Blackwolf @ the Oscars 2010: The Complete Chronicle, Episode Two

Our chronicle of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards continues apace, my children, as the voice of Gina Tuttle summons Rachel McAdams and Jake Gyllenhal to the Kodak Theatre stage, where they will introduce the Best Screenplay Adaptation segment. An emotional Geoffrey Fletcher is then called to the stage. Literally near tears, he attempts to maintain composure. "This is for everybody who works on a dream every day --- precious boys and girls everywhere ... I'm sorry that I'm drawing a blank right now, but I thank everyone."

Queen Latifah was the next to hop onto the stage. Her task was to present a rather too short package on the inaugural Governors' Award Ball, staged last November. Those of you who regularly read this Diary of Magecraft know by now, I'm sure, that it be your Dragonmaster's destiny to dissect absolutely EVERYTHING from the telecast on the week after. So, recapping the Honorary Awards, as presented by the Academy's Board of Governors:

IRVING G. THALBERG MEMORIAL AWARD: To former studio executive and sometime producer John Calley, for distinguished achievements and contributions to the behind the scenes aspects of the industry.

HONORARY OSCAR FOR OUTSTANDING CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: To one of the true actress giants of the business, Miss Lauren Bacall.

HONORARY OSCAR FOR OUTSTANDING CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: To producer-director Roger Corman, who managed to take on the prospect of making some of the most unusual low-budget movies ever, and at the same time, mentored the budding careers of such current giants as Francis Ford Coppola, Ron Howard, Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Demme .... and James Cameron.

HONORARY OSCAR FOR OUTSTSANDING CAREER ACHIEVEMENT: To cinematographer Gordon Willis, double Oscar nominee and lens wizard of some 30 films, among them the Godfather Trilogy; several of the works of Woody Allen; and Coppola's Apocalypse Now.

Robin Williams then arrived on stage, presenting Best Supporting Actress. Mo'Nique was, I would wot, as emotional as Geoffrey Fletcher: "I would like to thank the Academy for showing that it can be about the performance, and not about the politics. I wanna thank Miss Hattie McDaniel for enduring all that she had to, so that I would not have to. To Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey: Because you touched it, the whole world saw it. .... Thank you for showing me that sometimes you have to forego doing what's popular in order to do what's right."

Following Colin Firth's comments on An Education, Sigourney Weaver shared some thoughts about Art Direction. As the Avatards had hoped, their film captured this category (was there any doubt?), and Rick Carter, Production Designer; Robert Stromberg, Art Director; and Kim Sinclair, Set Decorator, were all handed their trophies. "This Oscar sees you," said Rick. "Clearly, your vision is so deep." Bob, meanwhile, thanked all thusly: "13 years ago, the doctors told me I wasn't gonna survive --- and I thought that this dream I'd had of standing here would never come true. Well, now, here we are. .... Jim, every day we went to wrok, we knew we were really working with a genius. We all felt that. Thank you so much."

At this point we throw it to Gina Tuttle, who sets up the next segment. More commercials follow.

Tom Ford and Sarah Jessica Parker were next. They presented Best Costume Design. As your humble Dragonmaster predicted, Sandy Powell was honored for the costumes that made you wanna kneel in the presence of the enthron'd Victoria Regina! "I already have two of these, so I'm feeling greedy," dear Sandy boasted, dedicating this third Oscar to all you costume designers out there that don't do biographies about dead Monarchs or glittery musicals. "The designers that do all those contemporary films and all those low-budget movies actually don't get as recognized as they should, and they really work hard --- and so, this one's for you ... but I'm the one taking it home tonight!" Charlize Theron was next, and her dissertation spotlighted Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.

Then the lights went dark, as Kristin Stewart and Taylor Lautner presented the next extended segment of the evening .... a salute to some of the great and occasionally lesser moments in horror films. Doubtless you all had very pleasant nightmares as you watched! (Insert evil cackle here.)

Gina: "The 82nd Annual Academy Awards will continue in a moment here on ABC!"

And they continued with Zac Efron and Anna Kendrick celebrating achievements in sound, starting with a package clip narrated by Morgan Freeman! (An Oscar nominee narrating a package clip? Waitaminnit, that has happened before, hasn't it?) Anyway, the segment began with Sound Editing; that winner was Paul N.J. Ottosson. He said, "23 years ago I sold everything I had to come and be a part of what you guys do over here. It's such a great honor; so many people had faith in me and gave me a shot --- maybe when .... I don't know that I earned it yet; and thank you to all those people." No sooner had Paul left the stage than he quickly found himself back on it, this time bringing along Ray Beckett, as The Hurt Locker nabbed the Oscar for Sound Mixing/Re-recording. Ray, for his part, called this award the crowning achievement of his career. Riiiiiiiight.......

Here, then, my children, endeth Part the Second. On our next exciting episode: the Sci-Tech Oscar winners; Travolta; Sandra Bullock with Best Cinematography; Demi Moore and James Taylor channel the Fab Four for Oscar's 2009 Necrology; an extreme dance segment starring the Best Original Score nominees --- and more! Be here!