remember that moment Rogue One: A Star Wars Story When you feel pure, unadulterated terror, the brutal shiver that runs down your spine as a flock of geese trample your grave? Brrrrr, this is the first time you’ve seen that horrible CG soup, it’s supposed to be the resurrected Moff Tarkin. As it turns out, some eight years later, a close friend of the late actor Peter Cushing attempted to sue Disney, claiming his permission should have been asked.
According to British media reports the timesKevin Francis is suing Lucasfilm over Cushing’s agreement with him that no one could recreate the actor’s face without Francis’ permission. Disney had previously tried to dismiss the case on the grounds that there was no evidence of “unjust enrichment,” but London’s High Court disagreed and allowed the proceedings to proceed.
Peter Cushing lived a long life until his death in 1994 at the age of 81, leaving behind a wonderful film and broadcast legacy. To the British, he and his long-time colleague Christopher Lee are iconic actors who have starred in a million wonderful hammy horror films, such as Dracula’s Satanic Ritual, house dripping bloodand my favorite(u)ritual, Horror Island*. arrive Star Wars Fans, they are Moff Tarkin and Count Dooku.
Come Rogue OneApparently, everyone except me loved the movie so much that it was decided to resurrect the character of Big Boss Tarkin through modern movie magic. In other words, that disgusting uncanny valley horror mask is the CG face that plagued movies in the 2010s. (see Creation: Legacy.) Cushing’s putty-smeared expression on his face was clearly meant to please the audience, but instead sent children screaming into the river.
While using dead actors’ faces in movies and commercials is a common ethical topic, in this case Kevin Francis seems convinced that Disney and Lucasfilm didn’t get the right permissions, as he claims Cushing had He and his film production company Tyburn Films were specifically asked about protecting his image after his death. He is also reportedly suing the timesexecutor of Cushing’s estate (now deceased), and Cushing’s former agency United International Management.
Francis, who worked with Cushing on horror films in the 1970s, said Cushing signed a contract with him in 1993 that no one else could use his image without Francis’ permission. He is seeking funding from Lucasfilm under £500,000.
Disney, meanwhile, said that since Cushing signed the contract in 1977, they didn’t need anyone’s permission. Might a contract signed in the 1970s include a clause that allowed the company to use state-of-the-art (albeit terrible) computer technology to recreate an actor’s face and voice some 40 years later? When Cushing’s agent coughed loudly on Disney’s return Rogue Onethey paid a paltry £28,000 ($36,600) to clean it up for use.
Disney first tried to dismiss the case in December but lost, appealed, and lost again this week. So it’s time to enter the trial stage! This should be fascinating, given the power differentials involved, and the fragility of each person’s claim to the dead man’s face.
*I can’t help but talk a little more horror island. The 1966 film is set on a remote island off the coast of Ireland, where bodies keep turning up There aren’t any bones in it. It turns out that the cause of this is Dr. Lawrence Phillips accidentally creating some silicate monsters after he made a terrible mistake while trying to cure cancer. He made the mistake of substituting silicon atoms for carbon, so the rest was inevitable.
If that’s not enough “speak scientifically, hope no one pays attention,” famed London pathologist Dr. Brian Stanley (played by Cushing) at one point tries to understand what might have gone wrong. He stared at Phillips’ notes, then looked up in confusion and said, “But look at this protein structure. It’s not adenosine triphosphate! If you remember your physiology, you’d rather wish otherwise.”
You should definitely take the nearest opportunity to watch it. If you’re not convinced yet, this scenario should do the trick:
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