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Sony Pictures Classics Wins Legal Battle Over Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist

Being billed as one of the three possible Best Animated Picture contenders, the upcoming Sylvain Chomet-directed, Jacques Tati-inspired animated film, The Illusionist, has finally gotten past its much publicized legal battles.

According to The Wrap, Sony Pictures Classics has won their battle against Illusionist Distribution, LLC, the rights holder of a film with the same name, starring Edward Norton, released four years ago.

The outlet reports that Judge Dolly M. Gee failed to find evidence of any sort of contention that Illusionist Distribution brought up, especially after agreeing with SPC’s notion that there have been various consumer products with the title of ‘illusionist’ involved.

As shocking as this story may not be, particularly with the real lack of buzz behind the lawsuit outside of the film world, this does finally clear the way for the film, which is based off of a screenplay penned by the legendary French icon Tati, to finally get released.     Hopefully this doesn’t hurt the film’s Oscar chances, but then again, when did any sort of buzz like this do such a thing.

The film will begin rolling out in December.

Source: The Wrap



Joshua Brunsting

Josh is a critic, a member of the Online Film Critics Society, a wrestling nerd, a hip-hop head, a father, a cinephile and a man looking to make his stamp on the world, one word at a time.

2 comments

  • Tati’s biographer has wrote a stinging review of The Illusionist proclaiming that Chomets “film is a disaster”.

    “It’s no great deal to make a cartoon character do whatever you want. Chomet’s transposition of a Tati gag from the medium of mime to the medium of animation changes its nature entirely–and makes it just a bit pointless, too”.

    “The great disappointment for me and I think for all viewers is that what Chomet does with the material is… well, nothing”.

    “The last and only truly comprehensible line of speech in the film is the moral of the tale: There is no such thing as magic. Ah, but there is! Only it is not to be found here”.

    http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2010/feature-articles/the-illusionist/