Oscar Bids Popular Among Theater Owners

Movie theater owners, managers, bookers and others attending the annual ShoWest convention here emerged smiling Wednesday from a breakfast where the Academy Award nominations were announced.

And it wasn’t just because they didn’t have to wake up at 5:30 a.m. to find out the results. Instead, there was an almost audible shared sigh of relief that this year’s Oscar contenders were almost entirely made up of “commercial” and not “arty” films.

“I’m glad to see that most of the films that were nominated are commercial enough to play in all markets,” said Bradford Bills, owner of Independent Film Services of Kansas City, Mo., echoing the sentiments of many of his fellow conventioneers.

“Generally, you can’t take a picture like ‘Gandhi’ or ‘The Last Emperor’ and expect to throw it into a rural farming community or a suburb situation.”

That’s certainly not the case with ‘Rain Man,’ which is playing in many of the movie houses run by these members of the National Assn. of Theater Owners (NATO).

“Everyone’s already been coming out to see ‘Rain Man’ and now this is going to bring even more people out,” predicted Bob Bagby, an executive with the B and B Movie Co. of South Ferry, Mo., who like other theater managers expect a box-office bonanza from Wednesday’s nominations. Generally, the ShoWest attendees predicted that the Oscar announcements would mean a 25% across-the-board rise in business for the nominated films. And what’s fortuitous for them is that most of these movies are playing in their theaters right now.

“It doesn’t matter to us if the winner is ‘Rain Man’ or ‘Working Girl’ or ‘Mississippi Burning,’ ” Bagby explained. “We’ll still be very happy because we have them on all our screens!’

Again with box office in mind, a few conventioneers hoped “Mississipp Burning” would come away with the best picture Oscar if for no other reason than that--in the words of one theater owner--”it needs the business more than “Rain Man” does.’ ”

One surprise for attendees was the failure of “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” to garner a best picture, best director or best actor nod. Some agreed with the academy’s snub.

“As far as the technical achievements of the film, it well merited anything that it got,” explained Tina Carpenter, manager of UA Theaters in West Palm Beach, Fla. “But as far as being the best film, it wasn’t the best picture I’ve ever seen.”

Ted Conley, head film buyer for Cinemark Corp. in Dallas, Tex., which owns 400 screens nationally, also believed that “technically, it’s great. But I just don’t think it’s that artistic a film acting-wise or in any other vein.”

Others likened the Academy’s treatment of “Roger Rabbit” to what happened to “E.T.,” another huge hit at the box office.

“It’s typical of the academy,” noted Gayle Smith, owner of the Movie Park Drive-in in Siloam Springs, Ariz. “Usually, the movies which the public likes best aren’t best picture winners. The people who do the nominations are not in touch with the public. Maybe it’s because they’re all rich.”

Some names that were missing from the best actor and best actress categories caused hardly an eyebrow to raise here. No one seemed to like Bette Midler in “Beaches” while William Hurt and Kathleen Turner failed to impress in “Accidental Tourist.”

“Thank God, Hurt didn’t make it,” exclaimed Bradford Bills, owner of Independent Film Services of Kansas City, Mo. “It was another typical performance from him and I’m so sick of seeing him nominated.”

There was general agreement that Dustin Hoffman was a shoo-in for best actor, and theater owners credited his performance as the main reason for the film’s success with audiences.

“And it redeemed him after the catastrophe of ‘Ishtar,’ noted Robert Heyl, owner of the Wyoming Theater Co. in Torrington, Wyo.

One lone dissenter was Otto Settele, owner of Rosa Theaters in Waupaca, Wis., who was hoping Tom Hanks will win. “Hanks is a very popular star right now,” he said.

Is that the only reason?

“Well,” Settele admitted, laughing, “I’m coming out with the ‘burbs’ on Friday, and a Hanks Oscar could help business.”

Other ShoWest conventionerrs, however, had academy politics and not their bottom line in mind when they predicted a Glenn Close or Jodie Foster victory for best actress.

“Glenn Close will get it because she should have gotten it for ‘Fatal Attraction’ and the academy always apologizes the next year,” explained Carpenter.

But Bradford Bills believes the academy will honor Foster “because it was a role that stretched her beyond what she’s done before. And I think they would like to see her win to encourage her to go on and do bigger and better things.”

Most conventioneers thought Sigourney Weaver deserved an award--but couldn’t make up their minds if she deserved it in the best actress or best supporting actress category.

Melanie Griffith’s performance in ‘Working Girl’ was another favorite although some thought the film itself too small in scope for an award.

“She deserves a lot of credit,” maintained Ted Conley. “But, knowing how the academy works, I just think it’s a little bit before her time.”

And, speaking of academy politics, most ShoWest attendees agreed with the inclusion of Martin Scorsese in the best director category for “The Last Temptation of Christ.” Even those whose theaters had decided not to show the movie because of the controversy it had created, like Doug Kinney, manager of the Douglas Theater in Lincoln, Neb.

“I was glad to see it (nominated),” Kinney said. “I thought that was a nice little touch.”