A STORM ERUPTING: THE HURT LOCKER CONTROVERSY

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

THE ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS & SCIENCES is considering action against a producer of THE HURT LOCKER.

He sent out multiple emails urging ACADEMY members to vote for his movie in the BEST PICTURE category and “not a $500 million film,” an obvious reference to close competitor AVATAR.

The emails by Nicolas Chartier, one of four nominated producers forTHE HURT LOCKER and the person who put up the financing to make the frontrunning film, violated the ACADEMY’S rule against sending mailings that “attempt to promote any film or achievement by casting a negative light on a competing film or achievement,” according to ACADEMY spokesperson LESLIE UNGER.

The initial email was sent February 19 and obtained by The Associated Press.

Subsequent emails, posted by THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, showed Mr. Chartier giving more specific instructions, asking OSCAR voters to rank THE HURT LOCKER at #1 and AVATAR at #10 on this year’s preferential ballot for the newly expanded BEST PICTURE category.

THE HURT LOCKER distributor SUMMIT PICTURES said in a statement it was “completely unaware of any emails that were sent until we were alerted by the Academy earlier this week.”

Nicholas Chartier, after being confronted by SUMMIT executives, worked with the studio and the ACADEMY to craft an apology for his actions, said SUMMIT spokesperson PAUL PFLUG.

“My naivete, ignorance of the rules and plain stupidity as a first time nominee is not an excuse for this behaviour and I strongly regret it,” Mr. Chartier wrote in an email obtained by The Associated Press.

“Being nominated for an Academy Award is the ultimate honour and I should have taken the time to read the rules.”

AVATAR’S distributor, TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX, declined comment on the emails, as did director JAMES CAMERON or anyone connected with the 3D sci fi sensation – Hollywood’s biggest modern blockbuster.

The ACADEMY itself will hold off on announcing how exactly it plans to discipline Mr. Chartier until OSCAR voting closes at 5 p.m. PST on TUESDAY, MARCH 2.

The ACADEMY’S LESLIE UNGER refused to speculate on what action might be taken.

Possible measures include public censure, taking away Mr. Chartier’s OSCAR tickets, and the unlikely option of removing THE HURT LOCKER – about a bomb disposal unit in Iraq – from BEST PICTURE consideration, according to several ACADEMY members familiar with the situation.

The members spoke on the condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to comment about the matter.

It’s also possible that if THE HURT LOCKER emerges victorious, the ACADEMY won’t extend membership to Mr. Chartier, as it does to most newly minted OSCAR winners, the members commented.

With ballots due in several days, the controversy surrounding Mr. Chartier’s actions may have little effect on the MARCH 7 OSCARS because most voters have already mailed in their ballots, said one of the ACADEMY members.

But that hasn’t stopped Hollywood insiders from bandying about heated opinions referring to Mr. Chartier’s emails as everything from harmless enthusiasm to egregious politicking that should result in the film’s disqualification.

As one ACADEMY voter put it, requesting anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject: “If The Hurt Locker doesn’t win Best Picture, I wouldn’t want to be that guy. They’ll be pointing at him.”

In addition to Nicholas Chartier’s emails, THE HURT LOCKER is also facing complaints – just now surfacing, though the movie was released last June – from veterans and active soldiers over the accuracy of its combat scenes.

Late in the game controversies surrounding OSCAR frontrunners is nothing new.

In 2002, rumours circulated that schizophrenic mathematician JOHN NASH, the subject of RON HOWARD’S A BEAUTIFUL MIND, harboured anti Semitic beliefs. The movie ended up winning four OSCARS, including awards for BEST PICTURE, BEST DIRECTOR and ADAPTED SCREENPLAY.

And, similar to this year’s email controversy, DREAMWORKS ran ads in 2004 quoting critics touting SHOHREH AGHDASHLOO’S SUPPORTING ACTRESS performance in HOUSE OF SAND & FOG over that of RENEE ZELLWEGER in COLD MOUNTAIN.

That campaign backfired, too, with RENEE winning the OSCAR.

“I suppose I’m just naive, but I’ve always chosen to believe that Academy members vote solely on the basis of merit,” remarked film historian Leonard Maltin.

“I do know some Academy members and they are very conscientious about their vote. They distance themselves from any jockeying of position and name calling.”

25 MOVIES TO SEE BEFORE OSCAR NIGHT

Every year, I make a considerable effort to see the films that are up for BEST PICTURE, as well as all of the performances that are nominated.

Once in a great while, a few slip through the cracks. But generally my average is remarkably close to 100%.

EW’S resident ACADEMY AWARDS predictor DAVE KARGER has a list of 25 motion pictures that you should see before OSCAR night.

Here are the ones that I wholeheartedly agree with, in order…

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
UP IN THE AIR
PRECIOUS
THE LAST STATION
THE MESSENGER
AN EDUCATION
THE LOVELY BONES
JULIE & JULIA
CRAZY HEART
IN THE LOOP

Time to pull out all the stops. There’s only one more week to go.

For the whole damn thing, please go here

THE MAGNIFICENCE OF SPRING

Spring will be here soon.

That’s good news. I find that particular season so very…stimulating. Time to get busy.

Though I was kicking the slats out of my crib during part of that decade, I must confess that I do miss the 80s.

A lot.

There was so much distracting glamour and wide ranging artistic innovation that came out of those ten years.

For our Friday musical highlight, I give you THE ART OF NOISE and their version of HENRY MANCINI’S PETER GUNN THEME. The video is a film noir sensation.

Makes me nostalgic for the good old days.

I’ll be back tomorrow.

Until then, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. That’s an exceedingly short list.

Ciao…

THE 10 BEST OSCAR DRESSES

IN STYLE has a superb slideshow devoted to the 10 best OSCAR dresses.

Here are my three favourites:

DIANE LANE (in OSCAR DE LA RENTA)
MARION COTILLARD (JEAN PAUL GAULTIER)
RENEE ZELLWEGER (CAROLINA HERRERA)

To get the gallery, please go here

THE OSCARS’ MOST UNFORGETTABLE LOOKS

Yes, we’re counting down the days to MARCH 7 when the ACADEMY AWARDS will finally be televised.

You can expect a lot of OSCAR related articles at CP between now and then.

It’s that time of year…

I’ve said repeatedly that the majority of people shouldn’t experiment with fashion. You can only go so far before you hit the proverbial brick wall.

Most individuals don’t have the confidence, the imagination or the fearlessness to go out on that fragile limb.

But some people have such an amazing sense of what’s right for them that all of the risks pay off.

IN STYLE has a gallery of famous women who dressed memorably for the OSCARS – in ways both spectacular and horrific.

Though the five actors in this particular post took a lot of heat for these specific outfits, I think they all look fantastic. I’ll give them an incredible amount of credit.

From the top…

BARBRA STREISAND
ANGELINA JOLIE
DIANE KEATON
SHARON STONE
KIM BASINGER

For the whole damn thing, please go here

PETA’S NEW AD FEATURING KELLAN LUTZ

FROM PEOPLE

I’ve never seen a Twilight movie.

But I deeply admire a lot of what PETA does. KELLAN LUTZ should definitely be commended.

TWILIGHT star KELLAN LUTZ has always been very vocal about his love for rescue pups KOLA and KEVIN.

But now, the actor is taking the cause of animal adoption to a national platform, serving as PETA’S latest spokesperson in their ADOPT, DON’T BUY campaign.

Shot by celebrity photographer COLIN STARK, the advertisement features KELLAN posed with his first dog KOLA.

“She’s my best friend,” he told PETA in an exclusive interview.

“There are countless numbers of animals out there. It’s our job to take them under our wing.”

KELLAN explained that he found KOLA in a shelter, curled up and frightened in the back of a cage.

“I touched her toe and said, ‘Hey, what’s your name?’ She spoke to me.”

Warned that she was a puller, KELLAN decided to walk her anyway and knew then that he’d found the one.

“From that day on, I loved her.”

According to PETA, about eight million unwanted dogs and cats enter shelters every year — and half of them are euthanized due to space issues.

“There are surprisingly many animals in these shelters,” KELLAN commented.

“It’s sad knowing that they get euthanized. For the fans of Twilight out there who have so much love, give that love to a pet if you don’t have one.”

EBAY: THE ULTIMATE DESTINATION FOR THE FABULOUSLY FASHIONABLE

EBAY has entered the glamour game with a vengeance.

In March, the auction site will launch THE FASHION VAULT, where visitors can buy clothes and accessories at heavily discounted prices for a limited period of time.

Last year, EBAY tested designers such as DKNY, MAX MARA and HUGO BOSS. Those lines are likely to appear again. Sales will be weekly at first but are expected to increase as the concept gets rolling.

EBAY also has its own on line outlet centre. Merchandise from LORD & TAYLOR is all ready available and BROOKS BROTHERS will jump in next month.

Exclusive designer sales are on the site as of this moment: NORMA KAMALI and NARCISO RODRIGUEZ both have capsule collections at prices well below those of their high end designer lines. EBAY is also planning to collaborate with additional designers.

“We are playing to our strengths,” EBAY MARKETPLACES president LORRIE NORRINGTON told WWD.

“ebay is the number one clothing site on the internet,” with $7.1 billion worth of apparel products sold last year.

“Whether it’s Tory Burch or Levi’s jeans, we’ve got it. It’s hard to imagine having 10 million items on the shelves – just clothing items – but we have that. We are focused on taking that store with great values and great inventory and really unlocking that in new ways. We want to have a complement of experiences.”

And, to make searching through all those millions of items easier, EBAY plans to launch new search technology in April so you can find fashion items by style, price or brand.

DESIGNERS & CELEBRITIES: MISSONI

The well known women who adore MISSONI include: FERGIE, KERRY WASHINGTON, LEONA LEWIS and ROSARIO DAWSON .

To locate the IN STYLE gallery, please go here

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER: I’M NOT WINNING THE OSCAR

FROM THE CANADIAN PRESS

I love CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER. He’s dashing and debonair like the classic film stars. He’s got that magnificent mellifluous voice. Not to mention he’s one hell of an actor.

I’m absolutely thrilled that he has finally received an OSCAR nomination for THE LAST STATION.

All I can say is: It’s about bloody time. Overdue doesn’t even cut it…

Legendary Canadian actor CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER said he’s not bothered at all that he had to wait so long to get his first ACADEMY AWARD nomination.

“Charlie Chaplin had to wait until he was in his 80s to get it – can you believe that? – and so I’m in good company,” Mr. Plummer commented with a chuckle from his winter home in Palm Beach, Florida.

The Toronto born stage and screen star, winner of multiple TONY and EMMY AWARDS, is up for the BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR OSCAR for playing ailing WAR & PEACE author LEO TOLSTOY in THE LAST STATION.

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER’S performance is a rich blend of playful and powerful, from his ferocious arguments and whimsical bedroom scenes with HELEN MIRREN, who plays his strong, stylish diva of a wife, to his pitch perfect mannerisms.

Despite not knowing what the Russian author sounded like, playing him wasn’t a huge challenge as the screenplay was well written and theatrical, said Mr. Plummer, noting he’d also read the writer’s novels.

“We treated it all rather like a Chekhovian play and I think it came out that well.”

“I enjoyed it thoroughly because there was a lot of fun in Tolstoy. One tried to get as much humour behind the character as possible because I’m sure he had a wonderful, wild Russian kind of devilish humour, which doesn’t come out in his books because they’re translated.”

“And of course, Helen Mirren is such fun to be with and such a wonderful actress and makes everything so easy and so joyful that it wasn’t hard to be funny and twinkly because she was ever present.”

Still, he doesn’t expect to win the golden statuette.

That honour, he believes, will go to CHRISTOPH WALTZ for his role as an exuberant and ruthless Nazi in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS.

“He’s terrific in it and it’s a marvellously showy role. He’ll get it,” said Mr. Plummer, adding he isn’t feeling the pressure ahead of the MARCH 7 extravaganza.

“To me, it’s over because once you’re nominated that’s it, really. And that’s the nice part of it – that you’re nominated. I think that’s great.”

“The actual show is sort of rather long and we have to sit there for a long time, I think, but I will certainly go because of my competitors and it would look awful not to be there.”

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER, who also has a home in Connecticut, has never been to the ACADEMY AWARDS as he’s never been nominated before and isn’t keen on the fanfare the comes with such glitzy events.

“I don’t like going unless one is up for an award. Why would one put oneself through that agony?” he remarked, putting emphasis on the word agony in his crisp, Mid Atlantic accent.

“I’m not crazy about (the fanfare). It’s a business you know, it’s a flesh peddling business and I don’t always like the feeling on the red carpet. You feel like you’re pushing yourself, which I don’t do. But it’s expected, so…”

As for what he and his wife ELAINE TAYLOR will wear to the bash: “We’ll just drag out the old dinner jackets and evening dresses again,” he said with another chuckle.

CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER is in two other movies that are up for OSCARS this year: he has the title role in the surreal fantasy THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS, which earned nods for ART DIRECTION and COSTUME DESIGN. In UP, which has five nominations including BEST PICTURE, he voices evil explorer Charles Muntz.

He also voiced a character in another animated film, 9, which came out last year and in April, he’ll return to the STRATFORD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL in Ontario to play Prospero in THE TEMPEST. This, after his triumphant role in CAESAR & CLEOPATRA at the festival in 2008, the same year he played the U.S. president in the miniseries THE SUMMIT.

Indeed, 45 years after he completed his role as Captain Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER is still as in demand – and keen to work – as ever.

“You’ve got to keep going,” reasoned Mr. Plummer, whose great grandfather was Prime Minister John Abbott.

“And I’m very happy that I seem to be getting more work as I get older. I seem to be doing more than less, which is fabulous because it keeps one young.”

MEAN TO ME: AN EXCEEDINGLY GLAMOROUS SHORT FILM

This article was authored by LESLEY M. M. BLUME at THE HUFFINGTON POST

This, to me, sounds extraordinarily fascinating.

I’ve never been much for short films. But this looks like it might be a notable exception.

Films from the 30s were quintessential in their effortless glamour and sophistication. Art Deco makes me hot. Plus the fabulous LINUS ROACHE is in this.

All of that would draw me in like a magnet.

Billowing palms and cigarette girls along with endless glasses of champagne…

This was no run of the mill film screening. This past Friday night saw the premiere of MEAN TO ME, an amusing stylish short film set in the 1930s which stars supermodel AGYNESS DEYN in her acting debut.

A black haired Ms. Deyn plays a sensuous rather volatile femme fatale, who gets unceremoniously dumped by her wealthy playboy beau, played by British actor LINUS ROACHE (who seems to adore on screen entanglements with intense females of fashion. Remember WINGS OF THE DOVE…?).

Let’s just say Ms. Deyn’s character doesn’t take the news with ladylike graciousness.

Aesthetically speaking, MEAN TO ME itself is a studiously detailed, thirteen minute love letter to the Art Deco era: deep, rich, film noir lighting; ornate period opening titles; a dark Stravinsky score (characteristic of the time during which the film industry was transitioning from silent films to talkies and still relied on classical scores to denote mood).

Designer ZAC POSEN designed Ms. Deyn’s wardrobe. Her white satin gown in the opening scene would have made the GOSFORD PARK aristocrats jealous.

Perhaps the most interesting character of all was the film’s director, New York artist PETER McGOUGH, whose obsession with historical detail extends well beyond his new film. No piece of furniture or fixture in Mr. McGough’s Greenwich Village apartment was made after the 1930s. He is said to have previously lived in an 1880s styled country house without running water; horse and carriage had been his preferred mode of transportation.

At the premiere, Mr. McGough donned a three piece suit, while Ms. Deyn wore a Ric Owens gown and a wool cap. A cigarette girl handed out silver cased GUERLAIN lipsticks to audience.

The colour? Red, of course.

It was the 30s, after all.

Deyn devotees and Art Deco aficionados can attend a screening of MEAN TO ME on MARCH 4TH at New York City’s CHEIM & READ GALLERY. After that, it will make the rounds at international film festivals.