February 10, 2004. Copyright, 2004, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Can Lord of the Rings pick up the big prizes at last?
By Mark Samms


LONDON, February 10, Graphic News:  It was exactly 20 years ago that Colin Welland, the writer of Chariots of Fire, waved his Oscar at the world and declared: ÒWatch out! The British are coming!Ó

In the event his confidence proved slightly misplaced, but Hollywood would do well to heed another warning this year. ÒWatch out! The Antipodeans are on the march!Ó

By and large the Oscar nominations are as eclectic and unpredictable as ever, but they are dominated by two films that had their genesis in the southern hemisphere.

The Return of the King, the final part of the triumphant Lord of the Rings trilogy, has 11 nominations and seems certain to bring the top honours cascading down on New Zealand-born director Peter Jackson at long last.

The first two parts received grudging acknowledgment from the Academy by way of nominations in the lesser categories, but it is almost as though members wanted to see if Jackson could pull off the three-card trick before giving him the personal recognition he deserves.

Indeed, such has been the popular and critical acclaim the movies have received that the Oscars were in danger of losing credibility had Jackson not been in the running for Best Picture and Best Director this year -- awards he has already taken at the Golden Globes.

Nominated in the same categories is Australian Peter Weir for his work on Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. This cultured blockbuster marked a departure from WeirÕs previous, more contemplative work like Witness and Dead Poets Society, but he still seems certain to miss out as the Jackson bandwagon gathers momentum.

Two actresses also join the Antipodean thrust for honours. Thirteen-year-old Keisha Castle-Hughes came from nowhere to become the youngest ever to be nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her performance in the Maori movie Whale Rider, and vying with her is AustraliaÕs British-born star Naomi Watts for her performance in 21 Grams.

With South AfricaÕs Charlize Theron (Monster) and the UKÕs Samantha Morton (In America) also in contention, this leaves Diane Keaton (SomethingÕs Gotta Give) as AmericaÕs only hope for honours in this category.

Perhaps the biggest casualty of the nominations is Anthony Minghella, the British director who has acquired a reputation for making Oscar contenders to order for Miramax. As more than one headline has been quick to remind him, Cold Mountain, his romantic odyssey based on the American civil war, has received the cold shoulder.

Two of its stars, Jude Law and Renee Zellweger, are in the running for the Best Actor and Best Supporting Actress statuettes, and there is a chance of three technical awards. But there is no mention of Minghella himself in the director or screenplay categories despite (or perhaps because of) a lot of pre-nomination hype.

However, the inclusion of two other directors who have little in common except their talent, has received wide acclaim. Sofia Coppola (daughter of Francis Ford Coppola) becomes the first American woman to receive a directorial nomination for her work on the funny yet poignant movie Lost in Translation, and 73-year-old Clint Eastwood is in the running for Mystic River.

Both movies are also nominated for Best Picture, and feature exceptional performances from their leading actors, both of whom are in line for honours.

Bill Murray is a strong candidate for his portrayal of a jaded actor adrift in Tokyo, while Eastwood draws a consummate performance from Sean Penn as a bereaved and embittered father.

But all the signs are that itÕs going to be Peter JacksonÕs night.
/ENDS