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
Law Firms are Reducing Redundant Real Estate by Bringing Support Services Back to the Office
A trend analysis of the benefits and challenges of bringing back administrative, word processing and billing services to law offices.
Bankruptcy Sales: Finding a Diamond In the Rough
There is no efficient market for the sale of bankruptcy assets. Inefficient markets yield a transactional drag, potentially dampening the ability of debtors and trustees to maximize value for creditors. This article identifies ways in which investors may more easily discover bankruptcy asset sales.
Bit Parts
Summary Judgment Denied Defendant in Declaratory Action by Producer of To Kill a Mockingbird Broadway Play Seeking Amateur Theatrical Rights
Risks of “Baseball Arbitration” in Resolving Real Estate Disputes
“Baseball arbitration” refers to the process used in Major League Baseball in which if an eligible player's representative and the club ownership cannot reach a compensation agreement through negotiation, each party enters a final submission and during a formal hearing each side — player and management — presents its case and then the designated panel of arbitrators chooses one of the salary bids with no other result being allowed. This method has become increasingly popular even beyond the sport of baseball.
Disconnect Between In-House and Outside Counsel
'Disconnect Between In-House and Outside Counsel is a continuation of the discussion of client expectations and the disconnect that often occurs. And although the outside attorneys should be pursuing how inside-counsel actually think, inside counsel should make an effort to impart this information without waiting to be asked.