The Island might hit some copyright problems!

[Tim]

The Seatle Times reports that after viewing the new movie "The Island,"
Robert S. Fiveson, director of "Parts: The Clonus Horror" (seen in
episode 811) is speaking to lawyers about the possibility of getting a
federal injunction to stop the movie's distribution. Says Fiveson:

"I went in hoping and praying that it was enough different than
'Clonus'
so that I could just put my mind at rest and move on, but I can't.
Because astonishingly enough, it not only seems to rest on the very
skeleton of the film, ... there were enough (similarities) in the movie
in the first third that I thought this cannot be happenstance or
casual."

The article also makes a passing mention of MST3K. You can read it in
its entirety at:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/movies/2002394690_islandripoff.html

 

[Kevin]

Looks like my first reaction "Clonus" to the previews was spot on then. Either way, The Island isn't the type of movie that I'd catch at the theaters... I'll catch it on cable if/when it gets there.

 

[Tim]

well, i haven't really watched any MST3K and couldn't find the old movie anywhere, although i presume it might have a resurgence soon as a result of publicity over this situation.

i don't tend to report rumours, although will speak my own mind from my experiences, but the fact the director of Cronus is quoted here after physically viewing The Island is too solid a story not to include! not sure why he is trying to stop distribution of the movie, rather than simply allowing it to make it's money and then suing for his "rightful share" of the profits, with an admission of copying. that would make him fairly more well off and give his career another boost.

 

[Kevin]

The tactic of trying to stop distribution is for quick settlement. If he allowed the new movie to be released and then took it too court it could take years and he might not see anything. On the other hand if he tries to prevent The Island from even being distributed then it's producers will be more inclined for a quick out-of-court settlement so that the movie can be released as planned.

 

[Tim]

and of course, as the consumers ultimately, we get to compare the two films a lot quicker

wonder how much this is effectively damaging the actors/actresses careers in the meantime? mud sticks, even for people with no control over a film, just by association. ewan mcgregor comes off the high of star wars ep 3 to find his next scifi blockbuster is jammed in the works for something like this.

 

[SG-13]

Looks more like a logans run remake to me lol

 

[Tim]

this is no a pending court decision, as the director of Parts : Clonus the horror has sent his lawyers into the courts to try and prevent film distribution, siting about 90 plot similarities in the first hour of The Island

and UK publication : Heat could have done with some googling themselves when they reviewed the film, giving it 4/5 and saying the US audiences obviously weren't up for "brainy" film plot or that ewan mcgregor isn't pulling the audiences over there outside of the star wars franchise. they also stated in the first sentence of the review that the film was original and worth watching. definitely not original and people who've seen it are saying that the story is lacking in sparkle and more in screen impact with action scenes.

i might just have to go watch it at the cinema here before it's pulled, it opens tonight locally in my city