'The Aviator' soars high on Oscar expectations 10th Feb 2005
23.10 IST
By Aparajita Ghosh
Martin Scorsese's epic about the American millionaire, Howard Hughes, leads the Oscar race with as many as eleven nominations.
The Aviator , starring Leonardo DiCaprio , Cate Blanchett and Alec Baldwin, is seen as one of the most favored contenders to win this year's academy award for the 'Best Picture', besides other categories.
Hopes for Scorsese winning his first-ever Oscar statuette for Best Director have also risen after he was named director of the year for 'The Aviator' by the London Critics' Circle. Scorsese is one of the most feted Hollywood directors who haven't won an Oscar yet.
A report quotes William Russell, the LCC awards' chairman, as saying: "The Aviator is the work of a master film-maker who has handled the epic story of Howard Hughes, one of the major figures in American cinema, quite brilliantly."
As for the Oscar night on Feb 27, 'The Aviator' is already soaring high with maximum nominations - the chief ones being for 'Best Picture', 'Best Director' (Scorsese), 'Best Actor' (DiCaprio) and Best Supporting Actor and Actress (Cate Blanchett and Alan Alda resp.)
Scorsese has already lost the 'Best Director' Golden Globe and the Director's Guild award to Clint Eastwood who is also a favored contender for his 'Million Dollar Baby'.
'The Aviator' tells the story of Howard Hughes, a perfectionist filmmaker and aeronautical visionary whose life-long obsessions were his strength, and weakness as well. DiCaprio plays Hughes while Cate Blanchett plays actress Katherine Hepburn in the film.
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'The Aviator' soars high on Oscar expectations
