Shrinking Holly

That “pre-opening” ad in last Sunday’s papers for “Animal Behavior,” which opened Friday, had Holly Hunter dominating the page, looming over stars Armand Assante and Karen Allen. To some, the ad lines might imply a romantic triangle: “Karen Allen and Armand Assante are falling in love. But there’s only one thing standing in their way . . . Holly Hunter.”

But those who’ve seen the movie know that Hunter’s role is more incidental than pivotal. She plays Assante’s next-door neighbor, mistaken by Allen for his wife--which dampens Allen’s ardor.

In his review of “Animal Behavior,” Calendar’s Kevin Thomas described Hunter’s role as “small,” the ad as “misleading.”

(Hunter was an unknown when “Animal Behavior” was shot nearly five years ago, subsequently emerging as a star with her Oscar nomination for “Broadcast News” in 1987.)

Miramax Films has since altered its print campaign--Hunter’s image is now practically Munchkin-sized. But a Miramax exec denied it had anything to do with truth in advertising.

“We changed the ad for design purposes,” said the exec from the company’s N.Y.C. headquarters. “The copy is staying the same. We still feel her character is integral to the plot . . . that she’s a significant part of the film.”

Co-producer Kjehl Rasmussen, however, told us that the ad was changed after he “expressed an opinion (to Miramax) that the balance of the ad should be between the two stars of the picture.” Miramax, he said, had tried to capitalize on Hunter’s recent star status “to sell tickets, certainly to create awareness” for the movie.

“Fortunately,” he added, “the ad has been changed.”