Melania Documentary Producer Denies Breach Over Greenwood Music Use
Marc Beckman, the producer behind the controversial documentary Melania, has firmly rejected allegations from Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood regarding the unauthorised use of music from the 2017 film Phantom Thread. In a statement to Breitbart News, Beckman asserted that the production team followed all necessary protocols and legally secured the rights to utilise every piece of music featured in the film.
Greenwood and Anderson's Allegations
Earlier this week, Jonny Greenwood, who composed the original score for Phantom Thread, alongside the film's director Paul Thomas Anderson, issued a joint statement expressing their concerns. They highlighted that a specific piece of music from the film had been incorporated into the Melania documentary without proper consultation. Greenwood's legal representatives contended that while he does not hold the copyright to the score, the film distributor Universal failed to consult him on this third-party usage, which they claim constitutes a breach of his composer agreement.
The statement, obtained by Variety, read: "It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary." The attorneys emphasised that this oversight violated the terms of Greenwood's agreement, sparking a legal and ethical dispute over intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry.
Beckman's Forceful Rebuttal
In response, Marc Beckman delivered a robust defence, labelling the allegations as "a blatant lie" and insisting that all contractual obligations were meticulously adhered to. He detailed that the production team possesses legally binding contracts for every song used in the documentary, ensuring full compliance with copyright laws.
Beckman stated: "We have a legal right and permission to use every song and piece of music in the film. We have the legal rights to use it. We've done everything the right way. We followed protocol. We respect artists. We compensated everyone for their music." He further added, "We have legally binding, fully executed contracts in place to use every song in Melania. This is just ridiculous."
The documentary, which features a lengthy excerpt of Greenwood's composition "Barbara Rose" from Phantom Thread, has become a focal point in this dispute. The Independent has reached out to representatives for Anderson, Greenwood, Amazon MGM Studios, and Universal for additional comments, but no further statements have been released at this time.
Documentary's Content and Reception
Directed by Brett Ratner, the Melania documentary chronicles the twenty days leading up to Donald Trump's second presidential inauguration, offering an intimate glimpse into the life of former First Lady Melania Trump. The film depicts her interactions with stylists, interior designers, and political allies, culminating in the swearing-in ceremony where she is seen hand-in-hand with her husband.
Despite its controversial subject matter, the documentary has performed unexpectedly well at the box office, earning $13.35 million domestically after two weekends of release. This success is partly attributed to organised groups of Republican women who have formed a significant portion of the audience. However, the film has been widely criticised by reviewers, including a one-star review from The Independent's Nick Hilton, who described it as "somewhere between reality TV and pure fiction."
Financially, the documentary faces challenges, as it is unlikely to recoup the $40 million Amazon MGM paid for it, plus an additional $35 million reportedly spent on marketing. The project marks the return of director Brett Ratner, who relocated to Israel following multiple sexual misconduct allegations in 2017, though he has denied any wrongdoing and has not faced charges.
Adding to the film's tumultuous production, a Rolling Stone report revealed that two-thirds of the crew members requested their names be removed from the credits, further highlighting the contentious nature of this documentary.
