Roger Ebert didn't know how he managed to endure the past ten minutes. He had almost exhausted every ounce of his strength to resist the urge to smash the massive screen in front of him and maintain a semblance of composure while sitting in front of the live broadcast camera.
But he had stopped speaking, leaving his co-host Ropey to carry on the commentary alone.
Ropey was a competent host, continuously stirring up the audience's interest and guiding them to stay tuned to the awards ceremony.
Viewer numbers were directly tied to ABC's advertising revenue for the next Oscar ceremony.
Roger Ebert looked slightly off, but Ropey had no time or energy to pay him any mind. Duke Rosenberg at the Kodak Theatre was far more critical and relevant to his livelihood.
"As everyone predicted, Duke Rosenberg has won the Oscar for Best Director this year. It is well-deserved and undoubtedly a king's return..."
Hearing his partner's continuous praise, Roger Ebert felt an intense urge to shove his shoe into the other's mouth.
Fortunately, Ropey didn't talk much longer, as the Best Picture award was about to be announced!
"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Steven Spielberg."
Billy Crystal stepped back into the corner of the stage, and Spielberg quickly approached the microphone. The Jewish filmmaker would be presenting the Best Picture award!
"People always say there's a reason for leaving Best Picture for last. It represents the culmination of all cinematic elements, the end of a journey that always begins with dreams..."
Spielberg seemed disinclined to keep people waiting, speaking quickly. "This year, these dreams were brought to life by 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' adapted from Tolkien's novels, as well as the grandeur of O'Brian and Maturin's adaptation..."
His words were brief, leading directly into the introductions. "Here are the nominees for Best Picture: 'Lost in Translation,' Ross Katz and Sofia Coppola; 'Seabiscuit,' Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall; 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' Charles Roven and Duke Rosenberg; 'Mystic River,' Clint Eastwood and Robert Lorenz; and 'Master and Commander,' Harvey Weinstein and Duncan Henderson."
Spielberg tore open the envelope, revealing an unsurprising answer, "The winner is 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King,' Charles Roven and Duke Rosenberg!"
With the TV broadcast cutting to the Kodak Theatre, the atmosphere in ABC's studio relaxed slightly, though not for Roger Ebert. The renowned film critic stared unblinkingly at the massive screen in front of him, looking much like a mutated goldfish.
In the studio, some were touching up their makeup, others checking the equipment, all preparing for the post-ceremony live commentary.
Roger Ebert's face turned redder and redder, the veins at his temples pulsing rapidly. Faint whispers reached his ears.
"One Oscar ceremony, twelve statuettes—Duke Rosenberg has set a record!"
"So many doubted him before. What can they say now?"
Beside him, Ropey was busy going over the next phase's script. ABC had a Plan A for the live broadcast, meaning the network also believed Duke Rosenberg and "The Return of the King" would sweep the awards ceremony.
"The king ascends the Oscars—Duke Rosenberg's twelve-year journey to godhood..."
Listening to Ropey's soft reading voice, Roger Ebert was struck by a sudden thought: they were all traitors! The whole world had betrayed him!
ABC, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the media, and the public—every single one of them was a disgraceful traitor!
The fury Roger Ebert had been suppressing in his heart erupted at that moment. The veteran critic's face resembled that of a drunkard, red as if it might bleed.
The next second, Roger Ebert felt a drunken dizziness. Someone across from him suddenly became two, their figures growing increasingly blurry. Despite being less than four feet apart, he couldn't make out their face...
Simultaneously, a strange sound echoed in Roger Ebert's head as if something had snapped. His blurry vision turned abruptly dark, and his whole body tilted to one side.
"Mr. Ebert!"
This was the last sentence Roger Ebert heard that evening: "Call a doctor! Call 911!"
At the Kodak Theatre, Duke returned to the stage, looking toward the section where the "The Lord of the Rings" team was seated. He gestured repeatedly, inviting all team members to join him. Charles Roven also stood up, doing the same.
By Oscar rules, only two producers could represent a film to accept the award. But the Best Picture award wasn't just for the director or a producer—it honored everyone who participated in the film's making!
This was always a team award!
Why was this award always the finale? Because films were never the result of one person's effort but the fruit of a vast team's united hard work!
Charles Roven, Anna Prince, Hannah Selina, John Schwartzman, Mike Dawson, Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, Billy Boyd, and Ian McKellen—all went up to the stage!
Even though the film didn't win any acting awards or even receive an acting nomination, this was an honor deserved by everyone!
Spielberg handed the two Best Picture statuettes to Duke and Charles Roven. Duke merely said, "Thank you, everyone," and stepped aside for Charles Roven.
"It's a great honor to stand here. I started in this industry thirty-five years ago, delivering coffee to directors."
The veteran producer showed his humor, deliberately glancing at Duke before turning to the host. "I guess it was my many years ago dating Billy Crystal's cousin that brought me here today..."
The theater erupted in laughter. Charles Roven clearly had more humor than the largely humorless Duke.
On the other side, Billy Crystal cooperatively shrugged, spreading his hands in a helpless gesture.
The joke concluded, Charles Roven continued, "It's been wonderful to work in such an extraordinary team. I'm thrilled to have collaborated with a director as outstanding as Duke, and to have been nominated alongside four other incredible films. After all these years, finally winning is an amazing surprise for all of us."
"This film owes everything to the actors in front of the camera and the crew behind it. I'd like to especially thank my partners, Warner Bros. and Duke Studios. My beautiful daughter Danielle and my 87-year-old father are waiting backstage to celebrate with us. I want to thank Tolkien and all the fans who supported us, as well as Doug Walter and Jeff Robinov, whose efforts allowed us to make this film."
He turned toward Duke, "And lastly, Duke Rosenberg, our director, who was never satisfied with 100%—always striving for 110%. He inspired us all and worked tirelessly to bring these films to the screen!"
The awards ceremony reached its conclusion. The backstage doors opened wide, and all the night's winners holding their golden statuettes stepped onto the stage together. The 76th Academy Awards came to a close.
The ceremony was over, but for Duke and the other winners, the Oscars were far from concluded. From the moment they left backstage, Duke became the prime target of media and reporters, overshadowing even Sean Penn and Charlize Theron.
Duke was well aware. It was no wonder reporters were so excited. Past Best Director and Best Picture winners often faced an awkward issue: while they might have won, their works lacked substantial influence.
The "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was different. "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "The Return of the King" had collectively grossed over $4 billion worldwide. Not only had they swept the Oscars, but they also set a record with twelve statuettes.
How could the man behind this miracle not be adored by the media?
Even before the slower-paced traditional media could react, online discussions had already exploded when the awards ceremony ended.
Norman Shiller turned off the television, focusing entirely on the internet. Using his Instant Share account, he quickly typed:
"Great! A magnificent victory! Congratulations, Duke, and congratulations to the 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy!"
He then entered the Instant Share homepage, where the Oscars-related comments were already dominating.
"Twelve years of waiting—Duke has achieved his greatest victory!"
"This is a feat comparable to 'Titanic' and James Cameron!"
"Twelve nominations, twelve wins—a 100% success rate! Who else but Duke Rosenberg could accomplish this?"
"Celebrate, everyone! Celebrate 'The Lord of the Rings,' and raise a glass to Duke Rosenberg! No sleep tonight, no stopping until we drop, no rest tonight!"
Turning off his computer, Norman Shiller threw on a coat and headed for the nearest movie-themed bar. He wanted to join the celebrations until dawn!
For many, this was indeed a sleepless night.
At the University of California Medical Center, the ER doors swung open as a doctor strode out. Roger Ebert's agent quickly stepped forward.
"Mr. Ebert is out of danger now."
Hearing this, the agent sighed in relief, but the doctor added, "Given Mr. Ebert's condition, I personally recommend refraining from work in the short term. Ideally..."
He hesitated before continuing, "Ideally, he should retire, find a quiet place, and maintain emotional stability for long-term recuperation."