Spoof: All Persons Fictitious Disclaimer
An all persons fictitious disclaimer is a disclaimer in which a work of media states that all persons portrayed in it are fictitious. This is done to reduce the possibility of legal action for libel from any person who believes that he or she has been libeled via their portrayal in the work (whether portrayed under their real name or a different name). Because the disclaimer is intended for serious purposes, it is often the subject of comedic satire. From these movies, tv or novels listed below, which of these makes the best spoof use of "all persons fictitious" disclaimer?
Special thanks to yrnej and alioth4 for the suggestions!
Discuss here
Special thanks to yrnej and alioth4 for the suggestions!
Discuss here
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- DirectorJules WhiteStarsMoe HowardLarry FineCurly HowardIn a country, munitions manufacturers maneuver a wallpaper hanger to become dictator with his compatriots as his personal staff.The Three Stooges' parody of Nazi Germany, You Nazty Spy, stated that "Any resemblance between the characters in this picture and any persons, living or dead, is a miracle."
- DirectorJules WhiteStarsMoe HowardLarry FineCurly HowardA follow up to "You Nazty Spy", the stooges have taken over the country of Moronica. Moe is Hailstone the Dictator, Curly is a Field Marshal and Larry is Minister of Propaganda. The stooges are planning with their allies to conquer the world, which mainly consists of fighting over a globe. The former king's daughter gets into their headquarters and plants a bomb which Curly detonates. All ends well as the king regains control of the country and the stooges wind up as trophies on the wall.The sequel of You Natzy Spy, I'll Never Heil Again features a disclaimer that states that "The characters in this picture are fictitious. Anyone resembling them is better off dead".
- DirectorDavid LaneStarsSylvia AndersonRay BarrettAlexander DavionWhen the launch of a mission to Mars goes awry due to sabotage, International Rescue is requested to assist in the mission's second attempt.In the 1968 film Thunderbirds Are Go, a disclaimer states that all the persons in the feature are fictitious "as they do not exist yet" (the film is set in the year 2068).
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsDavid NaughtonJenny AgutterJoe BelcherTwo American college students on a walking tour of Britain are attacked by a werewolf that none of the locals will admit exists.In the film An American Werewolf in London and in Michael Jackson's Thriller, the disclaimer refers to "persons living, dead or undead".
- DirectorDan O'BannonStarsClu GulagerJames KarenDon CalfaWhen two bumbling employees at a medical supply warehouse accidentally release a deadly gas into the air, the vapors cause the dead to rise again as zombies.The film Return of the Living Dead features a disclaimer that reads "The events portrayed in this film are all true. The names are real names of real people and real organizations."
- DirectorAlan RudolphStarsBruce WillisNick NolteAlbert FinneyA rich car dealer is losing his mind. His son lives in the bomb shelter. His suicidal wife has an affair with his transvestite sales manager.The novel Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonnegut features a truncated version of the disclaimer: "All persons, living and dead, are purely coincidental, and should not be construed", referring to the novel's existentialist themes.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsRichard LinklaterRudy BasquezJean CaffeineA day in the life of Austin, Texas as the camera roams from place to place and provides a brief look at the overeducated, the social misfits, the outcasts and the oddballs.Richard Linklater's 1991 feature film Slacker ends with "This story was based on fact. Any similarity with fictitious events or characters was purely coincidental."
- CreatorTrey ParkerMatt StoneBrian GradenStarsTrey ParkerMatt StoneIsaac HayesFollows the misadventures of four irreverent grade-schoolers in the quiet, dysfunctional town of South Park, Colorado.All episodes of South Park open with a tongue-in-cheek disclaimer that begins by stating, "All characters and events in this show – even those based on real people – are entirely fictional. All celebrity voices are impersonated – poorly."
- DirectorBrian SheesleyStarsBilly WestKatey SagalJohn DiMaggioProf. Farnsworth's and Hermes' 12 year old sons combine forces to take over Planet Express, but their ambition is more than their ability and they need their fathers' help to save the day.The opening caption of Futurama episode "The Route of All Evil" shows the disclaimer "Any Resemblance To Actual Robots Would Be Really Cool".
- DirectorMarc WebbStarsZooey DeschanelJoseph Gordon-LevittGeoffrey ArendAfter being dumped by the girl he believes to be his soulmate, hopeless romantic Tom Hansen reflects on their relationship to try and figure out where things went wrong and how he can win her back.In the beginning of the 2009 American comedy-drama film 500 Days of Summer (which is about a failed romantic relationship), a disclaimer is given: "Any resemblance to people living or dead is purely coincidental ... Especially you, Jenny Beckman ... Bitch."
- DirectorFernando MeirellesStarsRalph FiennesRachel WeiszDanny HustonA widower's transcontinental quest to find answers about his wife's death leads him to explosive secrets.Disclaimers can occasionally be used to make political or similar points. One such disclaimer is shown at the end of the industrial/political thriller The Constant Gardener, signed by the author of the original book, John le Carré:
"Nobody in this story, and no outfit or corporation, thank God, is based upon an actual person or outfit in the real world. But I can tell you this; as my journey through the pharmaceutical jungle progressed, I came to realize that, by comparison with the reality, my story was as tame as a holiday postcard." - DirectorCosta-GavrasStarsYves MontandIrene PapasJean-Louis TrintignantThe public murder of a prominent politician and doctor amid a violent demonstration is covered up by military and government officials. A tenacious magistrate is determined not to let them get away with it.The 1969 film Z, which is based on the military dictatorship ruling Greece at that time, has this notice: "Any resemblance to actual events, to persons living or dead, is not the result of chance. It is DELIBERATE."
- DirectorVolker SchlöndorffMargarethe von TrottaStarsAngela WinklerMario AdorfDieter LaserA young woman's life is scrutinized by police and tabloid press after she spends the night with a suspected terrorist.German nobel laureate Heinrich Böll's novel The Lost Honour of Katharina Blum was originally preceded by the following disclaimer:
"The characters and action in this story are purely fictitious. If the depiction of certain journalistic practices should have resulted in similarities with the practices of the Bild newspaper, these similarities are neither intended nor coincidental but inevitable."
For legal reasons, this disclaimer was later removed in the English edition. - CreatorRob GrantDoug NaylorStarsChris BarrieCraig CharlesDanny John-JulesThe adventures of the last human alive and his friends, stranded three million years into deep space on the mining ship Red Dwarf.An episode of the TV series Red Dwarf included a news report saying that an ancient scroll had been found containing such a disclaimer for the Bible.
- StarsDave EggersEthan CoenJoel CoenA new conversation between author Dave Eggers and the Coen Brothers about the production, from inception to release, of 'Blood Simple'.Because of the autobiographical nature of Dave Eggers' memoir, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, the book features the following play on the usual disclaimer:
"Any resemblance to persons living or dead should be plainly apparent to them and those who know them, especially if the author has been kind enough to have provided their real names and, in some cases, their phone numbers. All events described herein actually happened, though on occasion the author has taken certain, very small, liberties with chronology, because that is his right as an American." - DirectorArt NamesStarsLes TremayneJanet WoodBebe KellyA lonely old man who loves snakes starts killing his friends and the townsfolk--using his poisonous snakes--after they turn their backs on him.The photoplay entitled Fangs by Dr. Ludwing Van Krankheit has a disclaimer that states:
"The events, characters, firms and vampires depicted in this photoplay are fictitious. Any similarity to actual persons living or dead or to actual events is entirely coincidental." - DirectorChris BuckJennifer LeeStarsKristen BellIdina MenzelJonathan GroffFearless optimist Anna teams up with rugged mountain man Kristoff and his loyal reindeer Sven in an epic journey to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom of Arendelle in eternal winter.At the end credits of Frozen, it features a disclaimer that reads:
"The views and opinions expressed by Kristoff in the film that all men eat their own boogers are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Walt Disney Company or filmmakers. Neither The Walt Disney Company nor the filmmakers make any representation of the accuracy of any such views and opinions." - DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinPaulette GoddardJack OakieDictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.Charlie Chaplin's The Great Dictator features a disclaimer that reads:
"Any resemblance between Hynkel the Dictator and the Jewish Barber is purely co-incidental." - DirectorManuel Martín CuencaStarsAntonio de la TorreOlimpia MelinteMaría Alfonsa RossoCarlos is the most prestigious tailor in Granada, but he's also a murderer in the shadows. He feels no remorse, no guilt, until Nina appears in his life and love awakens.Cannibal features a disclaimer that reads:
"Due to the graphic nature of this film, it should not have been watched by small children." - DirectorKevin SmithStarsBen AffleckMatt DamonLinda FiorentinoAn abortion clinic worker with a special heritage is called upon to save the existence of humanity from being negated by two renegade angels trying to exploit a loop-hole and reenter Heaven.The intro of the 1999 comedy film Dogma has a disclaimer that reads:
"Disclaimer: 1) a renunciation of any claim to or connection with; 2) disavowal; 3) a statement made to save one's own ass.Though it'll go without saying ten minutes or so into these proceedings, View Askew would like to state that this film in - from start to finish - a work of comedic fantasy, not to be taken seriously. To insist that any of what follows is incendiary or inflammatory is to miss our intention and pass undue judgment; and passing judgment is reserved for God and God alone (this does for you films critics too...just kidding). So please - before you think about hurting someone over this trifle of a film, remember: even God has a sense of humor. Just look at the Platypus. Thank you and enjoy the show. P.S. We sincerely apologize to all Platypus enthusiasts out there who are offended by that thoughtless comment about the Platypi. We at View Askew respect the noble Platypus, and it is not our intention to slight these stupid creatures in any way. Thank you again and enjoy the show." - DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.David Fincher's Fight Club has a disclaimer at the end of the film that reads:
"If you are reading this, then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second of your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty you can't honestly think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed by authority that you give respect and credence to all who demand it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think everything you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told you should want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job, start a fight, prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity, you will become a statistic. You have been warned." ................Tyler - DirectorMark JonesStarsMax GrodénchikJohn DuceyKim Johnston UlrichThe wish of a young widow to see her police officer husband, killed on the line of duty, frees a demonic creature who wants to claim the soul of her baby.The 1995 film of Rumpelstiltskin has a disclaimer at the end of the film that reads:
"No babies or children were placed in dangerous or traumatic situations during the filming of this motion picture. Mechanical babies and dolls were utilized throughout the production. Audible cries were added with imitation sound effects." - DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsChristian BaleAmy AdamsBradley CooperA con man, Irving Rosenfeld, along with his seductive partner Sydney Prosser, is forced to work for a wild F.B.I. Agent, Richie DiMaso, who pushes them into a world of Jersey powerbrokers and the Mafia.American Hustle has a disclaimer that reads:
"Some of this stuff actually happened." - DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsWilliam H. MacyFrances McDormandSteve BuscemiMinnesota car salesman Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.Coen's Fargo has a disclaimer that states:
"This is a true story. The events depicted in this film took place in Minnesota in 1987. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred." (which was utterly false)