BBM Copyright Infringement Lawsuit

[Lynne]

Author Files $250M Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Against "Universal" and the Studios That Financed and Distributed the Film

Washington, DC (BlackNews.com) - Author, Janice Scott-Blanton, filed a $250M copyright infringement lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. The complaint alleges that similarities between her novel My Husband is on the Down Low and I Know About It and the Academy Award winning motion picture film Brokeback Mountain 2005, are more than coincidence.

To support her allegations, Scott-Blanton has cataloged over 50 substantial similarities between the two bodies of work; these similarities range from subtle to the stark. During an early bar scene in the movie, Scott-Blanton saw an occurrence that reminded her of a scene from her novel but she gave it the benefit of the doubt. While continuing to view the movie, Scott-Blanton recognized during the first sexual encounter between Jack and Ennis another similarity; the scene reminded her of a sex scene from her novel; this was not a coincidence. She placed the movie on pause and retrieved her novel. After reviewing the scene from her novel, she realized the scenes were eerily similar. A coincidence at this point but this caused Scott-Blanton to view the remainder of the movie with a more critical eye.

A more stark similarity is exhibited after James' and Annette's ninth wedding anniversary, when Annette from Scott-Blanton's novel confronted James regarding his homosexual activity. James told her that he had purposely written a confession in his journal because he knew she had been secretly reading it; he did not know of any other way to tell her about his secret. This scene transpires in a kitchen setting. After Thanksgiving dinner, in the movie Brokeback Mountain, Alma confronts Ennis (her husband) regarding his homosexual activity. Alma told Ennis she had purposely written a note and put it on the end of his fishing line for him to find. This scene also transpires in a kitchen setting.

Scott-Blanton intends to prove in court that there are substantial similarities in the domestic life, characters, plot, thematic expressions, sequence of events and the total look and feel of Brokeback Mountain as compared to her novel My Husband is on the Down Low and I Know About It.

About the Author
Janice Scott-Blanton, M.Ed., is a native of Mobile, Alabama, is a former alcohol & drug clinician turned relationship author and columnist. She lives in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

For media interviews contact: Michelle Knolton at (571) 251-5947

CONTACT:
Michelle Knolton
571-251-5947

http://www.blacknews.com/pr/janicescottblanton101.html

[Scott6373]

Sorry...read that book...it was terrible.  I read BBM for the first time last year, and then the film, and not once was I reminded of "My Husband is on the Down Low and I Know About It"  If she is suing Universal, why isn't she suing Annie Proulx?

[Front-Ranger]

Yeah, and what took her so long?

[MaineWriter]

Sorry...read that book...it was terrible.  I read BBM for the first time last year, and then the film, and not once was I reminded of "My Husband is on the Down Low and I Know About It"  If she is suing Universal, why isn't she suing Annie Proulx?

Maybe Annie should sue this chick, since BBM was published in 1997 and this book has a copyright date of 2005...wait a minute...this book came out after the movie was made. How on earth can they be stealing from her story?

A blatant ploy to drum up sales for a crappy, self-published book if you ask me. Go read the excerpts on amazon. It is so bad it is funny.

L

[Lynne]

Sorry...read that book...it was terrible.  I read BBM for the first time last year, and then the film, and not once was I reminded of "My Husband is on the Down Low and I Know About It"  If she is suing Universal, why isn't she suing Annie Proulx?

Cool that you've read her book, Scott.  I didn't want to editorialize without all (any?) facts .  I expect Universal's pockets are deeper.

OK, I'll editorialize.

If the similarities mentioned in the article are her best examples, it's weak, weak, weak.

Hello?? Universal themes??

For instance, I've played the Junior/Ennis scenes out in my own life *countless* times with really only small variations on the same theme.

[opinionista]

Her lawyer is definitely giving her a terrible advice if she intends to go on with the lawsuit. She is either stupid or insanely greedy.

[nakymaton]

She's not suing Annie Proulx because the novel is copyrighted 2005. (According to the copyright info on Amazon, at least.)

And the lawsuit is probably going forward to attempt to get publicity for the book. It wouldn't take much research at all to discover that the scenes Scott-Blanton describes were all published in a short story in the New Yorker in 1997.  Heck, I've got a screenplay draft that's older than her novel.

[SFEnnisSF]

Well, the author of this vampire book should sue the other author of that vampire book then.

The author of this love story should sue the other author of that love story.

The author of this 'how to get rich' book should sue the other author of that 'how to get rich' book.


 

[Ellemeno]

But you guys, it says that the husband and wife in HER book had a conversation in the kitchen.  Ennis and Alma have a conversation in their kitchen.  If that doesn't prove something, I don't know what does.

 

[ifyoucantfixit]

   it is my considered opinion, that if there is a lawyer there is way;  to make a suit i mean
if they see a chance however remote..they are going to make a suit...they have no
intention of really winning a suit, but they probably hope to get a quick settlement in order
to have a quick piece of cash....