Because he canât sue every Muslim in the world, Michael Lucas has found a new target for his general ire: copyright infringers.
The porn producerâs company Lucas Entertainment announced legal action (site NSFW) against 65 as-yet-unidentified defendants accused of downloading its flick Missing via BitTorrent.
The complaint (PDF) is quite brief at six pages, and itâs unclear whether Lucas first filed DMCA complaints against alleged infringers and the site Lucas claims facilitated the action. But it should mostly be interpreted as: a) an indication of increased crackdown on web pirates using the same strategy as groups like the MPAA; b) free publicity for the DVD Missing.
[photo of Michael Lucas looking very legal-y via Lucas Entertainment]
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Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Elie
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Michael Joseph Cuneo
I can’t imagine buying Michael Lucas’s crappy porn, but I can’t imagine taking the time to bother downloading it either. Blech.
misterorff
Wait… 65 people actually watched his crap?
Michael
In terms of marketing dollars, filing a legal complaint is far cheaper than buying ad space. Plus, it works. Bloggers do a great job of in spreading the word – for free.
Jon B
@Elie: What is this? Am I the only one who has no idea?
Brandon H
I suspect this may be a one off. Porn studios are so fragmented that most of them wouldn’t be able to afford extended mpaa style litigation. Hell, the MPAA can’t even afford it (for long anyway). Besides, most of them don’t want the negative attention, unlike Mikey here, porn already has a negative connotation in the public conciousness.
L.
âI am always surprised that users would deal with torrent sites and all the hassle that requires instead of streaming through LucasEntertainment.com”
And I am always surprised that users would pay for streaming through LucasEntertainment.com instead of getting it for free off a torrent stream.
(What happened to his lips?)
Dawson
The problem really is that the porn market hasn’t realized that people can’t afford $29.95 a month for their site and adjusted accordingly. I will say this is one of the best pictures of Lucas I have ever seen.
jimmy
@Jon B: acsii art representing the action of facepalm in face of stupidity
Fitz
I don’t like being stolen from.
hf2hvit
DANGER!!! STEP AWAY FROM THE LIP FILLER!!!
Peter
If this was any other gay film auteur, everyone would drop $12 to see his movie in a theatre. But since queerty hates Lucas they have to post this drivel. He’s just trying to protect what’s rightfully his.
Daniel
This is a joke right? Isn’t Lucas an escort? I thought prostitution was illegal.
hf2hvit
“No. 12 ¡ Peter
If this was any other gay film auteur, everyone would drop $12 to see his movie in a theatre”
NOPE. Wrong there.
Max
Shut up! Lucas is great pornograph!
Tonic
@No.12.Peter
No way! I wouldn’t pay a cent for anything connected to Lucas. He hasn’t figured out that he needs to stop putting himself in his own films (he’s a boner kill). Not to mention, he’s got a pretty poisonous attitude. The guys a black hole to good energy.
Tonic
Oh, and not the GOOD kind of black hole. đ
Adam
Who is he kidding? Next to no one is ever gonna pay money for porn when there’s so much of it free online already. The only exception to be made is for payperview sites where you have instant access to thousands of different movies.
Jamie
Lucas’ strategy is likely to fail, as the courts have already said that each (illegal) download is an individual act and the thief would have to be sued, individually, not as a group of John Does. Were that possible, we wouldn’t be looking at massive copyright infringement and the near-collapse of the porn industry, let alone the entire entertainment industry.
That said, Lucas has repeatedly both escaped the reach, and taken full advantage, of the court. The Felini estate’s lawsuit for Lucas’ enfringement of La Dolce Vita, for example, ended with the court saying that the Felini side couldn’t prove they owned the rights to the film and therefor had no standing to sue Lucas, not that Lucas was innocent. I would not surprise me in any way for the court to side with Lucas (and Lucas alone) and allow this suit to go forward.
In the end, Lucas will fail, as the cost of pursuing this strategy is too great. But he will succeed in receiving tons of PR from websites, just like this one.
Drake
Why is this aging he-whore such a fixation of Queerty?
tom
@#20Drake-
Lucas is a fixation of many media outlets, including you. That’s why you took your time to write and post your comment.
Jon
I’m not sure why everyone is hating on him. If you spend money to produce and market a movie why is it OK for thiefs to come along and steal it? I don’t get why everyone thinks this is OK. WTF?
[img]http://www.c1r.com/system/box_covers/AW11267/front_cover/AFFIRMATIVE_WEBfrt_original.jpg?1271443203[/img]
L.
(Why does a movie called “Affirmative Blacktion” features two Caucasians on its cover? Anyone?)
james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge
@L.: I’m pretty sure the guy on the right is at least half-black but good question…
Sed
OMG. That’s so true L. I just noticed that. LOL
L.
@james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge: Wiki says you’re right. I had no idea. Darn. (It also says he’s 38, which was an even bigger surprise.)
@Sed: Well, it *was* funny before Mr James here ruined it đ
james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge
@Elie: After a whold day of looking at the pic in response no. 1, I finally get it. It’s Osama Bin Laden or some Muslim cleric holding his head, disappointed at Lucas’ stupid bigotry, LOL! Can’t believe so many people who gave it a thumbs up got it so quick.
james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge
@Peter: Anybody who pays for porn in the age of xtube (& rockettube, bittorrent, & thousands of other sites) is either stupid or completely out of their mind.