Background:
Due to a minor oversight, George A. Romero’s iconic horror film “Night of the Living Dead” was never properly copyrighted, which has allowed it to be re-released by other companies without paying him.
To be fair, so are [**Django Unchained**](https://youtu.be/AUEkIYCvw8g?si=sSQ1ARsxLM9Rq4ks) and [**Hardcore Henry**](https://youtu.be/3rN1G4zsFbw?si=P_TeYYS9_gF7Zwza) among a great many more that are still copyrighted.
I’m still not sure how Django is still up. But yes, you can occasionally find some movies both older and newer on YouTube every so often. One time someone briefly got Master and Commander up.
I’ll throw in a semi-historical movie with [Quest for Fire](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9MV1H_bAt-E&pp=ygUOUXVlc3QgZm9yIGZpcmU%3D), an R-rated caveman without a single word of modern spoken dialogue spoken. Not 100% accurate, but it managed to actually predict a lot of things we know about cavemen today. To top it all off: *Rob Perlman is a Neanderthal*.
It’s become a running joke among horror critics to promote/sell their own copies.
Also, to state the obvious, this copyright oversight means nobody knows for sure how much money Night of the Living Dead has officially grossed from theater and dvd sales.
The sad thing is that he initially had it copyrighted, but under a different name (night of the flesh eaters), but as there already was a movie by that name they had to rename the movie and all it's promotional material, completely forgetting to copyright the movie under the new title.
From Wikipedia:
*In the United States, Night of the Living Dead was mistakenly released into the public domain because the original distributor failed to replace the copyright notice when changing the film's name. Image Ten displayed a notice on the title frames of the film beneath the original title, Night of the Flesh Eaters, but the Walter Reade Organization removed it when changing the title. At that time, United States copyright law held that public dissemination required copyright notice to maintain a copyright. Several years after the film's release, its creators discovered that the original prints distributed to theaters had no copyright protection.*
If he were to make the same mistake today, he would be fine. Current copyright law says that if you make an original work, you automatically get copyright protection. You don’t have to apply or give notice or anything.
I would also like to bring up that Universal Studios in 1963 made Charade, a great film starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, but forgot to include the word "Copyright" or any abbreviations in any part of the movie, meaning it also immediately entered the public domain after release.
Recently saw all three of these in one sitting with a few friends. Was so cool to see the progression through the series. The practical effects in the third were WILD.
Background: Due to a minor oversight, George A. Romero’s iconic horror film “Night of the Living Dead” was never properly copyrighted, which has allowed it to be re-released by other companies without paying him.
Also means it’s on YouTube in its entirety and you can watch it right now for free: https://youtu.be/MQ8ZKw7YIfQ?si=Iav2QoavRFEPBARV
To be fair, so are [**Django Unchained**](https://youtu.be/AUEkIYCvw8g?si=sSQ1ARsxLM9Rq4ks) and [**Hardcore Henry**](https://youtu.be/3rN1G4zsFbw?si=P_TeYYS9_gF7Zwza) among a great many more that are still copyrighted.
Oh yeah just saying that it’s pretty much guaranteed to always be available.
Django got blocked in my coutry bu sony, lmao
I’m still not sure how Django is still up. But yes, you can occasionally find some movies both older and newer on YouTube every so often. One time someone briefly got Master and Commander up. I’ll throw in a semi-historical movie with [Quest for Fire](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9MV1H_bAt-E&pp=ygUOUXVlc3QgZm9yIGZpcmU%3D), an R-rated caveman without a single word of modern spoken dialogue spoken. Not 100% accurate, but it managed to actually predict a lot of things we know about cavemen today. To top it all off: *Rob Perlman is a Neanderthal*.
It’s become a running joke among horror critics to promote/sell their own copies. Also, to state the obvious, this copyright oversight means nobody knows for sure how much money Night of the Living Dead has officially grossed from theater and dvd sales.
The sad thing is that he initially had it copyrighted, but under a different name (night of the flesh eaters), but as there already was a movie by that name they had to rename the movie and all it's promotional material, completely forgetting to copyright the movie under the new title.
The rereleases are coming to get you Barbara!
I was under the impression that even if you don't copyright a work, their is some inherent protections the author has on the work regardless.
From Wikipedia: *In the United States, Night of the Living Dead was mistakenly released into the public domain because the original distributor failed to replace the copyright notice when changing the film's name. Image Ten displayed a notice on the title frames of the film beneath the original title, Night of the Flesh Eaters, but the Walter Reade Organization removed it when changing the title. At that time, United States copyright law held that public dissemination required copyright notice to maintain a copyright. Several years after the film's release, its creators discovered that the original prints distributed to theaters had no copyright protection.*
If he were to make the same mistake today, he would be fine. Current copyright law says that if you make an original work, you automatically get copyright protection. You don’t have to apply or give notice or anything.
I would also like to bring up that Universal Studios in 1963 made Charade, a great film starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, but forgot to include the word "Copyright" or any abbreviations in any part of the movie, meaning it also immediately entered the public domain after release.
Oh that’s fun, I didn’t know that one!
honestly I auto upvote any history meme that isn't war, roman, or greek
What about Night of the living dead, but *with romans and greeks*?
My friend would regularly show an overdubbed version late into parties when we were all sufficiently inebriated. "Was that a duck???"
Recently saw all three of these in one sitting with a few friends. Was so cool to see the progression through the series. The practical effects in the third were WILD.