (writer)
Josh Bycel (writer)

Release Date:

5 March 2006 (USA)

Plot:

Films contending for the annual awards include Brokeback Mountain (2005), Capote (2005), Crash (2004/I), Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) and Munich (2005). |

Plot Keywords:

Music | TV Special | Awards Show | Number In Title

Awards:

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 5 nominations

Cast

Jon Stewart	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amy Adams	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Moustapha Akkad	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Jessica Alba	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Best Sound
Eddie Albert	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Muhammad Ali	...	Himself (archive footage)
Robert Altman	...	Himself - Honorary Award Recipient
Jennifer Aniston	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Costume Design
Colleen Atwood	...	Herself - Winner: Best Costume Design
Lauren Bacall	...	Herself - Presenter
Eric Bana	...	Himself - Presenter
Anne Bancroft	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Paul Beauregard	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Song
Dion Beebe	...	Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography
Barbara Bel Geddes	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Howard Berger	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Nicole Berger	...	Dancer
John Box	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Steve Box	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Feature
Christopher Boyes	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Zach Braff	...	Chicken Little - Co-presenter (voice)
Sandra Bullock	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Best Art Direction
Tim Burton	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Animated Feature Film
Jordi Caballero	...	Dancer
John Canemaker	...	Himself - Winner: Best Short Film - Animated
Steve Carell	...	Himself- Presenter: Best Achievement in Makeup
George Clooney	...	Himself - Winner / Nominee / Presenter
Cedric Coleman	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Song
Russell Crowe	...	Himself - Presenter: Biographical film montage
Joan Cusack	...	Co-presenter: Best Animated Short (voice) (as Abby Mallard)
Yves Darondeau	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary Feature
Sandra Dee	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Judi Dench	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Matt Dillon	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Will Ferrell	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Makeup
John Fiedler	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Jamie Foxx	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actor
Anthony Franciosa	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Morgan Freeman	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor
Mahatma Gandhi	...	Himself (archive footage)
Sidney Ganis	...	Himself - Academy President (as Sid Ganis)
Jennifer Garner	...	Presenter - Best Sound Editing
Lou Gehrig	...	Himself (archive footage)
Paul Giamatti	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Guy Green	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Jake Gyllenhaal	...	Himself - Nominee / Presenter
Paul Haggis	...	Himself - Winner: Best Picture / Screenplay
Tom Hanks	...	Himself
Salma Hayek	...	Herself - Presenter
Kasie Head	...	Trophy Presenter
Michael Hedges	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Debra Hill	...	Herself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Joel Hirschhorn	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Dustin Hoffman	...	Himself - Presenter
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Gavin Hood	...	Himself - Winner: Best Foreign Film
Mike Hopkins	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Jordan Houston	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Song
Terrence Howard	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Documentary Short & Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Felicity Huffman	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
William Hurt	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Alberto Iglesias	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Himself - Presenter
Luc Jacquet	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary Feature
Tom Kane	...	Announcer
Catherine Keener	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Kathleen Kennedy	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Picture
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor
Keira Knightley	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Robert Knudson	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Tami Lane	...	Herself - Winner: Best Makeup
Queen Latifah	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Original Song
Heath Ledger	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Ang Lee	...	Himself - Winner: Best Director
Ernest Lehman	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Joe Letteri	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Stu Linder	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Jennifer Lopez	...	Herself - Presenter
Ludacris	...	Himself - Presenter: Song Performance 'It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp' (as Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges)
William H. Macy	...	Himself
Corinne Marrinan	...	Himself - Winner: Best Short Film - Documentary
Rachel McAdams	...	Herself - Presenter: Scientific & Technical Achievement Awards
James McAvoy	...	Himself / Mr. Tumnus, the Faun (archive footage)
Martin McDonagh	...	Himself - Winner: Best Short Film, Live Action
Frances McDormand	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Larry McMurtry	...	Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay
Ismail Merchant	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Bennett Miller	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director
John Mills	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Robert Moresco	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay (as Bobby Moresco)
Pat Morita	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage) (as Noriyuki 'Pat' Morita)
John Myhre	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
John Nash	...	Himself (archive footage) (as John Forbes Nash)
Robert F. Newmyer	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Fayard Nicholas	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Jack Nicholson	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Picture
Dan O'Herlihy	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Diana Ossana	...	Herself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay & Nominee: Best Picture
Nick Park	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Feature
Dolly Parton	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Original Song & Performer
George S. Patton	...	Himself (archive footage)
Hammond Peek	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Chris Penn	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Itzhak Perlman	...	Himself - Performer
Brock Peters	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Marisa Petroro	...	Trophy Presenter
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Rodrigo Prieto	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Richard Pryor	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Joe Ranft	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Gretchen Rau	...	Herself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Keanu Reeves	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Art Direction
Christian Rivers	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Gustavo Santaolalla	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score
Vincent Schiavelli	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Robert J. Schiffer	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Cathy Schulman	...	Herself - Winner: Best Picture
Michael Semanick	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Moira Shearer	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Simone Simon	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Eric Simonson	...	Himself - Winner: Best Short Film - Documentary
Will Smith	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Foreign Film
Steven Spielberg	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Picture & Best Director
Kevin Alexander Stea	...	Dancer - It's Hard Out Here For A Pimp
Peggy Stern	...	Herself - Winner: Best Short Film - Animated
Ben Stiller	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Visual Effects
David Strathairn	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Meryl Streep	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Honorary Award to Robert Altman
Hilary Swank	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor
Richard Taylor	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Charlize Theron	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Presenter
Three 6 Mafia	...	Themselves - Performers ("It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp")
Uma Thurman	...	Herself - Presenter
Lily Tomlin	...	Herself - Co-presenter: Honorary Award to Robert Altman
John Travolta	...	Himself - Presenter
Casey Tutton	...	Steve Martin's daughter in Jon Stewart's opening film
Ryan Tutton	...	Steve Martin's son in Jon Stewart's opening film
Ethan Van der Ryn	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Brian Van't Hul	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Nacho Vigalondo	...	Himself - Audience member
Naomi Watts	...	Herself - Presenter
Rachel Weisz	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Onna White	...	Herself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
John Williams	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score
Michelle Williams	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Luke Wilson	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Live Action Short
Owen Wilson	...	Himself - Co-presenter: Best Live Action Short
Hughes Winborne	...	Himself - Winner: Best Editing
Shelley Winters	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Robert Wise	...	Himself, in memorial sequence (archive footage)
Reese Witherspoon	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Edward D. Wood Jr.	...	Himself (archive footage) (as Ed Wood)
Teresa Wright	...	Memorial sequence (archive footage)
Kathleen York	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Original Song & Performer (as Kathleen 'Bird' York)
Hawk Younkins	...	Himself
Danielle Yu	...	Trophy Presenter
Ziyi Zhang	...	Herself - Presenter

Runtime:

214 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Beverly Hilton Hotel - 9876 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, California, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

First time since 1957 that each of the top 6 awards - Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress - went to 6 different movies. These were respectively Crash (2004/I), Brokeback Mountain (2005), Capote (2005), Walk the Line (2005), Syriana (2005) and The Constant Gardener (2005).

Quotes:

George Clooney: [Accepting the Oscar for the best supporting actor] Wow... So I'm not winning director...

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Soundtrack:

Travelin' Thru

Solid show but nothing that special. Awards were well spread and roundly deserved

Another year comes round and we find ourselves facing down the barrel of a long night of clapping and awards. However with Sky yet again buying the rights and sticking it on a subscription only channel, all I had was a two hour highlights show which I suppose is not too bad as it is long enough to get it all in but not so long that there will be loads of dead time to content with. After some time "interviewing" the stars on the red carpet we get into the opening sequence that, despite being a bit obvious was quite funny. From here on in we got into the awards, which I will get back to in a bit.

As a host Stewart did an OK job but I didn't think his style of humour suited that type of event; at times he did seem to struggle and he lacked the presence of, say, Billy Crystal. His material wasn't always the strongest but I like him enough to forgive him. The structure of the ceremony went well although I didn't like the fact that Nick Park and others looked like they were stuck on the very back row. The Sky highlights show did a good job of editing the ceremony together so that it moved forward well, although I know they cut a lot of Jon Stewart.

The winners were mostly worthy enough. Clooney deserved something even if Syriana wasn't anywhere near as good as his work in Good Luck, and Good Night; his acceptance speech was great and he marked himself out as a real gent. Hoffman gave a nice speech and given that he dominated Capote he deserved it (although I did think Howard was better). Crash was a surprise but then I had no problem with it or Brokeback winning. Wallace & Gromit was always going to win and rightly so. Other than Crash in fact there were no massive surprises and no one film dominated, which was good although the lack of shocks meant that at times it was a bit dull. The songs were a bit overdone and stagy and "hard out here for a pimp" was a surprise win (at least I thought so). Witherspoon continued the fine tradition of actresses giving overly emotional and rambling speeches and I did nearly laugh out loud when she said she was just trying to matter and make work that meant something.

The Sky presentation is as average as usual. I didn't see how they coped with all the breaks but judging by how they did the pre-recorded bits in the highlights show I can only assume they did a bad job. The links were filmed outside an after-show party and the sound quality was poor as a result. Jamie Theakston was poor on the red carpet and he was bland in the links. However he looks like a pro compared to the personality void that was Amanda Byram. I know the role requires her to look pretty and not much else but I was surprised by how poor she was – her red carpet chat with Clooney was just embarrassing and even the great charmer himself was showing signs of strain in talking to her.

Overall though a solid show with nothing much to really talk about. Bits were funny but I can't see Stewart coming back for a second shot on the strength of this. The awards were mostly deserved and, with no one film dominating the spread was good and the nominations provided interest in the "outsider" nominees. Not a great show but interesting enough but I hope to God that Sky do something worthwhile with it or let another channel have a go (I mean, don't they have Barry Norman under contract for goodness sake?).