Talk Is Cheap

In a press release from Fathom Studios, the Atlanta-based production company behind Delgo, a spokesperson says that "from what we have seen, we are amazed by the visual similarities" between Avatar and Delgo, "and we are reviewing what legal options may be available to us."

Fathom certainly has a case, but this p.r. release is bullshit. If they were going to sue James Cameron and 20th Century Fox, they would be making private backrooom maneuvers instead of rattling their saber. Those who can, do. Those who can't, talk to the press. (HE wasn't deemed important enough to receive the press release directly. I read about it from Movieline's Stu VanAirsdale.)

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 27, 2009 at 1:00 PM

comment #1

Rich S. Author Profile Page says ...

And those who talk to the press usually do so to drum up interest in their own product...

Posted by Rich S. Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:17 PM

comment #2

p.Vice Author Profile Page says ...

I find it hard to believe that Cameron was one of the eight people who actually saw Delgo. This is just a bid to get more people interested in watching their movie.

Posted by p.Vice Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:17 PM

comment #3

Joel Author Profile Page says ...

I'm certain James Cameron was not one of the 3 people who saw Delgo.

Posted by Joel Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:19 PM

comment #4

Brendan Author Profile Page says ...

Wonder if this has anything to do with the DVD coming out earlier this month.

Posted by Brendan Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:26 PM

comment #5

BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey Author Profile Page says ...

Apparently Delgo had concept websites up as early as 1998. So they might have a case. Doubt it though.

I just don't understand how a cartoon that cost $40m was allowed to flop so poorly. I don't remember seeing a single ad/trailer for it. I only heard about it because it became such a notorious bomb. Can studios just afford to lose $40m and not care?

Posted by BoshBarnetWonkyDonkey Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:34 PM

comment #6

Steven Kar Author Profile Page says ...

Cameron has been living in a bubble for the past 12 years, so I doubt he knew anything about this movie called Delgo.

Posted by Steven Kar Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:37 PM

comment #7

Mark G. Author Profile Page says ...

You don't need to live in a bubble to not have heard anything about Delgo...

Posted by Mark G. Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:39 PM

comment #8

Steven Kar Author Profile Page says ...

Why? Because Delgo was THAT big?

Posted by Steven Kar Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 1:41 PM

comment #9

Howlingman Author Profile Page says ...

Cameron's scriptment for AVATAR leaked onto the web around the same time (1998) so he could just as easily say that Delhgo ripped him off.

Posted by Howlingman Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 2:21 PM

comment #10

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

"they would be making private backrooom maneuvers instead of rattling their saber. Those who can, do."

If it worked for Harlan Ellison...

Kar; He knew about Battle Angel and Spiderman, so anything's possible.

Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 2:25 PM

comment #11

Mark Author Profile Page says ...

Delgo cost $40M my ass.

Posted by Mark Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 2:58 PM

comment #12

MovieBob Author Profile Page says ...

Oh for fuck's sake...

This is what comes of taking things written about your work on message boards seriously. Are these people serious? The only thing "proven" here is that Cameron and the producers of Delgo enjoy the same types of scifi/fantasy paperback illustrations and anime series.

If you can actually SUE someone on this basis, then Frank Frazetta is owed something like the GDP of Dubai by everyone who's done ANYTHING visual in genre-fiction for the better part of the last century.

Posted by MovieBob Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 3:06 PM

comment #13

JBM... Author Profile Page says ...

I remember having to come into work like four hours early for a press screening of Delgo and no one showed up. I built that piece of shit print for nothing...

Posted by JBM... Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 4:01 PM

comment #14

mccool Author Profile Page says ...

Those who can, do. Those who can't, talk...

Wholeheartedly agree. Like those who are always talking and talking and talking about their superior tastes, their superior intellect, their superior reasoning , their superior morals, their superior ethics, their superior hipness.

Posted by mccool Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 7:02 PM

comment #15

DeeZee Author Profile Page says ...

Avatar might only have superficial similarities at best, but don't discount the possibility of the Delgo crew having a case. Those Clonus people won against the Dreamworks machine over The Island.

Posted by DeeZee Author Profile Page at August 27, 2009 9:15 PM

comment #16

Todd Author Profile Page says ...

Delgo came out in 2008 it looks like a CG computer game as far as animation quality. Story sucks. Listed budget is $40 million but given hollywood bookeeping this must have been an intended right off.

Posted by Todd Author Profile Page at August 28, 2009 12:16 AM

comment #17

Scriptshadow Author Profile Page says ...

Delgo was financed completely independently by some really rich dude I think. It's what happens when people with money think that making movies is easy (for the record - I don't think there's anything in the world as hard as making a good animated film). But you still would've thought they'd save some money for advertising. Like the earlier poster, I had no idea it was a wide release. I assumed it was playing in like 5 theaters and was going to grow from there.

When people ask me how important marketing is, I ask them this question: If there wasn't a single poster or trailer or advertisement for Pirates Of The Caribbean, do you think anyone would've shown up?

Posted by Scriptshadow Author Profile Page at August 28, 2009 5:16 AM

comment #18

bluefugue Author Profile Page says ...

Wholeheartedly agree. Like those who are always talking and talking and talking about their superior tastes, their superior intellect, their superior reasoning , their superior morals, their superior ethics, their superior hipness.

1. Those people are called critics. They may be frustrated something-elses, but they still serve a valuable function.

2. "Talking" (and by extension "writing"), when done well enough, qualifies as "doing."

Posted by bluefugue Author Profile Page at August 28, 2009 11:52 AM

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