Doing 'Damage'

When Carrie Fisher phoned Candice Bergen to rave about Louis Malle's Damage, Bergen said, ''But where did you see it? We were hoping you'd be at the premiere.'' That's when Bergen, who's married to Malle, found out that Damage has become L.A.'s most sought-after video. Because the film's late, limited release cuts down on its chances for Oscar nominations, New Line Cinema mailed Academy voters tapes of Damage before it came out — something never done before. And sending out an NC-17 version (it's rated R in theaters) certainly adds to the appeal — although, as Malle says, ''there is only about six seconds' difference'' between the two.