Page 1 of Congratulations Disney ....

Well,

It is so nice to know that megacorporate Disney is taking a reasoned and balanced approach to the concept of copyright.

A rival company had planned to produce a stage musical based on the Lion King film from 1994. But Disney caught wind of this and told the rival in so uncertain terms that they owned the intellectual property of the film`s storyline and songs and would not permit a rival to the current West End show going ahead.

Sounds reasonable enough, doesn`t it?

Well, consider the fact that the rival company is a school drama group planning on a four night run of a show they`ve been rehearsing for the past six months, consisting of fifty or so thriteen and fourteen year old school pupils, and all in aid of charity. The show would have raised 1600 pounds for charity but that will not now be possible. After the school contacted Disney to check that there would not be a problem with the production, the lovely people at Disney refused permission for the schholplay to go ahead.

Get a grip Disney. You should be calling the school to give the go-ahead immediately before you make even more of an ass of yourselves than you alrady have.

Oh dear. Looks like the prolification of guns in the US have enabled Disney to shoot themselves in the foot yet again.

This happens all the time.... when I was in school, they spent months preparing to do a production of West Side Story.. only to be told that they couldn`t do it.......

Just the money grabbing tightasses in charge of the movie companies again....

considering disney are supposed to be a `childens` or family brand, i think theyre one of the most selfish, arrogant and vein companies in the world. weve all been moaning over the past months at how disney are able to justify charging more for their dvds than any other companies, and now with the above story its seems theve further enhanced the bad reputation they seemed to be speedily building up.....

disney = get a f*****g grip!!!!!

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall Disney taking action against a children`s hospital in the USA because they had painted a mural on one of their walls, featuring Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

Disney knows a lot about copyright laws, but from current evidence it has a heck of a lot to learn about compassion and good public relations :-(


Mike

its sad to say but many years ago when i was travelling in the usa i fulfilled a lifetimes ambition by going to disneyworld...and then swearing at mickey mouse.

its feeble i know, but even now it still makes me feel warm inside. death to fluffy corporation revisionist history scum corporations!

Why did the School ask Disney anyway?

They should have just gone and performed the show even after Disney said they couldn`t. I mean, would they stoop so low as to take a charity to court?

Come to think of it, maybe they would.

I hate Disney.

Right

Let`s boycott them.

Sign here....

`I promise never ever, ever to buy another Disney product, even if my youngest child screams and screams...... and holds her breath `till she goes blue in the face............ and won`t eat her veg.........or...?`
?um....er.....?

Bugger!

They`ve got us by the short and curlies haven`t they?

How do you deny children part of their childhood? You don`t, do you. Truth is you can`t

I`ll try to convince them that W.Disney is the spawn of Satan, but I don`t hold much hope `til they`re at least 25!

SN
PS I hate Disney too!

This isn`t about Disney being evil and anticharity, they give millions to charity every year. This is over the principles of Intellectual Property, without legal holds over intellectual property there would be little reason for anyone to make new music, write stories, create new designs, or most importantly in the field, make new inventions.

Without intelectual property and an ability of company or individual to legally withdraw the right to use it by others, the world would be an even more money grabbing place. Think about that, many charities, particularly medical and environmental ones own patents on various "inventions" without those the charities couldn`t work.

If thesekids really wanted to use the music etc, they`d have been bette approaching them b4 starting rehersals etc, because not only are there intellectual property issues but there are also laws governing how much amateur productions can do from a play/musical that is currently running.

I do not work for disney and have no affiliation other than liking some of their movies.

Get a grip on the world people, and think about how badly off charities would be without Disney, and without these laws. Many wouldn`t even exist!!!!!

That`s a fair point tripodjw. It`s tough one actually and I`m glad you pointed out that it`s more complicated than we think. The views above are a pretty good example though of how Disney comes accross to Joe Public. Maybe the organisers of the production should have asked in advance, in fact it seems dumb for them not to when it appears to be a rather large production. But the situation as it stands is a whole PR mess for Disney. They`ve got every right to protect their property (intelectual or otherwise) but most people will just see this as another reason on the list to hate Disney, much the same as many people hate Microsoft etc. I know there is a line to be drawn but if they made enough of a public show of LETTING the show go ahead, then saying "But in future, all productions of this nature will have to be veto`d by us first" then they`ve covered their arses to the moral majority.