The 2004 Oscars

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

I liked that Peter looked a little frumpled. He was just being himself. At least he wore shoes!
Erin

 

[RubberDucky]

ok...I have a feeling that saying this is going to send an angry mob with torches after me...but here goes....
I was a little unhappy that LOTR took home everything it had been nominated for. Return of the King was my least favorite of the three...I felt like the whole thing was getting a little worn out. I think that the landslide win for Jackson and LOTR really slighted some other very worthy and fresh films. The verdicts became so predictable that had I been at the Oscars, I probably would have been tempted to duck out early.
I also found myself thinking the same thing ryhoyarbie did. Peter Jackson's passion as a film maker impresses me....but there are better ways to add personal touches to a suit than looking like you slept in it.
ok...I'm going to shut up before you guys vote to ex-communicate me from the forum

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

I am thrilled about ROTK's success last night. It won everything it was nominated for! It's about durn time, too! Hooray!

 

[Beebers]

I'm totally content. The Academy members did exactly what they had privately said years ago they would do, which was to recognize the LOTR films as the continuum of story that they were, and to do so fully at the finish of the cycle. Which I find to be the appropriate and correct approach. Not to pick nits here but LOTR did lose one, Sound Editing, they won Sound Mix but lost to Master and Commander for Sound Editing. It's being reported everywhere as a sweep but it wasn't quite. But who cares.

I thought Jackson made an effort and looked as good as he is able to possibly look, all things considered.

I'm sure you guys all know that Disney had to have been crying in their beer last night, and have been crying for quite some years now, as they were among the first ones Jackson approached for backing. They wanted to put such constrictions on his vision he shopped elsewhere, till New Line gave him a shot. Credit to New Line, for taking the chance and having the faith in a director who, at that time, didn't have much of a track record for them to hang their hats on.

I suffered through the seventies, when there were basically no films worth nominating and the Oscars were so poorly produced nobody wanted to watch, and nobody cared. We've been in a heyday of filmmaking now for about 13, 14 years, with no signs of abating - we as audiences are blessed these days. Last night was a good night indeed, all around.

 

[AndyWan Kenobi]

Not to pick nits here but LOTR did lose one, Sound Editing, they won Sound Mix but lost to Master and Commander for Sound Editing. It's being reported everywhere as a sweep but it wasn't quite. But who cares.

Actually, I thought LOTR wasn't nominated for that award. There were two sound awards back to back, and LOTR won the one it was nominated for. I remember being surprised that it wasn't nominated for the other, but I'll go back and check the Tivo recording.

 

[Beebers]

Oh, okay, you may be right, check it out.

Pleeze. If you would. I don't have zee Tivo and I didn't tape the thing.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Yes, that's right, they weren't nominated in the other Sound category, which I found kind of interesting. They also didn't get a cinematography nomination, though they won the award for it before. So it did end up being a clean sweep, which I must say surprised me a bit but made me very happy. I agree that they sort of decided to judge the trilogy as a whole, and I think that was a good way to do it. I do wish that they had an ensemble award; the acting was phenomenal, but to recognize one cast member over all the others would have been very out of keeping with the movie. I'm thrilled at the results as well but also feel bad for other contenders who just wound up releasing their movie at an inopportune time. I only saw a couple of the films up for awards, but it sounded like all were very good and it would have been a very close race if not for the King factor. Nonetheless, it's nice validation for a lifelong devotee like me to see the films, which Jackson took such care to do faithfully and brilliantly, get the recognition they deserve.
Erin

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

I'm sure you guys all know that Disney had to have been crying in their beer last night, and have been crying for quite some years now, as they were among the first ones Jackson approached for backing. They wanted to put such constrictions on his vision he shopped elsewhere, till New Line gave him a shot. Credit to New Line, for taking the chance and having the faith in a director who, at that time, didn't have much of a track record for them to hang their hats on.

WOW. I knew Jackson went to several companies but had no idea Disney was one of them. Now I love Disney, or at least Disney as it used to be - and they've still got some worthwhile things going now - but I've always thought I probably wouldn't trust Disney with Tolkien. Setting aside the fact that Tolkien didn't like Disney... I almost shudder to think how the films would have turned out if he would have been so limited by the company's restrictions. I'm so glad that he had enough passion and vision to continue his search until he found a company that would allow him the creative control he needed to bring Tolkien to life in a sastisfying way. There are still a few things I would have done differently if it were my call, but he did such a better job than I could have hoped for that I won't complain about the few things that rubbed me the wrong way.
Erin

 

[Beebers]

Disney was the backer Jackson most thought, and was also led to think, would grasp his vision and greenlight. He quickly found otherwise. They pay zee price now.

The eternal frustration with Disney is that - they ARE SO CAPABLE - look at Pirates, which I'm nuts about, and MCC, and MTI. And the Pixar collaboration. And then, yet, they also do so much utter garbaaaahhhhhgggge.

They are perpetually confused and clouded by zee bottom financial line.

And now, back to zee Oscars.

 

[Don'tLiveonMoon]

Did Pirates end up winning anything? I forget now. I know LOTR snatched away most of their chances, and Master and Commander finished off the technical categories, and Depp lost to Penn. So they ended up empty-handed, didn't they? A shame, because it really is a high-quality movie. It was a bit of a surprise how great a movie could come from an amusement park ride.
Erin