Judge orders further distribution of Expelled stopped

[Washington]

until court hearing of Yoko Ono's copyright and trademark infringement suit.

A federal judge in Manhattan has told the makers of Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed that they cannot distribute the film any further, until a copyright infringement complaint is heard in court later this month.

The temporary restraining order issued April 30 does not affect existing screenings of the anti-evolution film, which uses a segment of John Lennon’s song, “Imagine,” as an example of “Darwinist” philosophy. Lennon’s heirs filed suit April 24 in US District Court in Manhattan against the producers and distributors of the film, alleging copyright and trademark infringement and requesting monetary damages and an injunction against any showing of the film in its present form.
Expelled is showing in 656 theaters nationally, and has gross box office receipts topping $6 million.

The parties involved in the suit have until May 6 (Wednesday) to produce documents supporting their cases. Premise Media and its co-defendants have until May 14 to argue against the injunction. The plaintiffs, Yoko Ono Lennon, John Lennon’s sons and his publisher, EMI Blackwood, have until May 16 to rebut. Final arguments are due May 19.
source

​

I particularly like the monetary damages part.

 

[DeathMagus]

Pshhh... Such blatant amateurism. Even intro TCOM students at Uni know to get necessary permissions for copyrighted material!

Why should I trust a thing these people have to say if they can't even get the simple stuff right?

 

[Cabal]

Pwnt!

 

[flatworm]

Pshhh... Such blatant amateurism. Even intro TCOM students at Uni know to get necessary permissions for copyrighted material!

Oh, I'm sure they know it as a well, but this way they get to say "The Establishment is trying to silence us!", rather than "Nobody wants to see our movie anymore!"

 

[Dracil]

Does it even matter? The number of theaters has been going DOWN not up.

 

[Logic_Fault]

Expelled is showing in 656 theaters nationally, and has gross box office receipts topping $6 million.

I found that part particularly amusing. Anyone know what that horrendous affront to common sense and science actually cost to produce?

I particularly like the monetary damages part.

That was my second favorite part. I hope the damages come to more than $6 million.

 

[AV1611VET]

That was my second favorite part. I hope the damages come to more than $6 million.

Man --- and I'm only sarcastic. You guys get downright brutal when your faith gets stepped on.

 

[Molal]

One of the first things one learns at school (in the UK) is DO NOT PLAGIARISE.

Get permission to use copyright material....

 

[Dracil]

It's down to only 402 for this weekend

I predict it will make about $9m. So if damages come to $10m it will be hilarious.

 

[lemmings]

Man --- and I'm only sarcastic. You guys get downright brutal when your faith gets stepped on.

Brutal? We are merely laughing at a box office bomb. The failure of Expelled is not going to severely harm anyone.

Creationists on the other hand have a tenancy to tell everyone and their mothers that they are going to hell because they don't believe exactly as they do.

 

[pgp_protector]

 

[Washington]

I found that part particularly amusing. Anyone know what that horrendous affront to common sense and science actually cost to produce?

I heard 3 million, excluding promotion costs, which I understand were substantial.

 

[Logic_Fault]

Man --- and I'm only sarcastic. You guys get downright brutal when your faith gets stepped on.

Nice try, but no. I'd find it just as funny if anyone else did something as ignorant as what they've done. It just makes it more amusing that it's the ID/creationist crowd who produced a movie that bombed and, just for good measure, stole someone else's work to use in it. And then got caught. Like nobody would notice Lennon's song. Really, whoever heard of this "Lennon" hack anyway, right?

Your "faith" comment doesn't even deserve a remark, so I wont.

 

[Logic_Fault]

I heard 3 million, excluding promotion costs, which I understand were substantial.

Ha! That's amusing. They've probably barely made back what they spent to get the thing produced, promoted and distributed and now they're being sued. It's good to see their own ignorance and hubris bite them in the rear.

 

[thaumaturgy]

Man --- and I'm only sarcastic. You guys get downright brutal when your faith gets stepped on.

I'm sorry but Title 17 USC provides for copyright to protect works of authorship. You might want to read some of the important documents that protect both artists AND are an integral part of U.S. LAW.

Here's a link for you for 17USC

This isn't a "faith" thing, unless ones faith allows them to trample the laws of this country at which point that faith must be stopped in doing so.

Certainly in this case all parties are innocent until proven guilty.

 

[Nathan45]

I know it's cliche to bash on expelled, but i don't think this qualifies as copywright infringement. ( i'm not a lawyer though, so who knows ) But mean the song goes "Imagine no religion", so i think they have a legitimate argument to fair use in that they could plausibly say they're criticizing what the song stands for, it's not like they're playing that particular song because they like the music.

 

[BrainHertz]

Oh, I'm sure they know it as a well, but this way they get to say "The Establishment is trying to silence us!", rather than "Nobody wants to see our movie anymore!"

Of course, it allows them to play the martyr card again. And you can't get much more "establishment" than Yoko Ono [snort].

 

[AV1611VET]

I'm sorry but Title 17 USC provides for copyright to protect works of authorship.

Well, I haven't seen this movie, and I don't even know what Yoko Lennon is all upset about; but somehow I don't envision you guys really concerned about copyright infringement. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

 

[stumpjumper]

Interesting.

 

[pgp_protector]

Well, I haven't seen this movie, and I don't even know what Yoko Lennon is all upset about; but somehow I don't envision you guys really concerned about copyright infringement. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

Well you're wrong in my case.
I work with copyrights every week.