List of films in the public domain in the United States

This is a list of films in the public domain in the United States. A number of films exist that certain cited sources believe are in the public domain in the United States. Being in the public domain refers to cinematic, dramatic, literary, musical, and artistic works that no government, organization, or individual owns, and as such is common property.[1]

Note: Films in this list may incorporate elements from other works that are still under copyright, even though the film itself is out of copyright.

Copyrightable elements of a film

There is no official list of films (or other works) in the public domain. It is difficult to determine the public domain status of a film because it can incorporate any or all of the following copyrightable elements:

Film copyright involves the copyright status of multiple elements that make up the film.[4] A film can lose its copyright in some of those elements while retaining copyright in other elements.[4] Experts in the field of public domain sometimes differ in their opinions as to whether a particular film is in the public domain.

The use of music in a film can cause uncertainty with regard to copyright. As of 2010, it is not known whether the use of music in a movie constitutes publication of the music for the purpose of copyright.[5] Unpublished works are treated differently from published works under US copyright law.[6]

Judicial interpretation of public domain

Judges, too, differ in their interpretation of the laws governing copyright protection. The United States is a “patchwork quilt” of inconsistent copyright rules in different federal judicial districts. The courts of one jurisdiction are not obliged to follow the decisions of another.[7] The Supreme Court of the United States (which could resolve those inconsistencies) very seldom decides copyright cases, and then only when an important principle is involved.

Documenting public domain status

If a film appears on the list below, there is a high probability it has lost some or all of its United States copyright protection or in the case of U.S. government films, was never protected by copyright.

There is no single method for determining if a film, or parts of it, is in the public domain. There are several methods that can be used to document a film’s public domain status. These include the following:

Lack of renewal

Prior to 1988, all motion picture films published after 1909 with a copyright notice where the 28th year of copyright would occur before 1988, had to be registered and before the 28th year, the registration had to be renewed, or the copyright for the film would expire and it would enter the public domain. This would apply to all films registered for copyright prior to 1960. Copyright renewals became optional in 1988.

Date of publication

All motion pictures made and exhibited before 1923 are indisputably in the public domain in the United States. Before the passage of the Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) in 1998, the term of copyright in the U.S. was a maximum of 75 years, with the work entering the public domain on January 1 of the 76th year from creation (so, for example, a film made in 1930 whose copyright was properly registered and renewed would enter the public domain on January 1, 2006). Although the CTEA added 20 years to the terms of all existing copyrights, it explicitly refused to revive any copyrights that had expired prior to its passage.

Work of the United States government

All copyrightable works made by United States government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain from their creation. The status of works made by contractors is dependent on the terms of their contract. Note that this applies only to the federal government, and not to state or local governments, which may or may not claim copyright depending on state laws.

Determine copyright registration

Motion picture copyright registrations prior to 1978 were published in semi-annual Copyright Catalogs. The Library of Congress also published cumulative Copyright Catalogs of motion picture registrations for the periods

  • 1894–1912
  • 1913–1939
  • 1940–1949
  • 1950–1959
  • 1960–1969
  • 1970–1979
  • 1980–1989

All are out of print. However, the Film Superlist series is a complete reprint of all registrations in the Copyright Catalogs for 1894 through 1959. There is no cumulative Copyright Catalog for 1970–1977; the Copyright Office published 16 semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets covering that eight-year period, but all are out of print and extremely rare. All copyright registrations from 1978 onward are online at the Library of Congress website.

Some decades of The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures include copyright registration information for feature films (not shorts) of United States origin. This can include a statement that research failed to disclose copyright registration for a particular film. Copyright registration information is given in the following:

The United States copyright website catalogs all the works prior to 1978 that have been renewed.[8] Several pieces of work have been renewed in the form of collections, thus giving the collection as a whole copyright protection.

Copyright renewal status

For films registered in 1923–1963 inclusive, it is essential to know the renewal status. The semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets have virtually complete (at least 99.99%) lists of renewals for the films registered 28 years earlier. Those semi-annual booklets all are out of print. However, for 1923 through 1959, the Film Superlist books match copyright renewals with earlier registrations. Copyright registrations and renewals can be found in

In 1992, Congress changed the copyright law to make renewal automatic for copyrights registered in 1964 and later.

Underlying rights

Many of the movies listed below are based on plays, novels, magazine stories or a combination of those sources. In some cases, a film’s copyright has lapsed because of non-renewal while the underlying literary or dramatic source is still protected by copyright. For example, the movie His Girl Friday (1940) became a public domain film in 1969 because it was not renewed, but it is based on the 1928 play The Front Page, which is still under copyright until 2024 and thus as a practical matter the film cannot be used without permission.[4]

Studio and distributor abbreviations

Films

Any film that was first published before 1923 has been released already in the public domain in the United States for either expired copyright or failure to comply with copyright laws, such as omission of notice, failure to deposit a copy to the Copyright Office within demanded time, or no renewal registration. Therefore, it is not listed here. See Category:Films by year for pre-1923 films.

Note: This list is not comprehensive, rather only those films where a reliable secondary source is available to verify public domain status. Films without a reliable source in the "Reasons" column should be removed.
Film title Release year Director Studio / Distributor Entered PD in (year) Reason for entering PD Note(s)
Abraham Lincoln 1930 D.W. Griffith United Artists 1958[9] Failure to renew copyright.[9]
Action at Anguar 1945 N/A United States Army Pictorial Services 1945 Work of the United States Government[G]
Africa Screams 1949 Charles Barton United Artists 1970s [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][10]
The Amazing Mr. X 1948 Bernard Vorhaus Eagle-Lion [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][11] Also known as The Spiritualist.
Angel and the Badman 1947 James Edward Grant Republic Pictures 1975 Failure to renew copyright.[12]
The Animal Kingdom 1932 Edward H. Griffith RKO Radio Pictures 1960 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Algiers 1938 John Cromwell United Artists 1966 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Attack of the Giant Leeches 1959 Bernard L. Kowalski American International Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][14]
Beau Brummel 1924 Harry Beaumont Warner Brothers 1952 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Beau Ideal 1931
(copyright notice: 1930)
Herbert Brenon RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Behind Office Doors 1931 Melville W. Brown RKO Radio Pictures 1959 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Bird of Paradise 1932 King Vidor RKO Radio Pictures 1960 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Birth of the B-29 1942–1944 N/A United States Army Pictorial Services 1945 Work of the United States Government[G]
Blood on the Sun 1945 Frank Lloyd United Artists 1973 Failure to renew copyright.[12]
Born to Win 1971 Ivan Passer United Artists [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][16]
Bowery at Midnight 1942 Wallace Fox Monogram Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][17]
The Brain that Wouldn't Die 1962
(completed: 1959)
Joseph Green American International Pictures 1962 Missing copyright notice[18] Originally completed in 1959 under the title The Black Door or The Head that Wouldn't Die, it was not released until May 3, 1962 where failure to add the copyright notice resulted in the film entering the public domain.[18]
Brideless Groom 1947 Edward Bernds Columbia Pictures 1960s[19] Failure to renew copyright.[19]
Carnival of Souls 1962 Herk Harvey Herts-Lion International Corp. 1962 Missing copyright notice[20]
Charade 1963 Stanley Donen Universal Pictures 1963 Missing full copyright notice.[21] Original music still in copyright.[22] Original story by Peter Stone still in copyright.[21][23] Film remade in 2002 as The Truth About Charlie.
Check and Double Check 1930 Melville W. Brown RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[24]
Combat America 1943 Clark Gable Office of War Information 1943 Work of the United States Government[G]
Conspiracy 1930 Christy Cabanne RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Cyrano de Bergerac 1950 Michael Gordon United Artists 1980s [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][25]
The Dance of Life 1929 John Cromwell Paramount Pictures 1957 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Danger Lights 1930 George B. Seitz RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
The Deadly Companions 1961 Sam Peckinpah Pathé-America 1961 Missing copyright notice[26]
Debbie Does Dallas 1978 Jim Clark VCX 1981 Missing copyright notice[27] Dallas Cowboys hold veto power on commercial publication due to unauthorized use of their cheerleaders' trademarks.[28]
Dementia 13 1963 Francis Ford Coppola American International Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][14] Also known as The Haunted and the Hunted.
Detour 1945 Edgar G. Ulmer Producers Releasing Corporation [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Failure to renew copyright.[29]
The Devil Bat 1940 Jean Yarbrough Producers Releasing Corporation [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][17]
Disorder in the Court 1936 Preston Black Columbia Pictures 1960s[19] Failure to renew copyright.[19]
Dixiana 1930 Luther Reed RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[24]
D.O.A. 1950
(copyright notice: 1949)
Rudolph Maté United Artists 1977 Failure to renew copyright.[30] Remade in 1969 and 1988
Father's Little Dividend 1951
(copyright notice: 1950)
Vincente Minnelli MGM 1978 Failure to renew copyright.[31]
Farewell to Arms, AA Farewell to Arms 1932 Frank Borzage Paramount Pictures 1960 Failure to renew copyright.[32] Based on copyrighted (R177406) novel by Ernest Hemingway.
The Fight for the Sky 1946 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Office of War Information 1946 Work of the United States Government[G]
The General 1927 Clyde Bruckman
Buster Keaton
United Artists 1955 Failure to renew copyright.[33]
Glen or Glenda 1953 Ed Wood Columbia Classics [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][34]
The Gold Rush 1925 Charlie Chaplin United Artists 1953 Failure to renew copyright.[33] 1942 revised version in copyright. Original 1925 version possibly copyrighted.[35]
Go for Broke! 1951
(copyright notice: 1950)
Robert Pirosh MGM 1978 Failure to renew copyright.[31]
Gulliver's Travels 1939 Dave Fleischer Paramount Pictures 1967 Failure to renew copyright.[36][37]
Half Shot at Sunrise 1930 Paul Sloane RKO Radio Productions 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Hemp for Victory 1942 Raymond Evans U.S. Department of Agriculture 1942 Work of the United States Government[G]
His Girl Friday 1940
(copyright date: 1939)
Howard Hawks Columbia Pictures 1967 Failure to renew copyright.[33] Source material (stage play The Front Page) rights copyright until 2024.[33]
Hook, Line and Sinker 1930 Edward F. Cline RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
The Hunchback of Notre Dame 1923 Wallace Worsley Universal Pictures 1951 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Indestructible Man 1956 Jack Pollexfen Allied Artists [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][38]
Inside the Lines 1930 Roy Pomeroy RKO Radio Productions 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
It's a Wonderful Life 1946
(copyright notice: 1947)
Frank Capra Liberty Films
RKO Pictures
1975 Failure to renew copyright.[39] While the film images are public domain, under rulings of Stewart v. Abend, the film text (script) is based on the copyrighted short story "The Greatest Gift".[39][40][41] Republic also purchased exclusive rights to the movie’s copyrighted music to further shore up its rights.[42]
Japanese Relocation 1942 Milton S. Eisenhower Office of War Information 1942 Work of the United States Government[G]
Kept Husbands 1931 Lloyd Bacon RKO Radio Productions 1959 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
The Lady Refuses 1931 George Archainbaud RKO Radio Productions 1959 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Lady to Love, AA Lady to Love 1930 Victor Sjöström MGM 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[13] Based on the play They Knew What They Wanted. See also the film The Secret Hour (1928) based on the same play.[13]
Last Clear Chance 1959 Robert Carlisle Union Pacific Railroad 1959 Not registered for copyright.[43]
The Last Man on Earth 1964 Ubaldo Ragona, Sidney Salkow American International Pictures, 20th Century Fox 1992[44] Failure to renew copyright.[44]
The Last Time I Saw Paris 1954
(copyright notice: 1944)
Richard Brooks MGM 1972 Failure to renew copyright.[45] Music score still protected by copyright.[46]
Lawful Larceny 1930 Lowell Sherman RKO Radio Productions 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Leathernecking 1930 Edward F. Cline RKO Radio Productions 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15] It is a lost film.
Letter of Introduction 1938 John M. Stahl Universal Pictures 1966 Failure to renew copyright.[47]
Little Lord Fauntleroy 1936 John Cromwell United Artists/Selznick [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][48]
The Little Princess 1939 Walter Lang Twentieth Century Fox 1967 Failure to renew copyright.[39]
The Little Shop of Horrors 1960 Roger Corman Filmgroup 1988 Failure to renew copyright.[33][49]
Lonely Wives 1931 Russell Mack RKO Radio Pictures 1959 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Love Affair 1939 Leo McCarey RKO Radio Pictures 1967 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Malice in the Palace 1949 Jules White Columbia Pictures 1960s[19] Failure to renew copyright.[19]
Maniac 1934 Dwain Esper Roadshow Attractions [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][50] Also known as Sex Maniac.
Manos: The Hands of Fate 1966 Harold P. Warren Emerson Film Enterprises 1968 Failure to display copyright notice.[51] Original script may have been copyrighted.[51]
March of the Wooden Soldiers 1948 Gus Meins MGM 1948 Failure to display copyright notice.[21] This is a later abridgement of Babes in Toyland (1934), which is still in copyright. Public domain status unclear.[21]
McLintock! 1963 Andrew V. McLaglen United Artists 1991 Failure to renew copyright.[52][53] Music score still under copyright.[52]
Meet John Doe 1941 Frank Capra Warner Bros. 1969 Failure to renew copyright.[39]
Millie 1931 John Francis Dillon RKO Radio Pictures 1959 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Mr. Imperium 1951
(copyright notice: 1950)
Don Hartman MGM 1978 Failure to renew copyright.[31]
My Favorite Brunette 1947 Elliott Nugent Paramount Pictures 1975 Failure to renew copyright.[12]
My Japan 1945 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Office of War Information 1945 Work of the United States Government[G]
My Man Godfrey 1936 Gregory La Cava Universal Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][54] While the film images are public domain, under rulings of Stewart v. Abend, the film text (script) is based on the copyrighted 1935 book My Man Godfrey by Eric S. Hatch.[55]
The Negro Soldier 1944 Frank Capra United States Army Pictorial Services 1944 Work of the United States Government[G]
Night of the Living Dead 1968 George A. Romero Walter Reade 1968 Missing copyright notice and errors from the distributor[56] Remade in 1990 and 2006
Nothing Sacred 1937 William A. Wellman Selznick
United Artists
1965 Failure to renew copyright.[33]
Of Human Bondage 1934 John Cromwell RKO Radio Pictures 1962 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
The Outlaw 1943 Howard Hughes Howard Hughes Prod. 1971 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
The Painted Hills 1951 Harold F. Kress MGM 1979 Failure to renew copyright.[31]
The Pay-Off 1930 Lowell Sherman RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
The Phantom of the Opera 1925 Rupert Julian Universal Studios 1953 Failure to renew copyright.[49]
Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor 1936 Dave Fleischer Paramount Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][57] First of three Popeye Technicolor two-reel specials.
Private Snafu Series 1943-1946 Various Warner Bros., MGM, UPA, Harman-Ising Studio 1943-1946 Work of the United States Government[G]
Rain 1932 Lewis Milestone United Artists 1960 Failure to renew copyright.[12]
Reefer Madness 1936 Louis J. Gasnier Motion Picture Ventures 1936 Improper copyright notice.[58][59] Also called The Burning Question, Dope Addict, and Tell Your Children.
Rock, Rock, Rock! 1956 Will Price Distributors Corporation of America 1984 Failure to renew copyright.[49] The Chuck Berry soundtrack may not be in the public domain.
The Royal Bed 1931
(copyright notice: 1930)
Lowell Sherman RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Royal Wedding 1951
(copyright notice: 1950)
Stanley Donen MGM 1978 Failure to renew copyright.[31]
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians 1964 Nicholas Webster Embassy Pictures Corporation [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][60]
Santa Fe Trail 1940 Michael Curtiz Warner Bros. 1968 Failure to renew copyright.[61][62]
The Screaming Skull 1958 Alex Nicol American International Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][14]
The Secret Hour 1928 Rowland V. Lee Paramount Pictures 1956 Failure to renew copyright.[13] Based on the play They Knew What They Wanted. See also the film A Lady to Love (1930) based on the same play.[13]
The Silver Horde 1930 George Archainbaud RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Sin Takes a Holiday 1930 Paul L. Stein RKO Radio Pictures 1958 Failure to renew copyright.[15]
Sing a Song of Six Pants 1947 Jules White Columbia Pictures 1960s[19] Failure to renew copyright.[19]
Sinners in Paradise 1938 James Whale Universal Pictures 1966 Failure to renew copyright.[47]
Smouldering Fires 1925 Clarence Brown Universal Pictures 1953 Failure to renew copyright.[49]
The Snows of Kilimanjaro 1952 Henry King 20th Century Fox [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][63]
Star Is Born, AA Star Is Born 1937 William A. Wellman SIP
United Artists
1965 Failure to renew copyright.[32][33] Re-made in 1954 and 1976
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers 1946 Lewis Milestone Paramount Pictures 1974 Failure to renew copyright.[12]
The Stranger 1946 Orson Welles International Pictures 1973 Failure to renew copyright.[64]
Superman (1940s cartoons) 1941-1943 Dave Fleischer, Various Paramount Pictures [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][65] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][65] Although all entries are in the public domain, ancillary rights such as merchandising contract rights, as well as the original 35mm master elements, are owned today by Warner Bros. Animation. Warner has owned Superman publisher DC Comics since 1969.
Swing High, Swing Low 1937 Mitchell Leisen Paramount Pictures 1965 Failure to renew copyright.[13]
Target for Today 1941 William Keighley First Motion Picture Unit 1941 Work of the United States Government[G]
Teenagers from Outer Space 1959 Tom Graeff Warner Bros. 1987Failed to renew copyright.[33]
The Terror 1963 Roger Corman American International Pictures, Filmgroup 1963 Missing copyright registration [66] In the early 1990s, Corman asked Mark Griffiths to shoot 12 minutes of additional footage starring Dick Miller, thus making a new film titled The Return of the Terror (1991) so Corman could claim his copyright.[67]
That Justice Be Done 1945 George Stevens Office of War Information 1942–44 Work of the United States Government[G]
Three Guys Named Mike 1951
(copyright notice: 1950)
Charles Walters MGM 1978 Failed to renew copyright.[31]
Till the Clouds Roll By 1946 Richard Whorf MGM 1974 Failed to renew copyright.[31]
Topper Returns 1941 Roy Del Ruth United Artists 1969 Failure to renew copyright.[49]
Vengeance Valley 1951
(copyright notice: 1950)
Richard Thorpe MGM 1978 Failure to renew copyright.[31]
Wings for This Man 1945 [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] Office of War Information 1945 Work of the United States Government[G]
White Zombie 1932 Victor Halperin United Artists [Data unknown/missing. You can help!] [Data unknown/missing. You can help!][68] Source material for the film may not be in the public domain.[69]
Why We Fight 1942–1944 Frank Capra United States Army Pictorial Services 1942–44 Work of the United States Government[G]
Wives Under Suspicion 1938 James Whale Universal Pictures 1966 Failure to renew copyright.[47]

See also

Notes

References

  1. "An Introduction to Films and Motion Pictures" at RoyaltyFreeMusic.com Retrieved August 4, 2009
  2. Rich, Lloyd L. (1998). "Protection of Graphic Characters". The Publishing Law Center. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
  3. Adler, Kenneth A. (1999-10-01). "Using Dramatic Characters in Multimedia Works – Avoiding the Pitfalls". Thelen LLP. Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  4. 1 2 3 Fishman, Stephen (2010), pg.180
  5. Fishman, Stephen (2010), pg.181
  6. Hirtle, Peter B. (2010-10-04). "Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States". Retrieved 2010-10-31.
  7. Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940–1949), page xii.
  8. "United States Copyright Office Public Catalog". Retrieved 2009-10-10.
  9. 1 2 Paolo Cherchi Usai (2008). The Griffith Project: Essays on D.W. Griffith. British Film Institute. p. 208. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  10. John M. Miller, "Africa Screams, Home Video Reviews", Turner Classic Movies
  11. Sullivan, Monica (1998). VideoHound's independent film guide. Visible Ink Press. pp. 12–13.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 Pierce, David (2001)
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pierce, David (2007), pp.131–34
  14. 1 2 3 Smith, Gary A. (2009). The American International Pictures video guide. McFarland & Company. p. 8.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Pierce, David (2007), "Notes", pp. 140–43
  16. Bailey, Jason (19 November 2015). "10 Hilariously Deceptive DVD Covers". Flavorwire. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  17. 1 2 Lennig, Arthur (2003). The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi. The University Press of Kentucky. p. 465.
  18. 1 2 Nathaniel Thompson, "Cult Movies, The Brain that Wouldn't Die", Turner Classic Movies
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hogan, David (2011). Three Stooges FAQ: Everything Left to Know about the Eye-Poking, Face-Slapping Head-Thumping Geniuses. Applause Theatre and Cinema Books.
  20. Blake, Marc (2013). Writing the Horror Movie. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p. 91.
  21. 1 2 3 4 Pierce, David (2007), p.130
  22. Online search results for keywords "Henry Mancini Charade", from US Copyright Office.
  23. The original story basis for Charade is 'The Unsuspecting Wife' by Peter Stone and Marc Behm, which appeared in the July 1961 issue of Redbook magazine. The copyright to the story was renewed by Stone in 1989 (see source: David Pierce (2007), Note #20, pg. 141).
  24. 1 2 Pierce, David (2007), pg.137
  25. Marianne Gray (1991). Depardieu. Sinclair-Stevenson, Limited. p. 160. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  26. Hal Erickson, "New DVDs, Peckinpah's Deadly Companions and Major Dundee", New York Times
  27. M & A Associates v. VCX, 657 F.Supp. 454, conclusions: 27 (United States District Court April 8, 1987) (“Although Arno asked Weisberg for copyright protection of the film in early 1979, Weisberg first became aware of the legal significance of the omission of the copyright notice from the film in January of 1981. Weisberg thus received "notice" of the defect at that latter date. See M. Kramer Mfg. Co. v. Andrews, 783 F.2d 421, 443 & n. 21 (4th Cir. 1986). Weisberg's failure to take reasonable [657 F.Supp. 463] efforts resulted in the film being irretrievably injected into the public domain "several months" later.”).
  28. Miller, Jeffrey (2002). Ardor in the Court!: Sex and the Law. ECW Press. p. 152. ISBN 1-55022-528-6.
  29. Herzogenrath, Bernd (2009). The Films of Edgar G. Ulmer. Scarecrow Press. p. 151.
  30. Researching the Copyright Status of a Work from Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pierce, David (2007), pp.138–39
  32. 1 2 Pierce, David (2007), pp.134–37
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Fishman, Stephen (2010), pp.174–180
  34. Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
  35. John M. Miller, "Mr. Bug Goes to Town aka Hoppity Goes to Town", Turner Classic Movies
  36. David Kehr (March 6, 2009). "Classics From Disney and a Lilliputian Competitor". New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
  37. Nathaniel Thompson, "The Indestructible Man, Cult Movies", Turner Classic Movies
  38. 1 2 3 4 Pierce, David (2007), p.126
  39. Cox, Stephen. It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book. Nashville, Tennessee: Cumberland House, 2003. 115. Print. ISBN 1-58182-337-1. Copyright of short story, The Greatest Gift, expires after 2038, 95 years after publication.
  40. "Renewal Registrations, p. 1614." Catalog of Copyright Entries, January–June 1971, U.S. Copyright Office. Retrieved: November 8, 2010.
  41. Nesi, Ted. "Why You Can't Watch It's A Wonderful Life on Demand". WPRI.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  42. Prelinger, Rick (2006). The field guide to sponsored films. National Film Preservation Foundation. p. 52. ISBN 978-0-9747099-3-2.
  43. 1 2 Jonathan Malcolm Lampley (2010). Women in the Horror Films of Vincent Price. McFarland. p. 98.
  44. Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site
  45. Online results from keyword search: "Last Time I Saw Paris Conrad Salinger" in United States Copyright Office. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
  46. 1 2 3 Pierce, David (2007), pg.138
  47. Wright, Rebecca (14 June 2012). "Blu-ray Review: Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936)". Movie Gazette Online. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  48. 1 2 3 4 5 Pierce, David (2007), p.128
  49. Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
  50. 1 2 THE BATTLE OVER THE WORST MOVIE EVER playboy.com accessed 2015-10-03
  51. 1 2 "Court Rules for 'Goodtimes' in McLintock! Case", in Billboard, May 14, 1994,pg. 73 & 82
  52. Fishman, Stephen (2010), pp.337
  53. Esther Rita Sinofsky (1988). A copyright primer for educational and industrial media producers. Copyright Information Services. p. 29. Retrieved January 20, 2016. But remember the underlying works may still be copyrighted
  54. "My Man Godfry". Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
  55. Night of the Living Dead entered the public domain because the original theatrical distributor, the Walter Reade Organization, neglected to place a copyright indication on the prints. In 1968, United States copyright law required a proper notice for a work to maintain a copyright. See U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 92, Copyright Law of the United States of America, Chapter 4: Copyright Notice, Deposit, and Registration, Omission of notice on certain copies and phonorecords. Image Ten displayed such a notice on the title frames of the film beneath the original title, Night of the Flesh Eaters but the distributor removed the statement when it changed the title. See Boluk, Stephanie; Lenz, Wylie (June 16, 2011). "Introduction: Generation Z, the Age of Apocalypse". In Boluk, Stephanie; Lenz, Wylie. Generation Zombie: Essays on the Living Dead in Modern Culture. Jefferson, North Carolina, US: McFarland & Company. p. 5. ISBN 978-0-7864-6140-0. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  56. Grandinetti, Fred (2004). Popeye: an illustrated cultural history. McFarland & Company. p. 125.
  57. Shaye, Robert (May 22, 2003). "Graduation 2003".
  58. Anderson, Patrick (1981). High in America: the true story behind NORML and the politics of marijuana. The Viking Press. p. 101.
  59. Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
  60. Filmmakers Newsletter Volume 7, Suncraft International Incorporated, 1973
  61. Segrave, Kerry. Piracy in the Motion Picture Industry.
  62. Hicks, Chris (March 8, 2007). "DVD reviews: Oldies make their DVD debut". Deseret News. Retrieved 2013-06-16. The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952, color) has injured writer Gregory Peck going over his past to see if his life has meaning, with Ava Gardner and Susan Hayward. This one has been on many public-domain labels, but this is a pristine print and looks gorgeous.
  63. Gerald Peary (October 10, 2010). "He's on the hunt for lost movie treasures". Boston Globe. Retrieved October 29, 2015. Orson Welles’s “The Stranger’’ is their newest HD release, made feasible because the RKO picture has fallen into public domain.
  64. 1 2 Rossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Chicago Review Press.
  65. Ray, Fred Olen (1991). The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 51.
  66. Stevens, Brad (2003). Monte Hellman: His Life and Films. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 34.
  67. Rhodes, Gary D. (2001). White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 280.
  68. Ryan Turek (July 6, 2010). "What Happened to Tobe Hooper's White Zombie?". shocktillyoudrop.com. Retrieved August 23, 2013.

Bibliography


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