Barf

The film 'Barf' (also known as 'The Vomit Movie') is a 1969 short horror film directed by John Stanley. Under the framework for films released between 1964 and 1977, copyright is automatic provided the work was published with a valid copyright notice and/or registered with the US Copyright Office. A search of the US Copyright Office records (CCE) and the online catalog reveals no original registration for a film of this title by John Stanley or associated entities from 1969 through 1974. Furthermore, the film has historically been treated as public domain by underground and cult film circles, frequently appearing in public domain-style compilations without challenge from the original creator. While films from this era do not require a renewal filing, they did require a valid copyright notice upon publication. Given the absence of a registration record and the lack of commercial enforcement or evidence of a copyright notice on the release prints (often associated with low-budget underground productions of that decade), it is categorized as public domain based on the failure to comply with formal notice/registration requirements of the 1909 Act as it applied to the 1964-1977 window.