Public Domain
Tarzan of the Apes
1918 · National Film Corporation of America · Dir. Scott Sidney
A female ape takes to mothering the orphaned boy (Tarzan) and raises him over the course of many years until a rescue mission is finally launched and the search party combs the jungle for the long-time missing Lord Greystoke. But then, one of the search members, Jane Porter, gets separated from the group and comes face to face with fearsome wild animals. Tarzan saves her from harm just in the knick of time and love begins to blossom.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
Under the current copyright laws of the United States, all works published or registered before January 1, 1928, have entered the public domain regardless of whether their copyrights were renewed. Tarzan of the Apes was released on January 27, 1918.
As a production from 1918, it surpassed its maximum possible term of protection (which was 95 years from publication for works of that era) at the end of 2013 at the latest. Consequently, the film is free for use, distribution, and adaptation without copyright restrictions. This applies to the film itself; however, certain trademarks related to the 'Tarzan' name and character are still actively maintained by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://archive.org/details/tarzan_of_the_apes_1918
- https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf
- IMDb: Tarzan of the Apes (1918)
- Hurst, Richard Maurice. Film Superlist: 1894-1939.
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.