Movies

From Popeye to Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody in Blue,’ Here’s What’s Entering Public Domain in 2025

BBG News

As a lifelong music enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the melodies and harmonies of various eras, I am absolutely thrilled to witness the imminent release of timeless classics into the public domain. The year 1929, the swan song of the Roaring Twenties, was a veritable treasure trove for music aficionados like myself.

Beginning January 1, 2025, both Popeye and Tintin, classic comic characters debuting in 1929, will enter the public domain in the United States. This implies that their use and adaptation can be done freely without seeking permission or making payments to copyright owners.

This year’s collection of newly unveiled artistic creations doesn’t have the iconic feel that last year brought with it Mickey Mouse entering the public domain. However, it features a vast number of well-known works whose copyright protection will end after 95 years, effectively increasing Mickey Mouse’s presence in the public domain.

Jennifer Jenkins, director of Duke’s Center for the Study of the Public Domain, exclaims, ‘What a treasure trove! We’ve got around a dozen brand-new Mickey Mouse cartoons – this is the first time he speaks and puts on his iconic white gloves.’ In addition to these, we find literary gems by Faulkner and Hemingway, early sound films from Hitchcock, DeMille, and Ford, and incredible music compositions by Waller, Porter, and Gershwin. This is truly an exciting discovery!’

Here’s a closer look at this year’s crop.

Comics characters loom large

Originally conceived by E.C. Segar as a character in the comic strip “Thimble Theater” in 1929, Popeye the Sailor, known for his muscular arms, distinctive speech, and penchant for brawls, made his debut. In an initial, brief appearance, he was asked if he was a sailor, to which he replied, “You think I’m a cowboy?” This temporary character transformation eventually became permanent, and the strip’s name was changed to reflect the enduring popularity of Popeye.

However, similar to Mickey Mouse in 2021 and Winnie the Pooh in 2022, only the original versions are open for reuse. The spinach that granted the sailor his extraordinary strength wasn’t always present, and this type of character detail could lead to potential legal issues. Furthermore, the animated shorts with his unique mumbling voice didn’t debut until 1933 and remain under copyright protection. Also, Robert Altman’s 1980 film, where Robin Williams played Popeye and Shelley Duvall portrayed Olive Oyl, is still under copyright.

In 2011, Steven Spielberg’s film “The Adventures of Tintin” was met with a lukewarm response at first. However, as a devoted fan, I can tell you that the comics which served as its inspiration – the brainchild of Belgian artist Hergé – were some of the most beloved in Europe throughout most of the 20th century.

Initially, this cartoon character with dots for eyes and hair resembling an ocean wave surfaced in a supplement of the Belgian newspaper “Le Vingtième Siècle“. Later on, it turned into a regular weekly fixture.

Initially, this comic was published in the United States back in 1929. However, the distinctive vibrant colors that characterize it, such as Tintin’s red hair, were introduced at a later point in time. These color choices could potentially become the subject of legal disagreements, much like Popeye’s spinach.

In most parts of the world, Tintin’s works will not enter the public domain until 70 years have passed since the death of his creator in 1983.

Books show American lit at its height

The books becoming public this year read like the syllabus for an American literature seminar.

William Faulkner’s novel, The Sound and the Fury, became well-known following its release, despite being notoriously challenging for readers due to its modernist, stream-of-consciousness narrative style. This complex work explores the story of a once prominent family’s downfall in Faulkner’s home state of Mississippi through multiple non-linear narratives. The book played a significant role in Faulkner eventually receiving the Nobel Prize.

Ernest Hemingway’s novel “A Farewell to Arms” has entered the public domain, joining his earlier work “The Sun Also Rises.” Both novels, loosely based on Hemingway’s own experiences, have solidified his place in American literature. The story of an ambulance driver during World War I in Italy has been a popular subject for film, television, and radio adaptations. Now, creators can produce these versions without seeking permission from Hemingway’s estate.

John Steinbeck’s first novel, A Cup of Gold, from 1929, will also enter the public domain.

Virginia Woolf’s seminal work, “A Room of One’s Own,” a groundbreaking essay that significantly contributed to feminism within modernist literature, is also included on the list. Notably, her novel “Mrs. Dalloway” has already entered the public domain in the United States.

Movie legends in the making

For the time being, we’ll have to content ourselves with early pieces from significant filmmakers during the less than stellar early sound period, as a number of truly significant movies will emerge in the upcoming decade.

Prior to his relocation to Hollywood and creating iconic movies such as Psycho and Vertigo, Alfred Hitchcock produced Blackmail in Britain. Initially intended as a silent film, it transitioned into sound during production, leading to two distinct versions – one of which was the U.K.’s, and Hitchcock’s, first sound movie.

In the early stages of his illustrious career, John Ford, who would later be recognized among the greatest film directors for his Westerns, ventured into sound for the first time with the 1929 release, “The Black Watch”. This adventure epic featured John Wayne, a future key collaborator of Ford’s, as a young, unrecognized extra.

Cecil B. DeMille, already a Hollywood bigwig through silents, made his first talkie with the melodrama Dynamite.

In the year 1929, Groucho, Harpo, and their fellow Marx Brothers made their debut as leading actors in the movie “The Cocoanuts”. This film served as a precursor to future masterpieces such as “Animal Crackers” and “Duck Soup”.

Although commonly regarded as one of the least distinguished winners of the Best Picture Oscar, The Broadway Melody – the first sound film to win this prestigious award and the second film ever to do so – will eventually be made available to the public.

Following the debut of Steamboat Willie, introducing Mickey Mouse to the public for the first time, additional animations featuring him, such as The Karnival Kid, where he first began to speak, also gained prominence.

Music rings out the 20s

Songs from the last year of the Roaring Twenties are also about to become public property.

Among the standout pieces in this collection are Cole Porter’s “What Is This Feeling, This Called Love?” and “Gently Tiptoe Through the Blooming Tulips”, as well as the iconic jazz tune “Ain’t Acting Properly”, penned by Fats Waller and Harry Brooks.

The song ‘Singin’ in the Rain,’ famously linked to the 1952 Gene Kelly film, was initially introduced in the 1929 movie The Hollywood Revue. As of now, it will enter the public domain.

Different laws govern sound recordings, with those entering the public domain originating from 1924. These recordings encompass a rendition of “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” sung by future star and civil rights icon Marian Anderson, as well as “Rhapsody in Blue” played by its composer George Gershwin himself.

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2024-12-16 12:07

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