This is a non-definitive list of films in the public domain in the United States. A number of films exist that certain cited sources believe are in the public domain in the United States. Being in the public domain refers to cinematic, dramatic, literary, musical, and artistic works that no government, organization, or individual owns, and as such is common property.^[1] This list is not comprehensive; the vast majority of public domain films are not included here for various reasons.

List of films in the public domain in the United States. Many of the movies listed below are based on plays, novels, magazine stories or a combination of those.

Note: Films in this list may incorporate elements from other works that are still under copyright, even though the film itself is out of copyright.

• 3Documenting public domain status

Copyrightable elements of a film[edit]

There is no official list of films (or other works) in the public domain. It is difficult to determine the public domain status of a film because it can incorporate any or all of the following copyrightable elements:

• Cinematography
• Drama
• Literature
• Music
• Art
• Graphical characters (e.g., Bugs Bunny)^[2]
• Fictional characters (e.g., James Bond)^[3]

Film copyright involves the copyright status of multiple elements that make up the film.^[4] A film can lose its copyright in some of those elements while retaining copyright in other elements.^[4] Experts in the field of public domain sometimes differ in their opinions as to whether a particular film is in the public domain.

The use of music in a film can cause uncertainty with regard to copyright. As of 2010, it is not known whether the use of music in a film constitutes publication of the music for the purpose of copyright.^[5] Unpublished works are treated differently from published works under US copyright law.^[6]

Judicial interpretation of public domain[edit]

Judges, too, differ in their interpretation of the laws governing copyright protection. The United States is a 'patchwork quilt' of inconsistent copyright rules in different federal judicial districts. The courts of one jurisdiction are not obliged to follow the decisions of another.^[7] The Supreme Court of the United States (which could resolve those inconsistencies) very seldom decides copyright cases, and then only when an important principle is involved.^{[citation needed]}

Documenting public domain status[edit]

If a film appears on the list below, there is a high probability it has lost some or all of its United States copyright protection or in the case of U.S. government films, was never protected by copyright.

There is no single method for determining if a film, or parts of it, is in the public domain. There are several methods that can be used to document a film's public domain status. These include the following:

Lack of renewal[edit]

Prior to 1988, all motion picture films published after 1909 with a copyright notice where the 28th year of copyright would occur before 1988, had to be registered and before the 28th year, the registration had to be renewed, or the copyright for the film would expire and it would enter the public domain. This would apply to all films registered for copyright prior to 1960. Copyright renewals became optional in 1988.

Missing or flawed copyright notice[edit]

Prior to 1978, films had to contain a valid copyright notice in order to claim copyright; at the bare minimum, the copyright notice had to list the word 'copyright' (or, as an acceptable abbreviation, a circled C), the year of publication (which could not be more than one year ahead of the actual publication), and the name of the entity claiming the copyright. From 1978 to 1988, if a work was published without a notice, the creator had five years to claim a copyright by registering it with the U.S. Copyright Board.^[8]

For an example, note the case of the television series The New 3 Stooges, pictured. Episodes of the series were published with an incomplete copyright notice with a year and copyright symbol but no claimant. Had the series been published under the terms of the post-1988 Berne Convention, and automatic copyright granted, it would be an orphan work, since it would be unclear which of the three companies involved in its production; Cambria Studios, C3 Entertainment and Normandy Productions; could claim to own the series. Because it was published before the U.S. joined the Berne Convention, its laws requiring the claimant to be explicitly stated ensured the series immediately lapsed into the public domain.

Date of publication[edit]

All motion pictures made and exhibited before 1924 are indisputably in the public domain in the United States. This date will move forward one year, every year, meaning that films released in 1924 will enter the public domain in 2020, films from 1925 in 2021, and so on.

Before the passage of the Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) in 1998, the term of copyright in the U.S. was a maximum of 75 years, with the work entering the public domain on January 1 of the 76th year from creation (so, for example, a film made in 1930 whose copyright was properly registered and renewed would enter the public domain on January 1, 2006). As such, all films released before 1923 would have entered the public domain by January 1, 1998. Although the CTEA added 20 years to the terms of all existing copyrights, until 2019, it explicitly refused to revive any copyrights that had expired prior to its passage. On January 1, 2019, the 20 year extension expired and new works began entering the public domain each year thereafter.

Work of the United States government[edit]

All copyrightable works made by United States government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain from their creation. The status of works made by contractors is dependent on the terms of their contract. Note that this applies only to the federal government, and not to state or local governments, which may or may not claim copyright depending on state laws.^{[citation needed]}

Determine copyright registration[edit]

Motion picture copyright registrations prior to 1978 were published in semi-annual Copyright Catalogs. The Library of Congress also published cumulative Copyright Catalogs of motion picture registrations for the periods

• 1894–1911
• 1912–1939^[9]
• 1940–1949
• 1950–1959
• 1960–1969
• 1970–1979
• 1980–1989

All are out of print. However, the Film Superlist series is a complete reprint of all registrations in the Copyright Catalogs for 1894 through 1959. There is no cumulative Copyright Catalog for 1970–1977; the Copyright Office published 16 semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets covering that eight-year period, but all are out of print and extremely rare. All copyright registrations from 1978 onward are online at the Library of Congress website.

Some decades of The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures include copyright registration information for feature films (not shorts) of United States origin. This can include a statement that research failed to disclose copyright registration for a particular film. Copyright registration information is given in the following:

• The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, 1931–1940; ISBN0-913616-00-1
• The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures, 1941–1950; ISBN0-913616-39-7

The United States copyright website catalogs all the works prior to 1978 that have been renewed.^[10]Several pieces of work have been renewed in the form of collections, thus giving the collection as a whole copyright protection.

Copyright renewal status[edit]

For films registered in 1923–1963 inclusive, it is essential to know the renewal status. The semi-annual Copyright Catalog booklets have virtually complete (at least 99.99%) lists of renewals for the films registered 28 years earlier. Those semi-annual booklets all are out of print. However, for 1923 through 1959, the Film Superlist books match copyright renewals with earlier registrations. Copyright registrations and renewals can be found in

• Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1894–1939 (Volume 1)
• Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1940–1949 (Volume 2)
• Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain 1950–1959 (Volume 3)

In 1992, Congress changed the copyright law to make renewal automatic for copyrights registered in 1964 and later.

Underlying rights[edit]

Many of the movies listed below are based on plays, novels, magazine stories or a combination of those sources. In some cases, a film's copyright has lapsed because of non-renewal while the underlying literary or dramatic source is still protected by copyright. For example, the movie His Girl Friday (1940) became a public domain film in 1969 because it was not renewed, but it is based on the 1928 play The Front Page, which is still under copyright until 2024 and thus as a practical matter the film cannot be used without permission.^[4]

Films[edit]

All films that were released before 1924, or are the work of the United States Government, are now in the public domain in the United States. They are not listed here in order to keep this list to a manageable size. See Category:Films by year for pre-1924 films.

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

• ^G Public domain in the U.S. from creation as work of the United States government

References[edit]

1. ^'An Introduction to Films and Motion Pictures' at RoyaltyFreeMusic.com Retrieved August 4, 2009
2. ^Rich, Lloyd L. (1998). 'Protection of Graphic Characters'. The Publishing Law Center. Archived from the original on September 4, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
3. ^Adler, Kenneth A. (October 1, 1999). 'Using Dramatic Characters in Multimedia Works – Avoiding the Pitfalls'. Thelen LLP. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
4. ^ ^abcFishman (2010), p. 180.
5. ^Fishman (2010), p. 181.
6. ^Hirtle, Peter B. (October 4, 2010). 'Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States'. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
7. ^Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940–1949), page xii.
8. ^ ^abc'Copyright Notice'. Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
9. ^Catalog of Copyright Entries: Cumulative Series. Motion Pictures 1912-1939 (51,112 films), published in 1951. L.C. card, 51-60018. (copy)
10. ^'United States Copyright Office Public Catalog'. Retrieved October 10, 2009.
11. ^ ^abPaolo Cherchi Usai (2008). The Griffith Project: Essays on D.W. Griffith. British Film Institute. p. 208. Retrieved January 16, 2016.
12. ^Bob Furmanek (February 6, 2004). '8 Abbott & Costello Films Coming!'. hometheaterforum.com. Archived from the original on February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
13. ^John M. Miller, 'Africa Screams, Home Video Reviews', Turner Classic Movies
14. ^ ^abcdefghiPierce (2007), pp. 131-134.
15. ^Sullivan, Monica (1998). VideoHound's independent film guide. Visible Ink Press. pp. 12–13.
16. ^ ^abcdePierce, David (March 29, 2001). Legal Limbo: How American Copyright Law Makes Orphan Films(mp3 in 'file3'). Orphans of the Storm II: Documenting the 20th Century. Retrieved January 5, 2012.
17. ^Erickson, Hal (2012). Military Comedy Films: A Critical Survey and Filmography of Hollywood Releases Since 1918. McFarland. ISBN9780786492671.page 68
18. ^ ^abcSmith, Gary A. (2009). The American International Pictures video guide. McFarland & Company. p. 8.
19. ^Thompson, Nathaniel. 'The Bat'. Tcm.com. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
20. ^Bailey, Jason (February 15, 2017). 'A New Cut and Restoration Reframes Bogart and Huston's Strangest Film'. Flavorwire. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
21. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmnopqrs}Pierce (2007), pp. 140-143.
22. ^Slide, Anthony (2013). Nitrate Won't Wait: A History of Film Preservation in the United States. McFarland. ISBN9781476604572.^{[page needed]}
23. ^ ^abcdefgEyman, Scott (2014). John Wayne. The Life and Legend. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. p. 71. ISBN978-1-4391-9958-9.
24. ^ ^abLennig, Arthur (2003). The Immortal Count: The Life and Films of Bela Lugosi. The University Press of Kentucky. p. 465.
25. ^ ^abNathaniel Thompson, 'Cult Movies, The Brain that Wouldn't Die', Turner Classic Movies
26. ^ ^abcdefghHogan, David (2011). Three Stooges FAQ: Everything Left to Know about the Eye-Poking, Face-Slapping Head-Thumping Geniuses. Applause Theatre and Cinema Books.
27. ^Coffel, Chris (November 24, 2015). 'HOME VIDEO[Blu-ray Review] 'A Bucket of Blood' is a Bucket of Fun!'. Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved June 23, 2017.
28. ^Edgerton, Gary R.; Rollins, Peter C. (2015). Television Histories: Shaping Collective Memory in the Media Age. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN9780813158297.page 274
29. ^Blake, Marc (2013). Writing the Horror Movie. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p. 91.
30. ^ ^abcdPierce (2007), p. 130.
31. ^Online search results for keywords 'Henry Mancini Charade', from US Copyright Office.
32. ^The original story basis for Charade is The Unsuspecting Wife by Peter Stone and Marc Behm, which appeared in the July 1961 issue of Redbook magazine. The copyright to the story was renewed by Stone in 1989 (see source: David Pierce (2007), Note #20, pg. 141).
33. ^ ^abPierce (2007), p. 137.
34. ^Zuckerman, Faye (March 23, 1985). 'Prism Into Public Domain: 24 Film Classics Set for Release'. Billboard (magazine). Retrieved March 10, 2018.
35. ^Marianne Gray (1991). Depardieu. Sinclair-Stevenson, Limited. p. 160. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
36. ^Hal Erickson, 'New DVDs, Peckinpah's Deadly Companions and Major Dundee', New York Times
37. ^M & A Associates v. VCX, 657 F.Supp. 454, conclusions: 27 (United States District Court April 8, 1987) ('Although Arno asked Weisberg for copyright protection of the film in early 1979, Weisberg first became aware of the legal significance of the omission of the copyright notice from the film in January of 1981. Weisberg thus received 'notice' of the defect at that latter date. See M. Kramer Mfg. Co. v. Andrews, 783 F.2d 421, 443 & n. 21 (4th Cir. 1986). Weisberg's failure to take reasonable [657 F.Supp. 463] efforts resulted in the film being irretrievably injected into the public domain 'several months' later.').
38. ^Miller, Jeffrey (2002). Ardor in the Court!: Sex and the Law. ECW Press. p. 152. ISBN1-55022-528-6.
39. ^Herzogenrath, Bernd (2009). The Films of Edgar G. Ulmer. Scarecrow Press. p. 151.
40. ^Researching the Copyright Status of a Work from Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site
41. ^Codori, Jeff (February 28, 2012). Colleen Moore: A Biography of the Silent Film Star. McFarland. p. 251. ISBN0-786-48899-9. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
42. ^Slide, Anthony (2013). Nitrate Won't Wait: A History of Film Preservation in the United States. McFarland. ISBN9781476604572.^{[page needed]}
43. ^ ^abcdefghPierce (2007), pp. 138-139.
44. ^ ^abPierce (2007), pp. 134-137.
45. ^Hutchinson, Sean (April 6, 2017). 'Fear and Desire: The Movie Stanley Kubrick Didn't Want You to See'. Mental Floss. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
46. ^Ladwig, Samantha (September 5, 2017). '30 Hollywood Classics Streaming for Free in the Public Domain'. Vulture.com. Retrieved March 10, 2018. ... with the first being the 1931 Lewis Milestone–directed The Front Page, which also fell into the public domain.
47. ^ ^abcdefghFishman (2010), pp. 174-180.
48. ^Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
49. ^ ^abStim, Richard (2016). Getting Permission: How to License & Clear Copyrighted Materials Online & Off. Nolo. ISBN9781413323139.page 268
50. ^[1]
51. ^Brotherton, Jamie; Okuda, Ted (2013). Dorothy Lee: The Life and Films of the Wheeler and Woolsey Girl. McFarland. ISBN9780786433636.page 152
52. ^Peros, Mike (2016). Dan Duryea: Heel with a Heart. Univ. Press of Mississippi. ISBN9781496809933. The Great Flamarion is among Duryea's more visible efforts because it fell into the public domain when the original copyright lapsed.^{[page needed]}
53. ^John M. Miller, 'Mr. Bug Goes to Town aka Hoppity Goes to Town', Turner Classic Movies
54. ^David Kehr (March 6, 2009). 'Classics From Disney and a Lilliputian Competitor'. New York Times. Retrieved October 26, 2013.
55. ^Ladwig, Samantha (September 9, 2017). '30 classic Hollywood movies you can stream for free'. Business Insider. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
56. ^Miska, Brad (January 12, 2017). 'They're Re-remaking 'House on Haunted Hill''. Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
57. ^''House on Haunted Hill' screening set in Vacaville'. Daily Republic. October 6, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
58. ^Nathaniel Thompson, 'The Indestructible Man, Cult Movies', Turner Classic Movies
59. ^Hicks, Chris (June 18, 2004). 'Chris Hicks: Kaye movies are hard to find on DVD'. Deseret News. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
60. ^ ^abcdPierce (2007), p. 126.
61. ^Cox, Stephen. It's a Wonderful Life: A Memory Book. Nashville, Tennessee: Cumberland House, 2003. 115. Print. ISBN1-58182-337-1. Copyright of short story, The Greatest Gift, expires after 2038, 95 years after publication.
62. ^'Renewal Registrations, p. 1614.'Catalog of Copyright Entries, January–June 1971, U.S. Copyright Office. Retrieved: November 8, 2010.
63. ^Nesi, Ted. 'Why You Can't Watch It's A Wonderful Life on Demand'. WPRI.com. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
64. ^Harris, Aisha (April 11, 2013). 'When Jackie Robinson Played Himself'. Slate (magazine). Retrieved March 10, 2018.
65. ^Deane, Pamela S. (2009). James Edwards: African American Hollywood Icon. McFarland. ISBN9780786458165.page 82
66. ^Kehr, Dave (July 10, 2007). 'New DVDs'. The New York Times. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
67. ^Prelinger, Rick (2006). The field guide to sponsored films. National Film Preservation Foundation. p. 52. ISBN978-0-9747099-3-2.
68. ^ ^abJonathan Malcolm Lampley (2010). Women in the Horror Films of Vincent Price. McFarland. p. 98.
69. ^Copyright Registration and Renewal Information Chart and Web Site
70. ^Online results from keyword search: 'Last Time I Saw Paris Conrad Salinger' in United States Copyright Office. Retrieved June 17, 2012.
71. ^ ^abcPierce (2007), p. 138.
72. ^Hannan, Brian (2016). Coming Back to a Theater Near You: A History of Hollywood Reissues, 1914-2014. McFarland. ISBN9780786498130.page 272
73. ^ ^abcdePierce (2007), p. 128.
74. ^Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940-1949), page 222.
75. ^Erickson, Glenn. 'Made for Each Other: Home Video Reviews'. Tcm.com. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
76. ^Kehr, Dave (October 11, 2005). 'New DVD's'. The New York Times. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
77. ^Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
78. ^ ^abTHE BATTLE OVER THE WORST MOVIE EVER playboy.com accessed October 3, 2015
79. ^ ^ab'Court Rules for 'Goodtimes' in McLintock! Case', in Billboard, May 14, 1994,pg. 73 & 82
80. ^Fishman (2010), p. 337.
81. ^Cady, Brian. 'My Dear Secretary (1948): Home Video Reviews'. Tcm.com. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
82. ^Esther Rita Sinofsky (1988). A copyright primer for educational and industrial media producers. Copyright Information Services. p. 29. Retrieved January 20, 2016. But remember the underlying works may still be copyrighted
83. ^'My Man Godfry'. Stanford University Copyright Renewal Database. Retrieved January 20, 2016.
84. ^Night of the Living Dead entered the public domain because the original theatrical distributor, the Walter Reade Organization, neglected to place a copyright indication on the prints. In 1968, United States copyright law required a proper notice for a work to maintain a copyright. See U.S. Copyright Office, Circular 92, Copyright Law of the United States of America, Chapter 4: Copyright Notice, Deposit, and Registration, Omission of notice on certain copies and phonorecords. Image Ten displayed such a notice on the title frames of the film beneath the original title, Night of the Flesh Eaters but the distributor removed the statement when it changed the title. See Boluk, Stephanie; Lenz, Wylie (June 16, 2011). 'Introduction: Generation Z, the Age of Apocalypse'. In Boluk, Stephanie; Lenz, Wylie (eds.). Generation Zombie: Essays on the Living Dead in Modern Culture. Jefferson, North Carolina, US: McFarland & Company. p. 5. ISBN978-0-7864-6140-0. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
85. ^Shales, Tom (May 24, 2003). 'Showtime's 'Our Town': Newman's Own'. The Washington Post. Retrieved May 4, 2019. Sadly, the movie slipped between the cracks and into the public domain, and there now appear to be no decent prints left in existence
86. ^Erickson, Hal (April 18, 2007). 'FILM.COM MOVIE OF THE WEEK: PENNY SERENADE'. MTV News. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
87. ^Lodge, Guy (August 20, 2018). 'Film in the public domain: here be buried treasures'. The Guardian. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
88. ^ ^abGrandinetti, Fred (2004). Popeye: an illustrated cultural history. McFarland & Company. p. 125.
89. ^Coniam, Matthew (2015). The Annotated Marx Brothers: A Filmgoer’s Guide to In-Jokes, Obscure References and Sly Details. McFarland. ISBN9780786497058.page 199
90. ^Neibaur, James L. (2016). The Essential Mickey Rooney. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN9781442260962.page 184
91. ^Herzberg, Bob (2013). Hang 'Em High: Law and Disorder in Western Films and Literature. McFarland. ISBN9781476601243.page 114
92. ^Stanley, John (January 6, 2013). 'DVD review: 'The Red House''. San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
93. ^Shaye, Robert (May 22, 2003). 'Graduation 2003'.
94. ^Anderson, Patrick (1981). High in America: the true story behind NORML and the politics of marijuana. The Viking Press. p. 101.
95. ^Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1950-1959), pages 287, 509.
96. ^Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1940-1949), page viii.
97. ^Eyman, Scott (2014). John Wayne. The Life and Legend. New York: Simon & Schuster Paperbacks. p. 71. ISBN978-1-4391-9958-9.
98. ^Campbell, Christopher (January 7, 2012). '10 Great Films Set in New Mexico – For the State's Centennial'. IndieWire. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
99. ^https://tedium.co/2017/10/24/public-domain-film-history-copyright
100. ^Wilson, John (2005). The Official Razzie Movie Guide: Enjoying the Best of Hollywoods Worst. Hachette Book Group.
101. ^Filmmakers Newsletter Volume 7, Suncraft International Incorporated, 1973
102. ^Segrave, Kerry. Piracy in the Motion Picture Industry.
103. ^Rapold, Nicolas (February 14, 2014). 'Even Good Films May Go to Purgatory: Old Films Fall Into Public Domain Under Copyright Law'. The New York Times. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
104. ^Murray, Noel (November 23, 2005). 'Scarlet Street & House By The River'. The A.V. Club. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
105. ^'The Screaming Skull'. AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
106. ^Simosko, Vladimir (2000). Artie Shaw: A Musical Biography and Discography. Scarecrow Press. ISBN9780810833975.page 89
107. ^Hicks, Chris (March 8, 2007). 'DVD reviews: Oldies make their DVD debut'. Deseret News. Retrieved June 16, 2013. The Snows of Kilimanjaro (1952, color) has injured writer Gregory Peck going over his past to see if his life has meaning, with Ava Gardner and Susan Hayward. This one has been on many public-domain labels, but this is a pristine print and looks gorgeous.
108. ^King, Susan (February 24, 1991). 'How Hollywood Dealt with Great Depression'. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 12, 2018.
109. ^Gerald Peary (October 10, 2010). 'He's on the hunt for lost movie treasures'. Boston Globe. Retrieved October 29, 2015. Orson Welles's 'The Stranger is their newest HD release, made feasible because the RKO picture has fallen into public domain.
110. ^American Film, Volume 11, Issues 1-10. American Film Institute. 1985. Retrieved March 10, 2018.page 70
111. ^ ^abRossen, Jake (2008). Superman Vs. Hollywood: How Fiendish Producers, Devious Directors, and Warring Writers Grounded an American Icon. Chicago Review Press.
112. ^Ray, Fred Olen (1991). The New Poverty Row: Independent Filmmakers as Distributors. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 51.
113. ^Stevens, Brad (2003). Monte Hellman: His Life and Films. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 34.
114. ^Arnold, Jeremy. 'Too Late For Tears (1949)'. Tcm.com. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
115. ^Dessem, Matthew (July 19, 2017). 'Lena Dunham Is Joining American Horror Story Season 7'. Slate (magazine). Retrieved April 18, 2018.
116. ^Rhodes, Gary D. (2001). White Zombie: Anatomy of a Horror Film. McFarland & Company, Inc. p. 280.
117. ^Ryan Turek (July 6, 2010). 'What Happened to Tobe Hooper's White Zombie?'. shocktillyoudrop.com. Retrieved August 23, 2013.

Bibliography[edit]

• Fishman, Stephen (2010). The Public Domain: How to Find & Use Copyright-Free Writings, Music, Art & More (5th ed.). Nolo (retrieved via Google Books). ISBN1-4133-1205-5. Retrieved October 31, 2010.
• Pierce, David (June 2007). 'Forgotten Faces: Why Some of Our Cinema Heritage Is Part of the Public Domain'. Film History: An International Journal. 19 (2): 125–43. doi:10.2979/FIL.2007.19.2.125. ISSN0892-2160. JSTOR25165419. OCLC15122313.

<firstimage=”//static.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/intro2.jpg”>How do you usually spend your Friday nights? In the pub with your mates? With an Xbox controller in your hands? Or do you prefer to be curled up on the sofa in a dimly-lit living room, peering at your television screen, awaiting the next gallon of blood to trickle across the screen? If you chose the latter option then you’re in the right place.

The Internet Archive is home to gigabytes of mediaTop 4 Sites To Download Free, Legal Concert RecordingsTop 4 Sites To Download Free, Legal Concert RecordingsRead More that anyone can view or download for free. Finding what you’re looking for can often prove problematic however, mainly because there’s just so much to see. Those of you who are fond of suspense, thrills, blood and guts will be pleased to know we’ve hacked and slashed our way through the tripe to find some of the best scary films availableTop 6 Sites to Watch Horror Movies Online for FreeTop 6 Sites to Watch Horror Movies Online for FreeHorror movies have a dedicated fanbase, and thanks to the wonders of the internet, fans of horror flicks can access a wealth of content without much work.Read More in the public domain.

Nosferatu (1922) [IMDB]

An incredibly important, successful and controversial production for a variety of different reasons. The film was an unofficial movie adaptation of Bram Stoker’s epic Dracula novel, albeit with a number of key changes. There’s no audible dialogue in the film, instead title cards and an orchestral score serve to enhance the atmosphere created in part by the grainy black and white film.

Nosferatu was Prana Film’s last ever production after Stoker’s estate (representing his widow, Florence Stoker) successfully sued the company for copyright infringement. Every copy of the film was ordered to be burned, but at least one copy had already been distributed around the world and this classic piece of vampiric cinema survived.

White Zombie (1932) [IMDB]

Starring the famous Bela Lugosi (who took on the role of Dracula in the original movie), White Zombie is a tale of seduction, zombies and the evil plans of Lugosi’s villain Legendre. A young couple are persuaded to marry by the scheming and devious Beaumont on his Haitian plantation. Nothing odd there, right?

Beaumont’s plans soon become apparent as he tries to convince the young soon-to-be-married Madeleine to run away with him. The plotter turns to the evil Legendre for help in his task, who provides a zombie potion capable of transforming human beings into emotionless husks in this pre-Romero Voodoo zombie horror.

The film itself was shot in just 11 days on a tiny budget yet still sends a tingle down your spine, partly in thanks to the bleak cinematography and choice of locations featured in the production.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) [IMDB]

Yet another piece of must-see horror, the original House on Haunted Hill makes for one of the most entertaining low-budget black and white films ever made – and it’s free! This highly watchable haunted house scenario sees millionaire Fredrick Loren invite five guests to a typically spooky house on “Haunted Hill” promising each $10,000 if they last the night.

The horror takes flight as the five guests are locked in their rooms at midnight and subjected to unexplainable ghostly happenings and murderous encounters. Of course the house (which has seen seven previous murders) doesn’t have electricity or a phone line – that would be far too convenient…

Horror Hotel (also known as City of the Dead, 1960) [IMDB]

Horror Hotel follows the story of young coed Nan Barlow who decides to spend her winter vacation researching witchcraft in New England. Based on the advice of her professor, Nan decides to visit the small village of Whitewood and stays at the ominously-named Raven’s Inn. As Nan begins researching her paper, she begins to notice that not everything in Whitewood is quite what it seems.

Starring Christopher Lee as Nan’s seemingly-helpful professor, Horror Hotel is another blend of suspenseful horror and mood-setting black and white imagery which is probably most comparable to Psycho, the Hitchcock classic released in the same year.

The Last Man On Earth (1964) [IMDB]

The original movie adaptation of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel I Am Legend which portrays a world in which the human race has become infected by a plague, turning everyone into vampires who aren’t fond of sunlight or garlic. One man (Dr Robert Morgan, played by Vincent Price) survives without infection, restricting himself to his house by night and becoming a vampire hunter by day.

The story evolves as Morgan encounters Ruth, a woman who he convinces to visit his home. Soon he learns there are more like her who plan to rebuild society and rid the land of vampires. A movie that’s full of grit, which successfully creates mood through its use of deserted locations and provocative cinematography.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) [IMDB]

George Romero’s flesh-eating classic fell into the public domain upon release after theatrical distributors the Walter Reade Organization forgot to include legally binding copyright information on the film’s prints. This hasn’t stopped the film grossing $18 million internationally after countless re-releases across the globe.

The plot follows seven individuals trapped in a farmhouse in rural Pennsylvania and their battle with the living dead. Romero’s film redefined the term “zombie” as flesh-eating re-animated corpses as opposed to the Voodoo curses seen in other “zombie” films.

After initial controversy, the film was eventually deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the US Library of Congress.

The Driller Killer (1979 Uncut) [IMDB]

Free Public Domain Horror Movies

This is one horror film that doesn’t comfortably fall under the “horror” category, and those of you looking for the supernatural, witchcraft, zombies and that kind of thing won’t find it here. What you will find is Abel Ferrara’s highly controversial 1979 flick about an artist slowly losing his mind.

The film creates a disturbing atmosphere from the get-go, and the dreary 1970s New York backdrop provides the perfect run-down playground for a serial killer. This uncut version might challenge some viewers, so make sure you’re ready for some fairly brutal sequences before settling down with the popcorn.

Conclusion

Free Public Domain Movies

What? You’re still here? Shouldn’t you be cowering behind the sofa right about now?

Any favourites from this list of horror films? Any other good, free, public domain horror flicks about? Let us know what you think in the comments.

1. Great List.. Please have this kinda stuff rolling.. one can go back front and back in time machine with this :).. Thanks MUO

   Cheers
   Rohit1409

   • you're welcome!

2. Horror movies and computer games are the cornerstones of a techie's entertainment paradise. More so if one of them happens to be in the public domain. Having grown up on portions of both, I can say that it's great to have a cinematic ode to the nefarious crafts (aka B movies)... I wonder why they don't have movie titles like 'Driller Killer' anymore. It's poetic, cheesy yet apt at the same time. Just saying :)

3. I love watching horror movies...ya i am fond of suspense, thrills, blood and guts also pleased to know you’ve hacked and slashed our way through the tripe to find some of the best scary films available in the public domain.now anyone can view or download for free....the above mentioned movies seems interesting ones!