Napster: The Movie

Joey Patterson writes "Looks like the story of Napster founder Shawn Fanning is headed to the small screen. CNET News.com reports that Fanning has signed a deal with MTV to turn his life story into a movie, which will focus on his personal saga during Napster's rise and fall. There's no word yet on who the cast will be (although Fanning may play himself), but Alex Winter (who played Bill in the "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" movies) will write (and possibly direct) the film."

Comments

Kazaa

[screenbert]

Think I can download it off of Kazaa?

Re:Kazaa

[Ooblek]

You don't need to download it. Here is the script for the movie:

The scene opens with the camera moving slowly up a concrete walkway towards the front door or a brick house. It is night time and the front porch light is on. Tiki lamps (the type you get at home depot for $29.95 for 20) line the concrete walkway.) When the camera gets to the front step, the scene wipes into the bedroom of a typical suburban teen. Here we meet the protagonist, Rakeesh Mumalalalamynasian

Rakeesh: Hey, there is that '80s song I've been looking for since I graduated from elementary school. Wow, the memories. I better download it!

The viewer sees Rakeesh double-click on the song.

Rakeesh: Yeah, this guy has a phat-pipe! 30kb/sec! I should have it in no time!

Rakeesh continues to look at the computer screen anxiously....

Rakeesh: Wait, what?!?! 96% and its stalling at 0kb/sec? Ack, the connection dropped! You snot-sucking mp3 whore! You closed Napster in the middle of my download!!!! Now I have to find someone else who has this song!

Repeat 152 times, or until the movie is two hours long

But which point of view?

[octalgirl]

Curious to see what type of spin they will put on this - either the RIAA will come out looking like justified heros, or Fanning will look like the media scapegoat.

Re:But which point of view?

[clemfoley]

What complicates matters is that the movie is being aired on MTV. If it was aired on a non-music network, we could all imagine that the point of view would be to support the "hurting" music/media industry. But what will MTV do? Half of their success is based on music that is created by the music industry. The other half is based on those who listen to the music, most of them opposed to the RIAA. It would be great if MTV could find a middle ground, explain the situation, and let the viewer decide who is right or wrong, hero or enemy.

Re:But which point of view?

[Java Pimp]

Half of their success is based on music that is created by the music industry. The other half is based on those who listen to the music...

Really? MTV still has something to do with music? I thought it was all about idiots stapling their nut sack to their leg and Girls Gone Wild on Spring Break.

For those skeptic

[HeavensTrash]

For those of you skeptic of Alex Winter's directing abilities, please make sure to see the movie "Freaked" first, which he wrote, directed and starred in.

Incase you aren't familiar with it, Mr. T is one of the co-stars, playing a man turned into a woman, now the Bearded Lady in a circus side show.

Oh, now about this movie - I'm sure it'll suck, but that's not his fault.

Blown Away - The NAPSTER Story!

[mtrupe]

Starring:
Vin Diesel as 'The Napster'

and

Louie Anderson as 'Corporate Bad Guy'

special appearance by Beatrice Arthur as Mr. Fanning's love interest, and Samuel Jackson as "Angry black man."

Potential for a whole new genre of reality shows

[ites]

"Geeks Alive!"
Watch as Geeks try to break the system!
Ten selected geeks are locked up in a Virtual House.
Each week one geek gets sued by Big Business.
You GET TO VOTE!!! with your browser!
Which geeks stay, which geek gets sued into oblivion!
And... Free...!!! Download all the pr0n and muzik you can cram onto your HD!
This fall on Fox.

I think my infobot sums it up very well

[motardo]

09:44 omg
09:44 napster: the movie
09:44 the movie is on the net

Pff..

[Sheetrock]

MTV? Theodore Logan? Yeah, this isn't gonna suck.

FRIEND: Dude, I just like, totally ripped this CD off from the store.

FANNING: Hey, check this out, man: I just discovered a bodacious way to rip off CDs without shoplifting!

FRIEND: Excellent!

FANNING: It works with porn, too!

FRIEND: Sixty-nine, dude!

FANNING: Whoa.

2nd attempt at a Napster Movie

[jordan]

Keep in mind this is the second attempt and producing a Napster movie.

Starz Pictures had already written a script, and I believed was seeking directors when apparently they just ran out of cash. Bummer.

In any case, keep your eyes peeled for the book too, which should be out in the Spring!

--jordan

Should be good TV

[LionHeartCJ]

MTV is not known for good TV in my book. All their shows are terrible and occasionally they show a crappy video.

They have a chance to change turn this all around. I think this movie would be very intersting if they focus more on Fanning's transition from college life to the startup of Napster.

Everyone knows what happens after Napster hit it big. I'm more interested in the startup side of Napster, before they were a success.

RIAA sues radio stations for piracy

[CrystalFalcon]

While on the topic of music and P2P, I hope nobody missed this Onion jewel?

http://www.theonion.com/onion3836/riaa_sues_radio_ stations.html

The Irony...

[ackthpt]

Ok, I submitted this last evening and it was dumped for Joey's and it's all good, except my little editorial thoughts, and here they are (and then some):

Effectively the a front for the music industry (which I personally hold responsible for showing us the worst of what it has to sell) is producing a film about someone utterly demonized by the RIAA. Irony so thick that you could hammer it into a horseshoe.

So how does MTV/Alex Winter portray Shawn? Good guy? Bad guy? Misunderstood genius? Or some horrible crap where Shawn starts out as a devil-may-care music pirate, but sees the shining light of reason, in the angelic form of Hilary B. Rosen (descending from Heaven with a subpoena in her hand), and returns to the light, to take his seat to the right of Bertelsmann AG and expound on the virtues of IP and clamping all possible evil-doers in the irons of DRM.

Slated for 2003-2004 season relsease, I don't expect much in the way of special effects (so Hilary will probably just have to descend on visible wires.)

Last, the burning question on everyones mind: Will it fend off the Simpsons for holiday audiences?

Soon to appear in P2P everywhere... well, maybe not.

One big ad campaign against filesharing

[Rai]

MTV (business associate of the RIAA and music industry in general) is making a movie (MPAA territory) about Napster (one-time arch-nemesis of the RIAA and not exactly on good terms with the MPAA either.) Being that this is an MTV movie, it will make the attempt of appealing to a younger crowd (RIAA and MPAA will use their influence to basically make this one big ad campaign against filesharing.)

I expect this to blantantly portray Fanning as a common thief on every level. They'll probably even have scenes where he's shoplifting, forceably taking candy from children, or anything else that gives the public the impression he's a cleptomania.

No, I think I'll watch something else when this airs. A 90-minute ad against Napster-clones doesn't interest me in the least.

Eminem?

[peter303]

Its a far-out choice, but Eminem has anti-establishment 'tude' and a gen-xy look. Both Eminem and Shawn are heavily involved in the music industry. And early reviews of Eminem's "8 Mile" movie, in general release next month, are good.