Harry Shearer Wants the ‘Spinal Tap’ Copyright Back, Files Fraud Suit
Harry Shearer has filed a $125 million dollar suit alleging fraud against the company that holds the rights to the 1984 cult classic comedy movie “This is Spinal Tap,”. He’s seeking an accounting, $125 million in damages, and according to THR, he wants the rights back.
The lawsuit alleges fraud, breach of contract, breach of the good faith and fair dealing, and improper accounting. Translation: Shearer says a French company called Vivendi (and its subsidiaries) which ended up with the rights to the film via a series of events, have been manipulating the accounting regarding the film’s profits, and not paying Shearer and the other creators what they’ve been owed. Shearer alleges fraud and abandonment of their obligations regarding the copyright.
According to the complaint, despite the film and soundtrack’s massive enduring success, Vivendi’s records show that worldwide merchandising income totaled only $81 between 1984 and 2006, (yes that’s actually eighty-one dollars as in less than $100 dollars) and that the total income from music sales over the same period was only $98 dollars.
Shearer, collectively along with Rob Reiner, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean are credited as co-writers on the film, which was largely improvised. Agreements specified that all four were to receive various forms of compensation including profit participation in all sources of revenue, including merchandise and music revenues.
It’s been 32 years since the release of the cult classic comedy movie ‘This is Spinal Tap’, but the film is still generating profits not only from the film itself, but also the soundtrack.
