France - Movie Industry: 'The Artist' triumphs at Oscars - by Charlie McCollum

The first time a silent, black and white film won the Oscar for best picture, it was 1929 and the movie was a World War I saga called "Wings."

The second time came Sunday night as "The Artist," a joyous low-budget movie about the silent era of Hollywood, won the top prize. It also took home three other Oscars including best director (Michel Hazanavicious) and best actor (Jean Dujardin).

Dujardin, the star of "The Artist," won for his role as silent film actor George Valentin, whose career is threatened by the coming of sound. "I love your country," he said in accepting the award he won over such actors as George Clooney and Brad Pitt. He is the first French actor to win the award.

Hazanavicius beat out a field that included Hollywood heavyweights Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Alexander Payne and Terrence Malick. Before "The Artist's" unexpected success, Hazanavicius was largely unknown outside of his home country where his claim to fame was the series of highly successful "OSS 117" spy parodies.

For more: 'The Artist' triumphs at Oscars - San Jose Mercury News

Guardian: How three Swedish geeks became Hollywood's Number One enemy - by Bobbie Johnson

For the complete report from the Guardian Unlimited click on this link

How three Swedish geeks became Hollywood's Number One enemy - by Bobbie Johnson

Operating under the sign of a Jolly Roger, The Pirate Bay website hopes to evoke a buccaneer spirit: swashbuckling swordsmen, or perhaps the pirate radio stations of the 1960s. But as the internet's number one destination for illegal downloads, it has raised the ­hackles of the entertainment industry and elevated its founders to the top of Hollywood's most wanted list. With more than two million visitors every day, The Pirate Bay has become one of the sharpest thorns in the side of the media business. Its controversial success has caused havoc in the music, TV and film industries.

Current top downloads include The Bourne Ultimatum, Die Hard 4.0 and Knocked Up all showing in cinemas, but available to watch on a computer screen for those willing to take the risk.