Flashdancer Loses Appeal
Remember that movie Flashdance or, as it's known in Mexico, Electodanza? Oh what a feeling! Well, it was based on the life of a real live construction worker-turned-dancer named Maureen Marder, who sold her story to Paramount for a measly $2,300. The woman has been trying to sue the studio over copyright interests for years, including damages sought for the re-creation of scenes from the movie in Jennifer Lopez' I'm Glad music video. She just lost her most recent attempt at the 9th U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco, but the panel of judges there weren't completely unmoved by her pight. They agreed that Marder's original deal was unfair, but added: "There is simply no evidence that her consent was obtained by fraud, deception, misrepresentation, duress or undue influence."
Basically, what the judges wanted to say is, "we see that you got royally screwed, but the fault was in your own stupidity." Hopefully this case will teach others to get smart or get a good lawyer before deciding to sell their life story to a producer. I hope to make at least six figures for my account of being a blogger-turned-International-Male-catalog-model. Once the story -- and my dream -- come true, that is.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-14-2006 @ 12:08AM
Neil Crespi said...
Poor Maureen. She should have gotten a good lawyer before then. But it's over now. Let this be a lesson to all of us.
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6-14-2006 @ 1:04PM
Cath said...
Too many people cheap out and don't understand that a good entertainment lawyer knows the ropes, has the connections and is in a better position to negotiate for you than you or your cousin. Either the newbie loses what little they might have obtained by overestimating the worth of their property or they seriously undervalue it. And it doesn't matter if the project ever gets made, ends up in development hell for 10 years, or is ultimately successful. One can do quite well regardless.
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6-21-2006 @ 12:47PM
Maureen Marder said...
There is much speculation about why I sold the NON-EXCLUSIVE rights to my story to Paramount for the paltry amount that I did, including the unflattering comments by the blogger here. If anyone is interested in the real story behind Flashdance, please feel free to purchase my book which will be published by Xmas 2006--I hope! (I have a lot of work to do on it before then!)
Suffice it to say that despite the justices' assertion that there was no evidence of fraud, duress, etc., in the deal, well... since there will be no trial, and the real facts would have come out in court, now if you want the facts, you will have to buy the book, I'm afraid.
The whole ugly truth can be told only by the person who experienced it, so you can decide for yourself after you've heard it from me what the truth really is. Besides my Flashdance experience, there are plenty of other hair-raising occurrences in my life that will be included in my autobiography. I hope you will find it an interesting read.
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