A really interesting case about Sherlock Holmes

[Gustav Schuchardt]

The Conan Doyle estate made a very interesting argument about the Sherlock Holmes stories. The early ones, which portray a cold and unemotional Sherlock Holmes, are now out of copyright because they were published more than 95 years ago. The later ones, which portray a more human version, are not. The estate has sued for copyright infringement on the grounds that the Enola Holmes film is infringing because it portrays an emotional Sherlock.

What a wonderfully devious argument.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dm0tnwG4_ro
https://archive.vn/wip/T8b8v

I bet Disney will be watching really closely what happens when all the stories are out of copyright but the Conan Doyle estate still has trademarks, because Disney might be in that position with Mickey Mouse if they fail to get copyright extended again.

 

[A Cardboard Box]

That's not how copyright works. People talk about the Mickey Mouse curve, but in reality the Mouse will never be public domain. Copyright length is meaningless as long as it is still actively used. This is the reason that Disney still aggressively markets shit nobody cares about like Steamboat Willie.

 

[Too Many Catgirls]

Will be neat to see how it pans out.

On the other hand, besides the actual written stories, Jeremy Brett already mastered Holmes on any screen so no newer Holmes media is worth watching.

 

[Quoookie]

They should have a black Sherlock like Idris Elba perhaps Denzel totally deadpanning it. Jamie Hector would be most suitable and younger than those I mentioned. #BlackActorsMatterToo

 

[byuu]

Why does Disney even care about Mickey Mouse? No one else does.

 

[Too Many Catgirls]

Why does Disney even care about Mickey Mouse? No one else does.

I'm not even sure Disney cares about Mickey Mouse.

Did you ever play Kingdom Hearts?

 

[Kosher Dill]

Copyright length is meaningless as long as it is still actively used.

You're thinking of trademarks. Copyrights can still expire, and until Disney passes its next Mickey Mouse Protection Act, it's still technically possible for "Steamboat Willie" to become public domain.

Something similar already happened with Casper The Friendly Ghost. A few cartoons slipped into the public domain, despite the fact that the property is still trademarked and being used from time to time. You can legally buy them in the dollar video bin at your grocery store.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

They should have a black Sherlock like Idris Elba perhaps Denzel totally deadpanning it. Jamie Hector would be most suitable and younger than those I mentioned. #BlackActorsMatterToo

We need to go deeper. Black paraplegic trans Sherlock. I nominate the Wheelchair Warrior of Evergreen State College.

 

[Quoookie]

We need to go deeper. Black paraplegic trans Sherlock. I nominate the Wheelchair Warrior of Evergreen State College.

Agreed. Maybe Sherlock shouldn't even be human..? Seriously how many galaxies universes we got out there?? Maybe He/She is Romulan or Borg...??? so many possibilities out THERE.. Even the Smurfs exist on some plain in space and time.

 

[Boris Blank's glass eye]

Agreed. Maybe Sherlock shouldn't even be human..? Seriously how many galaxies universes we got out there?? Maybe He/She is Romulan or Borg...??? so many possibilities out THERE.. Even the Smurfs exist on some plain in space and time.

Hell yeah, now we're talking! Sherlock could even be the Current [YEAR] Doctor, the objectively best one ever, played by the extremely talented and very charismatic Jodie Whittaker! How cool would that be?

 

[Quoookie]

Hell yeah, now we're talking! Sherlock could even be the Current [YEAR] Doctor, the objectively best one ever, played by the extremely talented and very charismatic Jodie Whittaker! How cool would that be?

i could honestly see her in the role IF the script really fit and was great. also too a fine director that is familiar with her work and is not a totally demanding obnoxious fuck. example i could see her ever working with a Kubrick type but maybe some a lil less overwhelming...like? only she would really know that but with another Kubirck i think the material would be so less important to her than would wrestling with a maniac like that in between takes, backstage.

she is very gifted in the few roles i've seen her in.

 

[Syaoran Li]

Honestly, as long as the trademarks on Mickey Mouse are still in effect, I don't think he'll ever be in the public domain outside of the original Steamboat Willie (assuming they don't go for another eternal copyright extension)

Disney are evil fucks but at the same time, I could maybe see them letting Steamboat Willie enter into the public domain but still enforcing the trademarks and going after anyone who infringes on any copyrighted material made after Steamboat Willie.

Most of the more iconic elements associated with Mickey Mouse didn't come around until years after Steamboat Willie.

If they don't file for another massive copyright extension (and that is a massive "if") then it will be solely because Disney wants the good PR and nothing else. At this point, letting Steamboat Willie enter public domain isn't going to hurt Disney that much.

We see similar things with other early 20th Century works that are partially public domain and partially still under copyright, like the Cthulhu Mythos or Fu Manchu, where certain things are up for grabs but later specific elements are still copyrighted.

Plus there's the differing copyright laws between different nations.

For example, the King James Bible is in the public domain in the United States alongside all other translations of the Bible.

But in the UK, the King James version is perpetually under copyright by the Crown while other translations are public domain