[cross-posted at Liberty & Power]
Another gift from IP: Fox is trying to block the release of this cool-looking movie based on one of the greatest comic books of all time. (Conical hat tip to Geoff Plauché.) Rumor has it that the Tolkien estate is likewise trying to block the upcoming Hobbit movie(s).
Note: for those who support IP, but do so on consequentialist grounds (mainly incentival) rather than rights-based ones, wouldn’t it be reasonable to allow the copyright holder only to demand a percentage of the profits, and not be able to block its release absolutely as Fox and the Tolkien estate are apparently seeking to do?
I in no way support IP nor have I ever, but it seems to me that in many IP arguments (particularly those of the Creative Commons crowd), one of the incentives is artistic integrity. Knowledge that if you undertake a project, you will not see your vision hijacked such that you become associated with something very different than your original intent. …Of course that’s less about artificially creating an incentive and more about bluntly and artificially speeding up the removal of a disincentive. It doesn’t matter how large a percentage of my gross I pay for using “GEORGE LUCAS’ Star Wars”, I’m actively lying about and misportraying his artistic character. Since there’s no objective way of measuring such damages, individuals should simply be forbidden from doing it.
Bleh.
I wish I had thought of that title for my own blogpost. 🙂
one of the incentives is artistic integrity
Well, at least in the Watchmen case, though, the party that’s suing no longer has any connection with the actual creative minds behind the original comic.
I wonder what Alan Moore thinks, I know he isn’t fond of his works being turned into movies, but I assume he dislikes IP.
I assume he dislikes IP
I wouldn’t want to bet on that.
My assumption was a bad one? I’ve read very little of his philosophy outside of its presentation within his comics.
What does Alan Moore think about political philosophy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKfF-nxjDi0
My assumption was a bad one?
I’m not saying I know otherwise — just that even anarchist types (think U. K. LeGuin) who are artists or writers often seem to stop worrying and love IP. Plus I vaguely recall that Moore has been in copyright disputes but I don’t recall the details.
If you can’t tell by my name, The Watchmen is my favorite graphic novel and possibly my favorite book. I’m looking forward to the movie because judging by the trailer it looks like they did a great job on it.
If they manage to kill this movie I think it’s time to pick up the pitchfork and torches .