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71st Academy Awards

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71st Academy Awards
Official poster
DateMarch 21, 1999
Site
Hosted byWhoopi Goldberg
Preshow hosts
Produced byGil Cates
Directed byLouis J. Horvitz
Highlights
Best PictureShakespeare in Love
Most awardsShakespeare in Love (7)
Most nominationsShakespeare in Love (13)
TV in the United States
NetworkABC
Duration4 hours, 2 minutes[2]
Ratings

The 71st Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best of 1998 in film and took place on March 21, 1999, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. PST / 8:30 p.m. EST. During the ceremony, AMPAS presented Academy Awards (commonly referred to as Oscars) in 24 categories. The ceremony, televised in the United States by ABC, was produced by Gil Cates and directed by Louis J. Horvitz.[3][4] Actress Whoopi Goldberg hosted the show for the third time.[5] She first hosted the 66th ceremony held in 1994 and had last hosted the 68th ceremony in 1996.[6] Nearly a month earlier in a ceremony held at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on February 27, the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement were presented by host Anne Heche.[7]

Shakespeare in Love won 7 awards, including Best Picture.[8] Other winners included Saving Private Ryan with 5 awards, Life Is Beautiful with 3, and Affliction, Bunny, Election Night, Elizabeth, Gods and Monsters, The Last Days, The Personals: Improvisations on Romance in the Golden Years, The Prince of Egypt, and What Dreams May Come with 1. The telecast garnered nearly 46 million viewers in the United States.

Winners and nominees

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The nominees for the 71st Academy Awards were announced on February 9, 1999, at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, California, by Robert Rehme, president of the Academy, and the actor Kevin Spacey.[9] Shakespeare in Love earned the most nominations with 13; Saving Private Ryan came in second place with 11.[10]

The winners were announced during the awards ceremony on March 21, 1999.[11] Life Is Beautiful was the second film nominated simultaneously for Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film in the same year (the first being Z in 1969).[12] Moreover, its 7 nominations were the most for a foreign language film, to date.[13] Best Actor winner Roberto Benigni was the second person to direct himself to an acting Oscar win. Laurence Olivier first achieved this feat for his performance in 1948's Hamlet.[14] He also became the fourth individual to earn acting, directing, screenwriting nominations for the same film.[15] In addition, Benigni was the third performer to win an Oscar for a non-English speaking role.[16] By virtue of their nominations for portraying Queen Elizabeth I of England, Best Actress nominee Cate Blanchett and Best Supporting Actress winner Judi Dench became the first pair of actresses to earn acting nominations in the same year for portraying the same character in different films.[17]

Awards

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Photo of Edward Zwick in 2016.
Edward Zwick, Best Picture co-winner
Photo of Steven Spielberg in 2017.
Steven Spielberg, Best Director winner
Photo of Roberto Benigni in 2020.
Roberto Benigni, Best Actor and Best Foreign Language Film winner
Photo of Gwyneth Paltrow in 2011.
Gwyneth Paltrow, Best Actress winner
Photo of James Coburn in 1959.
James Coburn, Best Supporting Actor winner
Photo of Judi Dench in 2007.
Judi Dench, Best Supporting Actress winner
Photo of Tom Stoppard in 2022.
Tom Stoppard, Best Original Screenplay co-winner
Nicola Piovani, Best Original Dramatic Score winner
Stephen Schwartz, Best Original Song winner
Photo of Janusz Kamiński wearing a white scarf and a black bubble vest in 2014.
Janusz Kamiński, Best Cinematography winner
Photo of Sandy Powell at the Vienna International Film Festival in 2015.
Sandy Powell, Best Costume Design winner

Winners are listed first, highlighted in boldface, and indicated with a double dagger (‡).[18]

Academy Honorary Award

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Irving G. Thalberg Award

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Films with multiple nominations and awards

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Presenters and performers

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The following individuals presented awards or performed musical numbers.[21][22]

Presenters

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Name(s) Role
Randi Thomas Announcer for the 71st annual Academy Awards
Robert Rehme (AMPAS President) Gave opening remarks welcoming guests to the awards ceremony
Kim Basinger Presenter of the award for Best Supporting Actor
Gwyneth Paltrow Presenter of the award for Best Art Direction
Patrick Stewart Presenter of the films Elizabeth and Shakespeare in Love on the Best Picture segment
Mike Myers Presenter of the award for Best Makeup
Christina Ricci Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "When You Believe"
Brendan Fraser Presenter of the award for Best Live Action Short Film
Flik
Heimlich		 Presenters of the award for Best Animated Short Film
Robin Williams Presenter of the award for Best Supporting Actress
Chris Rock Presenter of the award for Best Sound Effects Editing
Liv Tyler Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing"
Anjelica Huston Presenter of the award for Best Sound
Tom Hanks Introducer of presenter John Glenn
John Glenn Presenter of the "Historical Figures in Cinema" montage
Sophia Loren Presenter of the film Life Is Beautiful on the Best Picture segment and the award for Best Foreign Language Film
Andy García
Andie MacDowell		 Presenters of the award for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
Geena Davis Introducer of the special dance number to the tune of the Best Original Dramatic Score nominees and presenter of the award for Best Original Dramatic Score
John Travolta Presenter of the Frank Sinatra tribute montage
Anne Heche Presenter of the segment of the Academy Awards for Technical Achievement and the Gordon E. Sawyer Award
Jim Carrey Presenter of the award for Best Film Editing
Renée Zellweger Introducer of the performance of the Best Song nominee "A Soft Place to Fall"
Nicolas Cage Presenter of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to Norman Jewison
Liam Neeson Presenter of the award for Best Visual Effects
Val Kilmer Presenter of the Gene Autry and Roy Rogers tribute montage
Helen Hunt Presenter of the award for Best Actor
Lisa Kudrow Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "That'll Do"
Ben Affleck
Matt Damon		 Presenters of the awards for Best Documentary Short Subject and Best Documentary Feature
Robert De Niro
Martin Scorsese		 Presenters of the Honorary Academy Award to Elia Kazan
Whoopi Goldberg Presenter of the award for Best Costume Design
Catherine Zeta-Jones Introducer of the performance of Best Song nominee "The Prayer"
Jennifer Lopez Presenter of the award for Best Original Song
Annette Bening Presenter of the In Memoriam tribute
Jack Valenti Introducer of presenter Colin Powell
Colin Powell Presenter of the films Saving Private Ryan and The Thin Red Line on the Best Picture segment
Uma Thurman Presenter of the award for Best Cinematography
Jack Nicholson Presenter of the award for Best Actress
Steven Spielberg Presenter of the Stanley Kubrick tribute montage
Goldie Hawn
Steve Martin		 Presenters of the awards for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen and Best Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published
Kevin Costner Presenter of the award for Best Director
Harrison Ford Presenter of the award for Best Picture

Performers

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Name(s) Role Performed
Bill Conti Musical arranger Orchestral
Mariah Carey
Whitney Houston		 Performers "When You Believe" from The Prince of Egypt
Aerosmith Performers "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from Armageddon
Joaquín Cortés
Savion Glover
Tai Jiminez
Desmond Richardson
Rasta Thomas[23]		 Performers Performed dance number synchronized with selections from Best Original Dramatic Score nominees
Allison Moorer Performer "A Soft Place to Fall" from The Horse Whisperer
Peter Gabriel
Randy Newman		 Performers "That'll Do" from Babe: Pig in the City
Celine Dion
Andrea Bocelli		 Performers "The Prayer" from Quest for Camelot

Ceremony information

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Whoopi Goldberg hosted the 71st Academy Awards

Riding on the success of the previous year's ceremony which garnered record-high viewership figures and several Emmys, AMPAS sought changes to the festivities that would help build upon this recent success. In June 1998, Academy president Robert Rehme announced that the show would be held on a Sunday for the first time in history.[24] AMPAS and network ABC hoped to capitalize on the high television ratings and viewership that benefit programs airing on that particular day of the week.[25] The Academy also stated that the move to Sunday would ease concerns about traffic gridlock and transportation that are significantly lower on weekends.[26]

The following January, Gil Cates was selected as a producer of the telecast.[27] He immediately selected Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg as host of the 1999 ceremony.[28] Cates explained his decision to bring back Goldberg as host saying, "The audience adores Whoopi and that affection, plus Whoopi's extraordinary talent makes her a terrific host for the show."[29] In a statement, Goldberg expressed that she was honored and excited to be selected to emcee the telecast commenting, "I am thrilled to escort Oscar into the new millennium. Who would have thought that I would be hosting the last Oscar telecast of the century? It's a huge deal."[29]

Mariah Carey (left) and Whitney Houston (right) performed "When You Believe", which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song

Several other people participated in the production of the ceremony and its related events. Bill Conti served as musical director for the festivities.[30] In addition to supervising the Best Song nominee performances, choreographer Debbie Allen produced a dance number featuring five dancers from around the world showcasing the nominees for Best Original Dramatic Score.[31] For the first time, the Academy produced its own pre-show that preceded the main telecast. Produced by Dennis Doty, the half-hour program was hosted by actress Geena Davis and CNN reporter Jim Moret.[32] Similar to coverage of red carpet arrivals on networks such as E!, the pre-show featured interviews with nominees and other guests, recaps of nominations and segments highlighting behind-the-scenes preparations for the telecast.[33]

Box office performance of nominees

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At the time of the nominations announcement on February 9, the combined gross of the five Best Picture nominees was $302 million with an average of $60.4 million per film.[34] Saving Private Ryan was the highest earner among the Best Picture nominees with $194.2 million in domestic box office receipts. The film was followed by Shakespeare in Love ($36.5 million), The Thin Red Line ($30.6 million), Elizabeth ($21.5 million), and finally Life is Beautiful ($18.4 million).[34]

Of the top 50 grossing movies of the year, 36 nominations went to 13 films on the list. Only Saving Private Ryan (2nd), The Truman Show (11th), A Civil Action (40th) and Primary Colors (50th) were nominated for Best Picture, directing, acting or screenwriting.[35] The other top 50 box office hits that earned nominations were Armageddon (1st), A Bug's Life (5th), Patch Adams (12th), Mulan (13th), The Mask of Zorro (17th), The Prince of Egypt (18th), The Horse Whisperer (24th), What Dreams May Come (37th) and Pleasantville (49th).[35]

Critical reviews

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The show received a mixed reception from media publications. Columnist Lisa Schwarzbaum of Entertainment Weekly quipped that "Whoopi bombed last night, she knew it—and yet, crassly, she took it as a sign of her own outrageousness."[36] The Washington Post television critic Tom Shales bemoaned that Goldberg "spent a great deal of time laughing at her own jokes, many of which were dirty, a few dirty." He also lambasted the host's presentation of the five Best Costume Design nominees saying calling it time-consuming and tasteless.[37] Film critic John Hartl of The Seattle Times lamented that the telecast "was the longest and possibly the dullest Oscar show of the century, clocking in at four hours."[38]

Other media outlets received the broadcast more positively. Television columnist Robert Bianco of USA Today commended Goldberg's hosting performance writing that he liked "the sharper, more socially conscious edge Goldberg brings."[39] The Boston Globe television critic Matthew Gilbert commented, "It was the perfect year with more than enough Hollywood intrigue and a battle for her to play off."[37] Joanne Ostrow of The Denver Post raved that "Whoopi definitely was on, more so than in her two previous hosting stints." She added that "the show was exceptionally smooth."[40]

Ratings and reception

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The American telecast on ABC drew an average of 45.51 million viewers over its length, which was an 18% decrease from the previous year's ceremony.[41][42] An estimated 78.10 million total viewers watched all or part of the awards.[42] The show also drew lower Nielsen ratings compared to the previous ceremony with 28.63% of households watching over a 47.79 share.[43] It also drew a lower 18–49 demo rating with an 18.85 rating over a 37.31 share among viewers in that demographic.[44]

In July 1999, the show received seven nominations at the 51st Primetime Emmy Awards.[45] Two months later, the ceremony won two of those nominations for Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program (Roy Christopher and Stephen Olson) and Outstanding Lighting Direction for a Drama Series, Variety Series, Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Robert Dickinson, Robert T. Barnhart, Andy O'Reilly, Matt Ford).[46]

"In Memoriam"

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The annual "In Memoriam" tribute was presented by actress Annette Bening. The montage featured an excerpt of the main title from Ever After composed by George Fenton.[47]

A separate tribute to actor, singer and former Oscar host Frank Sinatra was presented by John Travolta.[48] Later, actor Val Kilmer presented one to actors Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.[49] After the In Memoriam segment was shown, host Goldberg and director Steven Spielberg eulogized film critic Gene Siskel and director Stanley Kubrick respectively.[50][51]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Geena Davis to Do Pre-Oscar Telecast". Chicago Tribune. January 12, 1999. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  2. ^ Richmond, Ray (March 21, 1999). "The 71st Annual Academy Awards". Variety. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  3. ^ Bona 2002, p. 231
  4. ^ Bona 2002, p. 233
  5. ^ "Whoopi Goldberg to host Oscars". BBC News. January 13, 1999. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  6. ^ Wallace, Amy (January 13, 1999). "Whoopi Goldberg Gets Tapped to Host 71st Oscar Ceremony". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 21, 2013. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  7. ^ Graser, Marc (February 28, 1999). "Avid has fan in Oscar at Sci-tech ceremony". Variety. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  8. ^ Rosen, Steven (March 22, 1999). "'Love', not war: Best-picture Oscar goes to 'Shakespeare'". The Denver Post. p. A1.
  9. ^ Munoz, Lorena (February 10, 1999). "It's the Early Birds That Get to Squirm". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  10. ^ Anthony, Todd (February 10, 1999). "71st Academy Awards". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved January 3, 2014.
  11. ^ "Oscar loves 'Shakespeare' Bard's film takes 7 Academy Awards; Benigni, Paltrow named best actors". San Antonio Express-News. March 22, 1999. p. 1D.
  12. ^ Bona 2002, p. 401
  13. ^ Bona 2002, p. 209
  14. ^ Osborne 2013, p. 423
  15. ^ Welkos, Robert W. (March 19, 1999). "Benigni Rising Has Hollywood Gushing". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  16. ^ O'Neil, Tom (September 22, 2010). "Quiz: Who won Oscars for foreign-lingo roles?". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 16, 2014. Retrieved January 13, 2014.
  17. ^ Kinn & Piazza 2002, p. 299
  18. ^ "The 71st Academy Awards (1999) Nominees and Winners". Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. AMPAS. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2011.
  19. ^ Goldstein, Patrick (January 15, 1999). "Film Director Elia Kazan to Receive Oscar, Forgiveness". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  20. ^ Higgins, Bill (January 10, 1999). "Jewison will receive Thalberg memorial". Variety. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
  21. ^ "The Scheduled Oscar Lineup". Los Angeles Times. March 20, 1999. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  22. ^ Bona 2002, p. 228
  23. ^ Bona 2002, p. 234
  24. ^ Madigan, Nick (June 26, 1998). "Sunday officially Oscar's". Variety. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  25. ^ Welkos, Robert W. (March 13, 1999). "Cinema's Super Sunday". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  26. ^ Bona 2002, p. 213
  27. ^ Madigan, Nick (January 4, 1999). "Cates to produce Oscars". Variety. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  28. ^ Bona 2002, p. 214
  29. ^ a b "Whoopi! Goldberg to host Oscars". CNN. January 13, 1999. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  30. ^ "Morning Report: Arts And Entertainment Reports From The Times, News Services And The Nations's Press". Los Angeles Times. January 23, 1999. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  31. ^ Pond 2005, p. 199
  32. ^ Shister, Gail (March 18, 1999). "CNN's Jim Moret Working Swing Shift On Oscar Night". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  33. ^ Pond 2005, p. 211
  34. ^ a b "1998 Academy Award Nominations and Winner for Best Picture". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  35. ^ a b "1998 Domestic Grosses". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  36. ^ Schawrzbaum, Lisa (March 22, 1999). "Vulgar disfavors". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  37. ^ a b Bona 2002, p. 244
  38. ^ Hartl, John (March 22, 1999). "'Love' Conquers All–Oscar Gets Fickle In Night Of Close Calls And Upsets". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  39. ^ Bianco, Robert (March 22, 1999). "Show makes lead of Hollywood gold". USA Today. p. D1.
  40. ^ Ostrow, Joanne (March 22, 1999). "The African Queen trumps Billy Crystal". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  41. ^ Gorman, Bill (February 24, 2012). "With No Blockbusters Up For Best Picture, Expect 'Academy Awards' Viewership To Fall; Ratings History + Your Guess For This Year (Poll)". TV by the Numbers. Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  42. ^ a b Lowry, Brian (March 23, 1999). "Oscars Draw Big Numbers, Though Not as Big as Hoped". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  43. ^ Bierbaum, Tom (March 22, 1999). "Oscars don't push aud envelope". Variety. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  44. ^ "Academy Awards ratings" (PDF). Television Bureau of Advertising. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 15, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
  45. ^ "Primetime Emmy database". Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. ATAS. Archived from the original on January 9, 2014. Retrieved January 9, 2014.
  46. ^ "51st Annual Emmy Awards: Creative Arts Emmy Winners". Los Angeles Times. September 13, 1999. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
  47. ^ Bona 2002, p. 237
  48. ^ Carter, Bill (March 24, 1999). "After the Oscars, The Complaints". The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 21, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  49. ^ Bona 2002, p. 235
  50. ^ Warren, Ellen (March 23, 1999). "Oscar Night Salute To Siskel Was All Whoopi". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
  51. ^ Bona 2002, p. 238

Bibliography

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Official websites
News resources
Analysis
Other resources
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