Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

MST3K Rightsholders Sue Over Theater Commentary

Posted by timothy on from the no-that-is-not-your-style-because-it-is-ours dept.

An anonymous reader writes "How can people who parody people sue people who parody them? Mr. Sinus is being sued by Best Brains Inc. the owners of the rights to Mystery Science Theatre 3000 because they are using a name/format that is too similar to their own. Here is the story." Evil thought: Apple should include a "three silhouettes yakking on merged soundtrack" mode in iMovie.

16 of 312 comments (clear)

  1. Not exactly... by Meostro · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Presentations of Mr. Sinus, which was previously known as Mr. Sinus Theater 3000, have Pollet, Egerton and Erler sitting in the cinema's front row, poking fun at chosen movies by making silly comments and signing songs.

    I have to say that in this case, I agree that the big corporation is probably in the right. Three guys trying to cash in on MST3K fame, literally using the same acronym and doing the exact same thing, heckling bad movies. They're not making fun of MST3K, they're just ripping off their format.

    While I would certainly watch, and probably laugh heartily, methinks they might lose this one.

    Alamo Drafthouse approached us maybe about a year ago about licensing Mr. Sinus

    This is interesting because the Drafthouse apparently saw the similarity and tried to nip it in the bud (a.k.a. cover their ass) with a license, but is still presenting the group and allowing them to continue with the same format/name.

    1. Re:Not exactly... by Babbster · · Score: 4, Insightful
      If the Austin group was called, say, "Front Row Players" or "Commentastic" this suit wouldn't exist. Instead, the group currently calls themselves "Mr. Sinus" which was gleaned from their first name which was "Mr. Sinus Theater 3000." In other words, they were, and are, trading on the familiar name in order to promote their product which is itself more than similar to the original product.

      Best Brains isn't claiming to own the rights to making funny comments over movies. They aren't even claiming to own the rights to silhouetted heads in front of a movie screen making funny comments about movies. They're claiming to own their trademark (which is still active) and object to someone diluting same. That's what you do if you want to retain a trademark - they have to be AGGRESSIVELY defended or they can be lost.

  2. different takes by seringen · · Score: 3, Insightful

    i think it's fair enough that he doesn't want them to use the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 name since it's more adult themed than MST3K is. I wouldn't mind showing MST3K to pretty much any kid, so their recalcitrance to license it seems completely reasonable. There's no patent on commenting on movies (yet) so the austin people should just change their schtik a little.

  3. Re:We just want them to stop using our name by Euphonious+Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "We just want them to stop using our name," he says.

    I agree. Choose a different name, guys. Exercise some creativity.

  4. Definition of parody. by Performer+Guy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't think they're parodying a parody, they're just flat out ripping off someone elses parody.

  5. How many people are going to read the article? by chuckgrosvenor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Probably none, including the person who posted the article, and the people who approved it.

    They deliberately used the name of the show (the acronym) and approached the owners for the rights. They weren't doing a parody of the show format, they were attempting to capitalize on it.

    Not the same thing as just doing a commentary, or even a Rocky Horror Picture Show type presentation (which let's face it, is what MST3K rips off in the first place to some extent).

    --
    ChuckyG
  6. For Free Publicity? by rwiedower · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Mallon says Best Brains declined the licensing, but that Alamo and the comedians did not want to stop using the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" likeness. "We just want them to stop using our name," he says.

    They should just call it Austin Theater and leave it at that. It was their instance on keeping the MST3k name that got Best Brains angry. The name "Mister Sinus" is obscure enough to cause confusion to anyone who didn't get the MST3K reference, which would be unnecessary unless they were just trying to drum up publicity. Oh, wait...

    1. Re:For Free Publicity? by strictfoo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The /. article was of course poorly written, making it seem like Best Brains was doing something evil when in fact they are totally in the right.

      --
      I've just signed legislation that'll outlaw Russia forever. We'll begin bombing in five minutes.
  7. jeez by veritron · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Mr. Sinus and Mystery Science are one syllable and a slight intonation apart from each other - pronounce both names out loud, the names of the groups are almost identical. If you're going to almost exactly steal someone's idea, don't do it like these guys did. If the guys who made Mister Sinus don't get their asses kicked in court, something's wrong with copyright law.

  8. obvious by Anonymous+Custard · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "We just want them to stop using our name," he says.

    Okay, those comedians are dumb for choosing such an obviously similar name. I have no sympathy for them; they should change it immediately. They could call themselves "Three Jackasses".

    --
    $8.95/mo web hosting
  9. Now they know how Joe Don Baker felt! by payndz · · Score: 4, Insightful
    "Yeah? Yeah? Not so funny now, is it, punks! *gasp, wheeze* Oh man, ah need to sit down and have a beer an' a burrito, catch ma breath..."

    Seriously, though, I'm with Best Brains on this one. If you're going to rip off the MST3K format (*cough*BeavisandButthead*cough*), at least do something different with it (*cough*BeavisandButthead*cough* - oh, wait, I didn't need to cough that time). Even the name of this group is taking the piss! 'Mr Sinus Theater 3000'? What, do they call themselves Mick Napoleon, Blackbird R Tobor and Tim Smallmotor?

    --
    You must think in Russian.
  10. Best Brains Inc. - Hardly a Major Corporation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For those who gripe about this being another big corporation squelching the little guy, you should know that last I heard, Best Brains was Jim Mallon (the producer of the show) and some office staff. They are the littlest of guys, and because of rights issues (which they respect), they can't distribute a good chunk of their own show's run. So protecting what little they have doesn't seem out of hand to me.

  11. I wish people would actualy read the artical... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    its fun!

    MST3k isnt suing because they are using the format, they are suing because they practicaly used the same name and then tried to make money. They knew exaclty what they were doing because they actualy tried to obtain licensing and mst3k rejected it because they did not like the way that mst3k would be portrayed. This isnt a parody of mst3k, its somone stealing the mst3k format and using it to make money.

  12. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  13. Re:Speaking As a Local by Performer+Guy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Yep not even comedy like Mystery Science Theatre is safe from being ripped off by people who can't even come up with their own parody format.

  14. Read the Article by PetoskeyGuy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    They named themselves "Mister Sinus Theater 3000" and do the same skit with adult humor.

    Mister Sinus Theater 3000 sounds almost exactly like Mystery Science Theater 3000 when said out loud. No one is going to confuse Muppets in Space since they aren't similar to the trademark.