Kevin Costner's film `The Postman' has stolen the show at Hollywood's Golden Raspberry awards, which gives prizes to the worst pictures made in 1997. It won five awards including `Worst Picture'. The ceremony came on the eve of the seventieth Academy Awards Show as Jane Hughes reports from Los Angeles.

There were no big stars, glittering jewels or designer dresses, just a packed roomful of people poking fun at what they deem the cinematic disasters of 1997.

And `The Postman' eclipsed all the other nominees, winning not just `Worst Picture' but `Worst Actor', `Worst Director', `Worst Screenplay' and `Worst Song'. The judges had nothing good to say about it:

"And the second most expensive picture of Kevin Costner's career -- which ranks as the single-most embarrassing -- a hundred-million dollar turkey over which critics everywhere - went postal."

Other films singled-out for their awfulness included `GI Jane' starring Demi Moore, `Con Air' and `Speed Two Cruise Control'.

The show may have been an entertaining diversion from the pre-Oscar frenzy, but with just hours to go now all eyes are on the real ceremony.

All eyes on Titanic

If last year was the year for independent production houses, this is the year for the big established studios to reassert themselves. And one film stands head and shoulders above the others -- the night is dominated by `The Titanic' which has fourteen nominations.

Only one other film has ever been nominated so many times, and some expect it to take the record for the number of Oscars awarded to a single film.

Other films expected to do well include `Good Will Hunting', written by two unknown Americans in their twenties, and the romantic comedy `As Good As It Gets', which stars the Hollywood veteran, Jack Nicholson.
 

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