Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2013 March 15

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March 15

Jules Verne

Are Jules Verne's works in the public domain, or are they still copyrighted? If the latter, who owns the copyright? (Note: This is NOT for legal advice, I'm just curious -- same as with my earlier query about the P.L. Travers estate and her Mary Poppins series.) 24.23.196.85 (talk) 01:39, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Definitely out of copyright. Freely available in many places, e.g. Project Gutenberg HiLo48 (talk) 02:39, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Note that if you're looking for English translations rather than reading the original French texts . . .

(a) A translation has its own copyright separate from the original work, so its date of first publication is an important consideration.

(b) A good many of the earliest English translations of Verne, likely to be out of copyright, were unauthorised/pirated, of poor quality and abridged - some were aimed at a more junior audience than Verne had intended; unfortunately they were reprinted well into the 20th century and are often encountered.

(c) More recent and better translations (those edited by I. O. Evans are an example) may well still be in copyright.

{The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 212.95.237.92 (talk) 14:41, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

So if, say, James Cameron decided to make a(nother) remake of, say, Around the World in 80 Days, he wouldn't need anyone's permission to do so? 24.23.196.85 (talk) 02:07, 16 March 2013 (UTC)

Speaking generally np. However he generally can't copy someone else's copyrighted intepretation too closely, nor could he use other copyrighted elements (like music) without worrying about permissions. Nil Einne (talk) 20:00, 17 March 2013 (UTC)

Garth Brooks song The Fever

Ok its NOT a question. More of an observation. If you LISTEN to the song The Fever, the cover anyway, by Garth Brooks it's OBVIOUSLY about a cowboy at a rodeo, at least partly. But I noticed it didn't mention that at all in the article. The line "he says its really kinda simple, keep your mind in the middle while your butt spins round & round, take heed to sanky's preachin, keep lifting & reachin & riding like there aint no clowns." That's a definite rodeo reference there. Just thought someone would like to know & confirm if need be & edit the article. Thanks! — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.254.31.231 (talk) 05:47, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

We give the answers around here. Your job is to ask questions. Now get out and go and do what you're paid for. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 07:20, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

I think our article already covers how Brooks altered the lyrics: The Fever (Garth Brooks song). Rmhermen (talk) 16:06, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Who the hell is "Olive Barker"?

In his novel The Plant, Stephen King mentions one "Olive Barker" (well, in some what insulting manner.) I want to know that is there a real author by that name or is it semi-hidden mention of Clive Barker,(a famous British writer in same genre) ? 124.253.96.19 (talk) 06:40, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

I think you're right about Clive. StuRat (talk) 08:46, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Well, Stu. After writing the above (I didn't read it properly before) I reread it and found that it is referred to as "she" ...but I am still not sure...124.253.54.74 (talk) 15:39, 16 March 2013 (UTC)

Thinking (Stu's or anyone's) doesn't really cut it on a reference desk. It's an intriguing hypothesis, but I've had a good look around and have found not even any commentary on the similarity of the names, let alone any confirmation that Olive Barker was King's nod to Clive Barker. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 06:46, 17 March 2013 (UTC)

The "she" would follow from the fact of "Olive" being a female name.

Purely ObPersonal, but in my experience such deliberately disparaging references in a work of fiction to a real person are often lightly disguised so that the subject can't easily sue for libel (which is notoriously easier in the UK than most other countries), though many may guess who is being referenced.

In the SF/Fantasy reading & writing community (see Science fiction fandom) using acquaintances' real names for characters (often a villain who dies horribly) is an established practice, often as a friendly joke or even in exchange for (say) a donation to charity (see Tuckerization), but sometimes real ill feeling is involved, in which case legally sufficient disguise might be employed, but everyone "in the know" will realise who is intended.

Sometimes the ploy misfires, as when Douglas Adams had to change the name of "the worst poet in the Universe" from that of the real poet jokingly named (the change appeared from the 7th printing onwards of the first (UK paperback) edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy), or when the 1st (UK hbk) Edition of Richard Adams' The Girl in a Swing was withdrawn before publication and revised because of a threatened defamation suit. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 212.95.237.92 (talk) 13:13, 18 March 2013 (UTC)

1960 Japanese black-and-white movie

I have this burning question... Does anyone know the title of a 1960 (I remember its exactly that year) black-and-white film? The plot goes like this:

This gentleman dies. A woodcutter is called up as a witness; he tells his recount of what happens. Then follows that of a eccentric bandit's, the man's raped wife's, and lastly a woman apparently possessed by the spirit of the gentleman. The movie ends with the mystery unsolved. P.s. i found nothing at our article Japanese films of 1960.

☯ Bonkers The Clown \(^_^)/ Nonsensical Babble ☯ 08:22, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

It's Rashomon, and you're wrong about the date. --Viennese Waltz 08:25, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Ah, yes! That was quick. And gee, immortals tend to forget. :P ☯ Bonkers The Clown \(^_^)/ Nonsensical Babble ☯ 08:40, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

The way I remember it, it was in 1970 and in color. [Waits for fourth account ...] Clarityfiend (talk) 13:21, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

And I recall it as a 1964 Western starring a gangster, pool shark, and star ship captain. :-) StuRat (talk) 13:47, 15 March 2013 (UTC)

Another one of Kurosawa's films, Seven Samurai, was remade for Hollywood as The Magnificent Seven. -- Jack of Oz ^[Talk] 20:54, 16 March 2013 (UTC)

So, was the theme from Seven Sumarai used to sell cigarettes in Japan? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 20:21, 17 March 2013 (UTC)