Posted on 09/24/2008 10:45:27 AM PDT by weegee
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but soul man Sam Moore sees no compliment in the parallels between his life and the new comedy "Soul Men."
Moore charges that the movie, which stars Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac as an estranged R&B duo known as the Real Deal, rips off his career with Dave Prater, who died in 1988.
"In the movie, they have a reunion concert," Moore, who made "Soul Man" a hit with Sam and Dave, tells us. "Dave and I had a reunion in 1982 after not talking with each other for years.
"Sam Jackson and Bernie Mac sing ‘Hold On, I'm Coming,'" says Moore. "That's also our song." In fact, Moore, who hasn't seen the movie, says he has been told that Jackson and Mac listened to Sam and Dave's original to get pumped up for the scene.
Moore says that Bob Weinstein's Dimension Films "tried to buy me out" by offering him $1,000 for a walk-on role.
"A thousand dollars!" he exclaims. "Whoa. You know, slavery times have ended."
Moore, 72, is vexed, too, by the free use of the N-word in the film. "Even when Dave and I were fighting and cursing, we never used that word," he says. "It's an insult to every one of us who fought in the civil rights movement.
"I don't understand how this can happen," says Moore, who's going to consult lawyers. "It's not right."
"Soul Men" producer David Friendly insists, "Everything in the movie is completely made up. The characters are backup singers, unlike Sam and Dave, who were headliners. [Bob Weinstein's brother] Harvey Weinstein suggested at a party that Sam might be in the movie. But Sam declined the offer. No money was ever discussed. Just because they sing one Sam and Dave song doesn't make it a movie about them. I think it's unfair of [Moore] to criticize a movie he hasn't seen."
The movie premieres at the Apollo here Oct. 24. That's also where Moore will perform on Monday, his first appearance there in 40 years. He'll be a guest of Japanese superstar Akiko Wada.
LOL, reminds me of the great line from the Butler in Trading Places when he gets a $5 bonus. "Now I can afford to go to the movies....by myself."
The Weinsteins are probably counting on Sam getting up to another $1,000 “rebate” when Obama is elected (with their support).
He must have liked it, he did a remake of the song with Lou Reed for the movie.
We worked with Sam about 12 years ago or so. We did several things with him and had a heck of a time getting paid. In fact, I wasn’t even getting calls back from his wife (his manager)
I finally wrote them a letter saying something like...”failure to pay the bill withing (x) days constitutes permission to use any materials in our possesion in any way we desire.”
Well, you betcha I got a call back, (she screamed at me I couldn’t use his work without permission, and I said not paying the bill constituted permission) and I was paid in a hurry! As soon as the check cleared she demanded I return any tapes I had.
I told her the truth..... I had nothing.
"Best of Sam & Dave" is a tremendous album, as seen in 8-Track form in the movie "Blues Brothers" just before Elwood runs a red light and gets the cops into a mall-wrecking chase
Good Stuff :)
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