Hit films still miss their targets

By Katharine MacColl

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BOX office blockbusters Star Wars: Episode 1, The Phantom Menace and Wild Wild West are in the running for the worst film title at this year's Golden Raspberry Foundation Awards.

Will Smith in Wild Wild West

Both movies were two of 1999's biggest hits, cost millions to make, attracted some of Hollywood's leading stars, yet they have been nominated for the dubious trophy at the Foundation's Razzies awards ceremony - the flip side of the Oscars.

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Each film has been nominated in the eight categories of criticism. Their nominations include worst director for Star Wars director George Lucas and worst supporting actor for the computer animated star Jar� Jar Binks.

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The foundation announces the flops on 25 March, on the eve of the Oscars' ceremony.

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But in contrast to the Oscars, the Razzies aren't usually a star-studded occasion, despite the equal calibre of the nominees.

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Among the other films vying for the worst film title are smash hits The Blair Witch Project, Adam Sandler's Big Daddy and The Haunting.

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Worst actor nominations include Kevin Costner for his role in Message in a Bottle and For the love of a Game.

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In the running for the worst actress are Welsh star Catherine Zeta Jones for both Entrapment and The Haunting, Melanie Griffith for Crazy in Alabama and Heather Donahue for Blair Witch.

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Tthe Razzies were started in 1980 by the Golden Raspberry Foundation's creator John Wilson. Past winners include Bruce Willis and the Spice Girls.

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Each year winners are given a plaque with a gold spray-painted raspberry� said to be worth �2.50.

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The nominations are compiled by the 457 members of the foundation, which consists of journalists, cinema-goers and industry members.

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This year, in recognition of the end of the millennium, a number of new categories have been added:

• Rambo, Rocky and Judge Dredd star Sylvester Stallone has been nominated for the worst actor of the century 'for 99.95% of everything he has done'.

• Bo Derek has been nominated for the worst actress of the century for her roles in Bolero, Ghosts Can't Do It and Tarzan the Ape-Man.