Abstract
‘A book may be good for nothing; or there may be only one thing in it worth knowing; are we to read it all through?’ (Samuel Johnson) This section is dedicated to the review of ideas, articles, books, films and other media. It will include replies (and rejoinders) to articles, the evaluation of new ideas or proposals, and reviews of books and articles both directly and indirectly related to intellectual property law. Have you ever wondered if a book about copyright law could be as compelling as the Fifty Shades trilogy, but without BDSM scenes? Well, wonder no further. The answer, after reading Hollywood's Copyright Wars by Peter Decherney, is definitely yes. The subject is intriguing per se. As suggested by the title itself, the book—which spans from Edison's aggressive copyright disputes to recent lawsuits brought against YouTube—analyses the numerous legal controversies associated with US film industry since its early days. It undertakes an examination as to how and to what extent legislative evolution has been mirrored in industry practices, but also how changes have been dictated by influential lobbying on behalf of studios. The interplay between law and private regulation is indeed among the leading themes throughout the entire book. While legal developments have shaped industry practices (for instance: antitrust law changed the system for distributing and marketing films back in the 1950s and tax law is decisive when it comes to choosing filming locations), private regulation has played an important role, too. Indeed, private initiatives have increasingly gained momentum, and recently they have also been discussed widely in the context of online enforcement.
Published Version
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