The public domain contains works of art with no intellectual property rights. The rights to those creative works either have expired or (due to no copyright notice) have been in the public domain since their release. In some cases, like the plays of William Shakespeare, the art is in the public domain because there were no intellectual property laws in Shakespeare's time. When a work of art enters the public domain, it belongs to all of us.
Public Domain Film Review (or PDFR) strives to introduce film-loving audiences to films belonging to the public. In the United States, motion pictures enter the public domain after 95 years. All films released before 1925 are currently in the public domain. (Films released in 1925 will enter the public domain in 2021, while films released in 1926 will enter the public domain in 2022, and so on.) Some films, like Charade from 1963, entered the public domain upon release due to the failure of the studio to include a copyright notice. Copyright laws have since changed in favor of studios, and the law regarding public domain art continues to change.
"Everything I learned, I learned from the movies."
― Audrey Hepburn
At PDFR, please enjoy reviews, essays, full-length films, and pictures, all residing in the public domain, free to be enjoyed by everyone.
