Crash pulls off big upset at Oscars

Winners Philip Seymour Hoffman (Best Actor) and Reese Witherspoon (Best Actress). Picture / Reuters

Crash, the race relations drama that has captivated Hollywood, pulled off a stunning upset at the Oscars last night, winning the best film honour over heavily favoured gay romance Brokeback Mountain.

Philip Seymour Hoffman was named best actor playing homosexual writer Truman Capote in Capote, and Hollywood sweetheart Reese Witherspoon's performance as country singer June Carter in the Johnny Cash biography Walk the Line earned her the Oscar for best actress.

Brokeback, about two cowboys who fall into a love that spans decades, won three awards overall, including Ang Lee as best director, Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry for best adapted screenplay, and Gustavo Santaolalla for best original score.

Crash pulled a stunning upset because Brokeback won most all of Hollywood's best film honours heading into the Oscars. It began the night with eight nominations - two more apiece than Crash and Good Night, and Good Luck.

When its surprise victory was announced, an audience of luminary film-makers and movie stars at the Kodak Theatre stood in the aisles and cheered. Producer Cathy Schulman thanked Oscar voters for honouring a film "about love, about tolerance, about truth".

"We are humbled by the other nominees in this category," Schulman said. "You have made this year one of the most breathtaking and stunning, maverick years in American cinema."

Only moments earlier, Lee had accepted his trophy for directing Brokeback, and it seemed certain his movie would claim the best film trophy. He thanked not only the normal list of agents, managers, producers and other Hollywood handlers, but the fictional characters in the movie who, he said, taught audiences "the greatness of love itself".

Along with best film, Crash won the trophy for best original screenplay for writers Paul Haggis, who also directed the movie, and Bobby Moresco.

Good Night, and Good Luck failed to win any Oscars, but its mastermind George Clooney, who also directed and co-wrote the film, did win an Oscar for best supporting actor in his turn as a world-weary CIA agent in oil drama Syriana.

British actress Weisz was given the best supporting actress award for playing a social activist who is murdered for her beliefs in thriller The Constant Gardener.

A range of films won other trophies. Japanese saga Memoirs of a Geisha was given three Oscars for costume design and art direction and cinematography. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe won for best makeup. It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp from Hustle & Flow was named best original song.

But in another surprise, African film Tsotsi, was named best foreign language movie over favourite Paradise Now.

Following the plots of many of its message-themed movies, Oscar took a decidedly political tone with winners noting causes, and show host Jon Stewart cracking wise.

"We are a little bit out-of-touch in Hollywood," Clooney said. "I think that's probably a good thing. We are the ones who talked about Aids when it was only being whispered ... We talked about civil rights ... I'm proud to be part of this Academy, proud to be part of this community, proud to be 'out of touch."' Stewart, known for political satire, stuck to what he does best - poking fun at politicians and Hollywood stars.

Of the New Zealand contenders, Peter Jackson's King Kong came away with three technical awards - best sound editing, best sound mixing and best visual effects. Andrew Adamson's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe won an Oscar for best makeup.

- REUTERS