First Academy Screener Arrives

For those dwindling few interested in the Academy Screener controversy, the first screener of 2004 has arrived chez moi – Kill Bill/ Volume 2 – from perpetually Oscar-obsessed Miramax. As some may recall, last year’s DVDs (meant for Oscar voting) were held up for fear we Academy members might upload our copies on the Internet, thus distributing free advance versions of art films nobody wants to a “delirious” public. (Please, take my film, please!)To prevent this perfidy, this year we were informed we would receive special DVD players to play specially-encrypted DVDs. But Kill Bill is a normal DVD, as far as I can tell, and as yet no such players have arrived. [Okay, now you can apologize for that snotty comment about art films nobody wants. You’ve even made one or two.-ed. Okay, I apologize.]