At Least One Place the Ship Didn't Dock

By KENNETH TURAN

Feb. 11, 1998 12 AM PT

TIMES FILM CRITIC

It’s a truism that simply becomes more apparent when Oscar nominations come around: If you want a good idea in this town, you’d best talk to a writer.

It’s not just that the writers did the sane thing by denying a nomination to James Cameron and his cobbled-together “Titanic” script; any child would have no trouble pointing out that piece’s flaws (and some of my acquaintances in fact have).

More to the point, as they have made a tradition of doing in the past several years, the writers branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has distinguished itself by serving up, both in terms of quality and variety, the most interesting selection of nominees in town. If you want an accurate sense of what was strongest in the past movie year, their list was the one to watch.

In the written-directly-for-the-screen category, the writers branch did more than recognize the grace of the Mark Andrus/James L. Brooks script for “As Good as It Gets.” The writers were also one of the few groups to commend the originality in “Boogie Nights” and “Deconstructing Harry,” not to mention seeing the value in the underdog “The Full Monty.” If they let “Good Will Hunting” sneak onto the list, well, nobody’s perfect.

In the best adaptation category, the writers were alone in remembering back to February and nominating “Donnie Brasco.” And while “L.A. Confidential” was clearly a lock for a slot, it was by no means a given that the other nominees (“The Sweet Hereafter,” “Wag the Dog,” “The Wings of the Dove”) would be so strong and skillful.

Though “Titanic,” with its 14 nominations, was supposed to be the flagship of a return-to-the-studios movement for the academy, it’s good to see that the independents proved that they are here to stay.

Even if 1997 looks weak compared to last year, Miramax got an impressive 17 nominations and was the only entity (unless you count Sony-owned Columbia and TriStar as a single unit) to have as many as three films (“Good Will Hunting,” “The Wings of the Dove,” “Mrs. Brown”) with two nominations or more. And if you include Sony, you have to credit the New Line/Fine Line group, responsible for “Boogie Nights,” “Wag the Dog” and “The Sweet Hereafter,” with having three in the mix as well.

And “Good Will” made it into the critical best picture category, as did indie-minded Fox Searchlight’s “The Full Monty.” An argument could be made that both “L.A. Confidential” and “As Good as It Gets” are eccentric enough to be considered independent in spirit even though they come with studio logos attached.

Though morning-after talk always focuses on the upsets and exclusions, one of the most interesting things about this year’s Oscar nominations was how many of the academy’s tried and true tendencies were confirmed yet one more time. For instance:

* The academy has a very short memory. Of the 40 nominations recorded in the top eight categories, only two, the writers’ nod to “Donnie Brasco” and the actors’ salute to Peter Fonda in “Ulee’s Gold,” came from films that were released in the first six months of 1997. Films released after Labor Day got, as always, the lion’s share of the nominations, which may in part explain why Rupert Everett in “My Best Friend’s Wedding” was forgotten.

* The academy likes things British. Four out of five nominated actresses (Helena Bonham Carter, Julie Christie, Judi Dench and Kate Winslet) come from those sceptered isles, as do supporting nominees Minnie Driver and Anthony Hopkins. And three British films (“The Full Monty,” “Mrs. Brown,” “The Wings of the Dove”) walked away with multiple nominations.

* The academy likes things old. We’re not just talking about “Titanic’s” eightysomething Gloria Stuart, nominated for best supporting actress, we’re talking about all veterans. The biggest surprise of the day, Robert Forster’s nod for “Jackie Brown,” is probably due in part to the fact that his is a welcome reappearance. Burt Reynolds and Christie got the equivalent of career achievement nominations, and, aside from Matt Damon, the four other best actor nominees (Robert Duvall, Peter Fonda, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson) have way over 100 years of combined experience between them.

* The academy knows what it doesn’t like. Though Steven Spielberg’s “Amistad” has all the earmarks of an Oscar-friendly picture, the voters, possibly influenced by the lawsuit over the screenplay (the academy does not like controversy) held it to four nominations. Similarly the genteel-to-the-point-of-frigidity “The Ice Storm” did not warm its way into the voters’ hearts.

* The directors’ branch resists all analysis. Because of its small size (in the neighborhood of 200 voters), this branch is the hardest to figure. Why a veteran, respected Oscar-winning director like “As Good as It Gets’ ” Jim Brooks did not make the cut is one mystery that time will not unravel.

* The documentary committee has the aesthetic standards of Otto von Bismarck. Don’t get me wrong, several of the docs nominated this year, including Spike Lee’s wrenching “4 Little Girls” and “The Long Way Home,” are excellent choices. But to leave off “Fast, Cheap and Out of Control,” the umpteenth time director Errol Morris has been slighted, bespeaks a traditionalism so rigid it wouldn’t be a surprise to hear that Whistler’s mother was a voting member.

As to the future, “Titanic” easily retains its position as the favorite for the Oscar itself, with no backlash in sight. Will one of the feel-good twins, “Good Will Hunting” and “The Full Monty,” gain enough momentum to pierce its hull? Will “L.A. Confidential” convert its critics’ accolades? Will “As Good as It Gets” surprise everyone? Stay tuned.

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Oscar Nominations by Distributor

How they fared, studio by studio:

Sony: 19

Miramax: 17

Paramount * +: 16

20th Century Fox *: 16

Warner Bros.: 10

Buena Vista +: 9

Fox Searchlight: 5

New Line: 5

DreamWorks: 4