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Willful Infringement: Mickey and Me

The story of Jed Horovitz and his legal dispute with the Disney Corporation
regarding copyright infringement, as told by Mr. Horovitz.


This movie is part of the collection: Open Source Movies

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Reviewer: whiteb465 - - October 16, 2009
Subject: Copyright Issues
I think the copyright issue is really dumb. If the person is helping get your business out there I don't see the problem. The only way there should be a problem is if they are trying to sell it as their own idea.

Reviewer: ridetheory - - April 6, 2005
Subject: The Dark Side of the Mouse
This is an excellent case study of an all-too-typical corporate copyright lawsuit. The tactic of large corporations is to sue the hell out of small copyright infringers and to claim huge damages.

This 25 minute film may seem a bit draggy if you're not interested in copyright issues, but if you are, it's essential viewing.

It even features a cameo by semi-famous fair use advocate Don Joyce of Negativland.

Reviewer: tambora - - September 29, 2004
Subject: Essential Viewing Indeed
Nothing could be a more appropriate topic for archive.org, and though it has been widely discussed in the archive, no film that I have yet found has stated the argument so clearly and made such an interesting case for the easing of copyright restrictions.

If the film suffers from any of its content, it's the extreme close-ups on Horovitz coupled with his dirge-like discourses on his dilemma. If you can survive his sluggish, though useful, monologues, you'll really love the film. Sure, it borrows, even in the title, from the Michael-Moore-style documentary (maybe that's part of the point - creative collaboration through necessary borrowing), though Moore would've been a welcome addition to liven things up a bit. Horovitz even mentions Moore in the film.

The interviews, made with a wide range of elected officials and owners of media businesses, are rather enlightening. The final statements regarding Disney's own hypocrisy in this issue, achieved through the direct juxtapositions of some of Disney's earliest efforts and the sources they borrowed from, are illuminating. And it's a nice touch to have filmed it in DisneyLand.

The film is just under 25 minutes long, but it's a well-spent 25 minutes. I would've liked some credits, though.

Reviewer: simon c - - September 10, 2004
Subject: An absolutely excellent documentary.
A thoroughly enjoyable, if disconcerting look at Videopipeline's run-in with Disney regarding movie trailer re-editing. Highly, highly recommended.