greatest oscar moments

The Moment The Hurt Locker helmer Kathryn Bigelow becomes the first woman to be awarded Best Director. About time! It took until the 82nd Academy Awards.
Why Its Great In her acceptance speech, Bigelow staunchly and rightly refuses to make a big deal out of being a woman, and concentrates on talking about the film she won for.

The Moment Until 2002, only one black actor Sidney Poitier had won an Oscar in a leading role. It took until the 74th Academy Awards to triple that figure in a single night, with Denzel Washington and Halle Berry both winning.
Why Its Great A welcome, if belated sign of the times. Since then, Jamie Foxx and Forest Whitaker have joined Denzel, although Halle remains the only black woman in her category.

The Moment George C. Scott wins Best Actor at the 43rd Academy Awards, despite advising the Academy in advance he would refuse his nomination.
Why Its Great Scotts memorable summation of the ceremony as a twohour meat parade, a public display with contrived suspense for economic reasons.

The Moment The dominant host of modern times made his name with a regular running gag in which hes inserted into footage from nominated films.
Why Its Great New hosts often struggle to find their identity but Crystal succeeds by imposing his on the films. Theyre only around for a year; Crystal is for life.

The Moment It Happened One Night storms the 7th Academy Awards by claiming the Big Five Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Screenplay.
Why Its Great The Big Five is a rare elite to date, only two other films ( One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest and The Silence Of The Lambs ) have equalled the achievement.

The Moment Samuel L. Jackson breaks protocol to whisper Aww, shit! when he learns hes been beaten (by Martin Landau) to the Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the 67th Academy Awards.
Why Its Great Because its so in character.

The Moment 34yearold streaker Robert Opel flashes the peace sign and a whole lot more as he runs across the stage at the 46th Academy Awards.
Why Its Great The immortal putdown from cohost David Niven, The only laugh that man will ever get in his life is by stripping and showing off his shortcomings.

The Moment At last! The Departed finally wins Martin Scorsese his Best Director Oscar.
Why Its Great Even with pals Coppola, Spielberg and Lucas on hand, Scorsese cant quite believe the Academy has honoured him. Check the envelope, he quips.

The Moment Native American Sacheen Littlefeather turns up at the 45th Academy Awards on behalf of Marlon Brando, to announce hes not accepting Best Actor for The Godfather because of Hollywoods mistreatment of Native Americans.
Why Its Great Brando in the 1970s was a oneman war on orthodoxy, but he achieves his most eccentric moment by not even showing up.

The Moment The ceremony producers go mad as Sheena Easton performs Best Song nominee For Your Eyes Only at the 54th Academy Awards Jaws! Oddjob! Lasers!
Why Its Great A contender for the most (literally) Jawsdropping performance of a Best Song nominee.