Warriors come out on top at the Oscars

Hollywood laid out the red carpet once again last night for the 2001 Oscars. The night was one of predictability as Gladiator walked away with five awards, including Best Leading Actor for Russell Crowe and Best Picture, an award that many can't help feeling should have gone to Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. However, all was not lost for this martial arts epic as it walked away the award for Best Foreign Picture plus another three gongs.

Brit director Ridley Scott was also pipped at the post for the Best Director Oscar which went to Steven Soderbergh for his star-studded Traffic. Benicio Del Toro also picked up an award for Traffic as Best Supporting Actor.

Julia Robert's turn in Erin Brokovich landed her the award for Leading Actress. As the actress took to the stage in her trademark black dress, the usually composed star gushed that she would like to thank, "...everyone I've ever met in my life" and had the audience and viewers alike in fits of laughter as she proclaimed a la Gwyneth Paltrow, "I love the world. I am so happy". A speech Miss Roberts will still be cringing about in twenty years time, no doubt.

In a night that had about as much suspense in it as what colour dress Julia would wear (black, as usual), surprise was afforded in the shape of the Supporting Actress award that went to Marcia Gay Harden (who?) for her role in Pollock and not the hot favourite Kate Hudson, daughter of Goldie Hawn.

While the world waited for days to be dazzled by gorgeous dresses and freshly bleached teeth at the Shrine auditorium, across town another awards ceremony had taken place. Yes the Golden Raspberries once again dished out their special awards for awfulness to the creme de la crap of the movie making business. And this year was a corker as John Travolta's sci-fi (if it can even be called that), Battlefield Earth, swept the board taking home award for Worst Picture, Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actor, Worst Supporting Actress, Worst Director: the list goes on and on and on.

And so, it's all over. The stars have their newest mantlepiece offering, or don't in most cases, and fans can once again rest assured that the Oscars are an entirely American event which seems begrudged to let Brits get a look in. At least across the water we can rejoice that Hollywood's smuggest couple, the Douglas' didn't get a look in.

The Gabster

26th March 2001 Oscar night at the Filmhouse, Edinburgh
13th February 2001: Oscars nominations announced

Full list of Oscar nominations

Official Oscars web site