Return to Transcripts main page

American Morning

Oscar Quest

Aired November 27, 2003 - 08:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Time to let the Oscar buzz begin. The awards show next year is being moved up this time, in an attempt to prop up the sagging TV ratings we've seen over the past few years. Prompting right now an early start to the often breathless campaigning by the movie studios. Look here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER (voice-over): And they're off. It may only be November, but the race for Oscar gold already in full stride. Most have been released. Others will be by year's end.

CINDY GRISOLIA, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: It's a very strong year. And I think it's going to be a very powerful year and promises to be a very sort of tough and exciting Oscar race.

HEMMER: Early favorites for best picture include "Seabiscuit," and several films on an epic scale. "The Last Samurai," "Master and Commander," "Cold Mountain," and the final chapter in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "The Return of the King."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pieces are moving.

GRISOLIA: It's the film to beat on paper.

HEMMER: In the acting categories, the early frontrunners include Russell Crowe for "Master and Commander," "The Last Samurai" star Tom Cruise. Tommy Lee Jones from "The Missing." And funnyman Bill Murray may get a nod for his dramatic performance in "Lost in Translation." And also there is that cast from "Mystic River."

GRISOLIA: There's quite a bit of buzz about Sean Penn's performance in this film, as well as Tim Robbins. And I think there's no doubt that they will end up, you know, definitely strong Oscar contenders this year.

HEMMER: On the actress side, there's "Cold Mountain" star Nicole Kidman. Diane Keaton is getting some Oscar buzz for her work in "Something's Gotta Give." Gwyneth Paltrow of "Sylvia." And "House of Sand and Fog" leading lady Jennifer Connally.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's truly good at complicating things.

HEMMER: The studios are wasting no time calling attention to their product either. In an industry where multimillion dollar ad campaigns are the norm today, this time around, the Oscar push is reaching a fevered pitch, because the awards are coming early. TOM ORTENBERG, PRESIDENT, LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT: Every year it seems like the advertising and marketing spends for the awards season does increase by a little bit. This year I think it seems even more amplified than before because of the shortened awards season given the Academy Awards moving up by a month.

HEMMER: Another element certain to play an important role in who does and who does not earn an Academy Award nomination are the screeners. The Motion Picture Association of America has ruled that to help curb film piracy, access to screener copies of movies would be drastically reduced. Critics fear that several smaller, independent films, will simply be lost in the shuffle among the higher profile pictures.

PETER BART, EDITOR, VARIETY: One issue certainly is piracy. But the other issue is the integrity of the Academy Awards. And if you bias the results of the awards toward big pictures and against the independent pictures, I think you're really significantly harming the awards.

HEMMER: We'll know better when the Oscar nominations are announced January 27th.

Bill Hemmer, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired November 27, 2003 - 08:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Time to let the Oscar buzz begin. The awards show next year is being moved up this time, in an attempt to prop up the sagging TV ratings we've seen over the past few years. Prompting right now an early start to the often breathless campaigning by the movie studios. Look here.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER (voice-over): And they're off. It may only be November, but the race for Oscar gold already in full stride. Most have been released. Others will be by year's end.

CINDY GRISOLIA, ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: It's a very strong year. And I think it's going to be a very powerful year and promises to be a very sort of tough and exciting Oscar race.

HEMMER: Early favorites for best picture include "Seabiscuit," and several films on an epic scale. "The Last Samurai," "Master and Commander," "Cold Mountain," and the final chapter in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, "The Return of the King."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The pieces are moving.

GRISOLIA: It's the film to beat on paper.

HEMMER: In the acting categories, the early frontrunners include Russell Crowe for "Master and Commander," "The Last Samurai" star Tom Cruise. Tommy Lee Jones from "The Missing." And funnyman Bill Murray may get a nod for his dramatic performance in "Lost in Translation." And also there is that cast from "Mystic River."

GRISOLIA: There's quite a bit of buzz about Sean Penn's performance in this film, as well as Tim Robbins. And I think there's no doubt that they will end up, you know, definitely strong Oscar contenders this year.

HEMMER: On the actress side, there's "Cold Mountain" star Nicole Kidman. Diane Keaton is getting some Oscar buzz for her work in "Something's Gotta Give." Gwyneth Paltrow of "Sylvia." And "House of Sand and Fog" leading lady Jennifer Connally.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He's truly good at complicating things.

HEMMER: The studios are wasting no time calling attention to their product either. In an industry where multimillion dollar ad campaigns are the norm today, this time around, the Oscar push is reaching a fevered pitch, because the awards are coming early. TOM ORTENBERG, PRESIDENT, LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT: Every year it seems like the advertising and marketing spends for the awards season does increase by a little bit. This year I think it seems even more amplified than before because of the shortened awards season given the Academy Awards moving up by a month.

HEMMER: Another element certain to play an important role in who does and who does not earn an Academy Award nomination are the screeners. The Motion Picture Association of America has ruled that to help curb film piracy, access to screener copies of movies would be drastically reduced. Critics fear that several smaller, independent films, will simply be lost in the shuffle among the higher profile pictures.

PETER BART, EDITOR, VARIETY: One issue certainly is piracy. But the other issue is the integrity of the Academy Awards. And if you bias the results of the awards toward big pictures and against the independent pictures, I think you're really significantly harming the awards.

HEMMER: We'll know better when the Oscar nominations are announced January 27th.

Bill Hemmer, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com