Asked to compare "Pulp Fiction" and "Forrest Gump," which many see as the favorites going into the Academy Awards, Tarantino replied:

"Everyone in the press is saying 'Forrest Gump' represents this. And, 'Pulp Fiction' represents the exact opposite end of the spectrum. And here they are battling it out. But my table (at the Golden Globes) was right next to the 'Forrest Gump' people, and I said, 'Look, is it just me, or is everybody completely misreading your movie?' It was a really funny movie and filled with more irony than any Hollywood movie I had ever seen in my life. . . . I don't really think they are that different, to tell you the truth."

Zemeckis, for his part, said his favorite line in "Gump" is: "Sometimes, there aren't enough rocks."

Jamie Lee Curtis was so exuberant after winning a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy for the movie "True Lies" that she bounded on the backstage podium. "This is the greatest part I ever had, and certainly the biggest movie," she said.

When a reporter asked if she thought Schwarzenegger was getting a "bad rap" for not being considered a real actor because he often appears in action movies, Curtis caused a ripple of laughter when she shot back: "I believe he has been nominated for best actor in a comedy. . . . Maybe you should go take it up with him."

Jessica Lange, who was a surprise winner of the best dramatic actress award as the angry Army wife in "Blue Sky," said the movie had been completed nearly four years ago and, so, to win now is "kind of an unexpected treat."

Martin Landau, who won best supporting actor in a comedy for his role as Bela Lugosi in the movie "Ed Wood," used his moment to praise the late actor, who won fame as Dracula in the movies.

"Jack Nicholson called me and he said, 'One of the damn best things I've ever seen in my life,' " Landau said, mimicking Nicholson's distinctive voice. "I said, 'It was a love letter to Lugosi.' He said, 'It's a love letter to acting.' Well, that's a nice thing."

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There were more serious moments, like Raul Julia's widow accepting the Golden Globe award in his honor, telling reporters afterward: "He was a wonderful husband, father and human being" and noting that the outpouring of his fans since his death shows how well loved he was.

Rock star Elton John, who won with Tim Rice for writing the music for "The Lion King," also waxed serious, saying he has overcome personal problems and that his career has never been better. "I've been given a second chance in life," he said. "I now want to give something back. It's just something I have to do."

And, Schwarzenegger, when asked where his wife, Maria Shriver, was that Saturday night, said she had taken a plane flight to Hyannisport, Mass., with their children because Rose Kennedy, matriarch of the Kennedy clan, was "very ill."

In addition to movies, Golden Globes were awarded in various television categories.

One of those who won was Claire Danes, who picked up a statuette for best actress in a TV series for "My So-Called Life."

The 15-year-old Danes thanked another young actress, Winona Ryder, for giving her advice on how to handle the transformation from being a teen to a young adult in Hollywood without losing oneself. "You can get so wrapped up in this whirlwind," she said.

The arrivals themselves were often more entertaining than the telecast.

Jamie Lee Curtis, wearing a white velvet outfit that clung to her body, remarked: "No foundation. No nothing. It's just as God intended."

Cybill Shepherd, asked why she decided to wear a white jacket and white gloves, replied: "Because Dudley Moore is wearing black." Moore was a co-presenter with Shepherd on the telecast. When a reporter asked why the boots, Shepherd said: "I wanted to make sure I towered over him."

Lizzy Gardiner, the costume designer on the movie "The Adventures of Priscilla: Queen of the Desert," caused photographers to fall all over themselves when she came dressed in a pink fur tutu. Asked how she liked the Golden Globes, Gardiner said: "It's funny. The policemen even have pancake makeup on."

Jodie Foster, wearing a black pants suit, said the Golden Globes gave her a chance to dress up, "which I only do twice a year."

Hugh Grant, who captured a Golden Globe as best actor in a comedy for "Four Weddings and a Funeral," said he was overwhelmed by the event. "I'm not accustomed to this amount of glitz," the British actor said in a proper accent. He noted that the weirdest question he had been asked by the foreign press while making his way to the hotel entrance was, "What is your inner child saying right now?"