Protected
Witchfinder General
1968 · Tigon British Film Productions / American International Pictures · Dir. Michael Reeves
England, 1645. The cruel civil war between Royalists and Parliamentarians that is ravaging the country causes an era of chaos and legal arbitrariness that allows unscrupulous men to profit by exploiting the absurd superstitions of the peasants; like Matthew Hopkins, a monster disguised as a man who wanders from town to town offering his services as a witch hunter.
Confidence
90
— Legal Reasoning —
Why this status applies
The film was originally released in the UK as 'Witchfinder General' (1968) and subsequently released in the US under the title 'The Conqueror Worm' by American International Pictures (AIP). Under the Copyright Act of 1976 and the subsequent 1992 Renewal Act, films published between 1964 and 1977 were granted automatic renewal. While the film was a UK production, it was registered for US copyright by AIP on August 15, 1968, under the number LP36173.
Even if there had been technical defects in the US notice or registration, the film would have been subject to URAA/GATT restoration in 1996 because it was still under copyright protection in its country of origin (the UK) on January 1, 1996. The film is currently actively managed and licensed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) following their acquisition of the Orion/AIP library, and it has seen numerous legitimate boutique Blu-ray releases (e.g., Scream Factory), confirming its ongoing protected status.
— Cited Sources —
Supporting facts
- Library of Congress Catalog of Copyright Entries: Motion Pictures 1960-1969
- AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- US Copyright Office Database (MGM/Orion library records)
- 17 USC § 104A (URAA/GATT Restoration)
Research summary based on cited sources, not legal advice. Always consult a qualified copyright attorney before commercial use.