USA: The streets of Hollywood quiet during early morning just ahead of the Oscar arrivals

Braving the cold, wet streets of Hollywood, some Oscar fans are camped out outside the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles hoping to catch of glimpse of their favourite stars at Sunday evening's Academy Awards. Pre-dawn Hollywood found the scene outside the Kodak Theatre, site of the 79th annual Academy Awards quiet and calm. Something that will dramatically change as the world turns its attention to the red carpet arrivals of the entertainment industry's hottest stars on Hollywood's biggest night. Several committed fans actually spent the night camped just outside the red carpet area in hopes of snagging a lucky ticket to get a ringside seat to the very special event. "This is the first time that I came to watch awards," joked one fan who bundled up and braved the cold on the corner of Hollywood and Highland with a few of her friends. "I'm coming from El Paso, Texas. Actually I'm not quit. I'm gonna coma back." Other fans shared her enthusiasm for a chance to get up close and personal with motion picture industry's elite. "You see it on TV all the time, so I just want to come down and see the stars," explained Alicia Hosey, who traveled all the way from Detroit, Michigan. As far as the Oscar show itself, organizers are putting the final touches on the Kodak Theatre in an effort to achieve that camera-ready red carpet look. The extensive planning for the premiere event actually began shortly after last year's show wrapped. For this year's Oscars, many top categories are wide open. And, according to critic Tom O' Neill of thenvelope.com, many of the races are still too close to call. "All the pundits are saying the four acting awards are all locked up, and it's gonna be Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren and Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson. Don't bet on it. The Oscars never go according to script. I think we're gonna see the upsets on the guy's side. I think we'll see Alan Arkin probably beat Eddie Murphy. And I think Peter O' Toole, Oscar's biggest loser's finally gonna win." This year's Academy Awards also finds itself to be an increasingly global event, with many of the nominees representing a worldwide view of the cinema box office. "The Oscars went international this year in every way," says O' Neill. "We see more Latino directors and stars. For the first time we have a Hispanic actress, Penelope Cruz, in the running. And we have these international movies like 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'Lives of Others' in top races. The Oscars are acknowledging the rest of the world, finally." The 79th Annual Academy Awards will take place at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood Sunday (February 25) night.

ITN Source | February 25, 2007

Tags:. .wet. .theater. .representing. .jennifer. .attention