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3/22/1999

OSCAR NIGHT - 1999!!!

Well the results of the 1999 Academy Awards are in. For Saving Private Ryan fans the news is mixed. For The Thin Red Line fans the news is very bad. TTRL picked up no Oscars whatsoever from its 7 nominations, whilst SPR managed only 5 from its 11 nominations. It unfortunately missed out on the "jewel in the crown" - the Best Picture Oscar, which went to Shakesphere in Love.

Below is a summary of the awards Saving Private Ryan did win.

* Best Director - Spielberg
* Best Cinematography - Janusz Kaminski
* Best Sound
* Best Sound Effects Editing
* Best Film Editing - Michael Kahn

Overall SPR received the Oscars it deserved, but I really felt it should've won Best Picture. The night belonged to Shakesphere In Love however, which picked up 7 Oscars. Although SIL was a very original movie, it did lack some of the technical achievements which SPR possessed, but at the same time SIL made up in the acting stakes.

The Thin Red Line's performance was VERY disappointing. I really don't know what happened there. I thought it was a shoe-in for best cinematography, AND best adapted screenplay, but the politics of the Academy Awards are strange and I guess the opinions of the general public don't mesh with those of the Academy.

3/6/1999

Who's Right?

I received an email from Ken the other day and he points out an interesting discrepancy between Saving Private Ryan and the next most famous D-Day film The Longest Day. Have a look at the two pictures below and see if you notice anything unusual. You may need to click the thumbnails to expand the pictures in order to see the discrepancy.

Those with a keen eye would have noticed that the wooden obstacle posts at the water line are pointing in opposite directions in both movies. Now I recall reading somewhere about this, but I can't remember where, or even what it said. So basically Ken and I are at a loss trying to figure out which movie is correct. I've emailed an expert on D-Day, and will hopefully get a response, but if anyone can help us out here please email me

More Critical Awards

The Chicago Film Critics Awards have been announced, and thanks once again to Leonardo for sending me the news. The results are listed below.

Best Picture : Saving Private Ryan
Best Director : Terrence Malick (The Thin Red Line)
Best Cinematography : John Toll (The Thin Red Line)

Once again John Toll has won an industry award for cinematography, which would have to in my opinion make him the front runner in the Oscar race.

Box Office

According to Jawad's SPR Website Saving Private Ryan has now taken in a total of $453 million at the International box office. $205 million has come from the domestic gross, and $247 from foreign markets. That $453 million will be a really handy profit for the Dreamworks company, although I'm not sure how much they'll have to split with co-financiers Paramount.

ARCHIVED NEWS

25/3 - 3/1/1999
U-5711 FIRST PIC!!
Patriot Casting Info
Video / DVD News
Warning About SPR Props

2/23 - 2/24/1999
U-571 Historical Inaccuracies
TTRL's Golden Bear Award
SPR Props

2-19-1999
Robert Rodat's New War Project
SPR's Box Office Return

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