LOS ANGELES: If anyone needed definitive proof that Hollywood has gone international, the Academy Awards provided it. Never in the ceremony's 79 years have so many artists from other lands been among the nominees.

The contenders for best actress provided the prime example: three Brits, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Kate

Winslet; one Spaniard, Penelope Cruz; and a lone American, Meryl Streep, in one of her less challenging roles.

Beyond the foreign proliferation, there was another significant trend: not one of the five nominees for best picture was filmed in Hollywood. Much of the creative strength of today's motion pictures is coming from abroad.

From their beginning in 1929, the Academy Awards were strictly a hometown affair. Hollywood ruled the movie world for decades, and the Oscars reflected that supremacy. Rarely did a foreign movie or actor break the monopoly.

In 1933, Charles Laughton surprised the locals by winning best actor for his lusty performance in the England-made “The Private Life of Henry VIII.” The British were again coming in 1948 with Laurence Olivier's “Hamlet” taking the picture and actor awards.

Sophia Loren made a bit of history in 1961 as best actress in “Two Women.” Her dialogue was entirely in Italian.

However, not until the 21st century did Hollywood's grip on the Oscars truly begin to loosen. Films from Asia, Africa and Europe drew acclaim, while American studios seemed locked into sequels, remakes and formula fare.

The foreign invasion was apparent Sunday night, with international artists enjoying a strong presence in many categories.

Italian composer Ennio Morricone drew a standing ovation with the announcement of an honorary award for his robust scores in Italian and U.S. pictures. Morricone responded with a speech in his native tongue, translated by Clint Eastwood. Later at the Governor's Ball, Eastwood said although he had a TelePrompTer, he ad libbed most of the speech. The veteran of spaghetti westerns explained, “I can speak Italian.”

Ellen DeGeneres' clever comedy was welcome after the rancour of the emcees in the two previous years. She knows how to stroke an audience and can evoke laughter in any situation. Especially enjoyable were her conversations with people in the audience like Eastwood and Martin Scorsese.

The orchestra was cued to curb the scourge of endless acceptance speeches. When the speaker started to exceed a time limit, a piano started playing. If the speaker persisted, the full orchestra drowned the remarks.

The new elegance may have improved conversation, but it did not solve a long-standing problem. Stars have a habit of dropping into the ball to see friends and do interviews, then dashing out to the private parties in West Hollywood. They did the same Sunday night.—AP