Overview
The 74th Academy Awards ceremony was significant for a number of reasons. It saw the return of the Academy Awards celebrations to Hollywood, after more than forty years away, taking place at the brand new Kodak Theatre. As a result of the new facility, the ceremony was the first to be telecast to domestic audience on ABC in High Definition due to the vast capacity for HDTV equipment that the Kodak Theatre could utilize. Instead of a typical scenery, HD screens were used throughout the ceremony much similar to the technologically ambitious design at the 72nd Academy Awards (that was the first time an HD set was used). The visual graphics and idents were designed by Imaginary Forces (who designed graphics for several TV shows such as Ally McBeal and movies such as Mission Impossible) using a 1080i "gold circles" motif consisting of gold circles that panned through the screen or rotated rapidly. The "gold circles" motif was designed in order for viewers at home to able to watch the ceremony in High Definition.
The Oscar ceremony had several young up and coming actors and actresses to present a few of the awards. Among them included Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, Josh Hartnett, Kirsten Dunst and Tobey Maguire.
The ceremony drew its lowest ratings since 1996 with an estimated 40.54 million watching and 24.87 households watching.
Furthermore the tone of this show was quieted by the recent occurrence of the attacks on September 11. Just as the 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards were postponed in 2001, many wondered if the Oscars would be postponed as well. Frank Pierson, then president of the Academy stated that the Oscars would proceed as scheduled, and to postpone would mean that "the terrorists have won". However, the red carpet festivities prior to the awards, though not canceled, were severely curtailed as now the availabity of the bleacher seats were determined by a lottery rather than the first come, first serve basis. Also, there were 26 references to the attacks during the telecast.
Moulin Rouge! became the first musical to be nominated for best picture since All That Jazz in 1979, a gap of 22 years. It was also the first best picture nominee (and the last as of 2010) produced in Australia since Shine in 1996.
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