18 Jan
2003
18 Jan
'03
6:38 a.m.
Wayne M. Smith wrote:
Often it simply isn't worth it to build upon
something unless you enjoy
exclusive rights. The restoration of old films is a good example. The
studios that hold copyrights to old pictures spend huge amounts of money
to restore the prints for issue in DVD format precisely because they
hold exclusive rights and can make back what they spend. In the case of
public domain films, this simply doesn't happen.
Demonstrably false. UCLA has restored many films that the studios
weren't willing to spend a penny on; some still in copyright but most
expired. In general they've done a much better restoration job than
the studios usually do.