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Wasn't it Romantic?

by Nina Paley on 20 Mar 2010

This beautiful sequence from the 1932 film Love Me Tonight illustrates the evolution and flourishing of a cultural work through copying. Ironically, the song Isn't It Romantic is now owned by Sony/ATV, so this sort of transmission can only take place in movies, fantasies, and the distant past.

(Thanks to Gloria Porta for the tip!)

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Comments

#1 Re: Wasn't it Romantic?

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2010-05-10 08:16.

I may be missing the part where copying takes place. There are several unique instances where the song is performed/played but there doesn't seem to be a moment where the original song, lyrics and performance are written, copied and distributed or sold to others.


Simply singing a song that you've heard out loud doesn't make a new copy of the original.

#2 Re: Wasn't it Romantic?

Submitted by kfogel on Sat, 2010-03-20 20:08.

Nice catch!

I find it interesting how often films have shown — often exultantly — this kind of effortless cultural transmission, even as their copyright holders have lobbied to make that less and less possible in real life.

Just sayin'.

#3 Re: Wasn't it Romantic?

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 2010-04-10 23:38.

Yes it is a little more than ironic, but it doesn't surprise me, executives of the productions companies such as Sony/ATV rarely (if ever) give a thought to the creative process. In stead they're too busy trying to shore up their crumbling empires by destroying the creative process itself.

Just my 2 cents

Albert

#4 Re: Wasn't it Romantic?

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 2010-05-27 00:55.

Albert,

the last sentence of you is worth an award. Those manufacturing of creativity isn't worth anything.

Just my 2 1/2 cents.

CK, Master of Lötzinn

#5 Re: Wasn't it Romantic?

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2010-06-14 21:45.

I find it interesting how often films have shown — often exultantly — this kind of effortless cultural transmission, even as their copyright holders have lobbied to make that less and less possible in real life.

Thanks

#6 Re: Wasn't it Romantic?

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 2010-06-14 21:45.

I may be missing the part where copying takes place. There are several unique instances where the song is performed/played but there doesn't seem to be a moment where the original song, lyrics and performance are written, copied and distributed or sold to others.