SCREENERS' BAN RAISING A FLAP AMONG CRITICS.

Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer

The decision by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association to cancel its annual awards in response to a controversial ban on sending videotapes and DVDs to the group for screening could impact the awards season leading up to the Oscar ceremony in February.

The influential 50-member group has championed such films as ``Unforgiven,'' helping to elevate the Clint Eastwood-directed Western to Oscar front-runner status. The group also boosted Hilary Swank on her way to a best actress Oscar when it honored her for the then little-known film ``Boys Don't Cry.''

``It's not just any critics' award, it's in Oscar's back yard,'' said Tom O'Neil, author of the book ``Movie Awards.'' ``It's a loud reminder that this isn't just about Oscar voters. Everybody in the industry depends on the screeners.''

In an effort to thwart piracy, the Motion Picture Association of America announced nearly three weeks ago that its member studios would be banned from sending out ``for your consideration'' screeners. These tapes and DVDs of eligible films allow Oscar voters and other groups to see entries at home at their convenience.

The screeners have given exposure to smaller, independent films that have scored in major categories at the Academy Awards in recent years including ``The Pianist,'' ``Talk to Her,'' ``Monster's Ball'' and ``Boys Don't Cry.''

``I think that screeners help these smaller films and it will be more difficult for them to even get made, to get the financing,'' said LAFCA President Jean Oppenheimer. ``Critics fit into this whole process, the critics' groups. Academy members look at what we voted for.''

A teleconference between movie studio heads and MPAA President Jack Valenti last Thursday has given many in the film community some hope that a compromise had been forged, but none has been announced. The teleconference marked the first discussion between Valenti and the studio chiefs since the ban was announced, resulting in widespread protests from many in the film industry.

MPAA member companies Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Walt Disney Pictures and MGM, as well as DreamWorks Pictures and New Line Cinema, had signed off on the ban. The major studios have been largely unsuccessful in major categories at the Oscars in recent years.

Oppenheimer said the critics felt that without the option of screeners, it would be impossible to see all of the eligible films in time for their award deadlines, especially with 30-40 percent more films now being released since screeners were introduced in the late-1980s.

``It inhibits our ability to do our jobs because it is physically impossible to get to everything, especially when you consider all of the films that open in November and December,'' she said. ``Tapes also allow you a second or third viewing.''

The LAFCA action was nearly unanimous among the 30 members present at a Saturday meeting, one of the three regularly scheduled meetings the group has each year. Oppenheimer described the meeting as ``very vocal.''

``Everybody wanted to do something,'' she said. ``Some people were concerned that we not hurt the very films we are trying to help. We feel it is very important to stand up for these films and for ourselves.''

LAFCA member Philip Berk abstained from the vote saying that while he supported the action ``in principal,'' he objected to not holding the awards.

``Unless we consider ourselves a marketing tool of the industry, there's no reason not to postpone the awards until we could see all of the films,'' Berk said.

Bob Strauss, senior film critic for The Daily News who did not attend the meeting, said Monday that he objects to scrapping the awards.

``I see no productive purpose in canceling these awards. It seems to me that this action will impair the public's awareness of smaller, worthy films which arguably is just the opposite effect of what protesting the screener ban is intended to do.''

Strauss said LAFCA members have ample opportunity to see all of the eligible films in theaters before the Dec. 13 voting deadline.

``Critics in Los Angeles have more opportunities than their colleagues anywhere else in the world to see significant movies where they are meant to be seen, on the big screen,'' said Strauss, a 15-year LAFCA member. ``I personally don't foresee any problem with catching anything I would need to by the second weekend of December this year.''

Glenn Whipp, also a film critic for The Daily News, caught three screenings Monday and said he also has never had a problem seeing all of the movies in theaters.

``Unfortunately, I think it's too late to back the MPAA into a corner to where this would do any good, so I would not have supported it,'' said Whipp, who also did not attend the meeting Saturday.

But Whipp is impressed that his fellow critics made such a dramatic move. ``When the screener ban was announced, everyone issued statements against it, but that doesn't have any teeth. What I like about this is that it shows some (guts). It shows that we are serious about this issue.''

Greg Hernandez, [phone]

greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com