Oscars 'will not be beaten by terror'

The 2002 Oscars will be the 74th Academy Awards

The Oscars ceremony will be staged as "normal" despite fears of further terrorist attacks in the US.

The president of the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Science, Frank Pierson, has vowed that the events of 11 September will not stop the Oscars.

But acknowledging that the world's climate has radically changed since the tragedies in Washington and New York, he feels it is right the awards should go ahead.

If we give in to fear, if we aren't able to do these simple and ordinary things, the terrorists have won the war

Frank Pierson

In an open letter to Reuters, he wrote: "The celebration of artistic accomplishments may not be the highest priority in a time of national trauma, but the Academy Awards, with all their pomp and history and, yes, occasional foolishness, are a quintessentially American activity.

"And the right to carry on our thousands of less-than-earthshaking activities - our football games, our state fairs, our conventions - is a large part of why we're fighting terrorists today."

There is some doubt as to where the ceremony will be held, after the Academy raised concerns about the security of the new Kodak Theatre which is being built to house the awards.

A decision has yet to be made whether to return it to the Shrine Auditorium instead.

Modifications

The TV Emmys, a usually glittering ceremony, has twice been cancelled in the wake of the terrorist attacks, but organisers have promised the awards will be marked in some way.

Mr Pierson believes Americans are doing their best to return to as normal life as possible and that it is right for the Oscars to go ahead next March.

But he commented there may have to be some changes.

He said: "There may be modifications in the nature of the ceremonies if those are appropriate, but this show, just as it did throughout the great crisis of World War II, just as it did during the Korean and Vietnamese conflicts, will go on. As life goes on. "The world will see an American tradition continue, and will take notice.

"If we give in to fear, if we aren't able to do these simple and ordinary things, the terrorists have won the war.