'Two Towers' up for six Oscars

Peter Jackson's virtual creature of Gollum is the "tour de force" that should be recognised in Academy Awards, the Film Commission says.

Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers has received six nominations for the Oscars, including best motion picture, art direction, sound, sound editing, film editing and visual effects.

The nominations for the 75th annual Oscar nominations were announced in Beverly Hills, California, and has pitted The Two Towers against musical Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours, and The Pianist for the coveted best picture title.

Jackson missed out on the best director nod after being in the running last year, when the first in the film trilogy, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, received a leading 13 nominations.

It eventually won four Oscars for make-up, visual effects, cinematography and musical score.

New Zealand Film Commission chief executive Ruth Harley said the creature of Gollum should assure at least one golden statuette this year.

"I think it's fantastic. There aren't any performances nominated this time, so I suppose that's different, but best picture should do it," she said.

"I don't think [Jackson] will be unhappy with best picture. Best visual effects, that's good because Gollum needs his own nomination, he was staggeringly good.

"You can't help but be captivated by Gollum, he is an absolute tour de force."

Dr Harley thought those working on the trilogy would be pleased with the six-nomination bag, despite being down on last year.

She was confident New Zealand's landscape would help in the bid for the best visual effects and art direction categories.

"The art direction and visual direction is absolutely breathtaking. I'll be amazed if they don't get awards for those. The landscaping is absolutely incredible," Dr Harley said.

The complete list of 75th annual Oscar nominations announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is:

Best Picture: Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Pianist.

Best Actor: Adrien Brody, The Pianist; Nicolas Cage, Adaptation; Michael Caine, The Quiet American; Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York; Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt.

Actress: Salma Hayek, Frida; Nicole Kidman, The Hours; Diane Lane, Unfaithful; Julianne Moore, Far from Heaven; Renee Zellweger, Chicago.

Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper, Adaptation; Ed Harris, The Hours; Paul Newman, Road to Perdition; John C. Reilly, Chicago; Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can.

Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, About Schmidt; Julianne Moore, The Hours; Queen Latifah, Chicago; Meryl Streep, Adaptation; Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago.

Director: Rob Marshall, Chicago; Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York; Stephen Daldry, The Hours; Roman Polanski, The Pianist; Pedro Almodovar, Talk to Her.

Foreign Film: El Crimen del Padre Amaro, Mexico; Hero, People's Republic of China; The Man Without a Past, Finland; Nowhere in Africa, Germany; Zus & Zo, The Netherlands.

Adapted Screenplay: Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz and Paul Weitz, About a Boy; Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman, Adaptation; Bill Condon, Chicago; David Hare, The Hours; Ronald Harwood, The Pianist.

Original Screenplay: Todd Haynes, Far From Heaven; Jay Cocks and Steve Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan, Gangs of New York; Nia Vardalos, My Big Fat Greek Wedding; Pedro Almodovar, Talk to Her; Carlos Cuaron and Alfonso Cuaron, Y Tu Mama Tambien.

Animated feature film: Ice Age; Lilo & Stitch; Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron; Spirited Away; Treasure Planet.

Art Direction: Chicago, Frida, Gangs of New York, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Road to Perdition.

Cinematography: Chicago, Far From Heaven, Gangs of New York, The Pianist, Road to Perdition.

Sound: Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Road to Perdition, Spider-Man.

Sound Editing: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Minority Report, Road to Perdition.

Original Score: Catch Me If You Can, John Williams; Far From Heaven, Elmer Bernstein; Frida, Elliot Goldenthal; The Hours, Philip Glass; Road to Perdition, Thomas Newman.

Original Song: Burn It Blue from Frida, Elliot Goldenthal and Julie Taymor; Father and Daughter from The Wild Thornberrys Movie, Paul Simon; The Hands That Built America from Gangs of New York, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen; I Move On from Chicago, John Kander and Fred Ebb; Lose Yourself from 8 Mile, Eminem, Jeff Bass and Luis Resto.

Costume: Chicago, Frida, Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Pianist.

Documentary Feature: Bowling for Columbine, Daughter from Danang, Prisoner of Paradise, Spellbound, Winged Migration.

Documentary (short subject): The Collector of Bedford Street, Mighty Times: The Legacy of Rosa Parks, Twin Towers, Why Can't We Be a Family Again?

Film Editing: Chicago, Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The Pianist.

Makeup: Frida, The Time Machine.

Animated Short Film: The Cathedral, The ChubbChubbs!, Das Rad, Mike's New Car, Mt Head.

Live Action Short Film: Fait D'Hiver, I'll Wait for the Next One (J'Attendrai Le Suivant), Inja (Dog), Johnny Flynton, This Charming Man (Der Er En Yndig Mand).

Visual Effects: The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Spider-Man, Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

Academy Award winner previously announced: Honorary Award (Oscar statuette): Peter O'Toole.

- NZPA