By Ryan Parsons | Image property of Summit Entertaiment, Variety
The Hurt Locker
The email sent out by producer Nicolas Chartier looking for Academy support for The Hurt Locker was so desperate (and beggy), that one would think that the embarrassment alone would be punishment enough. But that's not the rules. While I thought the worst case scenario would result in the removal of the film itself from the Oscar race -- let that be a lesson to all -- but instead the only entity being banned is Nicolas Chartier.
The Hurt Locker Producer Banned
But don't feel too bad for him. Though he can't physically attend the awards show, he will still get a shiny gold statue if The Hurt Locker were to win for the producers.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences were lenient because they considered Chartier's email to be an "ethical lapse." I get it, you want people to support your film. The part I don't get was his need to bash Avatar in the same email. That is the real unforgivable part.
"If everyone tells one or two of their friends, we will win and not a $500 million film," he wrote without naming the Fox pic. "We need independent movies to win like the movies you and I do, so if you believe The Hurt Locker is the best movie of 2010, help us!"
He apologized for the email and his neg against the "another movie," but the damage has been done.
Add to Heffee!
