Saturday, May 6, 2017

"Texas Chainsaw Massacre" A Cautionary Story

Lawyers and movies. Talent and contracts. None of it meant shit.
When this movie came out, it was practically an instant classic. It made tens of millions, and since the sequels, tie-in merchandise, and licensing easily over 100 million dollars. What did the people who created it get?

Next to nothing. Why? The distribution company made a deal with a shady company which essentially gave points to the points of shares from the company. Meaning residual checks to the talent were under $50. Yes...fifty dollars.

How this isn't a crime is beyond me or any other person who has a brain in their head...aside from...lawyers and shady distributors.

It is no longer a secret distro companies do this creative accounting. "Forrest Gump" is still in the red. Net points gives you nothing. What is heartbreaking are the actors that saw box office climb expecting a nice windfall and getting the shock of getting nothing. How do you not share the success of something this small? Big city folk (gangsters) stole their money, then claimed they were bankrupt.

I'm not sure the message to be mined from this, other than faceless monsters who come out from the dark don't necessarily just carry chainsaws.

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