Fun IP Facts for Halloween 2018

Even Halloween can’t escape copyright.

Frankenstein: This year is the 200th anniversary of the first edition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein which means it’s in the public domain. Here are some other non-copyright fun facts. Mary Shelly’s mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a writer, philosopher and is credited as being the first feminist. Mary Shelley was just 17 years old when she wrote Frankenstein. The name “Frankenstein” refers to the creator of the monster and not the monster itself. In the original story, the monster is 8 ft. tall, had beautiful black hair, white teeth, yellow skin and, apparently, was really buff (see picture). 

Movie Characters: Your favorite horror characters, Freddy, Jason, Pinhead, etc. have been copyrighted by their various studios.

Halloween Costumes: Most costumes are considered “clothes” and are not subject to copyright. However, a costume that has a creative element unrelated to its function as clothing is copyrightable. See IP News for Business Blawg post Spooky Halloween Banana, http://gct.law/blog/113.

Halloween Masks: Masks are copyrightable because they aren’t considered useful articles.

Shameless Plug: I highly recommend Remy Bumppo Theater’s production of Frankenstein. It’s Jeff Recommended and has gotten rave reviews. Now playing until November 17, 2018. Visit https://www.remybumppo.org/ for more info.

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS. Happy Halloween.