- Title: USA: THE 70TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS TAKE PLACE IN LOS ANGELES
- Date: 23rd March 1998
- Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (MARCH 23 1998) (REUTERS) KIM BASINGER SAYING, "IT'S BEEN SUCH AN AMAZING RIDE JUST BEING IN "L.A. CONFIDENTIAL". FROM THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL ON IT'S BEEN ONE SURPRISE AFTER ANOTHER WITH THE GOLDEN GLOBES AND THE SAG AND NOW THIS, THIS IS INDESCRIBABLE TO ME." (ENGLISH)
- Embargoed: 7th April 1998 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA3ZPVVJXDNIVHX68PEN30BROI7
- Story Text: "Titanic", James Cameron's 3-hour epic of the greatest ship that ever sank, has secured it's place in Hollywood history by sailing away with 11 Oscars.
It equaled the record for most Academy Awards won by a single film, matching the 1959 film, "Ben Hur".
"You've made this a night to remember, let's party until dawn," cried Cameron, the film's co-producer, screenwriter, co-editor and director as he picked up his third award of the night -- the prize for best picture.
Many critics had predicted the film would be doomed when production costs topped 200 million U.S.dollars.But Cameron could hardly contain his delight as he stood backstage at the Shrine Auditorium as he cradled three of the coveted Oscars "Titanic" had won.
He had even forfeited his five million pound (sterling) director's fee as the film's costs soared to become the most expensive movie ever made.
Earlier in his acceptance speech, the Canadian-born filmmaker stole a line from the film's leading man played by Leonardo DiCaprio: "I am the king of the world," he claimed.
Despite winning for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Song for Celine Dion's rendition of "My Heart Goes On" and Best Score as well as sweeping the more technical Oscars such as editing and sound, "Titanic" significantly missed out on the two acting categories in which it was nominated.
Kate Winslet was one of four British actresses to be pipped to the post in the Best Actress category by American Helen Hunt.
Hunt was awarded the Oscar for her performance in "As Good As It Gets." Accepting her award, an emotional Hunt said: "You can't be an actress and not dream of this moment, so it's a dream come true." Hunt's co-star in "As Good As It Gets," Jack Nicholson, received his third Oscar nod with the award for Best Actor for his part in the film.Nicholson became only the fourth actor in the awards' history to win three statuettes.
Kim Basinger choked back the tears as she picked up her award for Best Supporting Actress in the film "L.A.
Confidential", directed by Curtis Hanson.
One of the biggest cheers of the evening came as Robin Williams scooped the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "Good Will Hunting," the first film written and produced by best friends Ben Affleck and Matt Damon.
They also won the Oscar for Best Screenplay.
Williams was overcome with joy as he accepted his first Oscar after four nominations.
"It's extraordinary.I mean holding it I've imagined I've been here three times before and lost and it's always -- you've asked about my odds before, basically my odds before were basically the odds of the Jamaican bobsled team winning," Williams said.
The Netherlands won its third foreign-language film Oscar for "Character", on its fifth nomination.
"The Full Monty", the most successful British film ever, only took home one gong.Anne Dudley received the Oscar for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score" Britain tasted more success with "Geri's Game", directed by Jan Pinkava, named Best Animated Short Film.
Afterwards winners and losers alike, left the Shrine Auditorium to do the traditional round of post-Oscar parties.
The Oscars, voted on by members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, were presented on Monday nightby Billy Crystal at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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