Is There Such A Thing As "Public Domain" Movies?
Actually, YES! There is such a thing as "public domain" movies. And guess what? You can download them 100% free. No fees to pay to download and legally own them whatsoever. Unbelievable you say? Not really. First, let's examine what "public domain" is.
Public Domain, as defined by Wikipedia.org is:
"Public domain comprises the body of knowledge and innovation (especially creative works such as writing, art, music, and inventions) in relation to which no person or other legal entity can establish or maintain proprietary interests within a particular legal jurisdiction. This body of information and creativity is considered to be part of a common cultural and intellectual heritage, which, in general, anyone may use or exploit, whether for commercial or non-commercial purposes.
What this means is that any copyright that was formerly held by any company on the property in question has run out and anyone in the public can make use of the property. Meaning it is 100% legal for you to own and do as you wish with the no longer copyrighted material.
But where can one find such treasures?
The largest online library of public domain movies can be found at http://emol.org/movies/. They offer a collection of "more than 150 classic comedies, dramas, cartoons and more" that can be viewed online or downloaded at your discretion."
You can also visit: http://www.archive.org/details/movies and find more classic public domain movie titles available to the general public for viewing. They also provide a collection of "Stock Footage" and a terrific government propoganda film collection to boot.
As you can clearly see by the wording, most movies or videos found within the "public domain" will be much older titles such as Betty Boop, The Brain That Wouldn't Die, Charlie Chaplin Film Festival, Bugs Bunny, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Fast and the Furious(1950), Hercules(1958), The Iron Mask(1929), Night of the Living Dead, Nosferatu(1922), The Outlaw(1943), Oliver Twist, Pecos Kid(1936), The Phantom of the Opera, and many others.
So, if you are into classic cinema, then the public domain has a world of opportunities for you to download, and legally own, your favorite classics without paying anyone one thin dime.
