The Bootleg Files: The Three Stooges in Stupor Heroes

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 796: “The Three Stooges in Stupor Heroes” (2012 fan film).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Unauthorized production that borrows copyright protected material from the Three Stooges and DC Comics.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Nope.

There seems to be a surplus number of fan films based on “Star Wars,” superhero flicks, James Bond adventures and popular horror franchises. But how come there is a deficit of Three Stooges-inspired fan films?
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The Bootleg Files – The Batman: Deadly Madness

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 796: “The Batman: Deadly Madness” (2022 Russian film).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None (hey, it just came out).

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Unauthorized production that borrows copyright protected material.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Nyet.

This week marks the debut of two new films inspired by Bob Kane’s Gotham City-based superhero. There is the big Hollywood film that everyone is waiting for – do I really have to identify it? – and there is the tiny Russian film that no one is waiting for but everyone should see, if only to learn an invaluable lesson on how not to make a fan film.
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The Bootleg Files: The Second Shot Kills

Posted on October 8, 2021 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 781: “The Second Shot Kills” (1972 fan film of the 007 franchise made by Welsh teenagers).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: Getting this released commercially is a bit tricky.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Unlikely.

This week, everyone with even the faintest connection to film scholarship has been writing articles in advance of the U.S. premiere of the new James Bond film “No Time To Die.” However, there is a more intriguing 007 film that deserves attention – one that you probably never knew existed.
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Jason Rising: A Friday the 13th Fan Film (2021)

Posted on October 5, 2021 by Felix Vasquez

The “Friday the 13^th” property is still in legal limbo, and the odds of us seeing a sequel or reboot any time soon are slim. All we the fans have for now are fan films. Thankfully, the delivery from filmmakers that respect the property has been fantastic, and James Sweet’s own fan film is no exception. It’s a little rough around the edges in regards to the narrative, but he offers some new fodder that I hope is made in to canon someday.

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Shorts Round Up of the Week: 1/29/21

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Felix Vasquez

It’s been a while since I’ve delivered the Shorts Round Up of the Week as I was previously incapacitated with the flu for most of December. Now that we’re on a new year and a new chapter for the site, I thought it only fitting to unveil the first “Shorts Round Up of the Week” for 2021.

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The Bootleg Files: Legend of Superman – Covid Response

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Phil Hall

BOOTLEG FILES 743: “Legend of Superman – Covid Response” (2020 fan film by Frank Palangi).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: A fan film based on copyright-protected characters.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE: Unlikely at this time.

Fan films occupy a curious place in the movie universe. Clearly, these films are the ultimate in bootlegging because they borrow copyright-protected characters and put them into new films made without the blessings of their creators. On the other hand, they offer an affirmation of the popularity of the franchises being pilfered. For the most part, the makers of these films are rarely harassed by the lawyers representing the companies whose intellectual property is being used without permission.
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Never Hike in the Snow: A Friday the 13th Fan Film (2020)

Posted on October 14, 2020 by Felix Vasquez

With the fate of the movie series still up in the air, the likelihood of “Friday the 13^th” fans getting a new film within the next three years seems like pipe dreams. The fan community has managed to keep the franchise alive, though, including Vincente DiSanti. After his incredibly popular 2017 fan film “Never Hike Alone,” DiSanti continues his take on the series, this time giving fans what we’ve been asking for, since “The New Blood”: Jason Voorhees slashing his way through the snowy terrain of Crystal Lake.

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