The film also won score for Mychael Danna, cinematography for Claudio Miranda and for its stunning visual effects.
“Pi” marks Lee’s second Academy Award win as director. He took home the same honor seven years ago for “Brokeback Mountain.” In both cases, however, the films for which he won did not go on to win best picture.
Besides Hathaway’s supporting turn in “Les Miserables,” the musical also won Oscars for makeup and hairstyle and for sound mixing.
One of the most memorable moments came as Hathaway cradled her Oscar for playing the tragic prostitute Fantine.
“It came true!” she said softly.
Austria’s “Amour” was honored for foreign language film. The harrowing drama is about an elderly married couple struggling to cope when the wife suffers a stroke.
The ceremony was marked by a number of standing ovations.
Singer Shirley Bassey, who made her Oscar debut Sunday night, received one for her performance of her classic 1965 hit “Goldfinger” during the ceremony’s celebration of 50 years of James Bond. The age-defying 76-year-old Welsh singer was appropriately decked out in a strapless, curve-hugging gold gown with matching full-length gloves.
The audience also leaped to its feet for Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson, who performed her number “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” from “Dreamgirls,” as well as for the cast of “Les Miserables,” whose members performed several songs from the musical.
Making her first performance in 37 years at the Oscars, Barbra Streisand sang the Oscar-winning "The Way We Were" in remembrance of its composer, Marvin Hamlisch, who died last year.
In other honors, the ceremony was marked by a rare tie — for sound editing. Oscars went to “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Skyfall.”
The Bond film also won an Academy Award for the title tune, written by Paul Epworth and pop superstar Adele.
Disney’s “Paperman” won animated short, and Disney / Pixar’s “Brave” won animated feature film. Jacqueline Durran won costume design for the period romance “Anna Karenina.”
Live-action short went to “Curfew,” directed by Shawn Christensen. “Inocente,” directed by Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine, won documentary short subject. Director Malik Bendjelloul’s “Searching for Sugar Man,” about the quest to find out what happened to a 1970s singer named Rodriguez, won best documentary.
Early into the ceremony, the Internet was ablaze with early reviews for Oscars host Seth MacFarlane.
MacFarlane — and his raunchy sense of humor — was an edgy choice for the Oscars. And some of those fears came true. There was a song about boobs, jokes about Jews in Hollywood, cracks about Lincoln’s assassination and Latino accents, and talk of post-Oscars orgies – lines that had the audience groaning at times.
Let’s just say he’s a longshot for an Emmy for his hosting duties.
However, he did the impossible Sunday night as he kicked off the awards: He made Tommy Lee Jones smile.
2-2
