Public Domain Day 2024!

[@matt2027]

Current public domain laws are obscene. 95 years is way too long. It's also wildly hypocritical for Disney to lobby so strongly for extended copyright protections, when Disney itself benefitted so much from public domain works.

[@carnybusiness7432]

It definitely is, but always leave it to a corporation/empire like Disney to be hypocritical if it suits them with profits/shareholders. If they could get away with it I swear they would extend their copyrights indefinitely. "Fuck you, I got mine" sums it up.

[@Zenas521]

Disney laughs all the way to the bank whenever they are called hypocritical. Until they value your opinion, your opinion is moot.

[@StormsparkPegasus]

This is why I pirate almost everything these days. The original copyright in the constitution was specifically, limited time copyright in exchange for the item going into the public domain at the end. It was intended to enrich the public domain. The first time this was extended, broke the contract, so as far as I'm concerned, copyright is now invalid on its face. And I make a point of violating it on a nearly daily basis.

[@YouWinAFREEiPOD]

@@Zenas521 The several times over hundred billion dollar Disney doesn't need your help defending them from KZbin comment section heckling they care even less about you. It's genuinely pathetic to be smug about something that negatively affects the creation of art on the basis that "ACKCHYUALLY THE COMPANY MADE ALOT OF MONEY".

[@kali3665]

Absolutely. I was so sure that Disney would have started working years ago to further extend their copyright on Mickey, but it didn't happen. Not that Disney will let THAT get in their way; I am sure that they will come up with something to justify an attack. We will see.

[@queenannsrevenge100]

One thing that Steve brings up is something I honestly never thought about but makes a lot of sense - that, like every other technology, silent films did not become “talkies” overnight - there was a period of films adaptable to both soundtracks and silents with cards, etc. I imagine because many existing theaters could not handle the films.

[@illadiel6049]

It's also why films have that specific look. They use the same frame twice b/c the sound tape is about twice as long as the film itself.

[@timtheskeptic1147]

For a while it was the (usually) drunk projectionist reading the cards and shouting racial slurs.

[@SemiIocon]

There was even backlash to it by "true artists" thinking those talkies are dumbing down movies. Because no new media without a moral panic to go along with it.

[@s.phillips881]

Talking is over rated (example: Mel Brooks "silent movie"

[@seandobbins2231]

​@@s.phillips881which still has a spoken line. Another counterpoint: see "The Great Dictator" and Charlie Chaplin's first spoken role in film. It's a masterpiece and has an amazing speech by Chaplin.

[@noheroespublishing1907]

Can't wait for a movie taking place during the Great Depression with Mikey and Minnie doing a Grapes of Wrath style story with Mikey struggling to get an animation studio off the ground as he fights the film monopolies.

[@MythicSuns]

Since we're talking legal it's important to distinguish between Mikey and Mickey.

[@SiriusMined]

That's a great idea, actually. Michael Maus, AKA Steamboat Willy 😂

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@SiriusMined I'll bet Art Spiegelman could do something interesting with Mikey Maus...

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

Maus but it's Steamboat Willie. 😂

[@noheroespublishing1907]

@@SiriusMined Yeah, it'll be a tragedy when it's later revealed that he was sympathetic to the Nazis and an Antisemite, but did his pro-US propaganda because Roosevelt needed it for war effort; the whole movie could be just one long criticism of Walt Disney and the monopoly he created after Roosevelt broke up the vary studios that he felt oppressed by and gave him his opening to establish the Disney Corporation.

[@krazykris9396]

They need to bring back the renewal requirement. There are way too many pieces of abandoned media that are unavailable due to conflicting copyright holders.

[@cayceh]

Not mentioned but what I mostly know Veidt from is the (1919 so also public domain) German LGBTQ educational film "Different from the Others", also starring Magnus Hirschfeld. Only 26ish minutes and well worth a watch to see what is possibly the first pro-gay film.

[@thork6974]

He was a hero in real life, using most of his Hollywood money to help Jews escape the Nazis.

[@klisterklister2367]

Thanks for the tip!

[@jrsydvl7218]

I didn't think Disney would ever let any version of the mouse into public domain.

[@queenannsrevenge100]

Oh, they’ve tried every legal trick in the book over the past 75 years and lobbied everyone but God; but in the end, even politicians refuse to let a copyright stay indefinitely.

[@violagreene4643]

@@jaywolfe1254 They already have. The current version of Mickey is Disney's property. The public can only use those aspects of Mickey that were present in Steamboat Willie.

[@tomgon3D]

Corridor crew made a video about Disney not lobbying to extend copyright yet again. The tl;dw is that it’s not worth it financially. Mikey Mouse used to be their cash cow but not anymore.

[@bazzfromthebackground3696]

They changed the rules around copyright so many times, even the law is done with it.

[@jamarrbrown3608]

Disney is the reason why it takes so long for things to become public they kept getting the time frame pushed back

[@ivane5110]

What I like about PD Day is that it gets me to stop and appreciate classics that I've grown to take for granted, and it shines a spotlight (even if a small one) on once great works forgetten or never known by me. Now I also can add looking forward to Steve's singing (hmmm, wouldn't that be something if a decade or so from now we're all subscribers to the "Songs By Steve" channel and on this day each year get reminded that there was once upon a time that his channel did other stuff?

[@BuckMD]

And now Big Rock Candy Mountain is stuck in my head. It only took 15 years to get it out after hearing it in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" in the year 2000.

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

Same. And it's back. But "O Brother" was such a good movie, and this was the reminder I needed to watch it again!

[@stephenholloway6893]

The song was used before that film. Paramount for example used the song in the final follow the bouncing ball type short albeit in the Noveltoons shorts 1963's Hobo's Holiday. Not saying that the film made it popular nowadays but my point was that the song was adapted to film long before O Brother Where Art Thou.

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@thing_under_the_stairs there's very few Coen Brothers movies that don't deserve a rewatch imo :)

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@stephenholloway6893 I'm sure they're just saying that's where they were introduced to it. I for one knew about half of the songs featured in the soundtrack to the film, but the OST CD definitely introduced the other half to my family!

[@thing_under_the_stairs]

@@kaitlyn__L So very true. Though my sister and I have an ongoing feud over whether The Big Lebowski was a brilliant piece of philosophy or just a long pothead wankfest... I happen to be on the side of The Dude. But I'm the pothead Ancle (nonbinary mix of aunt and uncle), and she's a wine mom, so opinions will differ!

[@Betta66]

I look forward to the inevitable Steamboat Willie slasher movie

[@Crochet_kitty]

It's already made. It's called Mickey's Mouse Trap.

[@zacharygirgenti3790]

Big Rock Candy Mountain is such a melancholy song. I wish we could all absorb it's wisdom.

[@andrewklang809]

- All the cops have wooden legs - All the jails are made of tin, and you walk right out as soon as you get in - Where they hung the jerk who invented work I remember my 4th or 5th grade music class made us sing (a version of) this song. Didn't realize then just how hard the OG lyrics went. The song is pure revolutionary.

[@seantlewis376]

This is a well done episode not just listing famous works now in public domain, but telling a bit about them and their history, plus a little bit of US copyright law. I have worked with lawyers for 25 years, most of that with a corporate law firm with a large intellectual property practice group. Within our IT department, we techs were each assigned one or more practice groups to work with closely, so each one of these groups had the feeling of having their own IT person. The CIO made these assignments based on what he knew of people's individual interests. Knowing that I am a sometime writer, and a peace activist, he assigned me to the IP group, and the Constitutional Law group. I learned a LOT in those years, helping the legal professionals with technical issues, and attending CLEs as if I were an actual paralegal (they did bill my client time at paralegal rates). The Law Librarian, who had both a JD, and a PhD in library science, would give me reading recommendations, including first year law textbooks. It was a pretty cool way to get an unofficial education.

[@Dragoon91786]

I honestly am chill with the Peter Pan loophole given it funds the UK's historically most important children's hospital. That seems only right, poetically. Likewise, it doesn't bar adaptation. Merely, means that any adaptation must help fund the care for the children of the UK. If only Disney's (et. al.) royalties were so altruistic by nature. Heh… A person can dream. Maybe, in a Star Trek future.

[@shinyagumon7015]

100% agree

[@purplepedantry]

​@@TheRatsintheWalls Your pedantry is greatly appreciated.

[@krazykris9396]

The wierd thing is that it is a state owned enterprise now. So you basically have to pay a tax every time it's performed in the UK.

[@vaya-dragon1998]

It’s why Peter Pan isn’t that popular in the UK (besides maybe the Disney version.) It’s a licensing nightmare. Compare that with other ‘public domain’ stories like Alice in Wonderland or pretty much any fairytale, which are much more popular. Also, Peter Pan being owned by a children’s hospital is pretty dark considering he never grows up…

[@Dewydidit]

Steve, you have a surprisingly good voice and ear. Hat's off to you, even many "good" vocalists can't accapello worth a damn.

[@samuelschmitt853]

Agreed

[@nicspits9876]

x2

[@arandomboot598]

I was just gonna comment that

[@EdenMiller-u7x]

(that's "a capella" or "a cappella", btw. You're welcome.)

[@Bugg...0_o]

I'm just glad to see some love for "The Big Rock Candy Mountain." I have always loved that song since I first heard it in "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" !

[@EilonwyWanderer]

Some great stuff entering the public domain! Shame that otherwise the copyright system has been so heavily distorted away from its original stated purpose... 😩

[@a_ggghost]

Even its original stated purpose makes the production of culture a dystopian capitalist hellscape.

[@alicec1533]

@@a_ggghost Looking beyond copyright, to IP as a whole; It's not just culture but also tech, industry, medicine, basically any/all innovation since the beginning of patents; IP has played a huge role in the history of monopoly capitalism, and global wealth disparity.

[@zainab58]

@@a_ggghost US constitution, Article I, Section 8 (powers granted to Congress), paragraph 8: “To promote the progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited TImes to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries” I don’t see a dystopian capitalist hellscape there. Quite the contrary.

[@StormsparkPegasus]

I make it a personal point to violate copyright on a nearly daily basis.

[@ximit9198]

that's years and years of class struggle for you

[@davidioanhedges]

US Copyright law is vastly complicated, it's made more complicated by International copyright law, the Berne convention, and the interaction with Trademarks and Patents ... I suspect the first person to do something with Steamboat Willy beyond showing it will find out how little it means that it is in the Public Domain ...

[@WildSeven19]

8:15 I only know about this song from "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", which is just fantastic! One of my favourite films and soundtracks.

[@therizinosaurus214]

So much work has been lost due to the heavy extended copyright system. A ground up rework of the copyrights, trademarks, and patents needs to be done.

[@SuperFlashDriver]

That's what I have mentioned to people is that it should be similar to trademarks where they last only 20 years, or 30/30 (30 years when its registered for copyright, and 30 years after the author/creator dies).

[@julietfischer5056]

Some work has been lost simply because people were stupid, or the physical media aged. Many of the first movies ever made were destroyed to reclaim the silver content, or to make other items from the material, or simply because nobody thought they were worth keeping. Old film stock could be unstable, deteriorating even if kept in a climate-controlled facility. Early television shows were often broadcast live. Even when filmed, idiots at the studios might decide to clear out space by destroying what we now recognize as socially and culturally valuable shows. Hell, some even thought that recording shows was a bad thing because they believed that audiences would refuse to watch new episodes. And in those days, videotape was expensive, so much of that was recorded over. Not every bit of printed matter was worth keeping, even at the time. Cheap publications were usually passed around and eventually thrown away. Again, no publisher was keeping scads of back-issues in storage. It was up to the authors to keep track of their work and the resulting copyrights. Some were too busy paying the bills to worry about copyright, and even the most conscientious didn't always keep everything on record. (I own a few true-crime compendia with copyright pages that ask for information on some of the pieces used.)

[@seandobbins2231]

​@@SuperFlashDriverexcept that trademarks last for 10 years and can be renewed an unlimited number of times potentially. Copyrights shouldn't be changed to be anything like current trademark law.

[@allanolley4874]

@@seandobbins2231 My vague understanding was that trademarks can't be maintained unless you actually trade under them, so there is a use it or lose it. I do kind of wish patent and copyright law had such provisions. The rationale for intellectual property is to incentive etc. its creation and distribution after all if people are not selling a copyrighted item or instantiation of a patent its thwarting the supposed purpose of the law. Some kind of mandatory licensing as with musical compositions and recordings would be another option to extend to the rest of the copyright system. One other not unrelated problem is just establishing what is and isn't under copyright, many old works probably don't have a living claimant (or heirs) to their copyright, but people are reticent to preserve or distribute those works because they fear opening themselves up to being pursued for copyright infringement if an owner comes up out of the wood work. Patent law is 20 years with no renewal, although there is some potential to patent later improvements and the like. Hear the problem is less the extremely long time frames (although in bleeding edge technology 20 years is a very long time) and more that patents are used less to reward innovation and more to create barriers to entry for new entrants. So famously smart phone makers all have lots of smart phone related patents which they then use as leverage with the other makers to come to agreements to allow each other to make smartphone without claiming patent an endless series of patent litigations against each other because smartphones involve so many technologies that creating one ends one in a snarl of patents. Thus what is supposed to incentive innovation again just creates a new barrier. Patent trolls who just use a patent to threaten often frivolously litigation in order to extract money from people actually making stuff with technology. Drug prices (and limited production) of patented compounds are another problem. Mandatory licensing (or more mandatory licensing since there is some ability to do this under patent law at least for emergencies etc.) might help, this is a more complicated issue seems to me. An important thing to note is that the long terms of copyright law are an international phenomenon most countries are signatories of the Berne convention on copyright or equivalent agreement and that sets copyright as at a minimum in of life of creator + 50 years and has done so for more than a hundred years. Likewise the current standard of life + 70 years the US follows became widespread in Europe in the 60s and 70s. So copyright reform has to be aware of the long history and inertia about copyright at stake hear. A lot of governments etc. need to be convinced if things are to change. Likewise patent laws are entrenched in extensive international agreements.

[@peterwyetzner5276]

I'm going back to sleep for another 45 years until Steve can do his version of the "Trek" theme, complete with the words.

[@lorensims4846]

I hope this means The Man Who Laughs will get more attention. These are some of the most important movies (and songs and books) of the era. Happy New Year indeed!

[@oliverkloshophdndrecords50]

This channel is all over the place with content genres... ... and I absolutely love it. One of my favorite channels on KZbin. So glad I somehow stumbled across it whenever I did. Thank you for all the content, entertainment, and everything you do.

[@Tolly7249]

95 years is insane. Just INSANE. I'm glad you've been singing more on your recent videos! You've got a lovely warm singing voice :D

[@spacepiratecaptainrush1237]

you have a remarcably true and plesant voice.

[@RandomStuff-he7lu]

Disney's lawyers woke up on the 1st of January, 2024 and went, "It's time to test this."

[@moonverine]

Question is, do they target bigger outfits, such as John Oliver and HBO (WB) who may seek to use Mickey, or do they do widespread cease and desists to everyone small or large, sort of how Nintendo does with its most prized IPs?

[@cgimichaelmyers2806]

“It’s time to make back all of the money we lost last year.”

[@-Evil-Genius-]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:01 🎉 *Introduction to Public Domain Day 2024* - Every January 1st, new works enter the public domain. - Works published in the U.S. in 1928 are now in the public domain. - Public domain allows free use without copyright restrictions. 00:51 📚 *Notable Books Entering Public Domain* - Works like A.A. Milne's "The House at Pooh Corner" and Agatha Christie's "The Mystery of the Blue Train" are now in the public domain. - Explains the interesting case of J.M. Barrie's "Peter Pan" and why it's entering the public domain now. - Clarifies the copyright differences between the U.S. and the U.K. 04:00 🎶 *Songs and Music Entering Public Domain* - Songs from 1928 are in the public domain, but recordings from that year are not. - The impact of the Music Modernization Act on sound recordings. - The mention of notable songs like "When You're Smiling" and "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby." 05:23 🎵 *Public Domain Sound Recordings* - Highlights the Library of Congress's National Jukebox with public domain sound recordings. - Mentions blues legends like Bessie Smith and the availability of free-to-use music. - Encourages exploration of the National Jukebox for public domain audio resources. 08:56 🎬 *Public Domain Films from 1928* - Notable films entering the public domain, including "Lights of New York," "The Passion of Joan of Arc," and "The Circus." - Provides background on selected films, such as "The Man Who Laughs" inspiring the Joker character. - Acknowledges the influence and significance of films like "The Crowd" and "The Passion of Joan of Arc." 18:04 🐭 *Mickey Mouse Entering Public Domain* - Discusses the significance of "Steamboat Willie" and the Mickey Mouse character entering the public domain. - Highlights Disney's efforts to extend Mickey Mouse's copyright and the impact on U.S. copyright law. - Clarifies the complexity, indicating that while the animated short is in the public domain, the Mickey Mouse character still belongs to Disney due to trademarks. 19:57 🐭 *Mickey Mouse and Trademarks* - Disney's ownership of Mickey Mouse until the expiration of trademark or changes in trademark law. - Clarification on how trademarked characters may still be protected even if the original work is in the public domain. - The potential complexities surrounding the trademarked version of Mickey Mouse, particularly the logo introduced by Disney. 21:20 🎭 *Use of Original Mickey Mouse* - Explanation of the potential freedom to use the original "Steamboat Willie" version of Mickey Mouse. - Reference to Last Week Tonight using a mascot based on "Steamboat Willie" Mickey Mouse. - Caution regarding the new logo introduced by Disney, raising the possibility of a trademark defense. 23:05 🚫 *Complexities of Mickey Mouse Copyright* - A warning about the unclear status of Mickey Mouse's copyright, especially the "Steamboat Willie" version. - Mention of Disney's new logo featuring the character and its potential impact on legal battles. - An expression of caution for individuals to be mindful of potential legal challenges when using the character. Made with HARPA AI

[@Buddy74656]

Well sung. I enjoy your speaking voice and enjoyed your singing voice as well. Happy New Year.

[@spikeoramathon]

You've got nothing to be ashamed of, voice-wise. You've got a healthy mid-baritone range, a warm, smooth timbre without too much vocal "fry," you have a decent ear and intonation, and good enthusiasm coupled with a delivery full of affection for the material (which goes a long way). I'm not just blowing smoke, this is from a poor sap who spent 6 years of music school culminating in a Master of Music (for my sins, lol). Please tell me you play guitar, too, and wouldn't mind pulling it out to play for us sometime. Maybe do a special on your favorite social protest songs. I'd love to hear it.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I'm not as accredited as you musically, but I've been playing various instruments (and whistling and singing) for a bit over 20 years and I 100% agree! It's especially validating to see someone else say that about his intonation. In one of his Q&A streams (or maybe a watch-along one) I asked if he'd looked into whether he had perfect pitch, as some of these renditions are just sooo close to various popular recordings and clearly aren't done to an accompaniment. Steve said he's never trained enough to know, and that he just tries them a few times until the pitches "sound right". So regardless of perfect pitch or just extremely good relative pitch, Steve definitely has a great ear!

[@spikeoramathon]

@@kaitlyn__L Thanks so much for the validation. My academic creds don't really mean much, as I work in a completely different field, but it does allow me to appreciate good singing when I hear it. I'm a relative newcomer to his channel and already look forward to when he sings.

[@D21BeastReviews]

The Kevin McLeod joke was perfect.

[@retwerd]

While I’m very happy with this year’s crop of public domain releases, it still sucks that we’re still denied access to so much that is just moldering in the vaults of estates that no longer need the revenue.

[@Anthro006]

I love the way you write these scripts with a couple layers of meaning and references and callbacks. But dang, that ending of the fading song of Big Rock Candy Mountain just about had a tear, bringing back memories of hearing that as a child... another good video sir!

[@StephenDukenski]

I always assumed Big Rock Candy Mountain was a folk song. Great rendition. Have New Year, Steve!

[@alanpennie]

It's too lyrically complex to be that. Although the remarkably temperance - friendly version by folk singer Burl Ives is probably the best known.

[@julietfischer5056]

The makers of the movie _Deliverance_ got into trouble when they assumed _Dueling Banjos_ was public domain. They used and remixed it in the soundtrack.

[@SuperGorak]

This one scene in Discovery where a Beatles cover band is mentioned is probably the most realistic part about the series. I do believe that our current 20th/21st century legacy pop and rock music is so timeless that forming a band covering these acts might become a viable career choice. Also Steve has some serious latent singing potential. He gets the feels just right.

[@kaitlyn__L]

I also liked Bowie songs living-on through time. It's one of those things TNG was criticised for, often going for freely-available recordings of classical music or occasionally early jazz because it was cheap. Like "what, did our culture have zero impact on the future?"; I felt like DS9 and Voyager did their bit to rectify things within their budget (so we got crooner covers, and generic-buttrock for Tom) but it still wasn't quite the same. I don't have any beef with Beastie Boys being a classic either, in the reboot films. Though I think they could've played it a little more tongue-in-cheek like they did in mid-00s Doctor Who.

[@SuperGorak]

@@kaitlyn__L I thought the frequent callbacks to classical music or old IPs like Sherlock Holmes or anything Shakespeare came from a place of "old is better" but what you said sounds way more plausible, considering how modern the TNG writers were. But then it's also safer to keep 20th century pop culture out of the picture because it was and is still evolving. Funny how Zefram Cochrane not only the only Star Trek character to take an actual piss, but also to reference popular 50s/60s music. Oh and I don't count anything post ENT here, just because those references are shoehorned in for the "I know what that is!!" effect.

[@SMLYTPMovies]

Hey Steve! I hope you plan on doing these every year. Starting at the beginning of last year, I got hyperfixated on the public domain and am gonna need more of these from you! 😂

[@SteveShives]

Glad you liked the video! A new one at the start of every year is the plan going forward.

[@SMLYTPMovies]

@@SteveShivesguess I gotta make sure I come around on January 1st every year!

[@queenannsrevenge100]

“The fat stacks I’m gonna earn off this video are gonna be pure profit!” _KZbin exec pees his pants laughing_ Happy New Year, Steve, and much continued success and exposing BS 🎉

[@jesusromanpadro3853]

He's going to put it on Spotify. Oh, wait. ;)

[@jfu5222]

12:56 I can scarcely imagine the amount of work that went into these few seconds of film!

[@SuperFlashDriver]

It's rough. Considering that frame rates were only 18 frames per second, having actors repeat the same thing with everything constructed by hand, yeah it was no easy task. Not to mention computers didn't exist until the 1970s/1980s.

[@DawnDavidson]

Agreed. It’s the sort of thing we’d expect to see all the time, now. But then? Absolutely groundbreaking.

[@Irisarc1]

50 years ago, when I was in the 4th grade, we had a songbook we would get out of our desks every couple of weeks and sing our hearts. One of the classe's favorites was Big Rock Candy Mountain. The book, bring as it was for school children didn't the verse about going to jail. 😅

[@mmorrison3843]

Hi from the UK Steve. Massive fan. Watch all your skits. Hahahaha your Awesome!!! Love the singing.

[@mmorrison3843]

....btw. That should've been 'You're Awesome!'

[@kcgeil]

Really love these

[@stephanieruthlessly7499]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@dralbora]

Pleasantly pleased to hear your singing voice! I’d never be brave enough to try. Great episode! Happy New Public Domain Day!

[@davidl6558]

Now to wait out the copyrights so I can publish Steve singing

[@VaveeDances]

What a great way to start my day…a serenade by Steve 😊

[@unconnectedbedna]

What are you talking about? Your singing completely made my day! Not bad at all, thank you!! More of that!!

[@susanhauke8164]

Big Rock Candy Mountains!! I love that song however I must be familiar with the parody kid's version. Thanks for singing. Happy 2024!

[@domn8t0r]

Hey, good singing Steve! I love your show!

[@benjaminkothe7545]

OMG I haven't heard "big rock candy mountain" in so long, yet instantly began singing along....thanks for that crazy hit of nostalgia, and sing-along energy!

[@DancerGirl-24]

I'm smilin' - and thanks for this informative video and content.

[@Kaoruishere]

I hope this means that we'll finally get BluRay releases of filmes like The Crowd or The Wind, since MGM wouldn't even touch them in the DVD age. But then again I thought it would happen with Greed when it fell into public domain a few years ago - and I'm still waiting.

[@Jehayland]

The public domain’s starting to get good.

[@cirnet]

thank you so much for the vocal performance, Steve. it brought a smile to my face 💖

[@lajourdanne]

Lovely voice ❤

[@moon_yeka]

I liked the part where you sang to us, Steve ❤

[@thecouncilofbrazilianchads5580]

The countdown to Superman to enter the Public Domain Begins…

[@stephenholloway6893]

In the meantime you have the Paramount animated shorts that star him those are in the public domain.

[@TwinRiver100]

Thanks for this

[@stephenholloway6893]

We're months away from a certain sailor (only in the comics. Although some of his shorts are already in the public domain) to enter public domain among other films books music and more from 1929 and 1924 recordings.

[@rafaeldasilva6247]

Dude, you are a surprisingly capable singer, I wouldn't even mind hearing more!

[@nicentoasty]

Happy New Year Steve. . I remember when IHappy Birthday was allowed to be sung in films ha.

[@alexandriatempest]

It's now cannon in my head that Scanlan Shorthalt, from CR, was running schemes in the universe of "The Lights of New York" in the 1920s.

[@Rocketsong]

Hooray, hooray, It's public domain day As January rolls around each year. Celebrate with me All the books that are now free While the lawyers sit and cry into their beer.

[@Frivolitility]

The shot from The Crowd at 13:06 must have been the inspiration for a similar wide shot of drudgerous desks in the Imperial Bureau of Standards in Andor.

[@DawnDavidson]

I imagine Dolores from HR would agree with you. There was a not completely dissimilar shot in the original Tron that always had me cracking up, too. It was just a little too true to life for IT workers in particular. (And it’s only gotten worse since then.)

[@KasiaHavlicek]

Yes yes this is amazing!!!!!

[@LittleNala]

Just a quick point of detail regarding the Peter Pan legacy - Great Ormond Street is a *Children's* hospital, which is why J. M. Barrie chose it to be a beneficiary. And yes, we do have a publicly funded National Health Service, but the money it receives is at the whim of whichever government happens to be in power at any one time. The present gov. gets a huge amount of discrete funding from US private medicine companies, so it is very stingy on funding the NHS. Any help this legacy provides will be put to good use. (The probable next gov. also gets a lot of funding from US private medicine, so things won't change for the better - at least in my lifetime).

[@esean1]

Great video! Happy New Year!

[@michaellouis9120]

Beautiful rendition of Big Rock Candy

[@allonszenfantsjones]

I know this was a year ago but I just gotta comment: that silent film of Joan of Arc was the inspiration for composer Richard Einhorn to actually devise a *musical score* to accompany it LIVE. Our choir ventured to the Pantages theater in Hollywood to perform it in 2017. It's called *Voices of Light* and combined with the visuals from the film it will tear your beating heart right out of your chest! Luckily a version exists on dvd so you can have your privacy, but ain't NOTHIN' like seeing it live with all the choir members (yep) sitting in the audience being conducted while they sync with the film up on the screen.

[@theloreaxe]

I'm sure Barrie would have been pleased that the hospital will continue to benefit from his gift, despite the copyright expiring.

[@makimikkelson]

Tripple like. Thanks for this interesting overview!

[@DarthCalculus]

Probably like a lot of others, I first heard of the Big Rock Candy Mountain from O Brother Where Art Thou. Love that song, weirdly nice to hear you sing it

[@vaya-dragon1998]

Peter Pan being owned by a children’s hospital is kind of dark considering Peter Pan never grows up… It also explained why Peter Pan isn’t as popular as other stories here in the UK. It’s kind of a licensing nightmare.

[@BlueDoginRedSoLa]

Not a half-bad job of singing Steve.

[@MeldaRavaniel]

11:35 Veidt's most influential role, in my personal opinion, was in Anders als die Andern. That's commonly regarded as the first film to portray homosexuality in a sympathetic light, although it doesn't end happily. It was one of Dr Magnus Hirschfeld's projects. He was a sexologist in Berlin who operated the Institute of Sexual Research. The n*zis regularly targeted him, almost killing him in a beating in the 20's, and ransacked the institute in 193. The library was a large part of the book burnings in Berlin and the patient roles were used to fill the "pink lists" to target gay men and other LGBT folks.

[@BlackRogueFairy]

I do got to say, you have a lovely singing voice.

[@kaitlyn__L]

Don't ever apologise for singing!! Honestly if you did a special bonus video next year where you did full renditions of every new public domain song you god damn felt like, I'd totally watch it all.

[@allenrubinstein3696]

This was the last burst of great silent movies, as you said. The transition to sound created some terrible years for films, especially 1929, which had the first Marx Bros movie and that's about it. New equipment, problems with camera noise, having to work with full scripts for the first time, big stars that couldn't hack it in the voice department, new genres. It was a steep learning curve.

[@DorifutoRabbit]

The Great Ormond Street hospital do great work, I'm glad they still get royalties

[@anitanielsen1061]

🎶And when you’re smiling🎶 🎶SMOOOOTH NOT-CRIMINAL🎶

[@nancyjay790]

Nice singing!

[@Countmars]

Finally, my favorite video of the year.

[@TheGreatCornholio60]

Brilliant video, Steve!

[@andrewmathewson341]

Another one that's become public domain is Orlando by Virginia Woolfe: the first widespread modern book with a trans/genderfluid main character. I can just imagine how writers make it even more explicitly queer/smutty!

[@eldergeek6077]

❤ Happy New Year and you have a pretty good singing voice. ❤

[@DaveRyanMcNeely]

Happy New Year Steve. That's new year for my subscription here. Your first video I saw happened to be Public Domain Day 2023, dropped into my feed by the Al Gore rhythm.

[@DawnDavidson]

Al sure has a great beat, doesn’t he? 😂

[@doejersey]

Great video ❤ I’m excited to see how some of these get used in 2024

[@theextremeanimator4721]

Now how do we convince congress to reverse all the stupid extensions the company has done?

[@cuckoobrain7999]

Money

[@rellikx7519]

It's likely too late now, so many people benefit from it. Likely the best thing would be to support creators who use public domain content and perhaps we could make a good argument for reversing it.

[@DoctorProph3t]

It’s not reductive to say “US copyright law is Disney’s fault.” It’s apt.

[@SemiIocon]

Glad that we're in the roaring 20s now and the music of the other 20s is becoming public domain. Now we can play greatest hits!

[@CLSiler2]

YEAH! I love Big Rock Candy Mountains!

[@BlackCover95]

I would love to hear you sing “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” in its entirety. The song has been in my mind since I first watched this video last year.

[@TheCongressman1]

The background gives this a 'random guy stops you in the library to talk at you" vibe, and I really like that.

[@kopesetik]

If Keaton's The Cameraman (1928) is Public Domain then Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) must be as well. I'm going to start working on a Steamboat Willie/Steamboat Bill Jr. Mashup.

[@theleap2946]

I love the fact Disney is so desperate to try and find a replacement for Mickey and Minnie makes me laugh.

[@SammyNail]

They are?

[@theleap2946]

@@SammyNail they have pushed Grogu and other new Star Wars characters heavily. Stitch and other newer properties are also getting more prominence in merchandise variety. At least this what my Disney crazy family seems to notice. I’ll take their word for it

[@DisneyGirl2004]

No they aren't, Disney still owns modern vwrsions ans trademarks so

[@Dr_Nuclear-sloth]

I love you Steve. Not in any stalker weird way but I hope someone brightens your day like you do for us

[@KidVermin94]

Steve you have the pipes to be in the next SNW musical!!!! 🖖✌️🎵🎶

[@applesaurusrex8075]

best day of the year!

[@SeanLamb-I-Am]

I loved hearing about all the other films you mentioned. Now I've got to go watch them!

[@Bridget108p]

There was a man living in a nursing home I worked at when I was 16 years old who used to sing Big Rock Candy Mountain all the time. I always think of him when I hear that song.

[@DawnDavidson]

That’s a sweet memory. :)

[@shizuwolf]

This is going to be interesting for the Kingdom Hearts community

[@MusikCassette]

those who claimed to hold the right to those works did a self serving misinterpretation of the law. Even if one buys into the postfactum prelonging of the copyright period - wich is dubios to begin with - the chain of deligation of rights is clearly broken.

[@Trainfan1055Janathan]

Copyright should expire when the original creator dies. What use is it to them after they die? They can't use it from beyond the grave. Might as well give it up!

[@wirelesmike73]

The opening sequence of one of my favorite movies of all time, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' simply would not be the same without 'The Big Rock Candy Mountains' playing in the background. I'm so glad that song belongs to the people now.

[@gaelan2393]

I dont know if you planned for "the big rock candy mountain" to be a duet, but by gum i made it one