The Blood on Satan's Claw

The Blood on Satan's Claw (released in the US as 'Satan's Claw') is a 1971 British production. Under the Copyright Renewal Act of 1992, foreign works from 1964–1977 that were published in the US with notice were granted automatic renewal, while those published without notice (or whose US copyright lapsed) were eligible for restoration under the URAA/GATT (17 U.S.C. § 104A) on January 1, 1996. For URAA restoration to apply, the film must have been under copyright in its source country (UK) on the restoration date. In the UK, films are protected for 70 years after the death of the last surviving principal creator (director, author, or composer). The director, Piers Haggard, passed away in 2023, and the screenwriter Robert Wynne-Simmons is still living; therefore, the film remains under copyright in the UK. Even if US copyright had originally failed due to notice defects in 1971, the URAA would have restored its US protection in 1996. The film is actively licensed and exploited by rights holders today. It has undergone a 4K restoration by Severin Films (a US-based distributor) under license from the current rights holder, Screenbound International Pictures / Odeon Entertainment, which acquired the Tigon library. This level of modern commercial licensing and high-profile distribution by major boutique labels is a strong indicator of a valid, enforced chain of title.