Remember the kerfuffle with Dublin Dr Pepper and Dr Pepper Snapple? It's a long story that started back in the '70s when Dublin-based bottler W.P. Kolster refused to switch over to high-fructose corn syrup, a cheap product that replaced pure cane sugar extensively in the American food industry and is now in just about everything. Kolster's anti-HFCS stance created an iconic status for his elixir and created droves of loyal 10, 2 and 4 o'clock drinkers. The pure cane soda continued to be sold under the same name, but distribution was (sort of) restricted to the region around Dublin, Texas.
Then, one day Plano-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group decided to get their knickers in a knot about it and sued the small bottler for trademark infringement.
It's a sticky litigious plot, which is now available as a feature-length documentary called Bottled Up and includes commentary from former Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and Robert Wilonsky of The Dallas Morning News, who also reported extensively on the issue here at the Observer.
Produced by Don Merritt of Dallas' Spittin' Image Films, the movie chronicles the emotional, legal and cultural struggles surrounding the trademark lawsuit and its effects. The film will premier at the Angelika Film Center at 7 p.m. this Sunday as part of the 43rd annual USA Film Festival, which is running all weekend. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, but they're probably going fast.
And yes, Dublin Bottling Works will be there with plenty of cold drinks. Here's more on the documentary and film festival.
