It appears that Disturbia shared a little too much in common with Rear Window and the owners of the short story that serves as the source are seeking bounty. We get the following news from the pirate caves of Yahoo:
According to the lawsuit, filed by the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust, the basis for Hitchcock’s 1954 film was “Murder from a Fixed Viewpoint,” a short story by Cornell Woolrich. Hitchcock and actor James Stewart obtained the motion picture rights to the story in 1953. The lawsuit argues that Dreamworks should have done the same.
“In the Disturbia film the defendants purposefully employed immaterial variations or transparent rephrasing to produce essentially the same story as the Rear Window story,” the lawsuit said. In reviewing “Disturbia,” the New York Times called it “a kind of adolescent ‘Rear Window.”‘ The Toronto Star newspaper called it “a rip off with wit.”
I have yet to see Disturbia, and think I will watch Rear Window tonight in honor of this news story. If the story is as similar as everyone (see above reviews) is suggesting, then people should be sued. The rights were there for the taking; it certainly sounds like they would’ve been more than happy to license them out again. I am also guessing that those involved knew they were ripping off Rear Window, but thought everyone that could sue was dead.
We will see how this plays out – but if critics and fans alike see a blatant copy, I am sure a judge will see the same.
