Public Domain
Down the Hudson
1903 · American Mutoscope & Biograph
Film taken from a boat heading down the Hudson is shown at varying speeds, often giving a sense of rapid transit.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film 'Down the Hudson' was produced by the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company and registered for copyright in 1903. It is a travelogue-style short film capturing scenery along the Hudson River, filmed from the deck of a steamer.
Under US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of renewal status. As this film was registered and released in 1903, it is definitively in the public domain in the United States. Its status is further corroborated by its presence in the Library of Congress Paper Print Collection, which contains many early films that have since been restored and made available to the public.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress: Motion Picture Copyright Descriptions Collection, Class L and Class M, 1912-1959
- Kemp R. Niver, 'Early Motion Pictures: The Paper Print Collection in the Library of Congress', 1985
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films (Early Cinema years 1893-1910)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.