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Golden Globe Nominations to Be Announced

Posted on: Thursday, 18 December 2003, 06:00 CST

Once again, Hollywood backs are ready for some slapping. The Golden Globe nominations to be announced Thursday morning will mark the beginning of the entertainment industry's annual season of celebrating itself with glitzy red-carpet affairs and little golden trophies.

Although the Globes are distributed by the relatively small Hollywood Foreign Press Association - a group of about 90 journalists who cover entertainment for foreign-based media outlets - a winning spot on the nationally televised NBC ceremony is highly coveted.

Other movie groups and film critic societies have already chosen their favorite movies of the year, but the Globes are among the few award ceremonies that get major attention from Hollywood stars.

Many actors and filmmakers see the Globes as a way to pique audience interest in their films and build momentum for the more prestigious Academy Awards, which are voted on by about 5,700 industry figures.

Among the likely contenders for Globes this year is "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," the final installment in director Peter Jackson's adaptation of the classic fantasy books. The previous two films were mostly passed over for top filmmaking prizes, and this year is the best and last chance for the series to take home big honors.

The second installment of the "Rings" trilogy, "The Two Towers," was nominated for best drama last year but was bested by "The Hours," starring Meryl Streep, a tale of women seeking solace in the work of suicidal author Virginia Woolf.

Other potential nominees include the Civil War-era drama "Cold Mountain" with Renee Zellweger and Nicole Kidman, the intimate Bill Murray-Scarlett Johansson romance "Lost in Translation," and the Russell Crowe seafaring epic "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World."

The Globes have a history of honoring future Oscar winners, including "Titanic,""American Beauty" and "Gladiator." A win often bodes well for performers, too, with previous Globe winners including Hilary Swank for "Boys Don't Cry," Julia Roberts for "Erin Brockovich" and Jack Nicholson for "As Good as It Gets."

But the Globes have a statistical advantage: they recognize lead performers and best films in separate categories for comedy and drama, which can double their chances of picking future Oscar winners.

Last season, the Globes were awarded Jan. 19 - and this time the live telecast is scheduled for Jan. 25. The new date comes just two days before Oscar nominations are announced on Jan. 27.

Meanwhile, the main Oscar ceremony is set for Feb. 29, about three weeks earlier than usual.

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On the Net:

Golden Globes: http://www.hfpa.org/

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