Thank you to everyone who replied on and off list. I got my hands on the Film Superlist reference book and was able to confirm the renewal. It looks like these tapes are going in the trash.
How did I not know about the Film Superlist! I'm in love with this 20lb tome. Thanks, Kim -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Jessica Rosner Sent: Tuesday, April 08, 2014 8:40 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films? Universal owns Paramount films made between 1928-48 so EMKA is likely their shell company. On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 9:29 AM, Bob Norris <[email protected]> wrote: > I got curious Kim. I looked up Pointed Heels. As Jessica says, Paramount > Pictures Corp is the copyright holder, along with Emka, LTD. Had never heard > of Emka. Turns out to be set up with the sole function of overseeing the > Pre-1950 Paramount Pictures library. A corporate shell deal. > > I gave up on Happy Days. Too many to sort through. But infinitesimal percent > chance that Fox let the copyright lapse. > > > On Apr 7, 2014, at 5:24 PM, [email protected] wrote: >> >> 1. Re: Public Domain studio films? (Jessica Rosner) >> >> From: Jessica Rosner <[email protected]> >> Date: April 7, 2014 3:46:41 PM CDT >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: [Videolib] Public Domain studio films? >> Reply-To: [email protected] >> >> >> These are copyrighted films the rights holder (which in the case of >> POINTED HEELS in Universal which ones Paramount films made between >> 1028-48) studios have not releases along with I would imagine tens of >> thousands of others. The copies you have are bootlegs. I have seen >> these titles online and at some of the film buff shows I go to so >> they are not unique in any way just pirate copies of films the rights >> holder has not released. There are studio films that are PD because >> they were not renewed but this is very rare and it is safe to assume >> anything made by a "real" studio after 1922 is copyrighted. One can >> do copyright searches on titles like this but it is expensive and >> really not necessary. The relatively small number of studio films >> that have gone PD are generally known and very widely available ( Say >> SUDDENLY or THE GENERAL) In fact many "lost" films like LONDON AFTER >> MIDNIGHT, 4 DEVILS and whole lot of early sound Fox films are still >> copyrighted even if they don't exist. >> >> On Mon, Apr 7, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Stanton, Kim <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hi all, >>> >>> >>> >>> My library recently received a large donation of early studio films >>> on VHS format. The majority were official releases, but I have two >>> hanging out that came from one of those rare/vintage mail order video >>> companies. The quality >>> is not so hot - they look like low end telecine transfers. I don't know >>> the copyright renewal status of either film, so I don't know if these are >>> Public Domain or not. I haven't been able to find copies for sale on >>> Amazon, with a quick Google search or listed in Worldcat - if these >>> are legal PD copies and super rare I'd like to keep them, despite >>> the kind of crappy quality. Does anyone have any info on the PD >>> status of these particular titles or other resources I could >>> consult? Should I assume that most majors studios renewed copyright >>> on all their pre-1968 films or was it more case by case than that? >>> >>> >>> >>> * Pointed Heels (1929), William Powell, Helen Kane; Paramount >>> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020278/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1 >>> >>> * Happy Days (1930), Janet Gaynor, Charles Farrell; Fox Film Corp >>> http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020949/?ref_=fn_tt_tt_7 >>> >>> >>> >>> Thanks! >>> >>> Kim >>> >>> > > > > VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues > relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, > preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and > related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective > working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication > between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and > distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors. VIDEOLIB is intended to encourage the broad and lively discussion of issues relating to the selection, evaluation, acquisition,bibliographic control, preservation, and use of current and evolving video formats in libraries and related institutions. It is hoped that the list will serve as an effective working tool for video librarians, as well as a channel of communication between libraries,educational institutions, and video producers and distributors.
