Hoard of the Rings: One film, 11 Oscars

Published on Tuesday 2 March 2004 00:00

PETER Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy swept the board at this year’s Oscars with the third instalment of the film adaptation taking 11 out of a possible 11 of the much-coveted gold statuettes.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King equalled the record set by Ben Hur in the 1960s and Titanic in 1998 for the tally of prizes won by an individual film.

However, the film set a new record by going one step further and securing a clean sweep, winning every category for which it was nominated.

However, while Hollywood toasted Jackson, the Tolkien trilogy’s director, for his raft of awards which included best director and best film, Annie Lennox, the Scottish singer, dedicated her Oscar for best original song to her mother, Dorothy, who died last year, aged 73, in Aberdeenshire.

Accepting the Oscar at the 76th Academy Awards for the haunting Into The West, the former Eurythmics frontwoman said: "I’m stunned, thank you so much. I would like to thank Peter Jackson so much for inviting me to be part of this extraordinary project. It’s amazing."

Lennox, 49, wearing an ice-blue satin gown designed by Stella McCartney, also dedicated her award to the British composer, Michael Kamen, who also died last year.

Ms Lennox’s mother bequeathed her 350,000 estate, including her 105,000 home in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, to her daughter, despite the singer amassing an estimated personal fortune of 30 million.

Lennox’s two daughters also inherited 20,000 each after the death of their grandmother five months ago.

Fortune on a much grander scale was on ostentatious display as the Oscar hopefuls reverted to type as they cast off the sombre tones of the previous two ceremonies which were dominated by war in Iraq and the aftermath of the attacks on 11 September, 2001.

The red carpet outside the Kodak Theatre, in Hollywood, was filled with the cream of Tinseltown talent, all vying to win as much exposure in the fashion stakes as the winners inside. As well as the usual haute-couture dresses, diamonds were de rigeur among the Hollywood elite.

Nicole Kidman, attending without nomination this year, outshone most, wearing a 195-carat diamond necklace by Bulgari, while one of the award presenters, the actress Angelina Jolie, wore a $10 million, 85 carat diamond necklace by H Stern.

Inside the auditorium, which was the scene of tight security, Billy Crystal, the show’s host, presided over a night dominated by hobbits and orcs.

As the success became clear, Crystal - hosting his eighth Oscars ceremony - referred to the Kiwi home of the film, adding: "It’s official, there’s nobody left in New Zealand to thank."

The Return of the King’s other awards were for art direction, costume design, visual effects, make-up, sound mixing, film editing, adapted screenplay and original score.

Reflecting on the success, Peter Jackson said it was "unbelievable". He added: "I’m so honoured that the Academy and its members have seen past the trolls and wizards and the hobbits and are recognising fantasy this year."

He later joked that it would have been a "bit of a bummer if we didn’t win anything".

However, while The Return of the King triumphed, other big movies missed out.

Russell Crowe’s naval epic Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World won only two technical awards, while the much vaunted Cold Mountain won just one, for Rene Zellweger as best supporting actress.

The Bill Murray comedy Lost in Translation saw director Sofia Coppola pick up an award for best original screenplay.

Charlize Theron won best actress for her role as the real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Monster, and Sean Penn won a standing ovation as he collected the award for best actor in Clint Eastwood’s Mystic River.

Penn’s co-star, Tim Robbins, picked up the Oscar for best supporting actor.

Their wins meant disappointment for British acting hopes; Samantha Morton (In America), Jude Law (Cold Mountain), and Sir Ben Kingsley (House of Sand and Fog) all left empty-handed.

However, thanks to Lord of the Rings, British set designer Alan Lee and make-up artist Peter King both picked up Oscars.

Meanwhile, one of the ceremony’s most guarded secrets was revealed yesterday: the contents of the Motion Picture Academy’s official Oscar gift basket, given to presenters and performers.

Proving that success is almost its own reward, among other treats, the lucky recipients gained a $6,000 Samsung 43in TV; a certificate for a $9,000 holiday in a luxury residence provided by Exclusive Resorts; a Z electric scooter; a pair of Swarovski Hush Puppies and a diamond pendant from Peace & Love Jewellery by Nancy Davis, worth a paltry $500.

Unlike last year, when the documentary maker Michael Moore used the occasion to attack plans by George Bush, the US president, for the war in Iraq, there was little mention of politics during the night.

However, in his acceptance speech, Sean Penn couldn’t resist a jibe. "If there’s one thing actors know - other than that there aren’t any WMDs - it’s that there is no such thing as ‘best’ in acting," Penn, 43, said.

This year’s honorary Oscar was awarded to Blake Edwards, 81, who wrote, directed and produced the Pink Panther movies and directed Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

He used the occasion to thank "the beautiful English broad", his wife, the actress Julie Andrews.