Some of the world's biggest stars have dazzled at the 80th Academy Awards.

America's leading satirist, Jon Stewart, has been hired as master of ceremonies in the middle of the presidential campaign and is expected to make some big political jokes.

Oscar producer Gil Gates has promised a ceremony filled with big stars including George Clooney and Cate Blanchett.

There was speculation the Oscars would have to be cancelled due to the three-month long writers' strike, which ended just weeks ago.

With Hollywood's glitziest ceremony set to go ahead, the mood outside the Kodak Theatre was jubilant as some 600 people turned out to bag their place along the red carpet.

Oscar commentators have said the best movie nominees reflect the somber mood of the academy members.

The two front-runners are violent, the third tells a tale about greedy lawyers, the fourth is about family betrayal and the fifth is about teen pregnancy.

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