ChaoticNeutralCzech

When will "Star Wars: A New Hope" enter public domain?

https://lemmy.ml/post/10500280

When will "Star Wars: A New Hope" enter public domain? - Lemmy

Assuming copyright laws don’t change by then, otherwise there is no way to know. A plausible answer is 1977 (when the film was released as Star Wars) + 95 years (for pre-1978 works) = 2072. However, the film had been edited by George Lucas for the 1997 “Special Edition” release. Does this mean that I cannot publicly play the Special Edition VHS tape I have at home in 2073 and have to wait until 2092, or 70 years after GL’s death? George Lucas has been infamously attempting to erase copies of the original movie. Therefore, no HD home video release for the 1977 film exists, however, a fan effort known as the “Despecialized Edition” compiled different versions of the movie from various sources, patching the Special Edition 4K Blu-ray rip to try to replicate the original 1977 experience. Does this legally questionable version enter public domain in 2072, or does this only apply to official (SD) releases?

Jan 13, 2024 at 6:37pmWeb
Show threadValmondJan 13, 2024
A long time ago I got rhe trilogy, but with the crappy cheezy 3D stuff added I went on a hunt for the “originals”, nice to know why I didn’t find them!
Show threadMunkisquisherJan 13, 2024
The despecialized edition uses a ton of cleaned up shots that don’t change in a story sense but have grain and wires and other compositing errors cleaned up. These are new works. Even the VHS release and any HD releases could be considered new works as the colour and sound would have been tweaked for each format. The best thing to do would be to find an original film print and have it scanned. Anything else would push the clock back.
Show threadChaoticNeutralCzechJan 13, 2024

find an original film print and have it scanned

The 4K77 project did just that, scan and color correction to reverse fading, and effectively no other processing so they cannot claim copyright. Arguably, Harmy’s Despecialized Edition cannot either, even if the original becomes public domain, as it could be argued that their effort only served a technical purpose. I don’t think you can scan, upscale and denoise Steamboat Willie (Walt Disney, 1928) and claim copyright on that even if you do it by hand.

File:Steamboat Willie (1928) by Walt Disney.webm - Wikipedia

Show threadTheImpressiveXJan 13, 2024

There is another fan project called “4K77”, which also attempts to restore the original version of Star Wars. They somehow managed to get their hands on the original film reels, and scanned them digitally in 4K. It looks very grainy, but this is to preserve the original experience of watching the film in theaters in 1977.

So if you want a modern-looking and cleaned-up version of the original “New Hope”, then watch Harmy’s Despecialized Edition (keep in mind it’s only 720p). If you want the genuine '70s theater experience with the film grain and everything, watch 4K77.

Show threadChaoticNeutralCzechJan 13, 2024
Thank you, great point!
Show threadSanguineParJan 13, 2024
Ooh, I didn’t know about the 4K77 version, that sounds great.
Show threadDavel23Jan 13, 2024
There is also a release of 4K77 that they ran through a digital noise reduction filter, if the grain bothers you that much.
Show threadNewbyJan 13, 2024
Attorney here. The original version of A New Hope should enter the public domain in 2072. The Special Edition of A New Hope should enter the public domain in 2092. The despecialized edition uses work from the special edition and would not be legally distributable until at least 2092. But as to your question on resolution, I do not believe copyright law would differentiate between a work bases solely on the published resolution. As the other comment suggests, A high res scan of the original A New Hope, if it exists, would be in the public domain in 2072.
Show threadChaoticNeutralCzechJan 13, 2024
Interesting… Too bad a right-holder can do minor edits to their work and effectively extend copyright (which is already very long in my opinion) if they nuke the previous version. Lucas was surprisingly successful in that, and I think game studios or other creators could do that today too with their aggressive DRM tactics.
Show threadNewbyJan 14, 2024
I think this is why our rights for preservation of the media we own under the dmca is so important. Needs to be expanded on even.
Show threadRightHandOfIkarosJan 13, 2024
This is assuming Disney doesn’t mess with the laws again, for like, the tenth time.
Show threadChaoticNeutralCzechJan 13, 2024

First sentence of my post, for this very reason – they own the franchise, after all. The law may also change the other way but that’s very unlikely to happen in the US within 50 years.

I wonder if they could develop a system of draconian DRM (only their own theatres with metal detectors, personalized online streams…) and mildly edit movies every few decades so that they can destroy the original and effectively renew copyright. The gaming industry’s always-online DRM makes nuking a release possible but copyright lasts for about 20 console generations so they don’t even have to do that.

Show thread50gpJan 13, 2024
it would be quite hard to justify increasing it for even longer duration when all adults who saw the original release will be dead by the time copyright expires already
Show threadRightHandOfIkarosJan 13, 2024
Disney has already ruined US copyright laws multiple times, I wouldn’t put it past them to try again.
Show threadpearsaltchocolatebarJan 14, 2024
That’s why it was hilarious when DeSantis thought he could win a legal battle against them.
Show threadNewbyJan 14, 2024
Why I didn’t say will but should. But your emphasis is apt.
Show threadIvanOverdriveJan 14, 2024
They already lost control of Steamboat Willie. The limits of copyright have been reached. Disney even tried to leverage trademark by putting Steamboat Willie as the Disney logo at the beginning of all their movies. There is a limit to their ability to bend the law in their favor before reason takes over.