Megan0228bThe 84th Academy Awards found Hollywood returning to its roots Sunday night, delivering a show filled with nostalgia for filmmaking’s golden age.

It started with the hosting duties. After 2011’s attempt to make the show young and edgy by bringing in Anne Hathaway and James Franco fell flat, the Academy apparently decided to play it safe this year. And nothing could be safer than returning to nine-time host Billy Crystal. From his opening musical montage to his gentle, industry-deprecating jokes, Crystal kept the tone polite, professional, and, above all, old school.

The evening’s two biggest winners carried on the those-were-the-the-days theme. Hugo, which honors the artistic achievements of 1920s French filmmaker, George Méliès, scooped up nearly all the technical awards early in the night, winning cinematography, art direction, sound editing, sound mixing, and visual effects (see “Here for a purpose,” Dec. 17, 2011). The Artist, a black-and-white silent film that chronicles how the rise of the talkies brings about the fall of a Rudolph Valentino-esque star, dominated the second half of the show. Along with Best Director, Best Actor, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score, it took home the biggest prize of the night, Best Picture, marking the first time a silent film has won the honor since the first Oscar ceremony in 1929. (See “The Artist,” by Michael Leaser, Feb. 11.) … COMPLETE STORY >>

Read Megan Basham’s complete Web Extra report.