# RightsAtlas Research Packet — The Lost World (1925)

> ⚠️ **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:** `2026-09-08-c2bade8`  ·  **Generated:** 2026-10-05  ·  **Country:** US  ·  **Last verified:** 2026-09-08

## ⚠️ 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:** Published 1925 by First National Pictures in the US. Under the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act the maximum US copyright term for a 1925 work is 95 years; the film entered the public domain on January 1, 2021 regardless of any renewal filing. As of September 2026, all US works published through 1930 are past that ceiling. — [Duke Law Center for the Study of the Public Domain — Public Domain Day 2021](https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2021/)

> Published 1925: 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 | Partially protected | 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:** The film print may be free, but at least one layer (music, story, or restoration) is unresolved — expect Content ID claims; keep evidence handy and consider removing or replacing the score.

## Archival copies
- [The Lost World (1925) — Archive.org community upload, Public Domain Mark 1.0, multiple formats including HD MP4 (~1.6 GB); metadata-confirmed correct film](https://archive.org/details/TheLostWorld1925) · good
- [The Lost World (1925) — Archive.org alternate upload; metadata-confirmed 1925 film; verify audio track provenance before use](https://archive.org/details/the-lost-world-1925) · fair

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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-lost-world-1925/