Feb 28, 2003 By Cindy Ekas-Brown 7 min read

Paul Guthrie draws a blank when he is asked to select which movies and stars nominated for the 75th annual Academy Awards could walk away with the coveted gold Oscar statues this year. “I really have no idea which movies, actors or actresses are going to win the Academy Awards,” said Guthrie, manager of the Carmike Cinema 6 at the Uniontown Mall. “I wouldn’t even want to guess because I really don’t know what’s going to happen.”

But Guthrie said he is hoping that Herald-Standard readers will take the time to look into their crystal balls to predict which films and stars will skyrocket to the top, as the newspaper and Carmike Cinemas kick off the 25th annual Academy Awards contest.

The popular contest has attracted many entries each year, and Guthrie said he doesn’t expect this year to be any different.

“The employee, who counted the ballots last year, told me that we received roughly the same amount that we receive every year, which was several hundred ballots,” Guthrie said.

“It seems like the same people participate each time we offer the contest,” he added. “The people, who come to the theater frequently to see the movies, seem to be the ones who enter the contest. They’re interested in movies, movie stars and the Academy Awards.”

Guthrie said it would be extremely difficult for him to predict which movies or stars will win the Oscars this year because he only had an opportunity to see one of the five films nominated – “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”

Although “Chicago” is now playing at the theater, Guthrie said he hasn’t seen it and he has no plans to watch it because he just doesn’t like musicals.

“I’m not into musicals, and I have no interest in seeing ‘Chicago,'” Guthrie said. “I prefer action movies and comedies, but I know there are a lot of people who do like musicals. It’s not just drawing a female crowd. I’ve noticed a lot of men going to see ‘Chicago.’ It seems to be attracting quite a cross-section of people. It’s drawing some older people, who enjoyed musicals when they were growing up. But we’re also selling a lot of tickets to younger people.”

The three other films nominated for best picture include “Gangs of New York,” “The Hours” and “The Pianist.” Guthrie said “The Pianist” has not played in the Uniontown area yet, but he is hoping that the film will open in the near future.

“I don’t think ‘The Pianist’ even came around this area yet,” he said.

“It’s one of the movies that might be thrown into the mix later,” he added. “Once the Oscar nominations come out, people want to see what the movies that were nominated are all about. Sometimes, they will throw those movies around areas, where they haven’t been seen so people will have a chance to watch them before the Academy Awards are announced.”

Despite the cold weather and recent snowstorms, Guthrie said the theater has attracted large crowds this winter.

“If it’s bad outside, there really isn’t anything else to do so people flock to the movies,” said Guthrie, who has worked at the Carmike Cinema 6 at the Uniontown Mall for about two years. Before he became manager at the Uniontown Mall theater, Guthrie had worked as manager at the Carmike Cinema IV at the Laurel Mall in Dunbar Township.

In the Academy Awards contest, Guthrie said Herald-Standard readers must select all of the winners in each of the six categories to become eligible to win the contest. If more than one person selects the winners, the theater has a random drawing to decide the winner. In the past, there have been occasions when no one has picked all of the winners.

When that happens, the winner is the person who only missed one category. If all the entrants missed one category, then the person who only missed two wins the contest.

On Sunday, March 23, winners will be announced in the televised Academy Awards show, where the Oscars will be presented.

Since the contest first began in 1978, Herald-Standard readers have had the chance to win free movie passes and cash prizes for correctly picking the winners. Carmike will provide free movie passes, and the Herald-Standard will offer cash prizes to winners. Carmike employees also will tabulate the winning entries.

The prizes are as follows:

– First place, a $100 check and 50 “trip tickets,” each good for one single movie admission at either the Cinema 6 at the Uniontown Mall or the Cinemas IV at Laurel Mall.

– Second place, a $50 check and 40 “trip tickets” that can be used at the two theaters.

– Third place, a $25 check and 30 “trip tickets” that can be used at the two theaters. If there is a tie, which has occurred in the past, a tie-breaking lottery will be held at the Cinema 6. The decisions of the judges are final. The rules for this year’s contest will remain the same as in the past. The rules are as follows:

– The number of entries is limited to three for each person entering the contest. Those who enter more than three times will have all of their entries disqualified.

– Full-size photocopies of the entry form are acceptable as contest entries. However, handwritten or differently sized photocopies are not acceptable and will be disqualified.

– Entries can also be dropped off at collection boxes at the Herald-Standard offices in Uniontown, Brownsville and Connellsville. Entries can be mailed to the Herald-Standard/Carmike Cinemas Academy Awards Contest in care of Carmike Cinema 6, Uniontown Mall, Uniontown, Pa. 15401. Entries can also be mailed to the Herald-Standard, 8-18 E. Church St., Uniontown, Pa. 15401, but the envelope must be clearly labeled “Academy Awards Contest.”

– Mailed entries must be postmarked no later than Saturday, March 22, which is one day before the Academy Award winners will be announced on television. Entries postmarked after March 23 will be disqualified.

– Dropped-off entries at all locations must be received by noon Friday, March 21, two days before the Academy Award winners will be announced on television. Entries dropped off after that deadline will be disqualified. In an optional and non-competitive category, entrants also have the opportunity to list their favorite movie of 2002. The winners and their immediate family members will be treated to a movie party at the Cinema 6. At that party, winners will have their photograph taken for publication in the Herald-Standard. The winners will have a chance to watch a movie of their choice free of charge. They will receive a free soft drink and large popcorn.

The six categories in this year’s Academy Awards contest, and the Oscar nominees in each category, are:

Best Picture

“Chicago,” “Gangs of New York,” “The Hours,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” and “The Pianist.”

Best Actress

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

Best Actor

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

Best Supporting Actress

Kathy Bates, “About Schmidt”; Julianne Moore, “The Hours”; Queen Latifah, “Chicago”; Meryl Streep, “Adaptation”; and Catherine Zeta-Jones, “Chicago.”

Best Supporting Actor

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

Best Director

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