NP - Faulkner estate claims that quoting his novels in films is both a trademark and copyright infringement

[Matthew Cissell]

They stand to gain more by shining media light on Faulkner's name than by any suit. Perhaps the aim is something other than the stated one?

mc otis



________________________________
 From: Tom Beshear <tbeshear at att.net>
To: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>; P-list <pynchon-l at waste.org> 
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: NP - Faulkner estate claims that quoting his novels in films is both a trademark and copyright infringement
 
BS, but perhaps they can find a jury that will agree. They should feel flattered that anyone making a movie knows who Faulkner is. If the movie prompted even one person to buy a Faulkner novel, the gain outweighs any loss.

----- Original Message ----- From: "David Morris" <fqmorris at gmail.com>
To: "P-list" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 9:36 AM
Subject: NP - Faulkner estate claims that quoting his novels in films is both a trademark and copyright infringement


> http://boingboing.net/2012/10/27/faulkner-estate-claims-that-qu.html
> 
> A reader writes, "A character in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris
> quoted nine words from William Faulkner, with attribution. Faulkner
> Literary Rights LLC has responded a year later with a lawsuit alleging
> copyright infringement and attempts to deceive viewers into thinking
> Requiem for a Nun is a game for the PS3. Or something." The suit's
> major claims seem to turn on trademark (though there are copyright
> claims in there, too): the Faulkner estate claims that a movie that
> quotes Faulkner and has a character who meets various historical
> people (including Faulkner) "is likely to cause confusion, to cause
> mistake, and/or to deceive the infringing film's viewers as to a
> perceived affiliation, connection or association between William
> Faulkner and his works, on the one hand, and Sony, on the other hand." 
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