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Old 01-30-2012, 03:42 PM
ironman_01701 ironman_01701 is offline
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Default Legal issues of a film autobiography - The Drummer

Aaron Eckhart Will Be The movie "The Drummer", a movie about Dennis Wilson and will tackle the last six years of Wilson’s life when the singer-songwriter released his acclaimed solo album Pacific Ocean Blue:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...ch-boys-249314

Eckhart is going to play Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, however Vera Farmiga let a juicy little detail slip on January 23, 2012 at ELLE dinner. Vera said I’ll be playing one of the great loves of Dennis’ life—Christine McVie of Fleetwood Mac, so that will be really fun!”

http://fashion.elle.com/culture/2012...ristine-mcvie/

The film is scheduled to shoot in the spring/summer of this year to coincide with the 50th Anniversary of The Beach Boys. The film will be shot in California and at Meddin Studios in Georgia.

Christine left FM in 1998 and went into near isolation since (short of 2004 "In The Meantime" and her contribution to Lindsey album in the early 2000's).

Dennis Wilson loved life, and loved booze and drugs a lot too. He knew Charlie Manson and that part of the movie I suspect will be exposed (albeit pre-1977).

We all know Dennis also had a significant relationship with Chris from 1979 to 1981. Christine ended the relationship after she could no longer cope with his alcohol addiction, and her being played as a "Sugar Daddy" by Dennis.

Something like this film (The Drummer) is almost an autobiography of Dennis Willson. Christine had to sign off on this, because its a near autobiography of Chris during that short time. However, if Vera Farmiga let a juicy little detail slip on her roll without Chris blessing, there maybe legal issues. From reports the Willson family will be acting as co-producers.

That being said, a film/book autobiography should be swept clean to avoid legal actions based on slander, liable or defamation of character. Are those the only basis?? Can someone get an injuction against the book or film?

Truth is not necessarily a defense, especially if the other person has a different memory/experience. For example, "I once loved Suzy Smith, but she left me for a nerd."
Maybe that is the way you remember it. Suzy on the other hand, might remember "I left him because he was an abusive jerk." The dead cannot claim defamation rights but the living can. The Willson family might if they are mentioned and are still alive. Sometimes a work of fiction is so thinly disguised that the target can go to court and say "This 'Suzy Smith' is really me Mary Jones, and I resent being portrayed as a cold, heartless woman."
There is always a risk in all autobiography. The best way to go is to have a lawyer review the work prior to publication. I'm sure the Willson family has clear the way with Christine on this movie.

Since no one owns history, you're theoretically free to recount actual events, but the problem is always going to be that memories are flawed and indisputably selective things, so no 2 people are likely to remember the same event the same way. If you wrote anything that's unflattering about anyone, whether you think it's a TRUE FACT or not, if you can't show hard proof of it, or it's not unquestionably your OPINION rather than FACT, you could get sued for defamation.

Fleetwood Mac Hold Me - Those awesome lyrics and music by Christine (was co-written by Robbie Patton) and lead solo guitar by Lindsey is a great love song! The fact that this was written about Christine's love affair with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys would explain the Beach Boy's inspired back ground vocals in the song ("Come on and ..."Hold me, Hold me..."). It reminds me of the chorus of "Help me Rhonda

As a long time fan of Christine and the FM band, I really hope all goes well for Chris. The chain isn't broken, but it's true about the saying "still waters run deep". So it is true with Christine..... in that sleepy little town in Kent UK.
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