Middle-earth in film also became the most-nominated in the Academy's history, surpassing the "Godfather" series' 28 (with the release of "The Hobbit", the series currently has 36 nominations total). Its 11 Oscars at the 2004 Academy Awards tied it for most awards won for one film with "Titanic" six years earlier and the 1959 version of "Ben-Hur." It also broke the previous "sweep" record, beating "Gigi" and "The Last Emperor" (which each took 9 out of 9). "The Return of the King" also made movie history as the highest-grossing film opening on a Wednesday and was the second film after "Titanic" to earn
Shadows (1959 film) admirer. Avant-garde film critic Jonas Mekas highly praised the film, writing in the January 1959 issue of "Film Culture" that "Shadows" "presents contemporary reality in a fresh and unconventional manner... The improvisation, spontaneity, and free inspiration that are almost entirely lost in most films from an excess of professionalism are fully used in this film." The magazine, founded by Mekas and his brother, bestowed upon "Shadows" its first "Independent Film Award". Mekas then arranged to have the film shown six more times at the Young Men's Hebrew Association. Cassavetes shot new scenes in 1959 using a script he co-wrote with