Variety's Uncertain Review Policy

email this story
read comments (18)
post a comment

In the wake of Variety's recent decisions to (a) pull a negative Robert Koehler review of a minor film called Iron Cross because of producer threats that might have affected a $400,000 ad buy and (b) lay off chief film critic Todd McCarthy, several pundits (including Roger Ebert) have declared that the legendary trade publication is more or less finished. Or at least that the die is cast toward that end.

But now Variety really seems destined for extinction with Joshua Newton, the producer and director of Iron Cross, telling The Wrap's Sharon Waxman that Variety publisher Neil Stiles informed him not long ago that "he planned to cease all reviews this year, in 2010."

This statement argues with a paragraph in Michael Cieply's 3.15 N.Y. Times story about Variety's (and The Hollywood Reporter's) fortunes, to wit: "At a Tuesday morning meeting, [Variety publisher Neil] Stiles mentioned a plan to package reviews for sale to some of the many mainstream papers that have dropped their critics to save money. It is part of an effort to syndicate material or franchise the Variety name to publications around the world."

Newton also accuses Variety editor Tim Gray of "lying through his nose" when he told L.A. Times columnist Patrick Goldstein and Gawker "that he removed the Iron Cross review because of concerns it had errors." (I prefer "lying through his teeth." You can blow your nose or sniff out a story with it, but you can't tell a whopper through it.)

It's a fascinating blunt-spoken q & a. No one's presuming that Newton's view is the last word or that Variety doesn't have a different recollection or viewpoint, but wow...what an implosion. I suppose it's possible that Newton is completely misquoting Stiles about his alleged intention to zotz all reviews sometime later this year, but a voice is telling me Newton probably didn't invent this statement out of whole cloth. This is staggering. No McCarthy reviews was one thing, but no reviews at all? That can't be true. It's too radical a notion.

The Man Who Fell To Earth<< previous | next >>Solitary Man

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on March 15, 2010 at 5:32 AM

comment #1

gradystiles says ...

My guess is that Newton, who seems to be utterly clueless about most things, simply misunderstood what Stiles said (assuming, of course, that Stiles said anything about this to him). I bet you anything Newton is actually just referring to Variety not having any staff reviewers, instead relying on free-lancers.

I know that's not what the Newton quote says, but given that the NY Times article today talks about the possibility of Variety syndicating their reviews to other outlets, including newspapers who have fired their critics, that doesn't really jibe with what Newton's claiming.

Posted by gradystiles at March 15, 2010 6:26 AM

comment #2

Ray DeRousse says ...

I'm a little confused as to how Newton thinks he has a case here. Not to defend Variety, but he paid for advertising and received it. I can't find any proof thus far that Newton's money was supposed to be used for buying positive reviews.

As for Variety ceasing reviews, I'm sure they look at their traffic numbers and decided that they weren't that important to revenue. Lots of successful movie sites do not feature regular reviews (including this one) and so it shouldn't be that much of a problem.

Posted by Ray DeRousse at March 15, 2010 6:42 AM

comment #3

gradystiles says ...

From today's NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/15/business/media/15variety.html?pagewanted=1

"At a Tuesday morning meeting, Mr. Stiles mentioned a plan to package reviews for sale to some of the many mainstream papers that e dropped their critics to save money. It is part of an effort to syndicate material or franchise the Variety name to publications around the world."

Variety isn't dropping reviews.

Posted by gradystiles at March 15, 2010 6:45 AM

comment #4

Anthony Thorne says ...

Just reviewers, and the reviews those reviewers would have written.

Posted by Anthony Thorne at March 15, 2010 1:20 PM

comment #5

Luke Y. Thompson says ...

Which papers are going to pick up Variety reviews, with all their made-up showbiz lingo and shorthand that the average reader will not want to deal with? Or are they gonna drop that distinctive flourish too?

Posted by Luke Y. Thompson at March 15, 2010 2:07 PM

comment #6