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03.24.06
Angry Quaid.
So, via AP, Randy Quaid is suing Focus Features, Del Mar Productions, and producers David Linde and James Schamus for tricking him into working for cheap on "Brokeback Mountain":
Quaid filed a lawsuit Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging producers got him to work cheap by falsely claiming "Brokeback" was "a low-budget, art-house film, with no prospect of making any money."
"Yet from day one, defendants fully intended that the film would not be made on a low budget, would be given a worldwide release, and would be supported as the studio picture it always was secretly intended to be," the lawsuit says.
Quaid agreed to waive his usual seven-figure fee and share of gross profits in favor of a much smaller payment, the lawsuit claims, although it doesn't say how much he was paid.
We may have spit up a wee bit of our coffee with that last bit — Randy Quaid gets paid 7-figures?
Some responses:
The whole thing feels rather opportunistic, I mean sure he has that great "stemming the rose" line, but how many scenes is he in? 3 or 4? And the most outrageous part is that he is claiming to be "an instantly recognizable household name and much-admired actor on the world's stage." Sorry, but...since when? Which world is he talking about?
Did anyone go see "Brokeback" to see Randy Quaid?!"
What the lawsuit really exposes -- and about time -- is the entire Hollywood house of cards on which notions of "independent film" vs "studio movies" are built. If Quaid actually considered a movie starring two hot young male actors, directed by Ang Lee, and produced by one of the premiere boutique outfits in town to be a no-name indie, then he's as guilty of self-delusion as -- well, everyone in the film industry and the media that covers it.
Though the media sucker... uh, reporters reported on the "indies at the Oscars" over and over and over and over and over and over, anyone thinking straight always realized that $15 million - $20 million movies are not indies, no matter what division of a massive conglomerate is releasing them. Now that The Weisnteins are in bed with MPAA signatory MGM, Lionsgate is the only true indie still in this budget range. Fox's "The Family Stone" cost less than Brokeback... is it more, less or equally indie?
We're rather of the inclination that Quaid is full of crap — no way was "Brokeback" a safe bet, and Quaid's small role may have been memorable, but it sure as hell didn't carry the film.
+ Quaid Sues Over Payment for 'Brokeback' (AP)
+ movie laundering... (eugonline)
+ Quaid Sues Over Financial Rose-Stemming (Boston Globe)
+ Randy Quaid: Futurist Or Fuck Up? (The Hot Blog)
Comments
Why is Randy Quaid suing the producers of Brokeback Mountain? Does he honestly think that everyone involved foresaw the film earning Oscars, and climbing to over $80 million in domestic box office?
The truth is, EVERY producer wishes for and envisions this type of breakout success. But few films have a realistic chance of getting there. It's a matter of marketing, timing and luck. For Quaid and his lawyers to suggest that Brokeback misrepresented itself as a "small film" and that the producers harbored some sort of magical secret plan to guarantee success defies logic.
It should be noted that the masterful marketing of the film made NO mention of Randy Quaid. His presence in the film had little (or nothing!) to do with its surprising cross-over success.
Maybe Randy should consider suing NBC's Washingont Bureau Chief and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert for DNA theft.
And, is it true that Quaid's lawyers just booked a flight to Antartcia?
There's talk that some well-dressed birds were misled when a French film crew told them they were just making a "little nature film."
Posted by: gabe | Mar 24, 2006 9:39:08 PM
I've heard about this...kind of bizarre...I think he should just be glad that he got a part in a good movie.
--RC of strangeculture.blogspot.com
Posted by: RC of strangeculture | Mar 27, 2006 2:08:22 AM
Okay firstly, this guy is dumb and I've never even heard of him. I hate when people do stupid shit like that with the suing and complaining about money. You're an ACTOR! Your job is to play pretend and be seen by the world! Your job has got to be the best and being able to work with such great people, what the hell are you complaining about!? So yeah i don't understand what his deal is. I love acting and I want to be a director so I would love to be involved in sweet movies and things. Okay...now that's out of my system.
-For David Poland- Do you even know what indie means? The budget has nothing to do with it. INdependent means that it did not go through someone else's studio to be produced, you go through your own. There are independent prodcution companies like Focus features and Warner Independent that are there for filmmakers to go through. That is considered indie as well. Ex. All of the Star Wars films are really independent films b/c they went through George Lucas' studios and noone else's. He made them independently, It has nothing to do with budget size. Also...Indie is not a style like most people think, it is not a way a movie is framed or shot, it has to do with the money and production studio. Okay...good, now we are on the same level. And as for the family stone, does not even look good.
-Jared
Posted by: Jared | Mar 27, 2006 9:48:13 AM
I am currently working on a film called "The Barber Shop Chronicles" This is a completely different idea than the Ice Cube version. I happen to own my own barber shop in Union N. J. and I want to portray the customers...We will be performing the real acts of the customers (My Actual) Instead of always talking about the barbers I'll be talking about the customers, what jobs they do, and clowning out with them through out...Chk me out on my website www.BcutProductions.com I was wondering if you could help. I'm in the process of building the budget on the movie. Your correspondence is greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
Bobby E. Goins
Bcut Productions
Bcut15@earthlink.net
(908) 370-2982
Posted by: Bobby E. Goins | Apr 20, 2006 1:15:49 PM
Ya know... I wouldn't let Randy Quaid "stem my rose" for less "seven figures" - He's butt ugly.
Posted by: Robert Bluelake | May 22, 2006 11:18:14 PM
