77th Annual Academy Awards February 28, 2005 • Follow NPR coverage of the film industry's most prestigious awards show, plus news from other specialized awards (Director's Guild, Producer's Guild), critics' choice awards and the Golden Globes -- and learn what NPR critics think were the best films and performances of 2004.
77th Annual Academy Awards 'Million Dollar Baby' Scores Honors at Academy Awards February 28, 2005 • Last night's Oscar ceremony drew surprisingly strong ratings, though the evening itself was free of upsets. In a movie season that began amorphously, with no blockbusters in contention and no clear front-runner, Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby took four awards in top categories, including best picture.
77th Annual Academy Awards The Global Press Flocks to the Oscars in Hollywood February 28, 2005 • NPR's Alex Chadwick talks to NPR's Madeleine Brand about her night out at the Academy Awards. Brand goes behind the scenes to see how the evening's events were covered by the throngs of press that converged on the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.
Black Indie Filmmakers Get Creative February 28, 2005 • NPR's Corey Moore profiles several independent filmmakers who found alternative ways to produce and distribute their movies when the big Hollywood studios turned them down.
Reviewing the 77th Annual Academy Awards February 28, 2005 • NPR's Ed Gordon speaks to author Donald Bogle about Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony in Hollywood. Million Dollar Baby garnered most of the evening's top awards, including best picture, best director, best actress and best supporting actor.
Culture 'Downfall' from Ganz and Hirschbiegel Fresh Air February 28, 2005 • Actor Bruno Ganz and director Oliver Hirschbiegel's new film is Downfall, about the last days of Hitler. Ganz stars as Adolf Hitler. He's made over 80 films mostly in German, and was in the recent remake of The Manchurian Candidate. Downfall is Hirschbiegel's third film, and his most popular to date.
'Million Dollar' Night for Eastwood, Swank, Freeman February 28, 2005 • At the 77th annual Academy Awards, director Martin Scorsese's The Aviator won the most Oscars -- five, but Clint Eastwood's film Million Dollar Baby took prizes for best picture, best director, best supporting actor, Morgan Freeman, and best actress, Hilary Swank. Jamie Foxx won the Oscar as best actor for his portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray.
77th Annual Academy Awards Documentarian Briski Discusses Oscar Win February 28, 2005 • Melissa Block talks with Zana Briski, who made the documentary film Born into Brothels with Ross Kauffman. Born Into Brothels won the Academy Award Sunday night for best documentary.
Music Interviews A Composer for Screen Gets a Stage Debut February 27, 2005 • Guest host Sheilah Kast speaks with composer Danny Elfman. Elfman is best known for his many TV and film scores — including the music for The Simpsons, Batman, Good Will Hunting and Men in Black. But this past Wednesday, Elfman was recognized as a composer for the concert stage. His "Serenada Schizophrana" received its world premiere at Carnegie Hall in New York by the American Composers Orchestra.
Listening to the Movies: 'The Passion of the Christ' February 27, 2005 • Composer John Debney went from his usual action and comedy work to write the score for The Passion of the Christ. The music earned him his first Oscar nomination. NPR's Andy Trudeau reviews the nominees and offers his pick for best original score.
Nun's Crusade Inspires Oscar-Nominated Film February 27, 2005 • As a young nun, Sister Rose Thering worked to reform the Catholic Church and fight anti-Semitism. Her struggles are now the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary Sister Rose's Passion.
'Brother to Brother' an Indie Film Hit February 26, 2005 • The Independent Spirit Awards, broadcast Saturday night on the cable channel Bravo, honor films that don't quite make the Hollywood mainstream. The film Brother to Brother has earned four nominations. It's about Bruce Nugent, an unconventional artist during the Harlem Renaissance.
Technology Descriptive Video Helps the Blind Enjoy Films February 26, 2005 • Since 1990, Boston's WGBH has pioneered an audio technology called Descriptive Video Service that offers a detailed explanation of programming and movies for visually-impaired viewers. Mathayu Warren-Lane, a writer, editor and director for the service, joins us for an interview.
Culture The Making of 'Downfall' February 26, 2005 • Downfall, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, is among the Oscar nominees for best foreign film. The German-made effort details the last days of Adolf Hitler, played by Bruno Ganz. Hirschbiegel and Ganz talk about the film in a wide-ranging interview.
77th Annual Academy Awards Movie Songs for Oscar Night February 26, 2005 • Broadway and opera lyricist Murray Horwitz takes a closer look at each of the five tunes nominated for best song at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony, and evaluates what makes a song memorable long after the movie fades from memory.