Scorsese shares spotlight as he finally bags the big one

LOS ANGELES – Martin Scorsese, the creator of ‘Raging Bull’ and ‘Taxi Driver’, finally won Oscar recognition on Sunday but he had to share the spotlight with politician Al Gore, regal actress Helen Mirren and Cinderella story Jennifer Hudson.

Scorsese won a standing ovation from an Oscar audience that clearly thought it was time for the 64-year-old filmmaker, who was named best director and his gangster movie ‘The Departed’ best film. It was the first Academy Award for Scorsese after five previous best director nominations and he demanded a recount.”Could you double check the envelope?” Scorsese joked onstage.Former US Vice President Gore took centre stage at the Osars when the film adaptation of his slide-show lecture on global warming won Oscars for best documentary and best song.The 95-minute film, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, its message calling for urgent action to address climate change, and Gore himself drew some of the evening’s biggest ovations – and laughs.The film marked a personal triumph for Gore, the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee who left politics after narrowly losing his White House bid to Republican George W Bush and embarked on a new campaign calling attention to the threat of climate change.”My fellow Americans, people all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis,” Gore said after taking the stage.”It’s not a political issue, it’s a moral issue.We have everything we need to get started with the possible exception of the will to act.That’s a renewable resource.Let’s renew it,” he declared.THE QUEEN Britain’s Helen Mirren was named best actress for her pitch-perfect portrayal of the ruling Queen Elizabeth in ‘The Queen’, a tale about the British royal family in a time of crisis at the death of Princess Diana.Mirren held her Oscar high in the air and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Queen.””My sister told me ‘all kids love to get gold stars,’ and this is the biggest and best gold star I’ve ever had in my life,” Mirren said.Whitaker had to take a moment to calm himself, then with his voice breaking, he remembered a time when he was a young kid watching movies in the backseat of his family’s car at the local drive-in theatre.He said that for kids who believe in dreams, he was proof they can come true.Jennifer Hudson, who was booted off the popular song contest programme ‘American Idol’ and was singing on cruise ships three years ago, won best supporting actress for her role as spurned singer Effie White in musical ‘Dreamgirls’.”Look what God can do,” Hudson said fighting back tears while holding her Oscar onstage.Alan Arkin (72) won for best supporting actor, beating one time favourite Eddie Murphy.It was a night of other surprises as well, including best foreign language trophy going to Germany’s ‘The Lives of Others’.Among other surprises, computer animated ‘Happy Feet’, about a bunch of dancing penguins with a love of their chilly Antarctic environment, took the Oscar for best animated movie over favourite ‘Cars’.Singer Melissa Etheridge was given the Academy Award for original song with ‘I Need to Wake Up’, from ‘An Inconvenient Truth’.”I have to thank Al Gore for inspiring us, inspiring me and showing that caring about the earth is not Republican or Democrat.It’s not red or blue.We are all green,” Etheridge said.Backstage, Gore told reporters: “The Academy has gone green this year.”The Oscars are given out annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and are the world’s top film honours.Nampa-ReutersIt was the first Academy Award for Scorsese after five previous best director nominations and he demanded a recount.”Could you double check the envelope?” Scorsese joked onstage.Former US Vice President Gore took centre stage at the Osars when the film adaptation of his slide-show lecture on global warming won Oscars for best documentary and best song.The 95-minute film, ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, its message calling for urgent action to address climate change, and Gore himself drew some of the evening’s biggest ovations – and laughs.The film marked a personal triumph for Gore, the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee who left politics after narrowly losing his White House bid to Republican George W Bush and embarked on a new campaign calling attention to the threat of climate change.”My fellow Americans, people all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis,” Gore said after taking the stage.”It’s not a political issue, it’s a moral issue.We have everything we need to get started with the possible exception of the will to act.That’s a renewable resource.Let’s renew it,” he declared.THE QUEEN Britain’s Helen Mirren was named best actress for her pitch-perfect portrayal of the ruling Queen Elizabeth in ‘The Queen’, a tale about the British royal family in a time of crisis at the death of Princess Diana.Mirren held her Oscar high in the air and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Queen.””My sister told me ‘all kids love to get gold stars,’ and this is the biggest and best gold star I’ve ever had in my life,” Mirren said.Whitaker had to take a moment to calm himself, then with his voice breaking, he remembered a time when he was a young kid watching movies in the backseat of his family’s car at the local drive-in theatre.He said that for kids who believe in dreams, he was proof they can come true.Jennifer Hudson, who was booted off the popular song contest programme ‘American Idol’ and was singing on cruise ships three years ago, won best supporting actress for her role as spurned singer Effie White in musical ‘Dreamgirls’.”Look what God can do,” Hudson said fighting back tears while holding her Oscar onstage.Alan Arkin (72) won for best supporting actor, beating one time favourite Eddie Murphy.It was a night of other surprises as well, including best foreign language trophy going to Germany’s ‘The Lives of Others’.Among other surprises, computer animated ‘Happy Feet’, about a bunch of dancing penguins with a love of their chilly Antarctic environment, took the Oscar for best animated movie over favourite ‘Cars’.Singer Melissa Etheridge was given the Academy Award for original song with ‘I Need to Wake Up’, from ‘An Inconvenient Truth’.”I have to thank Al Gore for inspiring us, inspiring me and showing that caring about the earth is not Republican or Democrat.It’s not red or blue.We are all green,” Etheridge said.Backstage, Gore told reporters: “The Academy has gone green this year.”The Oscars are given out annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and are the world’s top film honours.Nampa-Reuters