The end of the year is approaching at full speed, and for many people it tends to be a traumatic period, but it also brings some changes up its sleeve, and among them stands out the entry of multiple works into the public domain. Usually, the Internet tends to cover the changes in the United States in more detail, and following its law of «first publication + 95 years», a good part of the material that appeared in 1929 will become completely free.
A fearless journalist accompanied by his dog. A sailor of great strength who fights to win back a woman with very volatile feelings. A love story during World War I. The drama of a family losing its fortune and reputation. What is the common element? That all of this will enter the public domain starting January 1, crossing the barrier of «first publication + 95 years» that exists across the pond. Of course, this is a very small selection, and the amount of released material will be much larger:
What enters the public domain in 2025?
The journalist in question is none other than Tintin, creation of Belgian artist Georges Prosper Remi, much better known as Hergé. Tintin debuted in the weekly publication Le Petit Vingtième in early 1929, and beyond some controversial aspects during his development, he has achieved unquestionable success.
As for the brawny sailor, obviously I'm talking about Popeye. This character created by E.C. Segar for King Features dates back to January 17, 1929, and first appeared in the comic strip Thimble Theatre. Four years later, animator Max Fleischer adapted Popeye into a series of shorts for Paramount, and his popularity exploded.
Among the novels, A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway and The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner stand out. If we focus on songs, the public domain will receive Singin' in the Rain (yes, the original is from '29), What Is This Thing Called Love? by Cole Porter, and Tiptoe Through the Tulips, used in the horror franchise Insidious (more precisely, the Tiny Tim version).
Finally, a film: Blackmail, Alfred Hitchcock's first (and British cinema's) with sound. Logically, local copyright laws prevent these changes from being global, but it is not far-fetched to imagine a new wave of adaptations in the short term.
(Editor's note: I apologize for the delay, I had to resolve some hospital details. I will return to regular programming as soon as possible.)
Sources: Euronews, Los Angeles Times
