# RightsAtlas Research Packet — The Big Trail (1930)

> ⚠️ **NOT legal advice.** This is a primary-source research packet describing **United States** copyright status only. It is not a clearance certificate and not a DMCA counter-notification. Verify independently before any platform dispute.

**Scope:** Tier A — **film-print layer only**. Music, story, trademark, and restorations are NOT cleared by this packet.
**Packet version:** `2026-09-01-c2bade8`  ·  **Generated:** 2026-10-05  ·  **Country:** US  ·  **Last verified:** 2026-09-01

## ⚠️ Sound recordings (pre-1972)
Sound recordings fixed before **15 Feb 1972** can be protected under state law / the Music Modernization Act until **2067 or later** — the film *print* being public domain does **not** free the music track. Assume the recorded score is a claim risk.

## Film print — Verified public domain
- **term_expiry:** Fox Film Corporation published the film in 1930. Wikipedia (retrieved 2026-09) states the copyright was renewed under the 1909 Act, extending protection from the initial 28-year term. The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (1998) capped total US protection for such works at 95 years from publication. The 95-year term expired 1 January 2026, placing the work fully in the public domain by term regardless of renewal status. — [US Copyright Act §304 — Duration of Copyright: Subsisting Copyrights; Cornell LII](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/304)
- **research_note:** Stanford Copyright Renewal DB search for 'The Big Trail' returned no records (possible digitization gap or technical issue). Wikipedia's article on the film states 'The film's copyright was renewed, so the film finally entered the public domain in 2026.' Either way, the 95-year term ceiling applies and the work is PD by term as of 2026-09-01. — [Wikipedia secondary source; Stanford Copyright Renewal DB search (inconclusive)](https://exhibits.stanford.edu/copyrightrenewals/catalog?q=The+Big+Trail)

> Published 1930: US copyright term (95 years) has expired for works published through 1930 — the film print is public domain in the US by term expiry, regardless of country of origin.

## Other layers — NOT cleared by this packet

| Layer | Status | Evidence on file |
|---|---|---|
| Music score | Verified public domain | 1 item(s) |
| Underlying story / screenplay | Verified public domain | 1 item(s) |
| Character trademarks | Undetermined | 0 item(s) |
| Restorations / re-releases | Not public domain | 1 item(s) |

## What this means
- **Watching:** Watching via the linked archival copies is generally the lowest-risk activity.
- **Reusing / monetizing:** Strong public-domain case across print, score and story — reuse and monetization carry the lowest risk profile.

## Archival copies
- [The Big Trail (1930) — Internet Archive, PD Mark 1.0, 117 min, 1920×920](https://archive.org/details/the-big-trail-1930) · good

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_Valid as of 2026-10-05. Copyright status can change — check the live dossier before relying on this in a dispute:_ https://bitgitty.github.io/rightsatlas/film/the-big-trail-1930/