Carl Pistorius - who appears confused about the TV business as well as what freedom of speech entails - said in a statement issued on Tuesday that the Pistorius family is distancing themselves from the Lifetime film "produced by A+E Networks, a joint venture between the Disney – ABC Television Group".
Carl Pistorius is clearly clueless that Disney and ABC are the same company and that A+E Networks is not a joint venture between Disney-ABC, but between Disney-ABC Television and Hearst Communications.
Carl Pistorius also appears uninformed about what freedom of speech in South Africa, and worldwide, entails and that filmmakers and writers are allowed to interpret and re-interpret anything they want - and how they want to. It's called artistic creative licence.
Just like OJ Simpson, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Nelson Mandela and other high-profile people who've had several biopics and biographical films about their lives made, no one owns the story of their own life.
It is absolutely legal for people to write unauthorized biographies, make documentaries or dramas about someone without needing their permission. You do not need permission to portray a real person in a work of art such as a book or movie.
A few years ago Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was upset about not being consulted for a Nelson Mandela film, and for her being portrayed by actress Jennifer Hudson. Ma Winnie couldn't take legal action.
In the statement on Tuesday Carl Pistorius, after getting the ownership of A+E Networks wrong, said "the 'film' was made with blatant disregard of both the Steenkamp and Pistorius families, as well as complete disregard for Reeva and Oscar. Neither Oscar, the defence or the family were involved in the production of this ‘film’ in anyway."
"The 'film' is not true reflection of what happened on the day of this tragedy and the subsequent trial of the matter. The 'film' is a gross distortion of the findings of the court."
"Oscar was subjected to a month long psychological evaluation which was insisted upon by the prosecution; the psychological evaluation of Oscar was undertaken by leading minds in the field. Oscar was subjected to in depth assessments and on-going tests almost daily for a month long; at no stage was Oscar found to have the mind of a killer."
"The 'film' is a gross misrepresentation of the truth. The 'film' is rather a representation of what the prosecution tried to portray.We will be taking legal action."
Having killed Reeva Steenkamp, Oscar Pistorius who is a killer, is portrayed by actor Andreas Damn with Toni Garrn playing Reeva Steenkamp who was tragically gunned down.
Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer will debut on 11 November on Lifetime in the United States, with no date available yet for Lifetime in South Africa and Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.
Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer was written by Amber Benson and produced by Eric Tomosunas and Swirl Films for Thinkfactory Media.
In taking legal action, the Pistorius family looks as if it will be throwing more good money after bad.
A few years ago the family of the killed singer Aaliyah also threatened to stop Lifetime's film Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B about the singer who died in a Bahamas plane crash in 2001 and wanted to stop production and the showing because they were not kept in the loop.
Although the relatives were up in arms, the world ended up watching Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B with talk show host Wendy Williams who produced it who said "The family doesn't want the story to be told but we're doing it anyway".
In 2011 The Guardian reported that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela felt insulted by the Winnie movie in which she was portrayed by Jennifer Hudson in the titular role.
Winnie's lawyers also threatened South African director Darrell Roodt to stop production, but the film went ahead.
"I was not consulted. I am still alive, and I think that it is a total disrespect to come to South Africa, make a movie about my struggle, and call that movie some translation of a romantic life of Winnie Mandela," Winnie told CNN.
Earlier this year Michael Jackson's family was offended by Lifetime's Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland movie that portrayed all of Michael's kids - Prince, Paris and Blanket - as well as his parents Joe and Katherine, and Dr Conrad Murray who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Michael's death.
The film aired.
OJ Simpson and the Kardashians were reportedly unhappy with their portrayal in the hit drama series American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson, as were the family of Whitney Houston with her 2015 Lifetime movie.
By saying the family will take legal action, the Pistorius family is giving Lifetime's upcoming Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer a huge international publicity and attention boost with earned media coverage that normal made-for-TV movie marketing budgets can't buy.
Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer will debut on 11 November on Lifetime in the United States, with no date available yet for Lifetime in South Africa and Africa on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.
Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer was written by Amber Benson and produced by Eric Tomosunas and Swirl Films for Thinkfactory Media.
In taking legal action, the Pistorius family looks as if it will be throwing more good money after bad.
A few years ago the family of the killed singer Aaliyah also threatened to stop Lifetime's film Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B about the singer who died in a Bahamas plane crash in 2001 and wanted to stop production and the showing because they were not kept in the loop.
Although the relatives were up in arms, the world ended up watching Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B with talk show host Wendy Williams who produced it who said "The family doesn't want the story to be told but we're doing it anyway".
In 2011 The Guardian reported that Winnie Madikizela-Mandela felt insulted by the Winnie movie in which she was portrayed by Jennifer Hudson in the titular role.
Winnie's lawyers also threatened South African director Darrell Roodt to stop production, but the film went ahead.
"I was not consulted. I am still alive, and I think that it is a total disrespect to come to South Africa, make a movie about my struggle, and call that movie some translation of a romantic life of Winnie Mandela," Winnie told CNN.
Earlier this year Michael Jackson's family was offended by Lifetime's Michael Jackson: Searching for Neverland movie that portrayed all of Michael's kids - Prince, Paris and Blanket - as well as his parents Joe and Katherine, and Dr Conrad Murray who was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in Michael's death.
The film aired.
OJ Simpson and the Kardashians were reportedly unhappy with their portrayal in the hit drama series American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson, as were the family of Whitney Houston with her 2015 Lifetime movie.
By saying the family will take legal action, the Pistorius family is giving Lifetime's upcoming Oscar Pistorius: Blade Runner Killer a huge international publicity and attention boost with earned media coverage that normal made-for-TV movie marketing budgets can't buy.
