Talk:List of films in the public domain in the United States/2018

Noferatu should be added to this list. Comment
Google says that Nosferatu is considered public domain. But I found an article that says there's a copyright claim valid through 2019, but it's orphaned as in no one can stake claim to that copyright therefore it's considered public domain. Either way, I think Nosferatu should be on this list.

http://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2016/07/nosferatu-and-public-domain.html

User:jackal242 (talk) 19:42, 3 December 2018 (UTC)


 * Jackal, I removed it because the source is a personal blog not reliable, and it concludes the film won't be PD until 2041: "Therefore, Nosferatu's public domain issue would be finally settled in the U.S. only after the year 2041". With that said, it's one of the most detailed and expert investigations of a film's copyright I've ever seen - which is partly why I removed it because the conclusion is well reasoned for the 2041 date. Of course there is no right answer, it can't be known until someone takes it to court and a judge rules, but the legal precedent seems to favor 2041, according to the Nerdy Pleasures analysis. Google isn't a source but a search engine, they just create generic answers from other sources typically from Wikipedia itself. We'd have to know what source Google is using. -- Green  C  21:17, 3 December 2018 (UTC)
 * I agree. Just because nobody is around to sue doesn't mean it is public domain. While that website may not be a reliable source, the argument is fairly straightforward. It was never legally published in the United States so it seems fairly obvious to me it must be considered an "unpublished work" for the purpose of considering its US copyright status, which means it is subject to 120-year term in the United States. If this is a correct interpretation that means the film won't enter the PD until 2042 (not 2041 as the author states!) because the term ends at the end of the calendar year. Betty Logan (talk) 00:50, 4 December 2018 (UTC)
 * 120 years in purgatory seems about right for Nosferatu. -- Green  C  04:47, 4 December 2018 (UTC)