12 MEMORABLE BEST PICTURE WINNERS #11

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (2003)

76th Academy Awards

Nominated With:
Lost in Translation
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World
Mystic River
Seabiscuit

Directed By:
Peter Jackson

Starring:
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Miranda Otto, Bernard Hill, Andy Serkis, John Noble, Liv Tyler

Synopsis:
The third of the trilogy. As the shadow of Mordor grows, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) is revealed as the hidden heir to the ancient kings. As he, Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the other members of the broken fellowship struggle to save Gondor from Sauron's forces, Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) bring the One Ring ever closer to the heart of the dark lord's realm. Director Peter Jackson's epic won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Why this is a great choice:
After denying (with the exception of it’s visual effects) the previous two installments of the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Academy honored Peter Jackson’s final film with a record-tying 11 awards. It won every award it was nominated for and time will undoubtedly prove this a lasting and worthy winner. Was the Academy awaiting the trilogy (which is essentially one long film) completion? That is probably the case, which really makes the film even more honorable and more fitting.


12 Memorable Best Picture Winners -- previous enteries:
- Unforgiven (1992)
- Amadeus (1984)
- Ordinary People (1980)
- Annie Hall (1977)
- The Godfather (1972)
- The Apartment (1960)
- The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
- The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
- Casablanca (1942)
- How Green Was My Valley (1941)