When Hollywood depicts a real-life, still-living person, and that person is not part of the production, then it’s safe to assume that person won’t be thrilled with the accuracy of the finished product. The medium is, by definition, fiction.
We can’t imagine OJ watched American Crime Story from prison and thought, “finally — someone got my story right.” Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook profile doesn’t list The Social Network under “favorite movies,” though he does list Moneyball, the Oscar-nominated film penned by Social Network screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin, and released one year after.
The same is understandably true for Sean Lockhart, aka Brent Corrigan (pictured to the right of actor Garrett Clayton), whose early days in the adult film industry (as in, when he was only seventeen) are dramatized in the critically acclaimed new film, King Cobra.
In a series of Tweets and in an interview with the (very) NSFW blog Str8upGayPorn, Corrigan has spoken out against the film. Not one to let an opportunity go to waste, though, he’s also using the film’s release to put out his own account of events — a memoir called Incorrigible. Everyone needs to find coins somewhere.
He accuses the film of “bastardizing” his life:
It’s made. And it’s not about me. It’s Hollywood’s attempt at bastardizing my early years in porn, one man’s murder, blah blah @JamesPMBerry
— Brent Corrigan (@BrentCorrigan) April 18, 2016
And said the filmmakers “don’t care”:
Chuck woulda done some justice. But these filmmakers didn’t care about anyone but their take on it all (and not getting sued) @JamesPMBerry
— Brent Corrigan (@BrentCorrigan) April 18, 2016
But, he says, he still plans to see it:
“Yes, I’ll see it. Likely in the independent theater with everyone else. I’m stubborn, but still curious. I have very poignant ideas about the screenplay, which was presented to me about 10 days before principle photography was slated to begin in New York. I met with the director and his agent. They were insensitive right out of the gate in our interactions with them. They wanted me to come on board without even considering what dredging all that up was really asking of me.”
And despite his negative feelings, he’s still glad the film was made:
In my brief time in non-adult media, working in indie production, and the few films I directed and produced, the first thing you learn is to secure your story. Do not develop a screenplay, tack on actors, or move forward with any form of fundraising if you do not have the rights to the content. It was a rookie mistake. The filmmakers were freaking when I said “no.” Finally, I threw them a bone and leased my names to them…I wanted the film to be made. I just didn’t want to be taken for a fool. In the end, the wrongs they commit to the story can be corrected. Those that want to know the truth will get it from my book. And I will feel better about not being a part of something that honestly only wanted to use me.
Read Corrigan’s full interview here (NSFW).
DCguy
So they gave him the screenplay, asked him to come on board. He refused because, as he says It would dredge up all this stuff, and now is complaining saying that he wasn’t a part of it.
Sounds like either he tried to hold out for more money and they refused, or he missed a few meetings and they finally said “F*ck it” and stopped calling.
Stache
@DCguy: That or just fuel for his book sales.
MarionPaige
BRENT CORRIGAN in the most prominent character in King Cobra, the production uses the names BRENT CORRIGAN and SEAN LOCKHART more than any other character’s name (both in the movie and in promotion for the movie). AND YET, Lockhart says The Production refused his initial asking price of “a low five figures”; that he eventually settled for half of what he first asked for. IF YOU READ BETWEEN THE LINES HERE,
The King Cobra Production probably didn’t have the budget to license The Rolling Stone article “Death of A Porn King” nor the money to pay for the life rights and consultation of any of the major players so,
King Cobra probably low balled the authors of that third hand account of the story because they could that book cheaper than The Rolling Stone article, The Out.com article, John Roecker’s in depth interview with Cuadra in “Everything You Wanted To Know About Gay Porn Stars” or, the participation of anyone with a first hand account of the story.
A police raid of Stephen’s house in King Cobra is shown to have been the result of a vengeful Brent Corrigan going to the police and telling them that he was underage (that he lied about his age to Stephen) when he made porn for Stephen (Christian Slater). In reality,
Bryan Kocis’ house was raided as a result of a 15 year old Pennsylvania boy going to police and telling them that Kocis had sex with him. Bryan Kocis had already admitted to the police that he had taped himself having sex with a 15 year old boy (and his house had already been raided) before Kocis had even met Corrigan. http://www.bitchless.net/index.php?showtopic=106999
If King Cobra refused Lockhart’s “low five figures” for his names (and Lockhart settled for half that), it just seems unlikely that King Cobra paid a ton of money to license a third hand account of LOCKHART’s STORY.
Stache
@MarionPaige: Since the murder was related to him and only him his name of coarse would be the most prominent. I wonder if Jeffrey Dalmer asked for any domain rights for any of the movies made on him too. Guy would’ve made a killing.
Stache
Yes. That was snark.
MarionPaige
@Stache: “Yes. That was snark.”
Was it really?
True Crime Stories are public domain, by definition, with public news accounts and public trial transcripts. It is not necessary to license the rights to a public domain story but it generally is required to license life rights if you want to go beyond what is in the public record. FOR EXAMPLE,
Snapped Killer Couples: Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes told this story without licensing a book or Lockhart’s names (without Lockhart’s participation). The production did however license our video of Harlow Cuadra working out
https://youtu.be/wGGUEoPrw4g
Stache
@MarionPaige: Yes I get it. This wasn’t some Erin Brockovich story. He was a bit player at most. If you’re going to play the naive pretty girl then at least stick with it. He was the object of others affection and loved the attention and that’s about it. You’re not gonna get much outside of that.
I think there’s a law about killers making money off book/movie deals so Harlow probably didn’t have much to gain. Easy decision for the producers.
Nice video of Harlow.
Stache
Maybe a better analogy would be under the candelabra. Only because there’s only one person around (Scott Thorson) to tell his version of events. I think made about $500,000 off of that.
MarionPaige
there is a public record to Scott Thorson’s story as he sued Liberace claiming that Liberace promised to support him. TThorson was probably paid for his participation / consultation; most of his story is in the public record of a lawsuit.
Thorson’s lawsuit is sorta relevant to the Bryan Kocis story because Thorson’s suit was thrown out / dismissed because, legally, you can’t contract for sex, that’s called prostitution.
In the Bryan Kocis Story, Kocis couldn’t legally bind Lockhart to have sex for money for porn videos – a claim that is slowly but surely being recognized as a bullshit claim by Luzerne County Prosecutors. In the Movie King Cobra for example,
Kocis owns the rights to the name BRENT CORRIGAN, it is NOT claimed that Lockhart the individual was contractually bound to Cobra Video (as was claimed by prosecutors at Cuadra’s trial).
Bob LaBlah
@Stache: I’m curious but since Liberace did have a trusted friend who was his aide and by his side since they met in the 1950’s until his death wouldn’t he count as a reliable source. He lived in the same house and took care of everything for him. He HAD to have witnessed a lot of what was going on. Does he count, do you know?
Stache
@Bob LaBlah: That’s a good point and I don’t know. The only players I know of are the boys he kept and the Scott Bacula and Dan Akeroid characters. Under the candelabra version sure made Scott look good though. Shocking. Everything including his drug use was blamed on Liberace.
Stache
@MarionPaige: I thought Thorsons lawsuit was centered around some kind of civil marriage break up. Ha. Show’s you what I know.
Bob LaBlah
@Stache: To me the first movie about Liberace (the one about two years after he died) was the best. It was more favorable to Liberace but it was easy to read between the lines. That old queen was no saint.
uktnla
I think the filmmakers probably didn’t think they needed his rights since the story is PC — but then they thought they had better cover their asses by throwing him a little money just to be safe. The truth is, though, people sue no matter what you do
Bob LaBlah
@uktnla: I’ll bet, if the movie is a hit, that he does try to sue for more money. This kid ain’t the brightest bulb in the pack and the more he speaks publicly the zanier he sounds. I actually look forward to reading what he is going to claim next.
mauikamaaina
I would give more credence to Brent’s claims if his brain was larger than his money-making organ.
MarionPaige
@Bob LaBlah: “I’ll bet, if the movie is a hit, that he does try to sue for more money”.
There is a real live person who some can argue that a character in “King Cobra” depicts / is based on. Accordingly to some public documents, that real live person is currently slumming away making $12.00 per hour at a little shit government job. I mean,
You gotta feel “awkward” when you are poor and a famous actor has made a lot of money playing you in a movie.
Bob LaBlah
@MarionPaige: Get outta here. Can you please post the public document link to that news? Thanks.
I knew every thing this “actor” had done amounted to trash and within hours after a porn shoot it hit the free websites courtesy of the people he pissed off who worked with him on the shoot. I take it that its safe to assume paying members are non-existent on his mediocre looking porn website as well?
Do you know if this actor is permanently or temporarily employed with the government? They, like everyone else, are reluctant to offer permanent jobs to new-hires. Oh my god. One of his costars from the days of Cobra went back home to Canada and did very well in porn on his website but he is now over thirty years old and looks it. Any updates on him, the one they called Brent Everret? He had a cute butt too but looked educated and had a personality that was likable.
BGinBigD
I’m surprised Miss Corrigan is creating such a fuss over King Cobra. Any publicity about a tired worn out porn star should make her feel like a “celebrity” again. Bless her heart!