THE HYPE PARTY ON, OSCAR ... AND PUFFY AND CATHERINE AND ELTON AND STING AND (OF COURSE) JULIA.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

In its swan song as an Oscar party venue, the Shrine Auditorium - site of the postshow Governors Ball - never looked classier. Or more opulent.

With a nod toward the elegance of the Edwardian age, ball coordinator Cheryl Cecchetto and decor creator Edgar Zamora draped the dinner hall's vaulted ceilings in billowy cream colored curtains that tapered into ornate 1920s chandeliers. The burgundy carpeting allowed every splendid gown and swanky tux worn by guests to stand out; the lighting shone softly. Decorative butterflies swam loops in Zoetrope-style chandeliers.

In short: It was a party that was as pretty as a picture - at least for those allowed to snap them.

At an event where guests rarely stopped smiling or flashes stopped popping to capture the moment, overly officious security staff repeatedly detained and questioned reporters carrying anything even remotely resembling a camera. ``That's not a camera is it? No photos!'' this reporter was asked at least three times. ``Nope,'' I replied each time. ``Just a tape recorder.'' Dinner guests who pulled out small cameras to make their own memories didn't appear to be similarly pestered.

Ditto the television cameras that trailed Best Actress winner Julia Roberts - accompanied by beau Benjamin Bratt - around the dining hall. A second camera followed event chef Wolfgang Puck, wearing a spotless white apron, as he garnered praise and congrats for his culinary feats.

His menu included a selection of trio salads; a yellow Finnish potato served with caviar and a main course of roasted veal ``Oscar'' with sweet Maine lobster. Dessert was a mini Oscar atop a mousse-filled chocolate pedestal and an accompanying red winners' envelope; quite distinguishable from the real awards that winners placed on their tables while dining.

Pixar's Leon Carpenter brought along his Oscar that he actually received three weeks ago at the annual scientific and technical achievement awards. (Carpenter and the team that developed the RenderMan computer equipment are credited with advancing the use of computer-generated images in movies). But here's betting Carpenter got more comments on his tuxedo, which included a strip of purple neon piping. Just how does a fellow obtain a glow-in-the-dark tux? ``You make it yourself,'' he replied, taking out a business card from the friend who helped with the outfit's technical frills.

Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson left at 10:15 p.m., their young son in tow. Acting nominees Jeff Bridges and Joan Allen sat at the ``Contender'' table. The ``Almost Famous'' contingent included acting nominees Frances McDormand (with director husband Joel Coen) and Kate Hudson (with rocker hubby Chris Robinson). Writer/director Cameron Crowe brought his mother Alice Marie Crowe.

Crowe, a winner for Best Original Screenplay for his semi-autobiographical tale of his days as a teen-age journalist for ``Rolling Stone,'' described the entire evening as ``psychedelic.'' Kind of like his days on the rock beat in the early 1970s.

``It didn't seem as weird as it felt later looking back, but at the time it was like they let me loose in the circus,'' said Crowe, heading off to the dance floor with wife Nancy Wilson.

As the evening wore on, Oscar telecast producer Gil Cates politely declined an interview request, saying ``I'm exhausted. I have to sit down.''

After shaving nearly 45 minutes off last year's marathon telecast and pressing the flesh at the Governors Ball, he's entitled.

Here are some moments from other parties around town:

It may have been Julia Roberts' night at the Academy Awards, but it was Sean ``Puffy'' Combs who held court at the Vanity Fair party afterward.

``The bar is open,'' the rapper shouted exuberantly from behind one of the bars at Morton's restaurant after Sunday night's show.

With him was actress Renee Zellweger, searching for a glass of water.

Combs, acquitted of bribery and gun possession charges in New York just two weeks ago, was the center of attention throughout much of the party, with one movie star after another coming up to congratulate him on the trial's outcome.

``I was standing next to Puffy Combs,'' an awestruck Beau Bridges said afterward.

You may be an Academy Award winner, but when you've got to go, you've got to go.

That was the predicament Roberts found herself in when she arrived with Bratt at the Vanity Fair party.

Confronting her was a gigantic line to the women's room.

Unwilling to wait, the star of ``Erin Brockovich'' dashed into the men's room, where she was met with cheers and applause.

No one would say afterward if she used the facility or decided to wait.

Elton John feared people would scream ``fix,'' and he wasn't talking about Academy Awards ballots.

``I know some people are going to say the fix is in,'' John quipped at his post-Oscars party as he handed the door prize, a diamond-encrusted Chopard watch, to his good friend John Waters.

The director was the big winner at the soiree, at Moomba in Beverly Hills. The Elton John AIDS Foundation party appeared to be vying hard with the Vanity Fair gala two blocks down for coolest post-Oscar bash.

While Roberts, Combs, Hanks and others made small talk at Morton's, John schmoozed with Sting, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas.

Russell Crowe ducked in the back door and Cameron Crowe strolled in the front, holding his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in one hand and clutching his wife's hand in the other.

Among the night's entertainment was John taking the stage to perform a duet with Canadian singer Nelly Furtado.

Fans of the film ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' who visited the Crustacean restaurant after the Academy Awards weren't disappointed.

As the stars of the movie arrived there for the Sony Pictures party, they quickly ignored a horde of media photographers, choosing to visit with hundreds of their cheering fans instead.

``Oh, I paid for them,'' actor Chow Yun-Fat joked when asked about the enthusiastic turnout.

``Such a wonderful feeling,'' actress Michelle Yeoh said. ``We have four Oscars. Whoever would have thought?''

``It's overwhelming,'' added director Ang Lee, clutching one of the movie's Oscars. ``This is the climax.''

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

CAPTION(S):

9 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) Julia Roberts collects a kiss from boyfriend Benjamin Bratt to go along with her Oscar at the Vanity Fair party Sunday night.

Laura Rauch/Associated Press

(2 -- color) Music mogul Sean ``Puffy'' Combs, keeping both profile and spirits high, arrives at the party to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

Michael Caulfield/Associated Press

(3 -- color) Micelle Yeoh, near left, star of ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,'' raises a glass with her husband, movie producer Thomas Chung at the Governors Ball.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(4 -- 5 -- color) In Style magazine's party for the Elton John AIDS Foundation drew many stars to West Hollywood. Sting right, a performer at the Oscar show, arrives with wife Trudie Styler; the charity's namesake, left, enjoys a moment with photographers.

Michael Caulfield/Associated Press

(6 -- 7 -- color) At the Governors Ball, Catherine Zeta-Jones, above, finds herself between two Oscar winners: Karl Malden, right, and husband Michael Douglas. Almost as famous at the In Style party is Cameron Crowe, left, celebrating his screenplay win with wife Nancy Wilson.

Michael Caulfield/Associated Press

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(8) Steven Spielberg, right, embraces ``Gladiator'' director Ridley Scott at the Governors Ball. Speilberg's company, DreamWorks, produced the Best Picture blockbuster.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer

(9) Oscar host Steve Martin, left, at the Governors Ball after the telecast and accepts congratulations from academy president Richard Rehme.