Regulation
Copyright
The main regulatory issues relating to JB are Copyright and Classification or Certification.
The film, music, script, character design, performance, Disney logo, DVD cover design etc are all affected by the copyright in one way or another. The US Copyright Amendment Act of 1998 gave protection for works published before January 1, 1978, increasing coverage works of ‘Corporate authorship’ by 20 years to a total of 95 years from their publication date. This amendment to the copyright law had been actively lobbied for by Walt Disney Company since 1990 and this extension of copyright delayed the entry into the public domain of the earliest Mickey Mouse movies, hence the Act’s nickname, ‘The Mickey Mouse Protection Act’.
TASK: Explain why Walt Disney Company would have been lobbying for 'The Mickey Mouse Act'.
TASK: Explain why Walt Disney Company would have been lobbying for 'The Mickey Mouse Act'.
For the US regulations around copyright see https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_Term_Extension_Act .
TASK: Using the following UK information, summarise the following.
- Why is Copyright Law essential?
- What does it cover?
- How long does copyright usually last for?
TASK: Using the following UK information, summarise the following.
- Why is Copyright Law essential?
- What does it cover?
- How long does copyright usually last for?
In the UK copyright is covered by the Copyright, Design and Patents Act 1988. A useful fact sheet is to be found at: https://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p01_uk_copyright_law
Certification and classification varies around the world according to differing regulation and cultural sensibilities. IMDB gives a list of current classifications: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061852/parentalguide?ref_=tt_stry_pg#certification
Certification
Certification and classification varies around the world according to differing regulation and cultural sensibilities. IMDB gives a list of current classifications: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061852/parentalguide?ref_=tt_stry_pg#certification
The Motion Picture Association of America only established its ratings system in 1968, the year after JB was released https://www.mpaa.org/film-ratings; before that films were covered by the Production Code but, by the late 1960s, enforcement had become impossible and the Production Code was abandoned entirely.
TASK: What is the certification of The Jungle Book 1967 and why was it given this rating?
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TASK: What is the certification of The Jungle Book 1967 and why was it given this rating?
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In the UK the BBFC website is useful: http://www.bbfc.co.uk/