Horror Movies Forum - Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (azathoth) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 11:29:13 +0000

How do you really feel, Baby?

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (Baby_Firefly) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:22:53 +0000

azathoth wrote:

And Repo Men has just gained about a massive $2 million. Blurg.

Fuck these ripoff artists and fuck Jude Law lol.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (azathoth) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 10:28:32 +0000

And Repo Men has just gained about a massive $2 million. Blurg.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (bassplayer146) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:19:25 +0000

Ok, history lesson folks.

Darren Smith and Terrence Zdunich came up with the idea for what would later be called "Repo The Genetic Opera" in 1994, and developed it into a ten minute operetta called "Necromancers Debt" the same year. Over the next few years the idea would evolve and would eventually turn into Repo the Genetic Opera which started out as a small low budget musical/opera in the late 90's, and gradually eveolved into a opera that, while still underground was somewhat well known and respected by 2004. It began pre production in 2007 and was released in 2008.

The write of "Repossession Mamba" which would later be developed into the film "Repo Men" claims that he first had the idea ten years before its release in 2009, which would place Eric Garcia's original idea at around 1999. Even if he's telling the truth and he got the idea in 1999 Repo The Genetic Opera still predates that by five years.

Not that the following facts matter that much, but the book Repossession Mamba was released in 2009, a few months after it was given the green light for movie adaptation.

Combine that with the incredible list of similarities, and it becomes rather obvious that Repo Men is an adaptation of a rip off. Is it the movie studio's fault? No, not entirely. Short cited, yes, but not really their fault, nor it it the fault of the actor's or crew. The fault lies with Eric Garcia, who coincidentally, also co-wrote the script the Repo Men.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (azathoth) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 08:02:23 +0000

I love books/movies with backstory!

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (BillyRave) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:39:39 +0000

Buy Eric Garcia's novel 'The Repossession Mambo', and read the long history of the book and resulting movie which he includes as a postscript. When I picked up the book and read the cover blurb, I thought 'Ah! The source of 'Repo: The Genetic Opera' (which I'd already bought on DVD), but then I read that book's history, and knew that controversy was due in short order. Garcia states he wrote the original short story in 1997, and quickly had film interest, but didn't finish the novel for another few years, at which time there was again film interest. Plagiarism? By whom? Before 'R:TGO' fans start crying foul, read the book''s history and get a definitive answer to which came first. The stories are amazingly similar, but vastly different in execution. A great Halloween late-night double-feature!

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (azathoth) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:37:14 +0000

I think the problem is the nearly same name, kind of like how Asylum does things. Just feels sleazy. If you want ot make the same type movie, at least change the name some. We had Volcano and Dante's Peak, Armegeddon and Deep Impact. Just don't pull an Asylum Transmorphers/Transformers.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (pR1m3vil) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:11:14 +0000

Well Said. Welcome to the sire GuitarAddict!

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (GuitarAddict) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 21:09:31 +0000

Indeed folks...Ideas overlap. I think, as someone else raised, that the issue is more how they handled it -- and when a company that turns down a project suddenly comes up with a SLIGHTLY altered version of the rejected project, then Hmmm. eyebrows raised.

Same thing happened with the Paul Green School of Rock. VH-1 came to do a "documentary" on the real, original School Of Rock in Philly, filmed for many hours, recorded every aspect about running a school that teaches music via classic rock n roll..then shelved the "documentary" . Then -VOILA! - Paramount has this movie, starring Jack Black...with the same concept, tweaked a little!! Viacom of course owns both Paramount and VH-1...

IMHO, as D. Bousman and someone else also suggested, let's use this as an opportunity to publicize Repo! The Genetic Opera...there is room for both to exist -- in fact -- we have no choice!!

It's a bummer but big corporate entities steal creativity every day...Some of you have listed great examples -- it has happened from the day movies were made. Doesn't make it OK...but Let's ride on the wave of people googling about "REPO" for now....

I love Repo! The Genetic Opera, and it really has that quality to be seen again and again. I'm biased -- I was fortunate enough to be the guitarist in the pit-band for the original NYC run of the stage production. We all knew it was an amazing piece of work then, such a memorable run.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (Gardenofstone10) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:07:21 +0000

Repo! is almost 10 years old

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (Googopqp) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 05:40:57 +0000

I just saw this trailer today, without knowing anything about this dilema or anything, and I was like "Wow! Seriously? They are remaking films with slightly different stories now? Thats bullshit!" I'm not a fan of The Genetic Opera, but it was an original film and to see a mainstream movie, apparently take its idea without word is just terrible. Before the trailer ended I even guessed the name of the movie because of how much it ripped off Repo. But, you gotta agree with Darren with the things he said, this movie will be forgotten, but its really nothing to bitch about, its coming out and you really can't stop that.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (limerence) — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 01:52:00 +0000

Wikipedia says Eric Garcia published the original novel in 2008. Same year as Repo!
Not to mention, Universal is releasing Repo Men. Didn't Darren and Terrance submit the Repo! script to Universal? And didn't they reject it?
I'm with the Repo! team on this one.

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (Cap Howdy) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:47:21 +0000

Am I correct in assuming you were referring to this post herrdrosselmeyer?

brandnewcool wrote:

It's not plagiarism. Repo Men is based on a novel by Eric Garcia, called "The Repossession Mambo." The book is based on a short story he wrote in 1997. Sometimes story ideas overlap. It happens, people. It happens...

If so you might want to reread it carefully. Especially the bit that doesn't say that "The Repossession Mambo" was released in 1997 but does say that "The Repossession Mambo" was based on a short story written in that year.

So chill out, yeah?

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (herrdrosselmeyer) — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 23:16:44 +0000

Repossesion Mambo came March 31, 2009, AFTER Repo! The Genetic Opera. Just to clear up the misunderstanding. Who in the world told you it came out in 1997? They were LYING to you. I'm sorry, but check your facts before you post things, please.

Remember: We STARTED this Opera Sh*t!!!

Re: Darren Bousman Responds To REPO MEN Rip Off

dummy@example.com (BlackTequilaKiss) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 18:50:33 +0000

One thing I can agree with Goon on is that Forrest Whittaker is a fantastic actor. He's never failed to surprise me with his range and talent that he conveys. That said I checked the trailer and... meh.... it seems in similar fashion to all these other shoot 'em, fast paced films and that's one thing that I struggle with.

Whittaker is an amazing actor by far but in a certain field of movies, whereas in anything that is shoot 'em up, fast paced seems rather derived of what makes him such a good actor. He seems to work well in the movies that command more depth, not these movies. I am with Meh, the casting is completely wrong with this movie, just wrong.