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Public Domain

Panorama of Gorge Railway

1900 · Edison Manufacturing Co. · Dir. James H. White

“One of the most interesting places in the vicinity of Niagara Falls is the Whirlpool Rapids, where the immense volume of water which passes from the Falls, speeds along through its rocky and tortuous passage towards the ocean. The camera in securing this picture was placed at the front end of a train ascending the grade at a very rapid rate of speed. The combined motion of the train in one direction and the water in the opposite direction, the latter impeded and interrupted in its course by the rocky path through which it flows, sending beautiful masses of spray and foam many feet in the air, makes an impression on the audience long to be remembered.” (Edison film catalog)

Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —

Why this status applies

The film 'Panorama of Gorge Railway' was produced by the Edison Manufacturing Company and registered for US copyright in 1900. It is a 'paper print' era short film documenting the Niagara Falls gorge. Under current US copyright law, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain due to the expiration of their maximum copyright term (originally 75 years, extended to 95 years by the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act). As a 1900 release, its copyright expired no later than 1975 under the old law, and it has since remained in the public domain.
— Cited Sources —

Supporting facts

  • Library of Congress (Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1894-1912)
  • AFI Catalog of Feature Films
  • Internet Archive (Prelinger Archives / Paper Print Collection)

Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.