(1972)
Davis Hess et al v. Sean S. Cunningham et al
Plaintiffs are accomplished and professional actors. In addition to being an accomplished and professional actor, Plaintiff Davis Hess is also an accomplished and professional composer and arranger of musical compositions. During or about 1971, Defendants MGM, Sean S. Cunningham, and CUNNINGHAM COMPANIES retained the services of Plaintiffs to perform and appear as actors in regard to a major feature-length motion picture entitled, ‘The Last House on the Left’. At that time, the Defendants MGM, CUNNINGHAM and CUNNINGHAM COMPANIES also retained the services of Plaintiff Hess to compose and arrange the musical score for ‘The Last House on the Left’.
In 1972, ‘The Last House on the Left’ was theatrically released and was a very successful and profitable film for the Defendants. Plaintiffs, in whole or part, are members of the Screen Actors Guild, the primary union that represents professional actors in the theatrical and television film industries, entitling said Plaintiffs to certain benefits and protections conferred upon them by virtue of their membership in SAG.
On August 27, 2002, Defendants MGM COMPANIES, SONY, CUNNINGHAM and CUNNINGHAM COMPANIES joined together to release ‘The Last House on the Left’ in domestic home video distribution in DVD format. None of the Plaintiffs received any compensation whatsoever as a result of the domestic home video release of the movie in DVD format. Defendants continue to sell, and/or cause to be sold, ‘The Last House on the Left’ in home video distribution in DVD format throughout the world, and Defendants continue to fail to pay Plaintiffs any compensation whatsoever in regard to such worldwide home video distribution in DVD format.