The Matrix synopsis originally stolen?

...again.

Or is that brother and sister now?

http://www.slccglobelink.com/news/2004/10/28/Entertainment/mother.Of.The.Matrix.Victorious-785067.shtml

[EDIT]: Because of the link's inability to work occasionally:

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.

So this means all those school shootings to free people from the Matrix were for nothing. Dang Namit

...that's a lot of money! Heh...interesting point about AOL-Time Warner at the bottom of the first page; just took me a little reminder to remember how friggin' big they are, lol.

I was free from the matrix once, It was all gray and depressing.. like bratislava... I asked to come back... :biggrin:

So this women writes a story back in the 80s waits a decade for someone to steal it. Then through a law suit becomes one of the richest people in America! That's friggin awesome by any means.

1. Why the hell is she getting money for the Matrix and Terminator? How exactly are these linked in any way?

2. Now the Wachowski brothers can wipe their hands of Reloaded and Revolutions, since this woman apparently wrote them too.

3. Since we're all sue-happy for some reason, I would like to file a petition on behalf of Descartes, from whom this woman obviously lifted much of her ideas.

I bet her story has a very tenuous connection to the Matrix and has nothing to do with it. Of course though, she must have thought up bullet time and Agent Smith back in 1981, along with Cyberdine and machines that disguise themselves as people in order to infiltrate human outposts... :rolleyes:

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Yak_Fighter</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>
I bet her story has a very tenuous connection to the Matrix and has nothing to do with it. Of course though, she must have thought up bullet time and Agent Smith back in 1981, along with Cyberdine and machines that disguise themselves as people in order to infiltrate human outposts... :rolleyes:

</DIV></DIV>
:rolleyes: Yeah because as we all know people back in the 80s had no imaginations.

I know man. People in the 80s were so square.

Yeah, it wasn't until the early 90s that computing power could afford the tris to start rounding off edges. I remember when everyone still looked like that Dire Straits video...

There is no manuscript.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Spartan 34</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>So this women writes a story back in the 80s waits a decade for someone to steal it. Then through a law suit becomes one of the richest people in America! That's friggin awesome by any means. </DIV></DIV>

:biggrin:

so she wrote the terminator plot too

quote

I remember when everyone still looked like that Dire Straits video...

lol....i remember their parents... :heee: the 60's was beddy beddy gute to me....

Dr Brasso... :dodgy:

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Kage_Prototype</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Stewart has her own explanation, as quoted at daghettotymz.com: </DIV></DIV>


The lady must have just written some crap about nuclear apocalypse and revolution against machine overlords.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Yak_Fighter</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Of course though, she must have thought up bullet time and Agent Smith back in 1981, along with Cyberdine and machines that disguise themselves as people in order to infiltrate human outposts... :rolleyes: </DIV></DIV>
She ripped me off !!!!!!!



:biggrin:

? quoting Yak_Fighter1. Why the hell is she getting money for the Matrix and Terminator? How exactly are these linked in any way?

2. Now the Wachowski brothers can wipe their hands of Reloaded and Revolutions, since this woman apparently wrote them too.

3. Since we're all sue-happy for some reason, I would like to file a petition on behalf of Descartes, from whom this woman obviously lifted much of her ideas.

I bet her story has a very tenuous connection to the Matrix and has nothing to do with it. Of course though, she must have thought up bullet time and Agent Smith back in 1981, along with Cyberdine and machines that disguise themselves as people in order to infiltrate human outposts... :rolleyes:

Don't for get Jean Baudrillard. To be perfectly honest, the first matrix film reflects his work much more then anything she says she used. His article, "Simulacra and Simulation" is quoted in various ways throughout the film.
I have no idea if they actually "stole" the thing from her. Especially if they recieved it by her answering an "Hey, I need some good plot ideas" ad. What exactly did she think they'd use it for?

Yak, don't forget SkyNet. :smile:

Anyway, The Matrix is not as creative as I thought it was. The idea of connecting the brain to a machine projecting a parallel reality, which I thought was awesome, was actually inspired from the movie "eXistenZ" by David Cronenberg. Add to this the Plot of the machines which is apparently also an exterior "inspiration", and give it a 90's look, with black leather and all, and of course appropriate filming effects, and you have Matrix 1. The only thing revolutionary about this movie was mainly the filming technique IMO.

Anyway, The Matrix is not as creative as I thought it was.
The idea of connecting the brain to a machine projecting a parallel
reality, which I thought was awesome, was actually inspired from the
movie "eXistenZ" by David Cronenberg. Add to this the Plot of the
machines which is apparently also an exterior "inspiration", and give
it a 90's look, with black leather and all, and of course appropriate
filming effects, and you have Matrix 1. The only thing revolutionary
about this movie was mainly the filming technique IMO.

Existenz came out around the same time as the matrix, so neither really
inspired the other. The Matrix is really just an amalgamation of every
major science fiction novel (see: Neuromancer), comic
book et al., all wrapped in a visually stunning modern cyberpunk-like package.

I've spotted at least 5 things the Matrix ripped off of recently. Most
noteably 'Total Recall' in which Arnie is in a parralell 'world' VERY
similar in concept to the matrix. The last straw is when another
character offers Arnie a choice of either a blue pill or a red pill the
effects of which are identical to those of the Matrix.

The Matrix is shallow dross, nuff said. It's stolen from just about
everything under the sun.. and Cyberdine/dyne as a sci fi thing has
been done do to death already.

I'm with Kain, the Matrix is merely a slapdash of bastardised and
stolen ideas shot with fancy camerawork and wooden acting, to add to
the neo industrial feel. I'd rather poke myself in the eyes with a
rusty bread knife than watch it EVER again :razz:

The idea of a supposed reality within this reality, or maybe the next
etc. is a religious idea, and I can see how anyone could possibly be
credited for the storyline. If the film didnt turn out to be a SELF
IMPOSED cult film, I doubt this Stewart person would give a s**t. It'll
never rock our worlds to find out that the flimsy storyline behind
kickass special FX was stolen (you could make up a better excuse for pissing the bed!). But at least people now know where to
send angry letters titled "Weak plot, the media fooled me....again" to.
She's laughing all the way to the bank, the Wachoski bros are crying
all the way to their back pocket for spare change.

Tell me "The Greatest Story Ever Told" was written by someone whos going to sucessfully sue and win and THAT is worth attention.

What is the Matrix? I dunno, ooooh loook he's spinning around really fast, ooooooh. :razz:

Taking elements of different stories and making them into something new is not a bad thing.

Cassius said:
Taking elements of different stories and making them into something new is not a bad thing.

No, it's not :smile:

Most good films and books are not completely original, there is always a basis for the idea, plot, or even style.

The Odyssey has been "re-based" several times (Sullivan's Travels, Oh Brother, Where Art Thou). The same with The Great Gatsby (Twelve, Fight Club) ... etc.

Cassius, can you honestly say that The Matrix plot/stolen plot is a case where this applies?

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Cassius</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Taking elements of different stories and making them into something new is not a bad thing.</DIV></DIV>

No it's not, but it should be done in a subtle and surprising way, which is not the case with the Matrix. In Natural Born Killers, they show very cruel scenes, in the beginning, filmed like in a sitcom, with background laughing and all; in 2001 Space Odyssey, they re-use waltz music to express the slow motion of the planets; now that's creative, unexpected! There's no such thing in the Matrix.
Matrix 1 is a good movie, not a cult movie. And the sequels are catastrophic, IMHO of course.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Mephs</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>The idea of a supposed reality within this reality, or maybe the next etc. is a religious idea, and I can see how anyone could possibly be credited for the storyline. If the film didnt turn out to be a SELF IMPOSED cult film, I doubt this Stewart person would give a s**t. It'll never rock our worlds to find out that the flimsy storyline behind kickass special FX was stolen (you could make up a better excuse for pissing the bed!). But at least people now know where to send angry letters titled "Weak plot, the media fooled me....again" to. She's laughing all the way to the bank, the Wachoski bros are crying all the way to their back pocket for spare change.

Tell me "The Greatest Story Ever Told" was written by someone whos going to sucessfully sue and win and THAT is worth attention.

What is the Matrix? I dunno, ooooh loook he's spinning around really fast, ooooooh. :razz:
</DIV></DIV>
That's another thing I didn't like in the movie, the religious connotations: that feeling of being the Chosen, the One. I'm not used to thinking that way. I hate to say it, but it sounds a bit jewish... you know, the chosen people... why did He chose them, not me???