Re: Some Thoughts on Copyright Term

On 13/11/98, Jessica Litman <litman[_at_]mindspring.com> wrote:
>
> [Kimba vs Lion King:]
> Notwithstanding some suggestive surface similarities
> [...]
> I was hard-pressed to find anything that even the most expansive
> interpretation of the scope of copyright-protected expression wouldn't
> put firmly and uncontroversially on the "idea" side of the line.

"Kimba the White Lion":

• Hero is a young white lion king, Kimba
• Father murdered; son leaves the country, returning to claim his kingdom
• Hero is advised by father's friends, a self-serious avian and a wise mandrill baboon, and is accompanied by a pair of slapstick sidekicks
• Principal villain is Claw, a dark-maned lion with attendant hyenas

"The Lion King":

• Hero is a young white lion king, Simba
• Father murdered; son leaves the country, returning to claim his kingdom
• Hero is advised by father's friends, a self-serious avian and a wise mandrill baboon, and is accompanied by a pair of slapstick sidekicks
• Principal villain is Scar, a dark-maned lion with attendant hyenas

Tesuko openly admitted drawing on Disney's work ("Bambi", for example) as inspiration for his own work. It's a pity Disney chose not to acknowledge their debt in turn.

> "Kiki's Delivery Service" was released, direct-to-video, in September.

That's good news; perhaps the ice is melting.

CYa,
JEREMY Jeremy G. Byrne
<jeremy[_at_]iz.org> Received on Fri Nov 13 1998 - 15:58:30 GMT