Law.com Subscribers SAVE 30%
Call 855-808-4530 or email [email protected] to receive your discount on a new subscription.
<b><i>Looking Forward, Looking Back:</b></i> Supreme Court's <i>Rear Window</i> Ruling 20 Years Later
The Copyright Act of 1976 provided for a single copyright term. This is today measured ' for works created, or published, on or after Jan. 1, 1978 ' from the death of the author, or last living co-author, plus 70 years. For pre-Jan. 1, 1978 works, however, the 1909 Act set forth two copyright terms: an initial 28-year term followed by a 28-year renewal term. Congress has since extended the renewal term to a total of 67-years. The extent of assigned rights under the renewal term has become increasingly important as, for example, the film and television industries rely more heavily on remakes of earlier, popular movie and TV properties to hopefully attract larger audiences.
2010 is the 20th anniversary of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that dealt with the renewal-rights dilemma. The case centered on whether actor James Stewart and director Alfred Hitchcock could continue to exploit their classic-thriller movie Rear Window, which was based on the short story “It Had to Be Murder” by Cornell Woolrich. Though relatively unknown today, the prolific Woolrich was an originator of the noir school of mystery writing. Woolrich's novels and short stories formed the basis of more than two-dozen movies and 100 TV programs. “It Had to Be Murder” was first published in 1942, in Dime Detective magazine. In 1945, for $9,250, Woolrich assigned the rights to this and five other of his stories to a movie production company from which Stewart and Hitchcock's production outfit, Patron Inc., later bought the “Murder” movie rights for $10,000. The resulting film, Rear Window, starring Stewart and actress Grace Kelly, was released by Paramount Pictures in 1954.
This premium content is locked for Entertainment Law & Finance subscribers only
ENJOY UNLIMITED ACCESS TO THE SINGLE SOURCE OF OBJECTIVE LEGAL ANALYSIS, PRACTICAL INSIGHTS, AND NEWS IN ENTERTAINMENT LAW.
- Stay current on the latest information, rulings, regulations, and trends
- Includes practical, must-have information on copyrights, royalties, AI, and more
- Tap into expert guidance from top entertainment lawyers and experts
Already a have an account? Sign In Now Log In Now
For enterprise-wide or corporate acess, please contact Customer Service at [email protected] or 877-256-2473
The Article 8 Opt In
The Article 8 opt-in election adds an additional layer of complexity to the already labyrinthine rules governing perfection of security interests under the UCC. A lender that is unaware of the nuances created by the opt in (may find its security interest vulnerable to being primed by another party that has taken steps to perfect in a superior manner under the circumstances.
Beach Boys Songs Written Decades Ago Triggered Current Quarrel With Lawyers
There's current litigation in the ongoing Beach Boys litigation saga. A lawsuit filed in 2019 against Nevada residents Mike Love and his wife Jacquelyne in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada that alleges inaccurate payment by the Loves under the retainer agreement and seeks $84.5 million in damages.
Major Differences In UK, U.S. Copyright Laws
This article highlights how copyright law in the United Kingdom differs from U.S. copyright law, and points out differences that may be crucial to entertainment and media businesses familiar with U.S law that are interested in operating in the United Kingdom or under UK law. The article also briefly addresses contrasts in UK and U.S. trademark law.
Strategy vs. Tactics: Two Sides of a Difficult Coin
With each successive large-scale cyber attack, it is slowly becoming clear that ransomware attacks are targeting the critical infrastructure of the most powerful country on the planet. Understanding the strategy, and tactics of our opponents, as well as the strategy and the tactics we implement as a response are vital to victory.
When Is a Repair Structural or Nonstructural Under a Commercial Lease?
A common question that commercial landlords and tenants face is which of them is responsible for a repair to the subject premises. These disputes often center on whether the repair is "structural" or "nonstructural."