The 80th Annual Academy Awards (2008) (TV)

Director:

Louis J. Horvitz

Writers:

Rory Albanese (writer)
Rachel Axler (writer)

Release Date:

24 February 2008 (USA)

Tagline:

The one. The only.

Plot:

In the annual awards presentation, the nominated films include Atonement (2007), Juno (2007), Michael Clayton (2007), No Country for Old Men (2007), and There Will Be Blood (2007). |

Plot Keywords:

TV Special | Reference To IMDb | Awards Show

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy.

Cast

Jon Stewart	...	Himself - Host
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Jan Aaris	...	Himself
Amy Adams	...	Herself - Presenter / Performer
Casey Affleck	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Jessica Alba	...	Herself - Presenter: Scientific and Technical Awards
Don Ameche	...	Himself (archive footage)
Paul Thomas Anderson	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay / Best Director / Best Picture
Michelangelo Antonioni	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Jan Archibald	...	Herself - Winner: Best Makeup
Alan Arkin	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Karen M. Baker	...	Herself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Javier Bardem	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Michael Bay	...	Himself
Ingmar Bergman	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Brad Bird	...	Himself - Winner: Best Animated Film / Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Cate Blanchett	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role & Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Robert F. Boyle	...	Himself - Honorary Award Recipient
Jean-Claude Brialy	...	Memorial Tribute
Josh Brolin	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Memorial Tribute
Alexandra Byrne	...	Herself - Winner: Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Jim Capobianco	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Steve Carell	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature
Kitty Carlisle	...	In Memoriam
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Memorial Tribute
Jay Cassidy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Editing
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Herself - Performer
Julie Christie	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Bob Clark	...	Memorial Tribute
George Clooney	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Diablo Cody	...	Herself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay
Ethan Coen	...	Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay / Best Director / Best Picture / Nominee: Best Editing
Joel Coen	...	Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay / Best Director / Best Picture / Nominee: Best Editing
Bill Conti	...	Himself
Marion Cotillard	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Penélope Cruz	...	Herself - Presenter
Miley Cyrus	...	Herself - Presenter
Laraine Day	...	Memorial Tribute
Daniel Day-Lewis	...	Himself - Winner: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Roger Deakins	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Ruby Dee	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Patrick Dempsey	...	Himself - Presenter
Judi Dench	...	Herself (archive footage)
Johnny Depp	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Cameron Diaz	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Cinematography
Michael Douglas	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Paul Douglas	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Dykstra	...	Himself
Bud Ekins	...	Memorial Tribute
Peter Ellenshaw	...	Memorial Tribute
Robert Elswit	...	Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography
Ray Evans	...	Memorial Tribute
Colin Farrell	...	Himself - Presenter
Dante Ferretti	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Michael L. Fink	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Louise Fletcher	...	Herself (archive footage)
Harrison Ford	...	Himself - Presenter
Freddie Francis	...	Memorial Tribute
Kirk Francis	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Sidney Ganis	...	Himself
Jennifer Garner	...	Herself - Presenter
Alex Gibney	...	Himself - Winner: Best Documentary
Tony Gilroy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director & Best Original Screenplay
Cuba Gooding Jr.	...	Himself (archive footage)
Bernard Gordon	...	Memorial Tribute
Ruth Gordon	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Grafton	...	Himself
Johnny Grant	...	Memorial Tribute
Dabbs Greer	...	Memorial Tribute
Per Hallberg	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Christopher Hampton	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Peter Handford	...	Memorial Tribute
Tom Hanks	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Documentary Feature and Short Subject
Glen Hansard	...	Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song
Curtis Harrington	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Ronald Harwood	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Anne Hathaway	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature
Katherine Heigl	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Makeup
Jonah Hill	...	Himself - Presenter
Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Hal Holbrook	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Celeste Holm	...	Herself (archive footage)
Jennifer Hudson	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (also archive footage)
Holly Hunter	...	Herself (archive footage)
Betty Hutton	...	Memorial Tribute
Markéta Irglová	...	Herself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song
George Jenkins	...	Memorial Tribute
Tamara Jenkins	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Elton John	...	Himself
Dwayne Johnson	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Visual Effects
Tommy Lee Jones	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Janusz Kaminski	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Diane Keaton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Deborah Kerr	...	In Memoriam
Michael Kidd	...	Memorial Tribute
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Presenter
László Kovács	...	Memorial Tribute
Queen Latifah	...	Herself - Presenter
Didier Lavergne	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Heath Ledger	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jack Lemmon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Skip Lievsay	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Sound / Best Sound Editing
Laura Linney	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Calvin Lockhart	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute
Francesca Lo Schiavo	...	Herself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Shirley MacLaine	...	Herself (archive footage)
Delbert Mann	...	Memorial Tribute
Martin Manulis	...	Memorial Tribute
Dario Marianelli	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score
Lois Maxwell	...	Memorial Tribute
James McAvoy	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Seamus McGarvey	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography
Jon McLaughlin	...	Himself - Performer
Alan Menken	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Song
Harold Michelson	...	Memorial Tribute
Scott Millan	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Helen Mirren	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Alfred Molina	...	Himself
Ben Morris	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Viggo Mortensen	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Leading Role
Jamia Simone Nash	...	Herself - Performer
Barry Nelson	...	Memorial Tribute
Jack Nicholson	...	Himself - Presenter
Nancy Oliver	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Tatum O'Neal	...	Herself (archive footage)
Eva Orner	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary
Ellen Page	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
David Parker	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound
Jan Pinkava	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay
Suzanne Pleshette	...	Herself - Memorial Tribute
Sidney Poitier	...	Himself
Sarah Polley	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Jason Reitman	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director
Jason Robards	...	Himself (archive footage)
Seth Rogen	...	Himself - Presenter
Saoirse Ronan	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Frank Edward Rosenfelt	...	Memorial Tribute
Vanessa Roth	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary - Short Subjects
Christopher Rouse	...	Himself - Winner: Best Editing
Scott Rudin	...	Himself - Winner: Best Picture
Mercedes Ruehl	...	Herself (archive footage)
Stefan Ruzowitzky	...	Himself - Winner: Best Foreign Film
Amy Ryan	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Ari Sandel	...	Himself
Susan Sarandon	...	Herself (archive footage)
Marlon Saunders	...	Himself - Performer
Julian Schnabel	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Director
Stephen Schwartz	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Original Song
Martin Scorsese	...	Himself - Presenter
Ousmane Sembene	...	Memorial Tribute
Melville Shavelson	...	Memorial Tribute
Frank Sinatra	...	Himself (archive footage)
Maureen Stapleton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Hilary Swank	...	Herself - Presenter
Tilda Swinton	...	Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Suzie Templeton	...	Herself - Winner: Best Short Film - Animated
Randy Thomas	...	Herself - Announcer (voice)
Dylan Tichenor	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Editing
John Travolta	...	Himself - Presenter
William Tuttle	...	Memorial Tribute
Christina Ulloa	...	Trophy Presenter
Miyoshi Umeki	...	Memorial Tribute
Jack Valenti	...	Memorial Tribute
Cynthia Wade	...	Herself - Winner: Best Documentary - Short Subjects
Denzel Washington	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Picture
Hugh Welchman	...	Himself - Winner: Best Short Film - Animated
Juliette Welfling	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Editing
Bill Westenhofer	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Forest Whitaker	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Dianne Wiest	...	Herself (archive footage)
Tom Wilkinson	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Owen Wilson	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Live Action Short Film
Trevor Wood	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Jane Wyman	...	Memorial Tribute
Renée Zellweger	...	Herself - Presenter: Best Film Editing
Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Herself (also archive footage)
Peter Zinner	...	Memorial Tribute
Maria Zyrianova	...	Herself

Runtime:

197 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-14

Filming Locations:

Kodak Theatre - 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

Joel Coen and Ethan Coen win for Best Director marks only the second time that director-collaborators won directing Oscars. (The first time this happened was in 1962)

Quotes:

Steve Carell: This is not documentaries?
Anne Hathaway: No.
Steve Carell: I...
[looks down]
Steve Carell: shoot!
Anne Hathaway: Did you read the script?
Steve Carell: No. How many people are watching this?
Anne Hathaway: Oh, just, you know, eight hundred billion.
Steve Carell: I'm gonna be sick. I'm gonna be sick.
Anne Hathaway: Eh, hold that thought.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features The French Connection (1971)

Soundtrack:

Falling Slowly

No guts, no glory

I have been watching the Oscars on TV ever since I was a kid, and a lot has changed since then, some things for the better: the elimination of those ridiculous musical numbers, the pairing of two presenter celebs who were forced to exchange tepid, forced, non-witty repartee before finally reading the names of the nominees and announcing the winner, things like that - and one thing, unfortunately, has changed for the worst: the 30-second acceptance speech rule for the winners.

This single act has, in my opinion, ruined every award show that it's been used on in the past few years. The producers say it's a time constraint deal, that without it the winners would just drone on and on, actually getting to enjoy their moment of glory, and the show would run too long, costing the network more money. This excuse doesn't hold water though, because so much time is still wasted, what with all the special presentations, the singing of the nominated songs, blah blah blah. This valuable time could be used to allow the winners to talk, rather than having them up there either (a) rushing like maniacs to shut up before the clock ticks off their allotted seconds, or (b) refusing to kowtow and trying to actually say what they would like to say under the gun of the dreaded ORCHESTRA MUSIC starting to play after their 30 seconds and continuing to get louder and louder until they shut the $#!* up and get the hell off.

I feel that the producers of these shows have completely lost sight of what makes an award show good, what provides the actual GUTS of the show: it's the winners, getting to share with the audience how thrilled, moved, excited, etc., they are to be singled out for this honor. Depriving them by forcing them to speak for only 30 seconds is a crime, in my opinion. And to the people who complain that the show is too long, the speeches go on too long, I say they shouldn't be watching. The Oscars is a show for hardcore movie lovers, and to try to reduce it to a lowest-common-denominator presentation destroys the entire purpose of the show, strips it of its meaning and renders it useless. You might as well be watching a car commercial.