Madeleine McCann: Not A Film, A Book And The McCanns Making Money
MADDYWATCH - Anorak’s at-a-glance guide to press coverage of Madeleine McCann
DAILY EXPRESS front page: “Madeleine’s parents planning Hollywood blockbuster movie”
“Kate and Gerry sparked outrage after it was revealed they have held negotiations with leading producers over the movie rights. The couple – who are prime suspects in the case – are also considering book and TV deals in a package worth an estimated £10million”
A book? Like the Daily Express book? That sick..?
Kate McCann: Michelle Pfeiffer
Gerry McCann: James Caan
Madeleine McCann: Macaulay Culkin
And what of this £10million, and the money earned from any film? “The windfall would help finance the search for Madeleine after concerns were raised that a special fund set up by the family was in crisis”
Page 5: The Find Madeleine fund is down to its last £400,000. More money is needed. So why the “outrage”?
Says the McCanns’ spokesman Clarence Mitchell: “We need money to search for Madeleine and that is the most important thing. Nothing has been decided yet. A film would be made on a percentage basis, with part of the profits going to the fund. None of the money would go to Kate and Gerry. They are not trying in any way to profit out of her name’’
And how many films ever make a profit? It would be a film, perhaps, like that about 15-year-old Amy Smart, abducted in the US and found eight months later. “Several movies were made about her while she was missing including The Amy Smart Story”
The “WORLD’S GREATEST NEWSPAPER” does not say if the Amy Smart story made any money. But it does trawl the web and see blog comments like:
“Angry” Pamela Blears, from Oldham, posts: “From the day little Madeleine disappeared I have felt sympathy and compassion for the McCanns but this beggers belief. How can they think about making a film out of the tragedy when the poor child hasn’t even been found yet? How low can you get?”
The Daily Express costs “ONLY 40p”
“McCANNS FEAR CHARGES SOON” – “A source close to the family” tells us: “Kate and Gerry insist they are innocent but they fear they will be charged. Naturally Kate and Gerry are concerned that if this line of inquiry continues to its natural conclusion, charges are always a possibility and they know that’s entirely wrong”
He added: “The Portuguese police seem to be blinkered in their approach and it feels like they want to find the McCanns guilty regardless.”
DAILY STAR front page: “MADDIE: THE £10M MOVIE – Skint parent to sell film rights”
Skint? The Find Madeleine Fund is dwindling, down to its last “£200,000”. But Gerry McCann is going back to work. He is, as the tabloids never tire to telling us, “a heart consultant”. She is a “GP”
Says the Star: “The couple – who are prime suspects – are in negotiations with the world’s biggest talent and entertainment agency IMG”
IMG – International Management Group– has produced the films Touching the Void, Assault on Waco, Seconds from Disaster, I Shouldn’t be Alive and Kevin and Perry Go Large. Naomi Campbell is on the books
Any film would be an “observational documentary following the on-going search for Madeleine,” says IMG
Pages 4 and5: “Thousands blast ‘sick’ plan”
A poll: “WOULD YOU GO AND WATCH MADDIE: THE MOVIE?” Yes? No? Or I’ve already seen tonight With Trevor McDonald, thanks?
“Ester out in crisis” – TV presenter Esther McVey has resigned her post as a director of the Find Madeleine fund
DAILY MAIL front page: “MADDIE’S PARENTS PLAN £2M FILM DEAL”
“Kate and Gerry McCann could make £2million from a film deal over the story of their daughter’s disappearance, it has been claimed”
Not £10m? Such are the perils of showbiz?
Says the paper: “So far the McCanns, both 39, have turned down offers from big-name chat shows and television dramas as they were anxious to avoid being seen as celebrities”
But we watching the parents. So why not make profit, if it will help?
“Disgraced banker Nick Leeson earned a reported £450,000 when he sold the rights to his autobiography, Rogue Trader. Offers to Austrian kidnap victim Natascha Kampusch were said to have topped £1million”
And: “But Gerry McCann was quick to deny the story”
COMMENT: “Maddie the movie: One step too far – Ever since their daughter Madeleine disappeared, Kate and Gerry McCann have ridden a wave of public sympathy. True, there are some (including the Portuguese police) who have aired deeply hurtful suspicions about the couple since that terrible evening in May. But the overwhelming public mood - particularly among parents of young children - has been one of compassion. Today, however, the McCanns risk losing much of that goodwill. Incredibly, it emerges that they are discussing a possible multi-million pound deal to turn Madeleine’s disappearance into a film. To be blunt, isn’t this pushing the boundaries of taste too far?”
But it is already the subject of a media circus. So why not a DVD – we’ve had the T-shirt, the song, the billboards and the trailers..?
ALISON PEARSON writes in her column: “What CAN Kate and Gerry be thinking? Critics who have never forgiven Gerry and Kate for leaving their kids alone in their holiday apartment will be confirmed in their view that the couple have truly terrible judgment. They will be accused of bad taste; of lacking respect for Madeleine’s memory. Kate will be charged with wanting to swan down the red carpet, even though in this case it is sorrow, not vanity, that has reduced her to a Hollywood Size Zero”
How did it become a story about Kate McCann’s looks?
DAILY MIRROR front page: “Maddy THE Movie”
The McCanns also met with ITV about making a documentary. Maddy A Movie…
THE SUN front page: “Maddie hunt ‘to be film’”
Page 9: “ They pary that movie will help find Maddie”
Gerry McCann is a “cardiac specialist”. The McCanns are “doctors”
“IS THIS THE RIGHT DECISION?”
“YES,” says Lorraine Kelly, GMTV presenter.
“NO,” says the Sun’s Jon ‘Guanty’ Gaunt - “I guess the title of the McCann’s proposed film has to be Home Alone”. Or not…
THE GUARDIAN: “McCanns deny reports of Madeleine film”
Writes Gerry McCann on his blog: “We can categorically deny that we are considering a movie about Madeleine’s disappearance. This is simply untrue. We are approached by a huge number of media outlets regarding a myriad of projects, only a tiny proportion of which we agree to. Each proposal is considered on whether it is likely to have a positive effect, either directly or indirectly, on the search for Madeleine”
ON the Guardian website: “Madeleine’s parents consider film - The parents of Madeleine McCann are considering giving the go-ahead to a film about their missing daughter following an approach by a major entertainment firm”
THE TIMES page 3: “Parents may turn Madeleine McCann story into a Hollywood movie”
“On-screen child horror stories:
A Cry In The Dark
Gone Baby Gone
Honour Thy Father And Mother: the True story of the Menendez Brothers
Menenedez: A Killing in Beverly Hills, 1994
The Amityville Horror series
Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure”
Says Clarence Mitchell: The media are making money out of the situation themselves and we feel it is only fair and right that some aspect of that should come to the fund to help find Madeleine”
DAILY TELGRAPH: “McCanns in talks to make a film about AMdldine’s disappearance”
“Do you think a Madeleine film should be made”
Well, we;’ve had the sop opera, and who wants to watch EastEnders: The Movie?
THE SCOTSMAN: “McCanns eye Madeleine film”
BOSTON HERALD: “Missing Madeleine story could become feature film”
The speculation, media hype and sensation so far
Posted: 9th, January 2008 | In: Madeleine McCann Comments (1,585) | Follow the Comments on our RSS feed: RSS 2.0 | TrackBack | Permalink
Comments
- pete on In Photos: Susan Boyle Sings Rockefeller Center Plaza In New York City
- eggman on Daily Mail Scuppers BBC’s Wrong Shipping Forecast
- agw on Daily Mail Scuppers BBC’s Wrong Shipping Forecast
- Bat E Bird on I’m A Celebrity: Samantha Fox Is Shrinking As ‘Lesbian’ Lover Katie Price Quits
- Bat E Bird on In Photos: Susan Boyle Sings Rockefeller Center Plaza In New York City
January 9th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
813
Totje
Dr. Phil isnot a shrink
January 9th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
764
Peter O,
Sorry I don’t get it. Oh, it seems I should write psychologist in stead of shrink. Someone else wrote something about that a while ago. Oh bugger, english/american slang….
Who’s THE shrink?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=shrink
or Dr. Phil?
January 9th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
795
Tony Bennett
But ,knowing where her daughter is ,hiring ,people to search for her ,is a Fraud IMO
January 9th, 2008 at 5:06 pm
RedRooster,
Do you know when our friend Garth was last here?
January 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
799 chenier
I never thought of the posts being edited by M and A, unless they specifically mentioned so. Thanks for pointing out that possibility.
January 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
792
clouseau Says:
January 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
anybody remember last autumn regarding that body found in the cave at cascais …….I know its a bit of the radar but I cant stop thinking it is somehow relevant….anybody save the link cant seem to find any info
______________________
I remember
didnt it turn out to be a man?
or so we were led to believe
very hush hush
January 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
Sledgehammer
Go fishing.
January 9th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
790, chenier
Oh, sorry, you are right! I have mixed up the two articles in the Times about the movie plans!
January 9th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
796
Sledgehammer Says:
January 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
………………………….
OMG the knowledgable one is back
January 9th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
791
Jolie Says:
January 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
—————————————————–
I think that you are perhaps overlooking the fact that the Mods did a great deal of work on Hideki’s posts.
Assuming that what you saw was all there was is a classic trap to fall into…
January 9th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Mods and Admin
I was naive.
It weren’t deliberate.
January 9th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
karen
fuck knows
someone only reads very little about it probably
January 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
No winners here, but the get the McCanns at any price brigade are way behind, still to prove anything or show any real evidence. The more balanced of us, who would prefer justice to take its course are obviously severely rattling the mob mentality of the brigade. Justice for Madeleine, not justice as perceived by the get ‘em brigade.
January 9th, 2008 at 5:01 pm
679 Totje
The McCanns announced in September that they had been using the services of the Control Risks Group ‘to find Madeleine’ (cough). This was in ‘The Daily Star’ (and reported in many other British dailies):
“KATE and Gerry McCann have hired a crack team of ex-SAS soldiers to help find their missing daughter. The couple are convinced four-year-old Madeleine is still alive.
Now one of the world’s top private security firms have been called in to track her down.
Friends said the McCanns decided to hire Control Risks Group to “do the work that the Portuguese have failed to do”. The firm were launched 30 years ago by ex-SAS officers and former MI5 and MI6 agents. They charge ****thousands of pounds a day**** and specialise in finding kidnap victims”.
P.S. 200 days of Control Risks Group at say £5,000 a day = £1 million
January 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
786
mk
He just wouldnt let it go!
January 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
READ IT AND WEEP!
Clarence Mitchell wants YOU to empty your pockets NOW and send cash in an envelope to the McSuckers!
http://frommybigdesk.blogspot.com/2008/01/please-send-cash-in-envelope.html
January 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
anybody remember last autumn regarding that body found in the cave at cascais …….I know its a bit of the radar but I cant stop thinking it is somehow relevant….anybody save the link cant seem to find any info
January 9th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Mods and Admin
Excuse me if I am stepping on toes here, but I do want to say that although some of Hideki’s posts were over-the-top and went too far, he did bring up some valid observations regarding the composition of photographs od Madeleine for possible use by paedophiles, whatever his motivation for doing so. As distasteful as the images in our heads are while we consider those possibilities, it does not negate the reality that there are adults out there who do take photos of children for those sordid purposes. His (and others) pointing out those images allowed me to consider for myself their relevance and I did think that there was a distinct possibility that he was correct in his assumptions, even if I disagreed with his style in doing so.
Madeleine with perfectly applied makeup on her face, a close-up profile photo of her face and shoulders with head thrown back, even the ice cream photo. All could be innocent photos but maybe not.
Abduction by a paedophile has been considered a plausible explanation of Madeleine’s disappearance (at least by the McCanns and their supporters). Skeptics wonder if the McCanns and/or some of their group are involved in paedophilia themselves and that this is the reason for the alleged massive cover-up and assistance and protection given to the McCanns.
I don’t miss Hideki, because of his extremism and unfair attacks on other posters, it was right for him to be banned, but I think it is naive to think the subject matter itself is taboo and not important to the McCann case. The posts Hideki wrote regarding the ice cream photo that I read did not have as graphic a description as what M and A have written describing the post. Perhaps I missed the ones that came right out with those words?
I will accept Mod and Admin’s judgement as to what they want discussed on the forum and what is unacceptable, as I am only a visitor, but wanted to take the time to share my point of view on the subject.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:59 pm
776
BabyJane Says:
January 9th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
The part, where Mr. Mitchell talked about the fun considering who might play whom on the movie has vanisehd from the Times article:
———————————————
No; it seems to be still there:
‘Mr Mitchell said: “While it may be hugely entertaining and a bit of fun to think of cast lists, we are a million miles away from that sort of thing.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article3154222.ece
January 9th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Brandon
How could anyone not find Kate and Gerry irritating?
The Dunblane parents took 10 years to become irritating - and even then it wasn’t so bad. Kate and Gerry were irritating from Day 3.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Just thinking out loud…
What will hapopen when all this comes crashing down and the sycophanic supporters have to eat humble pie. Makes me think of the rush to war in Iraq… all those who were supporting Bush and Bliar are now saying they did so at the time because of the information they were fed and th,at was what everyone else was saying.
Is this something similar? The press do not want to break ranks just yet but are maybe now heding their bets just a little bit so thay can at least say they had been doubters for a while once the initial story had calmed down.
Oh I wish I were articulate!
January 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
761 Rockhopper
I see why you are confused. No, I wasn’t sugesting that they physically carried out the murder, they arranged it. I don’t know if they’ve even caught the actual physical murderers. The point I’m making is that this mother and her son were found guilty of conspiracy to murder and actual murder, and were tried and sentenced in this country for actual murder, by virtue of the fact that they ordered the death. But the physical murder did not take place in the UK yet they were tried here at the Old Bailey.
I refer you to your original post in which you said that a crime committed on another soil could not be tried in the UK. I accept that conspiracy to murder was carried out in the UK. But the actual murder was not. However, it was able to be dealt with by our courts. That is the sole point I am making. As well as pointing out that the Hague Convention allows for the home country to deal wtih some crimes, as TB has said.
If you look at all the coverage of that case again, you will find they were tried for actual murder which was physically carried out on another soil. This is not a direct parallel to the McCann case just an example of how UK law may at times deal with crimes which were largely committed in another country.
You admit that the pair “arranged” the murder - that is murder - no more or less and is what they were tried for.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
see Ian just got zapped….
January 9th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
749
Matt,
Aren’t we all sometimes? Sometimes more sometimes less naïve?
We could all pretend to be someone else then who we are. I could be in jail [oh dear, now you've got me] for murder or fraud. Oh on second thought better be murder, fraud is much longer punishment also over here in the Netherlands!
Do we always consider the risks before doing something? Or not doing something?
I’ve been skydiving. Chances you die on your first jump are practically zero. Nevertheless one of the group did. Chances you break a leg or ankle are higher. Nevertheless I jumped [and broke my ankle: thank you very much mrT!].
I don’t say what they did was right, IF leaving them alone was all they did, but I do say we make stupid/irresponsible decicions. Often only noticed in hindsight.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Mods and Admin
I never questioned you chucking Hideki off - honest.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
747
SC45 Says:
January 9th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
Matt
Sorry I missed it before.
I’d agree. It would provide them with much merriment.
I was surprised by what the Express said though. I was led to believe (from here, I think) that the change of statement was something totally diffferent.
***
O’Brian changing his story is like a “Hail Mary” play in American football. They pitch the ball high in desperation hoping it’ll land in the right hands when it finally comes down.
Fact: O’Brian places himself at the scene of and the time of the crime. He should be made arguido if he changes his story at this point.
If they indict one of the tapas … and I think that should be O’Brian …. that’s probably the fastest way of getting to the truth of where Madeleine is. They need to pressure O’Brian.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
769 Jolie
Please do not directly address me as we are not allowed to discuss personal views of each other on the site.
Whilst it may appear that this is a selectively applied rule, I hope that mods and admin will be even handed.
January 9th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
In an altogether darker and sadder way, I wonder whether, in their relationship with the news media, this is the mistake Kate and Gerry McCann have made. As with humour, so perhaps with pathos. The couple have seemed (though for the most understandable of motives) to be trying to orchestrate the pathos. But we do the pathos around here.
For I have sensed almost from the start of this whole, sick business an undercurrent of resentment towards these parents on the part of a British media which has not quite warmed to the thing we feed on. It is our job to exploit, to use, victims among the general public. We do not, however, quite like to be used by them. This could explain a certain relish (laced of course with generous protestations of sympathy) in the press and broadcasters’ treatment of the woes that now beset the couple as they face accusations from the Portuguese police.
Without believing in any of the latest accusations, there will still be some among whom there persists a curious feeling that the couple had it coming. The truth is that for some time the world of professional journalism has found the couple just a little bit irritating. The reason is that they have appeared to have been marketing their own tragedy. And it is we who market tragedy around here.
The irritation is well-hidden, of course, and would be universally and emphatically denied. But behind the pictures of Mrs McCann holding that almost inevitable pink cuddle-cat — pictures the press corps have actively encouraged and been happy enough to frame and project on to front pages everywhere — I have often enough heard from colleagues a sotto-voce cluck of disapproval: how come that cat’s always in shot?
Journalists who well know how to insinuate a soft toy into a story about a tragic couple get unnerved when the tragic couple steal a march on them and do so themselves — or seem to. Journalists and camera people delighted to catch an impromptu and tender moment as a grieving mother carries and cuddles her sleeping toddler feel almost cheated when these pictures are handed to them on a plate. When the McCanns publish their own blog on the web, a print media with appetite enough for the leaked email or private letter is unsure whether or how to republish.
http://www.spectator.co.uk/the-magazine/columnists/161921/the-media-resented-the-mccanns-muscling-in-on-their-private-terrain.thtml?gclid=CJGPjvzM6ZACFQcwlAodGhWZrA
January 9th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
January 9th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
770
Stevo Says:
January 9th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
………………….
what happened to the caption…..how about “the last few months have taken there toll on kate, this photo of her was taken in may”