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.”