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:

Reference To IMDb | TV Special | Awards Show

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 8 nominations

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, Director & Picture
Michelangelo Antonioni	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Josh Brolin	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Adapted Screenplay
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jay Cassidy	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Editing
Kristin Chenoweth	...	Herself - Performer
Julie Christie	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Bob Clark	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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
Donfeld	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Michael Douglas	...	Himself (also archive footage)
Paul Douglas	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Dykstra	...	Himself
Bud Ekins	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Peter Ellenshaw	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Robert Elswit	...	Himself - Winner: Best Cinematography
Ray Evans	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Colin Farrell	...	Himself - Presenter
Dante Ferretti	...	Himself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Dionne Figgins	...	Enchanted Dancer
Michael L. Fink	...	Himself - Winner: Best Visual Effects
Louise Fletcher	...	Herself (archive footage)
Harrison Ford	...	Himself - Presenter
Freddie Francis	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Ruth Gordon	...	Herself (archive footage)
David Grafton	...	Himself
Johnny Grant	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Dabbs Greer	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Allen Lee Haff	...	Himself
Per Hallberg	...	Himself - Winner: Best Sound Editing
Christopher Hampton	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Adapted Screenplay
Peter Handford	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Tom Hanks	...	Himself - Presenter: Best Documentary Feature and Short Subject
Glen Hansard	...	Himself - Performer & Winner: Best Original Song
Curtis Harrington	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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
Tom Kane	...	Live Announcer
Diane Keaton	...	Herself (archive footage)
Deborah Kerr	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Michael Kidd	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Nicole Kidman	...	Herself - Presenter
László Kovács	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Queen Latifah	...	Herself - Presenter
Didier Lavergne	...	Himself - Winner: Best Makeup
Heath Ledger	...	Ennis del Mar Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jack Lemmon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Skip Lievsay	...	Himself - Nominee: Best Sound & Sound Editing
Laura Linney	...	Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Leading Role
Calvin Lockhart	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Francesca Lo Schiavo	...	Herself - Winner: Best Art Direction
Shirley MacLaine	...	Herself (archive footage)
Delbert Mann	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Martin Manulis	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Dario Marianelli	...	Himself - Winner: Best Original Score
Lois Maxwell	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Melville Shavelson	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
Christina Ulloa	...	Trophy Presenter
Miyoshi Umeki	...	Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
Jack Valenti	...	Himself - Memorial Tribute (archive footage)
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 (archive footage)
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 Blvd., Hollywood & Highland, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS)

Trivia:

The WGA writer's strike 2007/2008, which was supported by the SAG of which many of the nominated actors where members, ended only 11 days prior to the show.

Quotes:

Jon Stewart: [referring to all of the dark, violent films that are up for nominations] Does this town need a hug?

Movie Connections:

Features Sicko (2007)

Soundtrack:

Happy Working Song

And the baby goes to…

Coming on the heels of the great writer's strike in Hollywood, the 2007 Academy Awards ceremony began amidst wonder about what it would be like, after the Golden Globes, I think, was presented as a bare bones ceremony to which few people showed up. I didn't pay much attention to the writer's strike, partly because I'm living in the middle of China at the moment and partly because I just don't see what the big screaming deal is. Maybe it's because I work for a living so it's hard for me to understand the unjust plight of people who get paid 100 times what I make to sit at home and write jokes. Anyway, John Stewart, again the Oscars' host, introduces the show by exclaiming, "You're here! I can't believe you're here!" He then, of course, goes on to ridicule the whole fiasco, clearly touching some nerves but hopefully lightening the tone a little as well.

As usual, Stewart has some great jokes ("What a shame, Titler had some great ideas! He just couldn't get past the name….and the mustache…"), and some that just clearly make the audience uncomfortable. But again, luckily we have the writers back so we can watch some of our most talented actors come on stage and tell jokes with all the animation and energy of a hockey puck. That's one of the biggest mysteries of the Oscars. Every year, we see the most talented people in the business come on stage and give astonishingly wooden deliveries of their highly rehearsed jokes and speeches. Maybe this is what happens when they don't have a good director helping them?

George Clooney, surprisingly, seemed to get just a little stuck once or twice during his speech introducing the outstanding 80 years of Oscar sequence. Maybe because of the deadpan response to his cheerful "Hi guys!" greeting to the audience. Maybe they were tired. I thought it was funny. The show could always use a little informality to lighten the tension. John Stewart doesn't exactly have the most perfect track record of delivering classic jokes on stage. He's a funny guy, but nearly half of his jokes must make at least half the audience squirm in their seats ("I believe Javier Bardem told his mother where the bathroom is…"). I'm sure that high school kids failing their Spanish classes are still rolling over that one. The rest of us, not so much.

As always the awards are criticized for that ridiculous time limit imposed on the winners. It is certainly true that this show, and any awards show, is ABOUT the winners, and the majority of it should be given to them to give thanks to what is often one of the greatest honors of their lives. John Stewart has plenty of time to make bad jokes and often poke ridiculous fun at some of our most talented actors, yet those actors themselves are so often rushed off the stage by that incessant orchestra music, which is really no different from someone extending a hook onto the stage and yanking the speaker off by their neck.

Obviously, it's clear why this happens. The Oscars, unfortunately, are about honoring the greatest achievement in film-making, but more than that, they are a media frenzy. The show is designed to get ratings much more than to honor performances or achievements. This is why the greatest actors and animators and directors and costume designers and writers are shooed offstage so that Stewart can introduce another pointless montage that does nothing but eat up time. In this ceremony, he even mentions that, had the writer's strike continued, they would have had to "pad the show with even more montages" (Oscar Salute to Binoculars and Periscopes?? Bad Dreams, An Oscar Salute!??).

Pad the show!! What, was there a shortage of material?

After showing these film clips, which Stewart introduces as pointless, he quips about how great it is that they don't have to waste our time by showing them. What the hell is going on here? Is this what the winners are rushed off the stage for?

And by the way, best category announcement of the evening has to go to Forrest Whitaker, and best acceptance speeches? Tilda Swinton and Marketa Irglova. Definitely.

Note: John Stewart mentions the IMDb as he is introducing Nicole Kidman onto the stage. I think that's the first time I've ever heard anyone mention the IMDb at the Oscars. It's just too bad that he has become so famous as a political satirist, because political satire only has the tiniest place at an event like the Oscars. More importantly, it has made it nearly impossible for Stewart to offer genuine congratulations without sounding like he's going to crack some stupid joke afterwards (which half the time he does).

All in all, even though the Oscars seem to get more commercialized every year, they are still all about the love of movies, and this year is no different. It's an inspiring show no matter how many little bothersome things we have to deal with, and it's hard not to enjoy a lot of people experiencing their dreams literally coming true before our eyes. I particularly loved the occasional history of the Oscars montages that they would show in between awards. THAT is the stuff the show should be padded with. After all, remembering great moments in film is what it's all about.