Public Domain
The Haunted House
1921 · Comique Film Company · Dir. Buster Keaton
A bank teller becomes involved with a hold-up, counterfeiters and a theatrical troupe posing as spooks in a haunted house.
Confidence
100
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The Haunted House, starring Buster Keaton, was released in February 1921. Under current US copyright law, all works published before January 1, 1929, have entered the public domain regardless of whether they were renewed or had proper notice.
Because the film was published in 1921, its statutory copyright term (which was a maximum of 95 years if properly renewed) has expired. Specifically, this film entered the public domain on January 1, 1997. It is widely available for free download and redistribution on the Internet Archive and via various public domain film distributors.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- https://archive.org/details/TheHauntedHouse1921
- https://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.pdf
- Film Superlist: Motion Pictures in the U.S. Public Domain (1894-1939)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.