back to article Casablanca to screen for free on Facebook

Seventy year-old flick Casablanca is set to get a free outing in a new medium: Facebook. Warner Brothers will show the film at 7:00 PM on May the 16th, Pacific Standard time. The screening appears to be a promotion for the film’s birthday and its inclusion in a new series of e-books for film buffs from the studio. But if you …

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  1. veti Silver badge
    Devil

    It's the Copyright Bugbear again

    According to UK copyright law, Casablanca is still under copyright until 70 years after the death of the author - which is ridiculous, and makes the copyright term really hard to calculate.

    In US copyright law, the case is clearer - the film is covered by copyright, and can only be shown with permission and appropriate royalties paid to the copyright owner.

    But in New Zealand, for one country, copyright in a movie expires 50 years after it's first shown to the public, so it seems likely that Casablanca (being 70 years old) has been out of copyright for a while, and anyone who could be bothered could freely broadcast it, burn it to DVDs and rent or sell them, or distribute in any other way they see fit.

    Oddly enough, though, they don't.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Left out again, no wait......

      I gave up on Facebook a year ago, couldnt stand being fed the minuscule minutiae of every aspect of other people's boring lives.

      Thank God for the delete button.

      1. The Fuzzy Wotnot
        Facepalm

        "couldnt stand being fed the minuscule minutiae of every aspect of other people's boring lives"

        Was this readily apparent before you first clicked the "Sign Up" button?

  2. Shannon Jacobs
    Holmes

    It's not freedom, it's greedom

    It's getting even worse in Japan these days, but at least I think we can blame much of it on the linguistic confusion of English. Yes, information (sort of) wants to be free, but NOT as in beer. The parenthetic "sort of" is because of the anthropomorphic problem, which is a different kind of problem with English imperative syntax.

    1. Rustywarrior

      Re: It's not freedom, it's greedom

      Que?

    2. steveie_b
      Pint

      Re: It's not freedom, it's greedom

      Do you write the T&C's for Mickeysoft licences?

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Oh well...

    Just download a copy and sit down at the appointed time. Everyone can go to the party these days; even if not invited.

  4. Winkypop Silver badge
    Facepalm

    It's OK

    I know what happens...

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    A bit stupid

    It doesn't help Warner brothers to so shove the downside of regionalisation into the faces of the global population. Twats.

    I suppose that last quote was a bit of a joke wasn't it? "freedom of the Americas" is fast becoming an historic reference. We're better off without following the US attitude to freedom.

  6. Eponymous Cowherd
    Joke

    Memorable quotes?

    Renault: What in heaven's name brought you to Facebook?

    Rick: The Movies. I came to Facebook for the Movies.

    Renault: The Movies? What Movies? We're in Europe!

    Rick: I was misinformed.

    Renault: Ah, well, there is always Pirate Bay

    1. Uncle Slacky Silver badge
      Pirate

      Re: Memorable quotes?

      "I'm shocked - shocked that there is illegal downloading going on in here!"

    2. Neil Barnes Silver badge

      Re: Memorable quotes?

      You're just a rank sentimentalist.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Memorable quotes?

      Sam: 'Cept if you is on O2 and Virgin!

      1. Eponymous Cowherd

        Re: Memorable quotes?

        "Sam: 'Cept if you is on O2 and Virgin!"

        Seed it once, Sam, for old times' sake."

  7. Dave 126 Silver badge

    Alternatives:

    Carot Blanca, with Bugs Bunny, Pepe le Pou, and Yosemitie Sam. On Youtube.

    Camille - from Series 4 of Red Dwarf. You paid your license fee, didn't you?

  8. Tony Paulazzo
    Unhappy

    >... many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully, or desperately, toward the freedom of the Americas...<

    Oh what a tangled web we weave,

    When first we practise to deceive!

    Sir Walter Scott

    1. Swarthy

      But after we practice quite a while

      My, how we improve our style!

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I watched this last Sunday....

    ...which I recorded off Film-4 using my freeview DVD+HD recorder a couples of weeks earlier.

    Whats all the fuss about?

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Rubbish

    >Warner Brothers will show the film at 7:00 PM on May the 16th, Pacific Standard time

    These ignorant people can't even get their time zones right. That part of the U.S. is currently on Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), not standard time, which is one hour later (spring forward)..

    As for watching outside the U.S., I can recommend the Astrill VPN or similar services. Does a great job of letting you watch Netflix, Hulu, BBC, etc. from anywhere in the world.

  11. Crisp
    Flame

    70 years on

    Who exactly is the copyright protecting here?

    Warner Bros claims to have a "A Commitment to the Community.", it would be nice to see them practice what they preach.

  12. Dave Bell

    I have it on DVD.

    It is worth paying for. Much else isn't.

  13. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Stream it again, Sam!!

    European movie fan: You streamed it for her, now stream it for me!!

    That's ok, Euro-fans--next week FB will stream Pauly Shore's "DioDome" to a Euro-only audience. U.S. consulates have been told to expect a 100% increase in exit visa requests in advance of the event....

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