Film directors and producers have reason to be quite nervous on Sunday night, when Hollywood's movie and television elite gathers for the Golden Globe Awards.

Often thought of as the best Oscar barometer, the Golden Globe Awards honour achievements in 24 categories - 13 in motion pictures and 11 in television.

In the past 15 years, 11 Best Motion Picture Golden Globe winners have gone on to win an Oscar as Academy Award for Best Picture.

As in the past two years, the 55th Annual Golden Globe Awards, will be broadcast live from Beverly Hills.

In the early years, only a few hundred people attended the Golden Globe Awards. This year, US broadcaster NBC expects 20 million people in 120 countries to tune in.

In 1997 the show was the television special with the fourth-highest ratings in the United States.

Helena Bonham Carter nominated for her role in Wings of the Dove

Titanic, the most expensive film ever, tops the list for the most nominations. LA Confidential has been nominated for five awards.

The just-cancelled television hit, Seinfeld, racked up three nominations, including Best Television Series (musical or comedy) as well as Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series.

Britain dominates the best actress category.

Helena Bonham Carter, Dame Judi Dench and Kate Winslet have all been nominated. They face Jodie Foster, who starred in Contact, and Jessica Lange, from A Thousand Acres.

Another British hit, The Full Monty, is nominated in the best musical or comedy category where it will challenge Men In Black and My Best Friend's Wedding.

Veteran actress Shirley MacLaine will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award for "her outstanding contribution to the entertainment field."

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