Apparently, the Wachowski Bros. took a great deal of the Matrix from a woman named Sophie Stewart - who just won a huge lawsuit against the Wachowskis, Warner Bros, and Joel Silver.
So, if the Matrix was plagiarized in part, maybe that's why it's so much better than Reloaded (I didn't even dignify Revolutions with my time or money, and won't).
quote: Monday, October 4th 2004 ended a six-year dispute involving Sophia Stewart, the Wachowski Brothers, Joel Silver and Warner Brothers. Stewart's allegations, involving copyright infringement and racketeering, were received and acknowledged by the Central District of California, Judge Margaret Morrow residing.
Stewart, a New Yorker who has resided in Salt Lake City for the past five years, will recover damages from the films, The Matrix I, II and III, as well as The Terminator and its sequels. She will soon receive one of the biggest payoffs in the history of Hollywood, as the gross receipts of both films and their sequels total over 2.5 billion dollars.
Stewart filed her case in 1999, after viewing the Matrix, which she felt had been based on her manuscript, "The Third Eye," copyrighted in 1981. In the mid-eighties Stewart had submitted her manuscript to an ad placed by the Wachowski Brothers, requesting new sci-fi works.
According to court documentation, an FBI investigation discovered that more than thirty minutes had been edited from the original film, in attempt to avoid penalties for copyright infringement. The investigation also stated that "credible witnesses employed at Warner Brothers came forward, claiming that the executives and lawyers had full knowledge that the work in question did not belong to the Wachowski Brothers." These witnesses claimed to have seen Stewart's original work and that it had been "often used during preparation of the motion pictures." The defendants tried, on several occasions, to have Stewart's case dismissed, without success.
Stewart has confronted skepticism on all sides, much of which comes from Matrix fans, who are strangely loyal to the Wachowski Brothers. One on-line forum, entitled Matrix Explained has an entire section devoted to Stewart. Some who have researched her history and writings are open to her story. Others are suspicious and mocking. "It doesn't bother me," said Stewart in a phone interview last week, "I always knew what was true."
Some fans, are unaware of the case or they question its legitimacy, due to the fact that it has received little to no media coverage. Though the case was not made public until October of 2003, Stewart has her own explanation, as quoted at daghettotymz.com:
"The reason you have not seen any of this in the media is because Warner Brothers parent company is AOL-Time Warner... this GIANT owns 95 percent of the media... let me give you a clue as to what they own in the media business... New York Times papers/magazines, LA Times papers/magazines, People Magazine, CNN news, Extra, Celebrity Justice, Entertainment Tonight, HBO, New Line Cinema, Dreamworks, Newsweek, Village Roadshow... many, many more!... They are not going to report on themselves. They have been surpressing my case for years..."
Fans who have taken Stewart's allegations seriously, have found eerie mythological parallels, which seem significant in a case that revolves around the highly metaphorical and symbolic Matrix series. Sophia, the greek goddess of wisdom has been referenced many times in speculation about Stewart. In one book about the Goddess Sophia, it reads, "The black goddess is the mistress of web creation spun in her divine matrix."
Although there have been outside implications as to racial injustice (Stewart is African American), she does not feel that this is the case. "This is all about the Benjamins," said Stewart. "It's not about money with me. It's about justice."
Stewart's future plans involve a record label, entitled Popsilk Records, and a motion picture production company, All Eyez On Me, in reference to God. "I wrote The Third Eye to wake people up, to remind them why God put them here. There's more to life than money," said Stewart. "My whole message to the world is about God and good and about choice, about spirituality prevailing over 'technocracy'."
If Stewart represents spirituality, then she truly has prevailed over the "technocracy" represented in both the Terminator and the Matrix, and now, ironically, by their supposed creators.
Stewart is currently having discussions with CBS about a possible exclusive story and has several media engagements in the near future to nationally publicize her victory.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Whoa.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
That is really interesting.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
mack
In all seriousness, huh. Very interesting.
This is the first I've heard of this.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
Totally makes sense to me. Matrix 2 and 3 are garbage compared to the first one. The completely ignore the facts and ideas shown in the first movie and go off in a stupid tangent that culminates in a horrid "Dragon Ball Z" style fight seen. No surpise that the people who wrote the last two movies didn't write the first...Nor is it strange to me that the last two movies took, what, 5 years to make???
Posted by Hobbes (Member # 433) on :
There's a lot of reasons why Matric Reloaded was so bad.
Hobbes Posted by raventh1 (Member # 3750) on :
I had heard about this, thanks for the confirmation. Man too bad they didn't use the box within a box theory, that was better than what they ended up using anyways.
Posted by Narnia (Member # 1071) on :
Holy Cow. That is rather huge! I'm glad they didn't get away with it!
Posted by Zan (Member # 4888) on :
Where does Terminator come into this?
Posted by Eaquae Legit (Member # 3063) on :
That's my question too, Zan.
And I'm glad that she is getting her due. The first one was great, and I kind of wondered what happened to the second two.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Terminator is also my question, too.
And it makes sense - given this info - why the second and third didn't compare to the first.
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
You know, I'm still rather suspicious about this. I've seen the excerpts listed from her original work, and they don't appear to have much if anything to do with "The Matrix" at all. I'm still leaning towards an elaborate Internet hoax, especially given Stewart's selection of sources.
Moreover, the article is misleading; if you follow the links, you discover that Stewart has not actually won any damages yet, but has rather merely won the right to take the case to court.
[ December 07, 2004, 09:05 AM: Message edited by: TomDavidson ]
Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
To me, the Matrix is just another bit of Cyberpunk. I'm not an expert on Science Fiction, but wasn't Cyberpunk big in '81? That's about the time Blade Runner was in theaters. What makes this person's work special compared to all the other Cyberpunk writers? Even if she did submit work to AOL-Time Warner, the movie that came out of it was *very* generic for a Science Fiction movie.
When it was in theaters, I thought the Matrix was a good movie. Now, I really don't like it that much. From a technical standpoint, it doesn't make sense to me. From a technological standpoint, it doesn't make sense to me. From a movie-watcher's standpoint, there were missed oppertunities the size of aircraft carriers.
Posted by narrativium (Member # 3230) on :
Post cyberpunk, WheatPuppet.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Here's one of my biggest beefs with the Matrix story.
The basic premise of the computers/robots using our bodies for energy DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
It requires more energy to feed any living being than you can get out of it in the form of heat. Even if everything were perfectly efficient, they'd only get as much out of each human as they put in.
There's NO BELIEVABLE REASON given why they keep humans enslaved.
Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
Um, what? (responding to N, above)
[ December 07, 2004, 10:45 AM: Message edited by: WheatPuppet ]
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
"The basic premise of the computers/robots using our bodies for energy DOESN'T MAKE SENSE."
Very true. Many people have spent a lot of time trying to come up with alternate explanations for this, time that could have been better used feeding the world's hungry. j/k
[ December 07, 2004, 10:47 AM: Message edited by: TomDavidson ]
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
When, in order for it to make sense, you have to start making up explinations that aren't even hinted at in the story (and they had plenty of time to explain -- 3 whole movies), that's some flawed storytelling.
[ December 07, 2004, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
I loved Matrix 1, 2 and 3! Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
That's the great thing about America -- everybody has a right to bad tase. Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
America?!? Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Oh, I forgot. Where are you from again?
*tries to remember*
I cant. Please tell me.
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
Romania. Usually studying in France, and now, since September, the happy owner of a Canadian visa. I'm going back to France at the end of this year though.
Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
Oh, so you are in America. Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
Ahem... Just got an idea*: if I saw all of the Matrix movies outside Canada, does mph's affirmation still stand?
*two, actually: the second is that we need an 'idea' smiley.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
My main affirmation is that you have horrible taste since you like all three Matrix movies.
So, yes. Posted by Xaposert (Member # 1612) on :
quote:The basic premise of the computers/robots using our bodies for energy DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
Yes.... I was really hoping that'd turn out to be a lie fed to the humans by the machines. I would have gone with the Asimov-style approach of it turns out that the Machines were programmed to help the humans, and that the Matrix is just their way of protecting mankind from themselves. (They could have also gone the Dark City approach, though, and made the machines be studying the humans - although then the movie is essentially identical to Dark City. )
quote:My main affirmation is that you have horrible taste since you like all three Matrix movies.
Incidently, 2 and 3 were not bad movies. They just did not live up to their potential. They are better than your average film.
[ December 07, 2004, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Xaposert ]
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
quote: My main affirmation is that you have horrible taste
Dunno, never chewed on myself... Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Not to mention poor English comprehension skills. Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
English, I understand. American, that's what I have a problem with! Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
quote: Incidently, 2 and 3 were not bad movies. They just did not live up to their potential. They are better than your average film.
I've been talking about the story of the Matrix movies. It is seriously flawed.
You can say that a movie is OK even if it has a crappy story because of the acting, special effects, etc..
[ December 07, 2004, 11:32 AM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]
Posted by Corwin (Member # 5705) on :
"Remember son, many a good story has been ruined by over verification."
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Well, this certainly is not one of those situations.
Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
My main complaint about the story of the Matrix was that it set up Zion as this very important place for humanity, but none of it is shown in the movie. The audience isn't given a chance to be attached to Zion like the characters in the movie are. I found myself not caring that the access codes for Zion were in jeopardy, because I had no attachment to it.
Even worse, when I got to see Zion in the second movie, I could think nothing but, "That's it!? If that's what's left of humanity, it's not worth fighting for."
In a cynical mood, I see the Matrix trilogy as a way of cleverly stringing together a bunch of industrial design concept sketches/designs, but without any depth behind it.
Posted by Teshi (Member # 5024) on :
quote: Stewart is currently having discussions with CBS about a possible exclusive story and has several media engagements in the near future to nationally publicize her victory.
Nope. Not about the money at all.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
After the 1st movie, it looked like there was a great story being told, and that they just hadn't filled in everything to the audience yet.
After the last 2 movies, it was proven that the cool story that they hinted at just didn't exist. :sob:
Posted by TomDavidson (Member # 124) on :
I have often dabbled with the thought of writing "better" scripts for the last two Matrix movies and the Star Wars prequels -- ones that would keep the core scenes of each film while changing a lot of the little details. But I haven't, because I could never share them with anyone without having my head removed by lawyers. Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
I like that idea, Tom. Not the removing your head (except if it were put in a jar, Futurama-style ) but the rewriting of bad Matrix sequels and the bad Star Wars prequels.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
On this forum, that should be Wyrms style, not Futurama style. Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Um... reloaded was really bad, but am I the only one who loved Revolutions?
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Um... reloaded was really bad, but am I the only one who loved Revolutions?
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Yes.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Yes.
Posted by digging_holes (Member # 6237) on :
Okay.
Posted by solo (Member # 3148) on :
Yes.
Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :
Eh? Come on, anybody with any experience in science fiction never thought The Matrix was original to being with. Even Star Trek TNG had done the world-in-a-computer story at least twice.
Posted by Boris (Member # 6935) on :
I was comepletely wigged out by the fight scene at the end of Revolutions. Then a roommate came into the room and said, "What ya guys watching? Oh look, a real life Goku! It's Dragon Ball Z!!!" Yeah...That made it worth watching. And only that.
Posted by Foust (Member # 3043) on :
Eh? Come on, anybody with any experience in science fiction never thought The Matrix was original to being with. Even Star Trek TNG had done the world-in-a-computer story at least twice.
Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :
quote: Um... reloaded was really bad, but am I the only one who loved Revolutions?
No.
Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :
When will OSC get his money from M. Night Shalayman stealing all of his good ideas????
Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :
When will OSC get his money from M. Night Shalayman stealing all of his good ideas????
Posted by The Silverblue Sun (Member # 1630) on :
When will OSC get gobbs of money from M. Night Shalyman stealing all of his good ideas????
Posted by Rappin' Ronnie Reagan (Member # 5626) on :
quote: Um... reloaded was really bad, but am I the only one who loved Revolutions?
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