HOLLYWOOD, Feb 27: Hollywood polished its jewels and ironed its designer gowns on Sunday ahead of the Oscars ceremony. As the stars preened, organizers of the 77th annual Academy Awards frantically put the final touches on the famed red carpet and show ahead of the start of Tinseltown's biggest night at 5:00 pm (0100 GMT on Monday).

"It's real busy in the house, we are in the final, frenzied hours now," said Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences spokesman John Pavlik at the Oscar show's buzzing venue, Hollywood's Kodak Theatre.

Some 3,300 VIPs guests, including the world's biggest stars, were due to begin arriving at the foot of the massive red carpet at 3:30 pm to be greeted by a blaze of flashbulbs and the screams of 300 hand-picked fans.

This year's Oscars ceremony, to be hosted by racy and irreverent comedian Chris Rock, has undergone a face-lift in a bid to woo new viewers. Some winners will be presented their awards in their seats after the famous envelopes are opened, rather than on stage, while others will walk up the aisle in the old fashioned way.

"Million Dollar Baby," "The Aviator" and their Hollywood heavyweight directors look set for a dramatic showdown after Eastwood's drama about a female boxer appeared to upset an early lead taken by Scorsese's lavish biopic about the life of eccentric US billionaire Howard Hughes.

Among the "The Aviator's" nominations is best actor for Leonardo DiCaprio as Hughes, best supporting actress for Cate Blanchett for her role as movie legend Katharine Hepburn and best supporting actor for Alan Alda.

"Million Dollar Baby" boasts seven nods, including best picture and director, best actress for its star Hilary Swank, best actor for Eastwood as her grizzled trainer and best supporting actor for Morgan Freeman.

In a year dominated by biopics, "Baby's" seven nominations ties it with fellow best picture nominee "Finding Neverland," the story of Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie, starring Johnny Depp.

Completing the best picture line-up are "Ray," Taylor Hackford's biopic of soul legend Ray Charles, with six nominations, and Alexander Payne's bittersweet California road movie, "Sideways," with five nods.

Red hot star Jamie Foxx, 37, is seen as the clear frontrunner for the best actor Oscar for his stunning performance as the blind singer and pianist who died last year. He is up against DiCaprio, Depp, Eastwood and Don Cheadle for the African genocide drama "Hotel Rwanda".

Previous Oscar-winner Swank is favoured to win best actress again for her role as boxer Maggie Fitzgerald, but she faces a tough rematch with Annette Bening, nominated for her role as an ageing actress in "Being Julia". British actress Imelda Staunton is also seen as a possible best actress winner for playing a 1950s abortionist in Mike Leigh's drama "Vera Drake".

Also vying for best actress are Britain's Kate Winslet for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," and Colombia's Catalina Sandino Moreno for her performance as a drug mule in "Maria Full of Grace". Eastwood and Scorsese face off Hackford, Payne and British filmmaker Leigh for best director. -AFP