So, why all the drama over a mouse? It’s best to start with the real meat of the matter; copyright.

Copyright and Public Domain

Copyright is a legal protection for original works of authorship expressed in a tangible medium. Tangible media include books, films, plays, music scores, photographs, the list goes on. The purpose of copyright is exclusivity; the author has exclusive rights to claim work as their own and profit from it, unless they choose to forfeit that right or license it to someone else.

Works that have no copyright are considered to be in the public domain. In simple words, they belong to the public and are free for all to use. Once a copyright expires the work enters public domain, because no copyright lasts forever. However, a lot of corporations fought tooth and nail to make it last as long as possible.

The Copyright Fight Behind Steamboat Willie

Steamboat Willie is a seven-minute cartoon that changed the course of film history. One of the first-ever appearances of the beloved character Mickey Mouse, it gained huge popularity upon its release in 1928. Walt Disney’s synchronization of sound with movement was a huge innovation at the time. This little black-and-white film kicked off the Disney empire. Since Steamboat Willie is the basis for the legal rights over the first version of Mickey Mouse, a character that has made Disney an infinite amount of money, its release into the public domain didn’t happen without a fight.

Due to heavy lobbying of corporations (Disney being one of the loudest) the legal lifespan of a corporate-owned copyright has been amended several times. Most recently, the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 (nicknamed the Mickey Mouse Protection Act) extended copyright terms for works of authorship in the United States from 75 to 95 years after publication.

That being said, not every version of Mickey Mouse is free to use—only the version made in 1928. The Mickey and Minnie you know from Fantasia or Mickey Mouse Club House are still off-limits. And there are still countless trademarks associated with the brand, so don’t go starting a Mickey-themed business just yet. Regardless, be prepared for a lot of Mickey-inspired remakes this year. And while Disney was reluctant to let Mickey go, this development is a win for the public domain.

Why We Need Public Domain

The main purpose of the public domain is the preservation of culture and the promotion of creative freedom. Countless films have been lost to the passage of time because copyright prevented historians from reproducing copies for preservation. This domain keeps both factual history and the emotional relevance of fiction intact. Think about your favourite childhood movie. Cinderella? A Little Mermaid? One of the dozen iterations of Sherlock Holmes? Hell, even Frozen? All are based on works in the public domain.

Even Steamboat Willie drew inspiration from the 1928 Keaton film Steamboat Bill, Jr, which was in turn inspired by a 1911 recording of Steamboat Bill, a song released in 1910. Nothing is new under the sun. Copyright and public domain circle each other a delicate balance; every author should have the right to their work, but art, as a whole, eventually reverts its ownership to humanity.

Also Read: 7 Interesting Patents Owned By Disney

The post Time’s Up for ‘Steamboat Willie’: A Shift in American Copyright appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.

Who is Boba Fett?

As a Star Wars nerd of the highest order I know there are multiple answers to this question but we shall stick to the canon made in the Star Wars films. Boba Fett is a clone of the infamous bounty hunter Jango Fett, Jango was used as the DNA template for the clone troopers we see in the prequels. Jango asked for one clone which he would raise as his son – Boba. After Jango’s death, Boba seems to bounce around the galaxy, eventually becoming the most feared and capable bounty hunter in the galaxy, so much so that it is Fett who tracks down Han Solo for Darth Vader. Boba met his death when knocked into the sarlacc pit by Han Solo. Or so we thought. Despite having a grand total of four lines, five if you include his scream, Boba Fett became a fan favourite. The mysterious bounty hunter featured in numerous books and other extended universe material and eventually showed up in The Mandalorian. The brief glimpse of Temuera Morrison (who played Jango Fett and so presumably Boba Fett would be identical to) at the end of an episode of The Mandalorian caused an explosion of fan theories, and indeed, Boba Fett made a huge impact on the second season of that show.

The Reports of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated

In Return of the Jedi Han Solo accidentally activates Boba’s jet pack, which sends him careening into the sarlacc pit, never to be seen again in the original trilogy. But for such a popular character apparent death is a minor inconvenience. The Book of Boba Fett does explain his escape and how the battered, near death, bounty hunter managed to survive, after all, it’s great to escape the sarlacc, but then you’re stuck in the desert.

Why Do People Like Boba Fett?

Boba first appeared in the Star Wars Holiday Special, then had a pivotal role in The Empire Strikes Back and “died” in Return of the Jedi. From these appearances, he would undoubtedly be viewed as a villain by the audience, and he actually does very little. He had a clever idea to find Han Solo, he shoots at Luke Skywalker a couple of times and has an embarrassing tumble into a giant sand monster. But this figure, completely encased in armour, barely saying anything, with no backstory or explanation of who he is other than he’s a bounty hunter is beloved by fans. Boba was even added to the remastered A New Hope, appearing with Jabba the Hutt’s goons (who was also changed from a human to the famous slug we all know and love). I think it’s because he’s cool. Luke Skywalker is the hero but Han Solo is cooler. Darth Vader is evil but he is undeniably cool. C3PO knows seven million forms of communication and we can’t understand a word R2D2 says but we all know the little trashcan droid is far cooler.

The fact that most of the people the rebels fight are masked lends the bad guys an anonymous quality, I don’t think any of the stormtroopers in the original trilogy is ever referred to by name. Stormtroopers are nameless, hidden, seemingly endless foot soldiers and if a villain with any sort of identity shows up they are latched onto.

The Book of Boba Fett

The new show takes places in roughly the same time period as The Mandalorian, with Boba heading back to Tatooine to take over Jabba the Hutt’s crime empire. He is joined by Fennec Shand, another character from The Mandalorian, a brilliant assassin whose life was saved by Boba Fett. Like The Mandalorian, it explores the chaotic galaxy that has been created by the decline of the Empire, relatively unimportant worlds like Tatooine were abandoned as storm troopers were needed elsewhere. Coupled with the death of Jabba the Hutt a power vacuum exists, one which Boba Fett will take full advantage of.

I’ve watched the first episodes and really enjoyed them and if you want to keep following the story of the galaxy’s greatest bounty hunter you should watch it too.

Also Read: Beyond The Mandalorian: Expanding The Star Wars Universe

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The post How Boba Fett Got His Own Show appeared first on Big Picture Film Club.