A television film critic has shocked some members of his profession by admitting he accepted money from studios to rewrite scripts and advised studios how to market their films.
Some critics said Michael Medved's activities are unethical because film reviews should not be tainted by association with studios."If you want to do that kind of work, go to work in Hollywood," said David Elliott, film critic of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "He is muddying the waters not only for himself but for other critics."
Medved, co-host of the PBS show "Sneak Previews," testified last week as an expert witness on behalf of Paramount Pictures in a lawsuit by humor columnist Art Buchwald and his collaborator, Alain Bernheim.
Buchwald and Bernheim want $6.2 million for their contributions to the Eddie Murphy comedy "Coming to America." Paramount says the two are owed no more than $500,000 combined. Medved testified their contributions to the film were insignificant.
Medved reviews films from Paramount and its competitors. In newspaper advertisements for Paramount's "Wayne's World," Medved is quoted as saying: "Inventive, outrageous and irresistable."
Medved said Paramount paid him between $8,000 and $10,000 to testify - he billed the studio for between 40 and 50 hours at $200 an hour.
He said he occasionally rewrites screenplays and has received money from both Warner Bros. and Columbia Pictures for script-writing services.
In an interview, the reviewer said it was not unusual for critics to work for studios. He said the syndicated movie-review show hosted by Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert is owned by the Walt Disney Co., and movie critic Leonard Maltin works for "Entertainment Tonight," a Paramount program.
Medved said his outside work does "not at all" affect his objectivity. But other critics said the level of Medved's Hollywood dealings was shocking and his conduct damages his credibility.
"I don't know of any respected critic who will participate - paid or unpaid - in the marketing of contemporary movies," said Richard Schickel, a critic for Time magazine.
"The people who read you should be confident there is absolutely nothing else on your mind," said Kenneth Turan, film critic for the Los Angeles Times. "Accepting money from a studio has a potential to raise that question."
Paramount spokesman Harry Anderson said Saturday that Medved's reviews have not been tainted by his relationship with the studio. He said it was "common practice" to compensate witnesses.