Harry Shearer, co Âwriter and star of This is Spinal Tap, cult 80Âs rock-mockumentary, is taking Vivendi the parent company of Universal Music and StudioCanal to court.
Shearer alleges that Vivendi put it up to eleven and withheld millions of dollars of profits from the rock-mockumentry. Shearer will claim $125m in compensation and damages from Vivendi.
Shearer claims that when Vivendi obtained the rights to the rock-mockumentry, in 1989 via its subsidiary StudioCanal, it ceased to share its profits from the film fairly between its four creators, cast and crew.
It has been alleged that VivendiÂs monthly ÂAt Ease weekend has been every weekend. The claim alleges that between 1989 and 2006 the company reported the soundtrack music sales were $98. It has further been stated in the claim that the four creators share of the world wide merchandising income between 1984 and 2006 was a measly $81.
ShearerÂs claim states that it is a Âconcerted and fraudulent campaign to hide, or grossly underreport, the filmÂs revenues in order to avoid its profit participation obligationsÂ.
As Bobbi Fleckman explains in the rock-mockumentry ÂMoney Talks, and B******* walksÂ.