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81st Annual Academy Awards (2009) (TV)
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Overview
User Rating:
Directors:
Writers:
Release Date:
22 February 2009 (USA)
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Plot:
Annual awards presentation honoring the best film achievements of 2008. | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 4 Primetime Emmys.
Another 6 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(28 articles)
Slideshow: 20-Image Gallery From Back Stage at 81st Annual Academy Awards
(From HollywoodChicago.com. 25 February 2009, 2:12 PM, PST)
And the Winner Is: Oscars 2009
(From Tribeca Film. 25 February 2009, 5:27 AM, PST)
(From HollywoodChicago.com. 25 February 2009, 2:12 PM, PST)
And the Winner Is: Oscars 2009
(From Tribeca Film. 25 February 2009, 5:27 AM, PST)
User Comments:
Changed Eye
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Cast
(Credited cast) | Amy Adams | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actress |
 | Jennifer Aniston | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature, Best Animated Short Subject |
 | Alan Arkin | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor |
 | Julia Bantner | ... | Dancer |
 | Eric Barba | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Craig Barron | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Kirk Baxter | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Editing |
| Simon Beaufoy | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Adapted Screenplay |
| Kristine Bendul | ... | Dancer |
 | Halle Berry | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actress |
 | Jessica Biel | ... | Herself - Presenter: Technical Awards |
| Dustin Lance Black | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Original Screenplay |
 | Jack Black | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Animated Feature / Best Animated Short Film |
 | Danny Boyle | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Director |
 | Marlon Brando | ... | Himself (archive footage) |
 | Adrien Brody | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actor |
 | Josh Brolin | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actor |
| Donald Graham Burt | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction |
| Ben Burtt | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Sound & Best Sound Editing |
| Greg Cannom | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Makeup |
 | Cyd Charisse | ... | Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Christian Colson | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Picture |
 | Dominic Cooper | ... | Himself - Performer |
 | Marion Cotillard | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
 | Daniel Craig | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Costume Design / Best Makeup / Best Art Direction |
| Michael Crichton | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Penélope Cruz | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Supporting Actress |
 | Miley Cyrus | ... | Herself - Audience |
 | Stephen Daldry | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director |
| Burt Dalton | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Jules Dassin | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Adam Davenport | ... | Himself |
 | Viola Davis | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actress |
| Roger Deakins | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography |
 | Robert De Niro | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actor |
| Alexandre Desplat | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score |
| Chris Dickens | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Editing |
| Pete Docter | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
| Anthony Dod Mantle | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography |
 | Robert DoQui | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Michael Douglas | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actor |
 | Robert Downey Jr. | ... | Himself - Nominee - Best Supporting Actor |
 | Faye Dunaway | ... | Herself (archive footage) |
 | Zac Efron | ... | Himself - Presenter / Performer |
 | Danny Elfman | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score |
| Manny Farber | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Tina Fey | ... | Herself - Presenter |
 | David Fincher | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director |
 | Nina Foch | ... | Herself - In Memoriam (archive footage) |
 | James Franco | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Live Action Short |
| Jochen Alexander Freydank | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Live Action Short Film |
| Peter Gabriel | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Song |
| Sidney Ganis | ... | Himself |
 | Whoopi Goldberg | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress |
 | Cuba Gooding Jr. | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor |
| Elliot Graham | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Editing |
| Joel Grey | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor |
| Daniel P. Hanley | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Editing |
| David Hare | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay |
 | Anne Hathaway | ... | Herself - Nominee |
 | Goldie Hawn | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress |
| John Michael Hayes | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Taraji P. Henson | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actress |
 | Werner Herzog | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Documentary |
 | Charlton Heston | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Mike Hill | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Editing |
| Pat Hingle | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Philip Seymour Hoffman | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actor |
 | Anthony Hopkins | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actor |
| James Newton Howard | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score |
 | Ron Howard | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director |
 | Vanessa Hudgens | ... | Herself - Performer |
| Courtney Hunt | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
 | Anjelica Huston | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress |
| Kon Ichikawa | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Hugh Jackman | ... | Himself - Host / Performer |
 | Richard Jenkins | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor |
| Charles H. Joffe | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Van Johnson | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Ollie Johnston | ... | Himself - In Memoriam (archive footage) |
 | Angelina Jolie | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress |
| Janusz Kaminski | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Live Action Short Film |
| Kunio Katô | ... | Himself - Winner - Best Animated Short Film |
| Kathleen Kennedy | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Picture |
| Evelyn Keyes | ... | Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Alicia Keys | ... | Herself - Presenter |
 | Nicole Kidman | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Richard King | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing |
 | Ben Kingsley | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Actor |
 | Kevin Kline | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor |
 | Beyoncé Knowles | ... | Herself - Performer (as Beyoncé) |
 | Frank Langella | ... | Himself - Nominee - Best Actor |
 | Queen Latifah | ... | Herself - Performer: I'll Be Seeing You |
 | Heath Ledger | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (archive footage) |
| John Legend | ... | Himself - Performer (song "Down to Earth") |
 | Mike Leigh | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
 | Melissa Leo | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress |
 | Jerry Lewis | ... | Himself - Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award Recipient |
 | Sophia Loren | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
 | Bernie Mac | ... | Himself - In Memoriam (archive footage) |
 | Shirley MacLaine | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
 | Bill Maher | ... | Himself - Presenter |
| Abby Mann | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Frank Marshall | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Picture |
| E. Anthony Martinez | ... | Performer - USC Trojan Marching Band |
 | Steve Martin | ... | Himself - Presenter |
| Martin McDonagh | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
| Chris Menges | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography |
 | Anthony Minghella | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Picture / Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Claudio Miranda | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography |
 | Ricardo Montalban | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Peter Morgan | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay |
| Robert Mulligan | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Eddie Murphy | ... | Himself - Presenter: Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award |
| Megan Mylan | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Documentary Short Subject |
 | Paul Newman | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Thomas Newman | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Score & Best Original Song |
| Michael O'Connor | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Costume Design |
| Brett Padelford | ... | Performer - USC Trojan Marching Band) |
 | Sarah Jessica Parker | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Costume Design / Best Makeup / Best Art Direction |
 | Robert Pattinson | ... | Himself - Presenter |
 | Sean Penn | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Actor |
| Wally Pfister | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography |
| Harold Pinter | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Freida Pinto | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Foreign Language Film |
 | Brad Pitt | ... | Himself - Nominee - Best Actor |
 | Sydney Pollack | ... | Himself - In Memoriam (archive footage) |
| Resul Pookutty | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
 | Natalie Portman | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Cinematography |
| Steve Preeg | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects |
| Richard Pryke | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
| A.R. Rahman | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Original Score / Best Original Song |
| Jim Reardon | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
 | Seth Rogen | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Live Action Short |
| Leonard Rosenman | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| Eric Roth | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay |
 | Mickey Rourke | ... | Himself - Nominee |
 | Eva Marie Saint | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress |
 | Roy Scheider | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Paul Scofield | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Amanda Seyfried | ... | Herself - Performer |
| John Patrick Shanley | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay |
 | Michael Shannon | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Actor in a Supporting Role |
| Lee Smith | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Editing |
 | Will Smith | ... | Himself - Presenter |
 | Steven Spielberg | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Picture |
 | Andrew Stanton | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Animated Film / Nominee: Best Original Screenplay |
| Tom Stern | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Cinematography |
 | Ben Stiller | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Cinematography |
 | Meryl Streep | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role |
| Robin Swicord | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay |
 | Tilda Swinton | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actress |
| Ian Tapp | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Sound |
 | Charlize Theron | ... | Herself (archive footage) |
 | Marisa Tomei | ... | Herself - Nominee: Best Supporting Actress |
 | Gina Tuttle | ... | Announcer |
| Vampira | ... | Herself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Gus Van Sant | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Director |
 | Christopher Walken | ... | Himself - Presenter: Best Supporting Actor |
| Angus Wall | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Editing |
| David Watkin | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
| James Whitmore | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Richard Widmark | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Kate Winslet | ... | Herself - Winner: Best Actress |
 | Stan Winston | ... | Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage) |
 | Reese Witherspoon | ... | Herself - Presenter: Best Director |
 | Matthew Wood | ... | Himself - Nominee: Best Sound Editing |
| Victor J. Zolfo | ... | Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
81i teleti aponomis ton vraveion Oscar - Live (Greece) [el]
Oscar 2009 - Die Academy Awards (Germany) [de]
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Oscar 2009 - Die Academy Awards (Germany) [de]
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Parents Guide:
Runtime:
USA:210 min (including commercials)
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Language:
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Sound Mix:
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Notable actors like Harvey Korman, Eartha Kitt, Robert Prosky, George Carlin, Patrick McGoohan, Anita Page, and Beverly Garland were not part of the "In Memoriam" segment.
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Goofs:
Miscellaneous: Just before the presentation of "Best Supporting Actress" the curtain that was supposed to open to reveal the presentation screens don't open. You can then hear a stagehand from backstage yell, "We're doing it. Steve open it!" (his voice was probably picked up through Hugh Jackman's lapel mic.)
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Quotes:
Janusz Kaminski:
Suck on that, Anthony Dod Mantle.
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Movie Connections:
References Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
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Soundtrack:
Jai Ho
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (15 total)
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I'm interested in these awards, not because of who wins or why. Sure we all have our favorites, but the more we celebrate when someone we value is recognized, the more we endorse this notion of a competition. A competition in the arts?
No, I'm interested because I study introspection in film, and there is no more obvious and consistent event than this show about shows, this story about storymaking and the people involved. The entrance of the players has become a sort of performance in itself, only the actual awards seem to have escaped as we must suffer through each recipient's list of people they are obligated to mention. Its a puzzling phenomenon why this occurs: the persons judged by the world as the most able to convey stories that matter — and we end up with such dreary speeches, mostly.
But its the show, right? Well, this show really was something unusual. As Jackman said is more "Show" than "Business." I'm sure he was parroting a decision made by the Academy based on their plummeting ratings. Regardless of the reason, the retread was welcome by me.
There were three notable elements, four if you count the pretty wonderful Busby Berkeley inspired production number that Jackman led. Two of them had to do with the stage, the physical stage itself. Since spending time in the Globe and discovering the magic of stage geometry all over again, I appreciated these and am a bit in wonder at the sophistication of the designer, who I understand is Joe Celli.
He designed a massive halo curtain of glittering crystals. I have no idea what something like this costs and what happens to the crystals. It must have been really impressive in the physical space because of the multispectral quality of refracted light. Elsewhere, I've written of the quality of snow and early theater screens. They have this presentation of scintillating colors that appears white but has an inner life, an inner texture. I would have traveled to LA just to experience this, which probably was better without the celebrities.
The other thing they did spatially was to design a stage that repurposes the performance geometry on which the Globe theater was based, the "Globe" of religious performance that Michelangelo created in Saint Peter's Square (where the Pope does his celebrity performance — in fact this is also the origin of the red carpet).
There's a yet to be appreciated pentagonal quasicrystral structure there, something that is tied deeply to notions of presence and being. I'm certain that they did not integrate this design into other elements of the show except as mentioned below. But its a pretty extraordinary statement.
Where they did integrate this five-fold symmetry was in the most extraordinary design change in the actual award presentations. For each of the five nominees for important statues, they presented five previous winners, each of whom "presented" the nominee. They were placed on this floor-stage design in ALMOST a significant way. I think perhaps the designer had them where it mattered. But they were relocated so that the five large screens behind them could be captured better in the focal frame of the three sailing cameras. Something of shame. But the intent is amazingly, wonderfully, intelligently clear.
Shakespeare, Michelangelo, Australians! What else is there?
Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.