7 replies to this topic

[+Mephistopheles]

Hobbit pub in Southampton threatened with legal action

A popular pub and music venue called The Hobbit has been threatened with legal action by US movie lawyers.

The Southampton pub has been accused of copyright infringement by lawyers representing the Saul Zaentz Company (SZC) in California.

The company owns the worldwide rights to several brands associated with author JRR Tolkien, including The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings.

Landlady Stella Mary Roberts said: "I can't fight Hollywood."

The pub in Portswood, which is popular with students, has traded with the name for more than 20 years.

It features characters from Tolkien's stories on its signs, has "Frodo" and "Gandalf" cocktails on the menu, and the face of Lord of the Rings film star Elijah Wood on its loyalty card.

A letter from SZC asked it to remove all references to the characters.

The company asserts it has "exclusive worldwide rights to motion picture, merchandising, stage and other rights in certain literary works of JRR Tolkien including The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit".

'Absolutely stunned'

The Lord of The Rings films and the forthcoming adaptation of The Hobbit, made by New Line Cinema, have been licensed from SZC.

Landlady Ms Roberts said: "We were absolutely stunned. It was completely unexpected, we never intended to infringe anyone's copyright.

"Are we doing any harm? I don't think so. We're bringing people to the books and the stories who haven't heard of JRR Tolkien.

"We don't have the financial resources to fight it - I can't fight Hollywood."

She said that changing the name and rebranding the pub would "cost thousands".

Student Heather Cartwright, who set up a "Save the Hobbit" Facebook page which has more than 3,000 likes, said: "I was completely shocked by it. It's great to see so many people showing support.

"How long do we need to protect works for? Do we protect the works of Mozart and Shakespeare?" she added.

Punch Taverns, which owns the freehold to the building, said: "We are aware of the situation and are currently consulting with our legal advisors."

Source: BBC News

… ridiculous.

[SPEhosting]

in all fairness she has not right to use the actors face... but the writer of the lord of the rings should no longer have copyright over the books ... there for its none of hollywoods business

[THE_OBSERVER]

20 years using the name, ok let you have that, but using the images of the movie, remove those!

[+Lovell]

SPEhosting, on 15 March 2012 - 03:18, said:

in all fairness she has not right to use the actors face... but the writer of the lord of the rings should no longer have copyright over the books ... there for its none of hollywoods business

The copyright runs out in either 2030 or 2050, either way I don't see the harm in letting them use the name.

[StrikedOut]

I read about this a couple of days ago in a local newpaper and the first thing I thought about was how did SZC find out about a pokey little pub in Southampton?? I gues a random Google search may bring up a result but from LA?

Anyway, they are trying to gain by using the name so I guess they are within their rights but saying "We're bringing people to the books and the stories who haven't heard of JRR Tolkien" is far fetched!

[Gaffney]

Before putting the sign up they should have asked for permission to have a sign featuring rough illustrations of the characters from Lord of the Rings. But I don't see the harm in the pub using it, it's actually a good thing because it's promotion for the film.

This thing isn't going to help anyone, the owner of the pub and SZC should have just signed an agreement in private just to make everything formal so every pub in the country doesn't just randomly start using movie theme's. Doesn't have to be any financial benefit, just a signed agreement to use some of their images which would profit both party's.

[SPEhosting]

Lovell, on 15 March 2012 - 13:29, said:

The copyright runs out in either 2030 or 2050, either way I don't see the harm in letting them use the name.

well yes tht may be the book ;D BUUTT he wrote it to be a mythology, so using "mythological creatures" is not a copyright issue :3 mwaha

[shamilcat]

I sometimes go to there when I'm in Southampton.