Critics join Oscars video dispute

By ANDREW GUMBEL

A growing revolt against Hollywood's studio chiefs, lambasted by prominent actors, writers and directors over their decision to stop sending out video copies of films vying for the Oscars, has taken a further twist as the Los Angeles Film Critics Association threatened to cancel its annual awards unless the decision was quickly reversed.

The furore has turned into the latest battleground in Hollywood's never-ending struggle to balance its commercial instincts with a commitment to artistic excellence.

The studio chiefs say the so-called "screener" copies - sent out months before videos or DVDs of the films in question become commercially available - are an open invitation to piracy.

But most film-makers and film critics argue they are an invaluable tool to help them to make their selection of the year's best work. Without them, busy working actors and directors might never get a chance to see smaller, low-budget productions that show in art cinemas for a week or two before disappearing.

The fear is that the screener ban will unfairly skew the Oscars and other big awards towards the year's well-publicised, big-budget productions at the expense of films such as last year's The Pianist, the unexpected Academy Awards winner of best director for Roman Polanski, best writer for Ronald Harwood and best actor for Adrien Brody.

The LA critics may not, on their own, have the clout to intimidate the studio chiefs and their chief lobbyist, Jack Valenti of the Motion Picture Association of America, but their threat to cancel their awards may trigger similar actions by critics' associations around the country. That, in turn, could have a sobering effect on the industry.

Usually, by January, advertisements for the big films of the moment are festooned with end-of-year endorsements from critics, which are both part-and-parcel of studio marketing strategy and also an important springboard for the fiercely contested Oscars campaign.

"The ban on screeners seriously inhibits our ability to work as professionals and compromises the integrity and fairness of the evaluative process," the LA critics said in a written statement.

Similar sentiments have been expressed in full-page advertisements taken out in the entertainment press by top-drawer actors, writers, producers and directors - just about everyone approached, with only a handful of exceptions.

Responding to the tide of indignation, studio chiefs have said they will consider modifying their ban. But they have made no further announcements.

Next year's Oscars, to be hosted by Billy Crystal, will be held in Los Angeles a month earlier than usual, on February 29.

- INDEPENDENT