2015 Creative Arts Emmy Award Winners - Complete List

The Creative Arts Emmys are a class of Emmy Awards.  They recognize technical and other similar achievements in American television programming and honor behind-the-scenes personnel.  This includes art directors, costume designers, cinematographers, casting directors, and sound editors.  The Creative Arts category also includes awards for outstanding animated programs and guest acting.

Both the Primetime and Daytime awards each present their own Creative Arts Emmys at separate Creative Arts ceremonies prior to their respective main ceremonies.

The 2015 Creative Arts Emmys were handed out Saturday night, September 12, 2015 at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles, which is also the site of next Sunday's Primetime Emmys.  The Creative Arts awards show took place just over a week before the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, which will be held, Sunday, September 20, 2015.

The 2015 Creative Arts Emmys are the first ceremony of the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards.  An edited two and a half-hour version of the Creative Arts Emmys award show will air on FXX on Saturday, September 19, 2015 at 8pm ET/PT, with an encore at 10:30 pm ET/PT.

“Bessie,” an HBO television biopic about the great blues singer, Bessie Smith, starring Queen Latifah in the title role, was honored as best made-for-TV movie at the Creative Arts Emmy awards show.

[September 21, 2015 Update:  The Primetime Emmy Award winners.]

2015 Creative Arts Emmy Awards: a complete list of winners (WINNERS in bold text):

Outstanding Television Movie
Agatha Christie’s Poirot: Curtain, Poirot’s Last Case (Acorn TV)
Bessie (HBO) *WINNER
Grace of Monaco (Lifetime)
Hello Ladies: The Movie (HBO)
Killing Jesus (National Geographic Channel)
Nightingale (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
Mel Brooks as Himself on The Comedians (FX)
Louis C.K. as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live  (NBC)
Paul Giamatti as Juror #10 on Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)
Bill Hader as Various Characters on Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Jon Hamm as Reverend Richard Wayne Gary Wayne on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Bradley Whitford as Marcy May on Transparent  (Amazon) *WINNER

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series
Pamela Adlon as Pamela on Louie (FX)
Elizabeth Banks as Sal on Modern Family (ABC)
Christine Baranski as Dr. Beverly Hofstadter on The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Joan Cusack as Sheila Jackson on Shameless (Showtime) *WINNER
Tina Fey as Marcia Clark on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Gaby Hoffmann as Caroline Sackler on Girls  (HBO)

Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
F. Murray Abraham as Dar Adal on Homeland (Showtime)
Alan Alda as Alan Fitch on The Blacklist (NBC)
Beau Bridges as Provost Barton Scully on Masters of Sex (Showtime)
Reg E. Cathey as Freddy Hayes on House of Cards (Netflix) *WINNER
Michael J. Fox as Louis Canning on The Good Wife (CBS)
Pablo Schreiber as George “Pornstache” Mendez on Orange is the New Black (Netflix)

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Khandi Alexander as Maya Lewis on Scandal (ABC)
Rachel Brosnahan as Rachel Posner on House of Cards (Netflix)
Allison Janney as Margaret Scully on Masters of Sex (Showtime)
Margo Martindale as Claudia on The Americans (FX) *WINNER
Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell on Game of Thrones (HBO)
Cicely Tyson as Ophelia Hartness on How to Get Away With Murder (ABC)

Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance
Hank Azaria as Moe Szyslak and Pedicab Driver on The Simpsons (Fox) *WINNER
Dan Castellaneta as Homer Simpson on The Simpsons (Fox)
Seth Green as Various Characters on Robot Chicken (Cartoon Network)
Seth MacFarlane as Brian Griffin, Peter Griffin, Stewie Griffin, and Dr. Elmer Hartman on Family Guy  (Fox)
Tress MacNeille as Laney Fontaine, Shauna, and Mrs. Muntz on The Simpsons (Fox)
John Roberts as Linda Belcher and Tim on Bob’s Burgers (Fox)

Outstanding Narrator
Peter Coyote on The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (PBS) *WINNER
Neil deGrasse Tyson on Hubble’s Cosmic Journey (Nat Geo)
Anthony Mendez on Jane the Virgin (The CW)
Miranda Richardson on Operation Orangutan (Nat Geo)
Henry Strozier on Too Cute! (Animal Planet)

Outstanding Animated Program
Archer (Episode: “Pocket Listing”) (FX)
Bob’s Burgers (Episode: “Can’t Buy Me Math”) (Fox)
Over the Garden Wall (Cartoon Network) *WINNER
The Simpsons (Episode: “Treehouse of Horror XXV”) (Fox)
South Park (Episode: “Freemium Isn’t Free”) (Comedy Central)

Outstanding Short-Format Animated Program
Adventure Time (Episode: “Jake the Brick”) (Cartoon Network) *WINNER
Mickey Mouse (Episode: “Mumbai Madness”) (Disney Channel)
Regular Show (Episode: “White Elephant Gift Exchange”) (Cartoon Network)
Robot Chicken (Episode: “Chipotle Miserable”) (Adult Swim)
Steven Universe (Episode: “Lion 3: Straight to Video”) (Cartoon Network)
Wander Over Yonder (Episode: “The Gift 2: The Giftening”) (Disney XD)

Outstanding Children’s Program
Alan Alda And The Actor Within You: A YoungArts Masterclass (HBO) *WINNER
Degrassi (Nickelodeon)
Dog With a Blog (Disney Channel)
Girl Meets World (Disney Channel)
Nick News With Linda Ellerbee: Coming Out (Nickelodeon)

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Downton Abbey (PBS) *WINNER
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The Knick  (Cinemax)
Mad Men (AMC)

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Multi-Camera Series or Special
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Key & Peele (Comedy Central)
Saturday Night Live (NBC) *WINNER
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
The Voice (NBC)

Outstanding Hairstyling for a Limited Series or Movie
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) *WINNER
Bessie (HBO)
Grace of Monaco (Lifetime)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe (Lifetime)

Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program
Tom Bergeron for Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Anthony Bourdain for The Taste (ABC)
Cat Deeley for So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn for Project Runway (Lifetime)
Jane Lynch for Hollywood Game Night (NBC) *WINNER

Outstanding Main Title Design
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Bosch (Aamazon)
Halt and Catch Fire (AMC)
Manhattan (WGN America) *WINNER
Marvel’s Daredevil (Netflix)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)

Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music
The Dovekeepers (CBS)
Marco Polo (Netflix)
Texas Rising (History)
Transparent (Amazon) *WINNER

Outstanding Makeup For A Limited Series Or A Movie (Non-Prosthetic)
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) *WINNER
Bessie (HBO)
Houdini (History Channel)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
The Secret Life Of Marilyn Monroe (Lifetime)

Outstanding Makeup For A Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Game Of Thrones (HBO) *WINNER
The Knick (Cinemax)
Mad Men (AMC)
Sons Of Anarchy (FX)

Outstanding Makeup For A Multi-Camera Series Or Special (Non-Prosthetic)
Dancing With The Stars (ABC)
Key & Peele (Comedy Central)
The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC) *WINNER
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)

Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup For A Series, Limited Series, Movie Or A Special
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) *WINNER
Boardwalk Empire
Game Of Thrones
The Knick
Penny Dreadful
The Walking Dead

Outstanding Picture Editing For Reality Programming
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Deadliest Catch (Discover Channel) *WINNER
Project Runway (Lifetime)
Project Runway All Stars (Lifetime)
Shark Tank (ABC)

Outstanding Picture Editing For Variety Programming
The Colbert Report (Comedy Central) *WINNER
CONAN (TBS)
Key & Peele (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO)
Late Show With David Letterman (CBS)

Outstanding Picture Editing For Nonfiction Programming
The Case Against 8 (HBO)
Citizenfour (HBO)
Going Clear: Scientology And The Prison Of Belief (HBO)
The Jinx (HBO) *WINNER
Kurt Cobain: Montage Of Heck (HBO)

Outstanding Costumes for a Period/Fantasy Series, Limited Series or Movie
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Downton Abbey (PBS) *WINNER
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Wolf Hall (PBS)

Outstanding Costumes for a Contemporary Series, Limited Series or Movie
Empire (“The Lyon’s Roar) (Fox)
Empire (“Pilot”) (Fox)
Gotham (Fox)
The Mindy Project (Fox)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO)
Transparent (Amazon) *WINNER

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Fantasy/Contemporary Program (One Hour or More)
Constantine (NBC)
Game of Thrones (HBO) *WINNER
Gotham (Fox)
House of Cards (Netflix)
True Blood (HBO)

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Period Program (One Hour or More) - TIE
Boardwalk Empire (HBO) *WINNER – TIE
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Mad Men (AMC)
Masters of Sex (Showtime)
The Knick (Cinemax) *WINNER – TIE

Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half Hour or Less)
2 Broke Girls (CBS)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)
Silicon Valley (HBO) *WINNER
Transparent (Amazon)

Outstanding Production Design for a Variety, Reality or Nonfiction Program
57th Annual Grammy Awards (CBS)
Peter Pan Live! (NBC)
Portlandia (IFC) *WINNER
The Oscars (ABC)
The Voice (NBC)

Outstanding Commercial
“Brady Bunch” – Snickers
“Dream On” – Adobe
“#LikeAGirl” – Always *WINNER
“Lost Dog” – Budweiser
“Made in NY” – Gatorade
“With Dad” – Nissan

Outstanding Music Direction
Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas (NBC)
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
The Oscars (ABC)
Peter Pan Live! (NBC)
Stevie Wonder: Songs In The Key Of Life (CBS) *WINNER
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street (Live From Lincoln Center) (PBS)

Outstanding Music Composition for a Series (Original Dramatic Score)
Chef’s Table (Netflix)
House of Cards (Netflix) *WINNER
Outlander (Starz)
The Paradise (PBS)
Penny Dreadful (Showtime)
Tyrant (Fx)

Outstanding Music Composition for a Limited Series, Movie or Special
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Away and Back (Hallmark Channel)
Bessie (HBO) *WINNER

Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics
The Comedians (FX)
Glee (Fox)
How Murray Saved Christmas (NBC)
Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central) *WINNER
The Oscars (ABC)
Sons Of Anarchy (FX)

Outstanding Structured Reality Program
Antiques Roadshow (PBS)
Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (Food Network)
MythBusters (Discovery Channel)
Property Brothers (HGTV)
Shark Tank (ABC) *WINNER
Undercover Boss (CBS)

Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program
Alaska: The Last Frontier (Discovery Channel)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel) *WINNER
Intervention (A&E)
Million Dollar Listing New York (Bravo)
Naked and Afraid (Discovery Channel)
Wahlburgers (A&E)

Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special
Key & Peele Superbowl Special (Comedy Central)
Louis C.K.: Live at the Comedy Store (LouisCK.net) *WINNER
Mel Brooks Live at the Geffen (HBO)
72nd Annual Golden Globes (NBC)
The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC)

Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special
68th Annual Tony Awards (CBS)
Annie Lennox: Nostalgia Live In Concert (PBS)
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
The Oscars (ABC)
The Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC) *WINNER

Outstanding Variety Special
Bill Maher: Live from D.C. (HBO)
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Louis C.K.: Live at the Comedy Store (LouisCK.net)
Mel Brooks: Live at the Geffen (HBO)
Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC) *WINNER
Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga: Cheek to Cheek Live! (PBS)

Outstanding Informational Series or Special
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN) *WINNER
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways (HBO)
Inside the Actors Studio (Bravo)
StarTalk (Nat Geo)
Vice (HBO)

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series
American Masters (PBS)
Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies (PBS)
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (HBO) *WINNER
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (PBS)
The Sixties (CNN)

Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special
The Case Against 8 (HBO)
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (HBO) *WINNER
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (HBO)
Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (HBO)
Virunga (Netflix)

Outstanding Special Class Program
68th Tony Awards (CBS)
72nd Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
87th Academy Awards (ABC)
Live from Lincoln Center – Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert with the New York Philharmonic (PBS) *WINNER
On the Run Tour: Beyoncé and Jay Z (HBO)

Outstanding Short-Format Live-Action Entertainment Program
Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis (funnyordie.com) *WINNER
Billy on the Street (funnyordie.com)
Childrens Hospital (Adult Swim)
Key & Peele Presents Van and Mike: The Ascension (comedycentral.com)
Super Bowl XLIX: Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry (NBC)

Outstanding Short-Format Nonfiction Program
30 for 30 Shorts (ESPN)
American Horror Story: Extra-Ordinary Artists (FX Networks)
Parks and Recreation: Behind the Final Season (NBC)
Transparent: This Is Me (ew.com)
A Tribute to Mel Brooks (FX Networks) *WINNER

Outstanding Interactive Program
@midnight with Chris Hardwick (Comedy Central)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (HBO) *WINNER
Saturday Night Live: SNL 40 (NBC)
Talking Dead (AMC)
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC)

Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking
Citizenfour (HBO) *WINNER
The Great Invisible (PBS)
Hot Girls Wanted (Netflix)

Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
Louie (FX)
Modern Family (ABC)
Transparent (Amazon)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)
Veep (HBO) *WINNER

Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO) *WINNER
House of Cards (Netflix)
Mad Men (AMC)
Orange is the New Black (Netflix)

Outstanding Casting for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
American Crime (ABC)
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Bessie (HBO)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO) *WINNER
Wolf Hall (PBS)

Outstanding Choreography
Witney Carson for Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Derek Hough, Julianne Hough, and Tessandra Chavez for Dancing with the Stars (ABC) *WINNER – TIE
Spencer Liff for So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Sonya Tayeh for So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Travis Wall for So You Think You Can Dance (Fox) *WINNER – TIE

Outstanding Cinematography for a Multi-Camera Series
2 Broke Girls – Christian La Fountaine (Episode: “And the Old Bike Yarn”) (CBS)
The Big Bang Theory – Steven V. Silver (Episode: “The Expedition Approximation”) (CBS)
Mike & Molly – Gary Baum (Episode: “Checkpoint Joyce”) (CBS) *WINNER
The Millers – Gary Baum (Episode: “Con-Troversy”) (CBS)

Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series
Boardwalk Empire – Jonathan Freeman (Episode: “Golden Days for Boys and Girls”) (HBO) *WINNER
Game of Thrones – Anette Haellmigk (Episode: “Sons of the Harpy”) (HBO)
Game of Thrones – Rob McLachlan (Episode: “The Dance of Dragons”) (HBO)
Game of Thrones – Greg Middleton (Episode: “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”) (HBO)
Game of Thrones – Fabian Wagner (Episode: “Hardhome”) (HBO)
The Good Wife – Fred Murphy (Episode: “The Line”) (CBS)
House of Cards – Martin Ahlgren (Episode: “Chapter 29”) (Netflix)

Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or Movie
American Horror Story: Freak Show – Michael Goi (Episode: “Monsters Among Us”) (HBO)
Bessie – Jeffrey Jur (HBO) *WINNER
Houdini – Karl Walter Lindenlaub (Episode: “Part 1”) (History)
The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe – Chris Manley (Lifetime)

Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming
Citizenfour – Laura Poitras (HBO)
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief – Sam Painter (HBO)
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst – Marc Smerling (Episode: “Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy”) (HBO)
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck – James Whitaker (HBO)
Virunga – Franklin Dow (Netflix) *WINNER

Outstanding Cinematography for Reality Programming
The Amazing Race (CBS)
Deadliest Catch (Discovery Channel) *WINNER
Life Below Zero (Nat Geo)
Project Runway (Lifetime)
Survivor (CBS)

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Drama Series
Better Call Saul (Episode: “Five-O”) (AMC)
Better Call Saul (Episode: “Marco”) (AMC)
Game of Thrones (Episode: “Hardhome”) (HBO)
Game of Thrones (Episode: “The Dance of Dragons”) (HBO) *WINNER
Mad Men (AMC)

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series
Inside Amy Schumer (Comedy Central)
The Last Man on Earth (Fox)
Silicon Valley (Episode: “Two Days of the Condor”) (HBO) *WINNER
Silicon Valley (Episode: “Sand Hill Shuffle”) (HBO)
Transparent (Amazon)

Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie
24: Live Another Day (Fox)
American Crime (ABC)
Houdini (History)
Olive Kitteridge (HBO) *WINNER
Wolf Hall (PBS)

Outstanding Multi-Camera Picture Editing for a Comedy Series
2 Broke Girls (CBS)
The Big Bang Theory(CBS) *WINNER
Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)
Mike & Molly (CBS)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series
Black Sails  (Starz)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Game of Thrones  (HBO) *WINNER
Gotham (Fox)
Marvel’s Daredevil (Netflix)
The Walking Dead  (AMC)

Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
24: Live Another Day  (Fox)
American Crime (ABC)
American Horror Story: Freak Show  (FX)
Houdini (History) *WINNER
Texas Rising (History)

Outstanding Sound Editing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multi-Camera)
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways  (HBO) *WINNER
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (HBO)
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (HBO)
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (HBO)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Downton Abbey (PBS)
Game of Thrones (HBO) *WINNER
Homeland (Showtime)
House of Cards (Netflix)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie
American Crime (ABC)
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Bessie (HBO) *WINNER
Houdini (History)
Texas Rising (History)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
Modern Family (Episode: “Connection Lost”) (ABC) *WINNER
Parks and Recreation (Episode: “One Last Ride”) (NBC)
Silicon Valley (Episode: “Server Space”) (HBO)
The Simpsons (Episode: “Simpsorama”) (Fox)
Veep (Episode: “Mommy Meyer”) (HBO)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special
57th Grammy Awards (CBS)
87th Academy Awards (ABC)
Late Show with David Letterman (Episode: “Show 4214”) (CBS)
Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC) *WINNER
The Voice (Episode: “Finale Results”) (NBC)

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (Episode: “Jamaica”) (CNN)
Deadliest Catch (Episode: “Lost at Sea”) (Discovery Channel)
Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways (Episode: “Seattle”) (HBO) *WINNER
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (HBO)
The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst (Episode: “Chapter 2: Poor Little Rich Boy”) (HBO)
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (HBO)

Outstanding Special Visual Effects
Black Sails (Starz)
The Flash (The CW)
Game of Thrones (HBO) *WINNER
Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (ABC)
Vikings (History)

Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Supporting Role
American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX) *WINNER
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Gotham (Fox)
Marvel’s Daredevil (Netflix)
The Walking Dead (AMC)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Comedy Series or Variety Program
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (Fox) *WINNER
Community (Yahoo!)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix)

Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series, or Movie
The Blacklist (NBC)
Boardwalk Empire (HBO)
Game of Thrones (HBO) *WINNER
Sons of Anarchy (FX)
The Walking Dead (AMC)

Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Series
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC) *WINNER
The Voice (Episode: “Episode 718B”) (NBC)

Outstanding Technical Direction, Camerawork, Video Control for a Limited Series, Movie, or Special
68th Tony Awards (CBS)
87th Academy Awards (ABC) *WINNER
The Kennedy Center Honors (CBS)
Peter Pan Live! (NBC)
Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC)

Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming
American Experience  (PBS)
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown (CNN)
Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief (HBO) *WINNER
Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck (HBO)
The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (PBS)

Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Series
American Idol (Fox)
Dancing with the Stars (ABC)
Late Show with David Letterman (CBS)
Saturday Night Live (NBC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
The Voice (NBC) *WINNER

Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special
57th Grammy Awards (CBS)
87th Academy Awards (ABC)
Dancing with the Stars: 10th Anniversary Special (ABC)
Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special (NBC)
Super Bowl XLIX: Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry (NBC) *WINNER

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"E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" Still a Wonder

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 76 (of 2012) by Leroy Douresseaux

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Running time: 115 minutes (1 hour, 55 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
WRITER: Melissa Mathison
PRODUCERS: Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Allen Daviau (D.o.P.)
EDITOR: Carol Littleton
COMPOSER: John Williams
Academy Award winner

SCIENCE FICTION/FANTASY/DRAMA

Starring: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the first release of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial to theatres (specifically June 11, 1982). E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is the story of an alienated boy and the stranded alien from another world he befriends. The boy must be brave if he is to help the extraterrestrial avoid authorities until he is rescued by his kin. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this Academy Award-winning, science fiction and fantasy drama surpassed Star Wars as the highest-grossing film of all time, and it held that record for ten years until another Spielberg film, Jurassic Park, surpassed it.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial opens in a lush California forest where a group of diminutive aliens collect plant samples. One of them is mistakenly left behind and makes his way to a suburb near the forest. There, he takes up residence in a backyard shed, where he is found by 10-year-old Elliot (Henry Thomas). Elliot lives in a two-story home with his recently divorced mother, Mary (Dee Wallace); his older brother, 16-year-old Michael (Robert MacNaughton), and his little sister, 5-year-old Gertie (Drew Barrymore).

Elliot names his extraterrestrial foundling, “E.T.” Elliot and his siblings hide E.T. in their home, but Elliot soon discovers that in order to protect his friend, he must help him find a way home (“E.T. phone home”).

I had not watched E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial in its entirety since I first saw it 30 years ago, back in June 1982. With the release of an anniversary edition Blu-ray, I decided to watch it again, and I’m simply amazed and flabbergasted. Over the years, I always thought that if I watched E.T. again that I might still like the movie, but certainly not as much as I did the first time I saw it. And I was quite taken with it back in ’82. I was practically heartbroken when it lost the best picture Oscar to Gandhi. In fact, I even thought that I might not like E.T. if I watched it again.

As Sir Richard Attenborough, the Oscar-winning director and producer of Gandhi once said, E.T. is inventive, powerful, and wonderful. There is a sense of magic and wonder that permeates the film, infused by Steven Spielberg, who spins this story as if he were part magical storyteller and part wizard. He pulls from his bag of tricks and makes everything work by using the magic of movies.

The film’s most famous sequence is probably the one in which Elliot and E.T. fly to the forest on Elliot’s bike. One of the moments in that sequence has the bike passing in front of a full moon, which has become an iconic moment in cinematic history. Actually, the great moment of magic in E.T. for me is when E.T., Elliot, Michael and their friends are on their bikes on the run from pursuing police. When it seems as if they have reached a dead end, E.T. uses his telekinesis to lift the bikes in the air towards the forest.

When I watched the movie recently, I knew that scene was coming; yet seeing it again, I lost my breath for a moment. This is a spellbinding sequence that still blows my mind and even makes my eyes a little misty. Yep, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is still magical. God willing, I’ll watch it in another 30 years and see if I’m still spellbound.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1983 Academy Awards: 4 wins: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Charles L. Campbell and Ben Burtt), “Best Effects, Visual Effects” (Carlo Rambaldi, Dennis Muren, and Kenneth Smith), “Best Music, Original Score” (John Williams), and “Best Sound” (Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo, and Gene S. Cantamessa); 5 nominations: “Best Picture” (Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy), “Best Cinematography” (Allen Daviau), “Best Director” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Film Editing” (Carol Littleton), and “Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen” (Melissa Mathison)

1983 BAFTA Awards: 1 win: “Best Score” (John Williams); 11 nominations: “Best Direction” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Film” (Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy), “Best Cinematography” (Allen Daviau), “Best Film Editing” (Carol Littleton), “Best Make Up Artist” (Robert Sidell), “Best Production Design/Art Direction” (James D. Bissell), “Best Screenplay” (Melissa Mathison), “Best Sound” (Charles L. Campbell, Gene S. Cantamessa, Robert Knudson, Robert Glass, and Don Digirolamo), “Best Special Visual Effects” (Dennis Muren and Carlo Rambaldi), “Most Outstanding Newcomer to Leading Film Roles” (Drew Barrymore), and “Most Outstanding Newcomer to Leading Film Roles” (Henry Thomas)

1983 Golden Globes, USA: 2 wins: “Best Motion Picture – Drama” and “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (John Williams); 3 nominations: “Best Director - Motion Picture” (Steven Spielberg), “Best Screenplay - Motion Picture” (Melissa Mathison) and “New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture – Male” (Henry Thomas)

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Review: Alex Gibney's "Enron" Documentary Still Riveting

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 19 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005)
Running time: 109 minutes (1 hour, 49 minutes)
MPAA – R for language and some nudity
DIRECTOR: Alex Gibney
WRITER: Alex Gibney (based upon the book, The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind)
PRODUCERS: Jason Kliot, Susan Motamed, and Alex Gibney
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Maryse Alberti
EDITOR: Alison Ellwood
Academy Award nominee

DOCUMENTARY

Starring: Peter Coyote (narrator), Bethany McLean, Peter Elkind Gray Davis, Mike Muckleroy, Amanda Martin-Brock, Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling, and Andrew Fastow

Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is director Alex Gibney’s documentary and adaptation of Bethany McLean and Peter Elkin’s book about energy trading company Enron, The Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron. The film takes a behind-the-scenes look at Enron, from its auspicious beginnings and meteoric rise to its shocking fall into bankruptcy.

By the turn of the century, Enron was the seventh largest corporation in America, but the company was built on fraudulent accounting and phantom profits. By the time the company died, its top executives had milked the company for over a billion dollars in personal income, while investors, retirees, and employees lost everything including retirement benefits and 401k’s. Enron the film has the usual blend of archival, video, and news footage one would expect of a documentary. It also has interviews and a wealth of information from documents and insiders including former executives and employees of the company. The film even includes an interview with former California Governor Gray Davis who took the fall for the mess a few energy companies, Enron in particular, made of the state’s electrical supply earlier this decade.

The film is a riveting and fascinating documentary, and though it may seem like a left-leaning political movie (and it does take swipes at the Bush Administration), Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room is a crime story about a business climate in which corporate executives not only steal money and commit fraud, but it is also about people whose greed seems to know no limits. The film does have a few weaknesses, which keeps it from being a truly great documentary. First it’s not long enough to cover the complicated mess that was Enron. Secondly, Gibney needed to slow down and explain in simple terms complicated accounting and business practices and explain exactly what products Enron sold or what services it provided. Thirdly, the film is too much geared towards people already very familiar with the Enron story.

But for people who already know what’s going on, this is good stuff that will leave you wanting more – much more. Gibney smartly interviews so many people intimately involved with Enron at one point or another in the film, and the interviews with former Enron traders and other employees make this film more than just some documentary. It is a vital American movie.

8 of 10
A

Friday, January 27, 2006

NOTES:
2006 Academy Awards: 1 nomination: “Best Documentary, Features” (Alex Gibney and Jason Kliot)

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