Interview Lucasfilm on Star Wars the Complete Saga Blu-ray: Hands on Report (1 Viewer)

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
For all intents and purposes public domain no longer exists in the U.S.
Doug

Hooray for strong property owners' rights ! / ?
Let's imagine a world where copyright held to the original ~20 year term so Star Wars OT was now public domain. I've thought to myself that would be perfect. Lucas could put out his revised versions per his vision, and Criterion could put out their restored, faithful OT version, and then the "marketplace" would sort out what people really want.
But on second thought PD doesn't necessarily mean anyone would have access to source materials to produce an alternate restoration or cut of the films, right?
If Star Wars were public domain, what might come of it? Could other parties, like Criterion, or even some crazy kickstarter-funded amateur group, do their own high-quality restoration? or would it be that everyone but Lucas would still be stuck re-editing the LaserDisc editions?

 

[Mark Oates]

Does copyright have to be a black/ white hot/ cold absolute control/public domain deal? I know absolute control suits the multinationals who can keep their IP rights going in perpetuity, but why can't there be a Public Interest clause that gives us the consumers, and posterity in the form of national or international film archives access to material consigned to the vaults by copyright owners unwilling to risk outlay on giving access? Quite apart from the Original Original Trilogy there are thousands of movies out there which have less chance of seeing the light of day (or the light of a telecine machine) due to pure economics - I'm looking at you, Paramount.

 

[Worth]

Copyright may very well be why lucas keeps making all these little changes. Some rocks here a dialog change there, as we all know, for every release of an new altered version the copyright is extended. Star Wars falling into public domain will not happen in my lifetime. Thanks Mr. Lucas, for altering my childhood for a few dollars more.

Except that the copyright for the original three are still listed as 1977, 1980 and 1983, respectively.

 

[SamT]

So when they fall in the public domain? The originals.

 

[Greg_D_R]

So when they fall in the public domain? The originals.

That will never happen. Ever.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Ok i just watched Return Of The Jedi.


I seem to have missed the scene where Jabba The Hutt sticks his tongue on Leia's face, did i blink, is it still there. ?


Also i believe Lucasfilm haven't kept their word about lightsaber fixes, during the end battle with Luke i had to stop things and replay scenes because i thought i was seeing things, Vader's lightsaber is pinkish at the core with a red haze, it should be white cores, i actually asked the person sitting next to me who told me they saw a pinkish tone so it wasn't just my eyes.


There is a loss of resolution and detail between approx 54 minutes in to 58 minutes, during the moment when Han and Luke and the others approach the Death Star and ask for clearance to go to the forest moon of Endor, its not just the cameras because this impacts several different sequences within the film, including scenes on Endor and on the Death Star as well as the shuttle and people and objects look very out of focus, resolution looks poor and detail is very down.

 

[TravisR]

Ok i just watched Return Of The Jedi.
I seem to have missed the scene where Jabba The Hutt sticks his tongue on Leia's face, did i blink, is it still there. ?

I imagine if it was gone, it would have been noticed before the set came out. I don't know how specific you're being but he never puts his tongue on her face, he just sticks it out near her face.

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by SamT
So when they fall in the public domain? The originals.

Current copyright law is 70 yrs after death of creator. However, it's been extended twice already, so no one can say.

 

[highscore]

If that was the case, all the other multi-billion dollar companies who would cut the throats of their own mothers to make a dime would be doing the same trick.

Whatever Mr. Lucas's motivations are, it is true that with every change and re-release his copyright is optioned for renewal.

 

[FoxyMulder]

Originally Posted by TravisR
I imagine if it was gone, it would have been noticed before the set came out. I don't know how specific you're being but he never puts his tongue on her face, he just sticks it out near her face.

Its been so long since i last saw the film, i guess thats why i missed it since my recollection of what happens is hazy.

 

[Douglas Monce]

Hooray for strong property owners' rights ! / ?
 
 
Let's imagine a world where copyright held to the original ~20 year term so Star Wars OT was now public domain. I've thought to myself that would be perfect. Lucas could put out his revised versions per his vision, and Criterion could put out their restored, faithful OT version, and then the "marketplace" would sort out what people really want.
 
 
But on second thought PD doesn't necessarily mean anyone would have access to source materials to produce an alternate restoration or cut of the films, right?
 
If Star Wars were public domain, what might come of it? Could other parties, like Criterion, or even some crazy kickstarter-funded amateur group, do their own high-quality restoration? or would it be that everyone but Lucas would still be stuck re-editing the LaserDisc editions?
 
 

Actually the original copyright under the old laws would expire 20 years (copyright laws at the turn of the 20th century) after the death of the author. So in this case you would still be waiting. I believe it is now 70 years after the death of the author, however there are so many loopholes that allow copyrights to be renewed, that nothing really falls into PD anymore. The issue over Its A Wonderful Life is directly responsible for the situation as it stands now. The original owners of that film (republic I believe) managed to legally pull that film out of the public domain, long after it fell in. This allows anyone to do this with almost any creative property. Doug

 

[Douglas Monce]

If that was the case, all the other multi-billion dollar companies who would cut the throats of their own mothers to make a dime would be doing the same trick.

Disney keeps the copyright on characters like Mickey Mouse by continuously releasing products that feature the original 1920's design. Supposedly this keeps the copyright on the character alive, and prevents anyone else from creating new works with the old Mickey character. Doug

 

[Douglas Monce]

Does copyright have to be a black/ white hot/ cold absolute control/public domain deal? I know absolute control suits the multinationals who can keep their IP rights going in perpetuity, but why can't there be a Public Interest clause that gives us the consumers, and posterity in the form of national or international film archives access to material consigned to the vaults by copyright owners unwilling to risk outlay on giving access? Quite apart from the Original Original Trilogy there are thousands of movies out there which have less chance of seeing the light of day (or the light of a telecine machine) due to pure economics - I'm looking at you, Paramount.

For better or worse the owners of the films have absolutely control over them and no one else has the right to do anything with them legally. Doug

 

[Douglas Monce]

Except that the copyright for the original three are still listed as 1977, 1980 and 1983, respectively.

I believe the special addition versions show a copyright in the credits of their respective release dates, but credits are no longer the stamp of when a copyright started. In fact a copyright notice no longer needs to be in the credits of a film for the copyright to be valid. The special editions would be copyrighted somewhere around mid 90's. Doug

 

[DaveF]

Originally Posted by Douglas Monce
Actually the original copyright under the old laws would expire 20 years (copyright laws at the turn of the 20th century) after the death of the author. So in this case you would still be waiting. I believe it is now 70 years after the death of the author, however there are so many loopholes that allow copyrights to be renewed, that nothing really falls into PD anymore. The issue over Its A Wonderful Life is directly responsible for the situation as it stands now. The original owners of that film (republic I believe) managed to legally pull that film out of the public domain, long after it fell in. This allows anyone to do this with almost any creative property.
Doug

I was imagining *original* copyright law (c. 19th century), which was like 20-30 years after creation.

 

[Mark Collins]

I am sorry but I need help with this and I am sorry if the question has been answered. I have the VHS tapes from the original release of the 3 films. I then bought over again the VHS tapes with the Leonard Maltin bonus talks on each of those tapes. I also then bought the 1997 DVDs when they came out and the VHS of the first movie in the new trilogy and then rebought it in DVD along with the final 2 DVDs of that trilogy Should I hang on to all what I have or dump them all at my local Library Book Sale? I am to understand that the first three VHS movies of the first trilogy are tamper free because they all were released before 1997? I should think if that is the case I should just hold on to all or just the set that came out with Leonard Maltin? What about the original ones any value to me on those vhs tapes? Can anyone help me on this? The box art is cool to look at from the original 3 and even the Maltin copies are packaged quite well. I have two of these one sliver one blue. I wonder if one was a VHS wide screen and the other pan and scan. Why I would buy both is a good question that would make for 3 VHS sets of the firs trilogy i own. I just dug out the 3 sets of first trilogy the 4th which was the very first to hit home video i cannot locate at this moment. I found that I purchased a 1995 pan and scan THX with the Leonard Maltin then again in 1997 wide screen version. I just opened the 2004 release on DVD to find a bonus disc which I am sure would be worth keeping. The old VHS set released in the 80s should I keep that and the 97 release was there extras on those VHS wide screen?

 

[TravisR]

I am to understand that the first three VHS movies of the first trilogy are tamper free because they all were released before 1997? I should think if that is the case I should just hold on to all or just the set that came out with Leonard Maltin? What about the original ones any value to me on those vhs tapes? Can anyone help me on this?

More or less, any VHS release before 1997 is the original version. The exceptions to that is that they added the 'Episode IV A New Hope' at the beginning of the movie and there's a few minor audio changes. What you keep or don't is up to you. Unfortunately, I doubt you'd get much money by selling them though.

 

[Mark Collins]

Travis. Thanks but I was not looking to sell them but donate them to our Library Book Sale. I really do appreciate your giving me an answer!!

 

[TravisR]

Travis. Thanks but I was not looking to sell them but donate them to our Library Book Sale. I really do appreciate your giving me an answer!!

No problem but don't miss the reply that Dave Farley just gave you in another thread. His post is way better than mine because he gives a ton of info. http://www.hometheaterforum.com/t/314723/star-wars-the-complete-saga-member-review-thread/180#post_3852457

 

[Douglas Monce]

I was imagining *original* copyright law (c. 19th century), which was like 20-30 years after creation.

 

That depended on if it were owned by a company or the copyright was owned by an individual author. Corporation was around 20 years, if it was the author it was 20 years after the author's death. Doug