Oscars 2012 BBC News Special

Hello and welcome to our Oscars special, where the year's biggest

film is a silent one. The Oscar goes to Jean Dujardin. Best Actor

is one of five awards that The Artist picks up, including best

film. If George Valentine could speak, he would say... Speaks in

French. Meryl Streep proved unbeatable for

her remarkable portrayal of Margaret Thatcher. When they called

my name, I had a feeling I could hear half of America are going oh

no. Martin Scorcese's 3D film Hugo picks up five awards, including

best cinematography, and Christopher Plummer finally gets an

award for best supporting actor. You are only two years older than

me, darling, where have you been all my life? Mark Kermode is with

me. How things can turn in the space of a month because perhaps

people will be saying they knew what The Artist would win, but not

a month ago. It is nearly a silent film, French, although shot in

Hollywood, has won, and as we went in, everyone was saying it is just

like Titanic, we know it will win, boring. Everyone thought the

critics going mad about it at first, it was showing off how satiric they

were. Then it was being seen by audiences around the world, and

people realised how wonderful it was, how charming and invented, and

it got this head of steam behind it, to the point that it was winning at

the BAFTAs as well. I think it is something to be really pleased

about. There are some people who are great supporters of the silent

film, and when I watched this I was sitting with a silent film expert.

Everyone was laughing, and afterwards I asked her what she

thought, she said they got it right. At that point I realised it had won

over both crowds. That detail is the remarkable performances, and I

am wondering if it is even harder to act in a silent film, perhaps

that is what swung it for Jean Dujardin. Thank you. I love your

country. Thank you, Michel Hazanavicius, thanks for this

incredible gift, thank you to my wonderful partner, and if George

Valentine could speak, he would say... Speaks in French.

Jean Dujardin, one imagines he will be picking up some parts in

Hollywood now. His speech at the BAFTAs was better! When I saw this,

everyone in the cinema clapped, how often do you get that? If people

have seen the film, please don't give away the end. When the

nominations were read out, there was a plot spoiler for The Artist

in the nominations. If you have seen the film, just don't ask what

happens, you don't need to know. Heres a clip, in case you haven't

Jean Dujardin alongside his co-star, who of course is married to the

director. What a night for him as well. It is fantastic, Michel

Hazanavicius had at least three pronunciations of his name.

Everyone sort of expected this to happen, but you look back, just

recently he was directing movies that nobody took that seriously.

That he has triumphed, it is so easy to take it for granted but it

is an extraordinary achievement. He said that, when the director came

to him, don't do it, you are mad! The best screenplay was Woody Allen,

he was a no-show at the Oscars, I imagine he was playing jazz in a

club somewhere. The very fact they have reminded us the techniques of

the early films still have relevance now - it doesn't mean you

can't use 3D animation, but it demonstrates those classic

techniques are still relevant in the 21st century. Good storytelling

is good storytelling. We heard Kenneth Branagh attempting to

explain why it The Artist is great, the reason is that is a great film.

Here he is, collecting his award. Again, just a few months ago,

everybody saying in a patronising way, will they really be giving it

to the French? But they have. was one of the only best film

contenders in which the whole production was shot in LA. We had

Harvey Weinstein referred to by the French with his name pronounced

differently. We have another category where it

was really hard to see how anybody would beat Meryl Streep. That's

right, but actually people were saying it was not a dead cert for

Meryl Streep. She was on the kind of winning streak that Helen Mirren

was on for the Queen, going from award ceremony to award ceremony

becoming more regal each time. This was her 17th nomination, with Billy

Crystal saying as that of her introduction she has had 14 attempt

at looking pleased when somebody else won. She was very good at

that! When they called my name, I had a feeling I could hear half of

America going oh no. Her, again! Whatever. I really want to thank

all my colleagues, my friends. I look out here and I see my life

before my eyes, my old friends, my new friends. Thank you to my

friends, departed and here for this inexplicably wonderful career.

outstanding performance for anyone who has seen the film, but the film

itself a little bit week? We feel this more here. Firstly the make-up

as well, and as Meryl Streep said half of that film is the make-up.

Dick Smith got an award for make-up, that was nice to see, but the thing

about The Iron Lady is it is not a film about politics, it is not a

film which, if you are interested in the history of British politics,

has much weight, but Meryl Streep carries that film shoulder-high. I

think her performance was terrific, I wish the film was more terrific.

Less see a little. Teachers can't teach when there is no heating, no

lighting in their classrooms, and if I ask the right honourable

gentleman whose fault is that? thinks the right honourable lady

does screech too much! If she wants us to take her seriously, she must

learn to calm down. If the right honourable gentleman could perhaps

attend more closely to what I am saying, rather than how I am saying

it, he will receive a valuable education in spite of himself.

is the performance that has four Meryl Streep an Oscar. Let's cross

to Los Angeles because our correspondent is there for the man

-- with the man responsible for catapulting The Artist. Harvey

Weinstein, the man behind it all, let me see if I can jump in. How

was this evening for you, how do you feel? I feel fantastic because

I think The Artist represents a love poem to cinema. It is an

amazing movie, it makes people feel good, and it is an inspiration that

a black-and-white silent movie in 2012 can win the Oscar 83 years

later after the last one. Whatever you are thinking, however radical

it is, go with your passion. you ever doubt it would be a

success? When I saw the rough cut in April, I met with these guys and

I told them a lot of this would happen. I thought we would get

nominated at least. Coming back to Hollywood where the film was set,

where it was filmed in its entirety, that must be pretty special. It is

one great its four all three for best picture, it is amazing. -- it

won all three. There you are at the Vanity Fair party. I think everyone

was there, barring Woody Allen. Indeed, yes. This is one of the

main places people come to afterwards. We have seen Tom Cruise,

Martin Scorsese, so many of the guests. Unusually this year, a lot

of the winners, Meryl Streep for example, has not been seen here yet.

Jean Dujardin walked straight past five minutes ago, didn't stop to

talk to anyone, but the best supporting actress winner Octavia

Spencer did stop for a quick chat and this is what she had to say.

You know what, I have no words. I am exhausted, overwhelmed and

overjoyed. What was it about this film, The Help, because it could

have been a bad movie but it was feel good. I think people can see

themselves in every one of those characters. Thank you very much.

Octavia Spencer picking up the award for best supporting actress.

Mark, I will get your views on The Help in a moment, but let's hear a

little of her acceptance speech tonight. I have to thank my family

in Alabama... It is a film about life in the south, southern USA, at

the beginning of the civil rights movement. It is a bleak picture of

racism but some people think it is very saccharin. I think it was

saved by some strong performances. We were discussing this before the

BAFTAs. The film does have a certain saccharin edge to it, and

there was a discussion about how the problem of racism was solved by

a white woman writing about a black woman's experiences. It has some

great performances but they are the thing that carries it. At times,

the whole thing looks to saccharin, but in her acceptance speech she

was completely overwhelmed. In an acceptance speech, you always want

proper tears. She and Meryl Streep did that. It looked like a standing

ovation when she got on stage. A win for the performances and that

Let Sten -- turn to another film I really like, beginners. Christopher

Plummer became the oldest actor to win an Oscar.

You are only two years older than me, darling, where have you been

all my life? At tough one for the British, because cannot Branagh was

in that category. The it was a strong category. Max von Sydow out,

one of the greatest actors ever, it was interesting to see two

octogenarians both nominated. Christopher Plummer's performances

are terrific. I am not entirely sold on the film. He gave a very

creations -- a very gracious acceptance speech, that he said he

has been practising for 82 years! Billy Crystal was making jokes

about how they had the over 70 demographics are one up. There has

been the sole thing in the press recently that the average age of an

Oscar voter is 107! The average cost curve Botha is white, male and

retired. The whole argument is that how representative of are the

Oscars when the main voting group is like that. I am sure that the

next thing will be that The Artist one because the people who voted

for it can remember silent movies. That is not why it one. I have seen

it with ten-year-olds and it has a universal language. She go also to

come five awards. That is no mean feat. An achievement for Martin

Scorsese? Technical categories give us important people getting awards.

Hugo is a love song does cinema. It is about the birth of cinema. It is

a 3 D film that reminds us that three D is as old as the projected

moving image. It was around when cinema started. It is the first 3 D

film that makes sense of 3 D. For me it is an alienating thing. This

film is about the cogs of film- making, so somehow Martin Scorsese

does something interesting with 3 D. I interviewed Martin Scorsese when

there were making the film and they talked about three D Reid imagining

movies. I am not a fan of 3 D, but here the technical and artistry

came together and worked. How interesting that both films that

have got that many nominations are both about the birth of cinema.

Best foreign film went to separation. This is the first time

Iran has one. It is a wonderful film. It has won several critics

prizes. It is a very moving story. It manages to tell a personal story

which is subtly political, about people trapped within structures

that are inflexible and looking at a certain situation from a number

of different perspectives and everyone only having a fragment of

the truth. There was a beautiful acceptance speech which talked

about loving people who embraced freedom, freedom of thought. It is

extraordinarily significant. When you see the film, you don't think

that I'm watching an important, significant film that feels like

hard work. It feels like a human drama. It is one of those films the

works on a human and political level. At let's hear a little from

the director. The name of the country Iran is spoken here through

its glorious culture. Many Asian culture that has been hidden under

the heavy dust of politics. I proudly offered this film to my

country, at people who respect all cultures and civilisations and

despise hostility and resentment. Thank you so much. Best foreign

language film. We haven't mentioned the descendants or George Clooney.

It got the award for best adapted screenplay. I was disappointed that

it won Best adapted screenplay, not because I didn't like it. It is one

of those films that has a slow- burning appeal. You don't quite get

the weight of the film until the end of it when you think it really

is something. In any year, were it not the fact that it be best --

where it beats best adapted screenplay for her Tinker Tailor

Soldier Spy. I do like the descendants very much, but it is

one of those categories were just like something else more. You and I

are of a piece about Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and carry all cannot

even get in the bath death. I have my house on him winning at the

BAFTA is so. I thought George Clooney would win in the Oscars.

Original screenplay, Woody Allen. Midnight in Paris, a departure for

him. It wasn't actually one of my favourite Woody Allen films. Acute

film. I thought it was a throwback to some of his early plays. It felt

like old fashioned woody Allen in his best possible ways. It assumes

that the audience knows a certain amounts and is genuinely funny. The

significant thing here was the no- show from Woody Allen. We had this

will for ages to win the Oscar was on he would play at jazz gig in New

York, so she would never be available. There was one year when

he did turn up to present a special awards, but he doesn't do the

Oscars. I thought it was a good screenplay. You have seen rather

more of the whole ceremony than I have. They had to bring back Billy

Crystal. It was meant to be Eddie Murphy. What do we think of Billy

Crystal, is it a safe choice question mark you say see if as if

it's a bad thing. Billy Crystal comes back in you can hear the room

breathing a sigh of relief. The ceremony itself was pretty

spectacular. You had the standard being of Billy Crystal doing a Mont

hajj putting himself into the best on contenders. It is the fact that

if you are at a ceremony that long you want to feel that the guy

introducing it is 110 % on top of the job. Billy Crystal is the man

who got away with coming onto the stage at the Oscars on a horse! He

is the best Oscar hope -- best Oscar host. They are concerned that

it is older people who are watching. It stretches too long for a younger

audience. Ensure that is still a debate. The music category was

strange this year because there was only two contenders for the best

song. I am sure they all sit down and crunched the numbers now about

how many people are watching. Their main concern is getting a younger

audience to watch. When you have something like Titanic, whose

target market is 15, 16 year-olds, that is great. However, I suspect

that every year when you have Billy Crystal hosting it, no one does it

better than him, let's just keep him. A closing thought about The

Artist, what does this do nowt for a director like Michel

Hazanavicius? One would presume that they can write their own

ticket into would ever they want. If you have just want the best

picture Oscar, it looks like you can walk into a room and say I know

what works, and what doesn't. But in Hollywood, nobody knows anything.

The worst thing is I can almost guarantee you that we will see a

run of bad black-and-white silent movies. It was black and white suit

and square and had a dog, let's do that! It wasn't good because of