'Dallas Buyers Club' DVD screener downloaders beware: lawsuits are in the works

'Dallas Buyers Club' DVD screener downloaders beware: lawsuits are in the works
In January, a DVD Screener copy of the critically acclaimed 'Dallas Buyers Club' hit the Web, and it was promptly downloaded millions of times.

Voltage Pictures has quickly filed a lawsuit looking to receive damages from individuals who downloaded the film, putting a select few on notice. Voltage previously made the news after suing over twenty thousand downloaders of Academy Award winning 'The Hurt Locker.'



In their lawsuit, filed in Texas, Voltage says (via TorrentFreak), the "Plaintiff brings this action to stop Defendants from copying and distributing to others over the Internet unauthorized copies of Plaintiff's copyrighted movie.

"Each time a Defendant unlawfully distributes a free copy of Plaintiff's copyrighted movie to others over the Internet, each person who copies the movie then distributes the unlawful copy to others without any significant degradation in sound and picture quality. Thus, a Defendant's distribution of even one unlawful copy of a motion picture can result in the nearly instantaneous worldwide distribution of that single copy to a limitless number of people."


As with previous lawsuits, Voltage does not who the individuals are, instead identifying IP addresses. Voltage then goes through the ISPs, looking to identify the downloaders. Voltage has threatened to take any unmasked downloader to trial by jury.

Strangely in this case, Voltage has not thrown a blanket on thousands of downloaders, instead targeting just 31 individuals. The aim is cash settlements, which would likely range in the thousands of dollars.

The moral of the story remains: If you are going to pirate, stay away from Voltage Pictures' films.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 8 Feb 2014 20:15
Tags
Lawsuit Dallas Buyers Club DVD screener
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  • 12 comments
  • SoTired

    I'm probably one of very few people who can honestly say they've never downloaded a movie, song, etc. But this approach by Voltage pisses me off. I understand suing sites that make money by offering someone else's intellectual property for downloading. But suing the people who download is more heavy-handed than I can approve.

    I will not be watching this movie, or any other film from Voltage Pictures.

    8.2.2014 21:16 #1

  • Menion

    Its an intimidation tactic to try and get someone to settle and a few thousand $$ free if the person accepts, personally If one of these companies were to serve me papers with an opportunity to settle I would tell them to stick it, Let them file the lawsuit pay the lawyers, Just get a court appointed attorney and let them roll you over in court. After all said and done and they think they won the day....File bankruptcy play your cards right you will be back in the 700's within a couple years and the only person that lost was the company who is still responsible for the attorney fees. I assume if you were to put it like that they would realize its probably not in their best interests to pursue you :)

    9.2.2014 02:51 #2

  • Interestx

    What is the point of this - and where is the crime - in persecuting individuals who downloaded this (or any other film) if they have a satellite or cable or FTA deal that gives them movies?
    They are only getting something they would get anyway a bit earlier.

    They can't even say it's the recording & keeping a copy part, all the various boxes I have seen have a hard drive for recording & the Sky boxes in the UK even have a copy-out function to another device (although, as with copying to a hard drive off my Panny TV the recordings are encrypted to prevent playback on another device).

    This is a vindictive exercise in extortion, nothing more.

    9.2.2014 07:50 #3

  • xboxdvl2

    never heard of the movie so it can't be that great.
    the hurt locker wasn't a great movie and i doubt this 1 would be any better.

    moral should be
    Quote:if your gonna make a crap movie that fails don't worry just sue everyone that downloads it to get your money back

    custom built gaming pc from early 2010,ps2 with 15 games all original,ps3 500gbs with 5 games all original,yamaha amp and 5.1channel surround sound speakers,46inch sony lcd smart tv.

    9.2.2014 08:13 #4

  • Mrguss

    Scare Tactic!

    I never heard about this stupid little movie, it probably suck BIG-TIME as the Hurt Locker garbage.

    +5000

    9.2.2014 15:53 #5

  • Ripper

    It's a very good film but Voltage can still FO


    9.2.2014 19:23 #6

  • Ryberg360

    Originally posted by xboxdvl2: never heard of the movie so it can't be that great.
    the hurt locker wasn't a great movie and i doubt this 1 would be any better.

    This was based on a true story from the early 80's. Matthew McConaughey will win an oscar for it, so if you have not heard of it you will.

    10.2.2014 08:24 #7

  • KillerBug

    That's too bad; I was going to buy it when it came out. But I don't buy from patent control freaks that go around suing people.


    10.2.2014 15:10 #8

  • aldan

    great movie,hope McConaughey gets the oscar. this doesnt make me want to see another movie any time soon.suck eggs voltage.

    10.2.2014 18:12 #9

  • rbi149

    I was getting ready to go to a theater this weekend to see this film because of its good reviews, but after this heavy-handed attempt at intimidation, I will wait 'til it comes on Netflix.

    14.2.2014 16:43 #10

  • sternrulez

    Originally posted by xboxdvl2: never heard of the movie so it can't be that great.
    the hurt locker wasn't a great movie and i doubt this 1 would be any better.

    moral should be
    Quote:if your gonna make a crap movie that fails don't worry just sue everyone that downloads it to get your money back
    My thoughts exactly!! I never heard of this movie either, and I doubt I'd be interested in it even if I have. It's too bad The Purge made so much $, because that was an awful movie too, so they could've went this route also...lol

    15.2.2014 11:30 #11

  • sternrulez

    WTF is "Dallas Buyer's Club"? A movie about hicks going to a Costo? LMFAO!! No thanks, I'll pass...

    15.2.2014 11:33 #12

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