Strike takes sheen off Golden Globes

LOS ANGELES, January 14 : If a movie wins a Golden Globe, but there’s no ceremony, does the prize still count? That’s the issue faced by the Hollywood studios behind such films as Atonement and Sweeney Todd, which lost their moments of glory on Sunday to the Hollywood writers strike.

Globe organisers were forced to cancel their usual NBC broadcast after the actors union said it would boycott the event in deference to striking writers. A 30-minute news conference was held instead, with the winners announced by a revolving cast of TV gossip show reporters.

That’s a poor promotional platform for films that would have benefited from primetime exposure during an alcohol-fueled, three-hour broadcast packed with celebrities.

“Certainly it takes away the visibility from us and everybody, which is too bad,” said Jack Foley, President of distribution at General Electric Co’s Focus Features, which released best-drama winner Atonement. “It’s a big, huge commercial.”

Last year, 20 million viewers tuned in to the show, and winners such as The Queen and Babel used the Globes as a springboard to expand nationally the following weekend.

Atonement, which led with seven nominations, has earned a modest $25 million after six weeks in release, and is now playing in 950 theaters.

Foley said it would be vital for movies to trumpet their Globes successes in newspaper and TV ads, especially since the following Monday is a holiday in the US, and Oscar nominations will be announced the day after.

While there is inevitably a lot of overlap between the Globe and Oscar nominees, the Globes have not foreshadowed the best-picture Oscar winner since 2004, when Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King topped both ceremonies.

The Globes are determined by about 90 foreign journalists, and the Oscars by 6,500 industry professionals. The Oscars will be announced on February 24, assuming the writers strike does not take down Hollywood’s biggest night as well.

THE WINNERS

DRAMA

Best Film Atonement

Best Actress Julie Christie

Away From Her

Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis

There Will Be Blood

MUSICAL OR COMEDY

Best FIlm Sweeney Todd

Best Actress Marion Cotillard

La Vie En Rose

Best Actor Johnny Depp

Sweeney Todd

Best Supporting Cate Blanchett

Actress I'm Not There

Best Supporting Javier Bardem

Actor No Country For Old Men

Best Animated Ratatouille

Film

Best Foreign The Diving Bell And

Language Film The Butterfly (France/US)

Best Director Julian Schnabel

The Diving Bell And The Butterfly

Best Screenplay No Country For Old Men

Written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

... contd.

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