I'm writing to inform you all of an important Congressional

bill regarding the "integrity" of films.   There will be a

hearing next week and a vote thereafter.  You may wish to lobby

your Congress persons to express your views.

     Senator Alan Simpson (R-Wyoming) and Senator Howard

Metzenbaum (D-Ohio) are co-sponsors of the "Film Disclosure Act

of 1992 (S.B. 2256).  A similar bill was introduced in the

House last year by Rep. Bob Mrazek (D-NY).  According to the

Artists Rights Foundation (Los Angeles), "the purpose of the

Act is to inform the public when a motion picture has been

materially altered.  At its core, the Act is a 'truth-in-

labeling' bill.  The public can then make up its mind if it

wants to watch this version of the film.  The Act requires that

any film that was originally shown in movie theaters carry a

label that describes how the film has been changed by the person

distributing or exhibiting the film (edited, colorized, panned

and scanned, etc.).  The label would also carry a brief message

if the director, screenwriter and/or cinematographer . . . and

why they object."

     Address your comments to members of the Senate Committee on

the Judiciary (below), the House Committee on the Judiciary (below)

and your Congress person and Senators.  Detailed letters are most

effective (especially if you can include any relevant incidents of

film defacement that you have witnessed in viewing videotaped films).

This is an important issue for all of us who teach and write about

film.

     Sincerely,

     Stuart McDougal, University of Michigan

Senate Committee on the Judiciary:  Joseph R. Biden (D-Del); Dennis

DeConcini (D-Ariz); Howell Heflin (D-Alabama); Edward M. Kennedy (D-

Mass); Herb  Kohl (D-Wisconsin); Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont); Howard

M. Metzenbaum (D-Ohio); Paul Simon (D-Illinois): Hank Brown (R-Colo);

Charles E. Grassley (R-Ohio); Orrin Hatch (R-Utah); Alan K. Simpson

(R-Wyoming); Arlen Specter (R-Pa); Strom Thurmond (R-SC)

House Committee on the Judiciary: Rick Boucher (D-Virginia); Howard

Berman (D-Calif); Jack Brooks (D-Texas); John Bryant (D-Texas);

John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI); Don Edwards (D-Calif); Edward F. Feighan

(D-Ohio); Barney Frank (D-Mass); Dan Glickman (D-Kansas); Peter

Hoagland (D-Nebraska); William J. Hughes (D-Texas); Michael J.

Kopetski (D-Oregon); Mel Levine (D-Calif); Romano L. Mazzoli (D-

Kentucky); Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island); George E. Sangmeister (D-

Illinois); Patricia Schroeder (D-Colo); Charles E. Schumer (D-New

York); Harley O. Staggers, Jr. (D-WV); Mike Synar (D-Oklahoma);

Craig Washington (D-Texas); Tom J. Cambell (R-Calif); Howard Coble

(R-NC); Hamilton Fish, Jr. (R-New York); George W. Gekas (R-Pa);

Henry J. Hyce (R-Illinois); Craig T. James (R-Florida); Bill McCollum

(R-Florida); Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Calif); Jim Ramstad (R-Minn);

Steven H. Schiff (R-New Mexico); F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wisconsin);

D. French Slaughter, Jr. (R-Va); Samar Smith (R-Texas)