Since the earliest days of cinema the law has influenced the conditions in which Hollywood films are made, sold, circulated or presented - from the talent contracts that enable a film to go into production, to the copyright laws that govern its distribution and the censorship laws that may block exhibition.

Since the earliest days of cinema the law has influenced the conditions in which Hollywood films are made, sold, circulated or presented - from the talent contracts that enable a film to go into production, to the copyright laws that govern its distribution and the censorship laws that may block exhibition. Equally, Hollywood has left its own impression on the American legal system by lobbying to expand the duration of copyright, providing a highly visible stage for contract disputes and representing the legal system on screen.

In this comprehensive collection, international experts offer chapters on key topics, including copyright, trademark, piracy, antitrust, censorship, international exhibition, contracts, labour and tax. Drawing on historical and contemporary case studies, Hollywood and the Law provides readers with a wide range of perspectives on how legal frameworks shape the culture and commerce of popular film.

Hollywood and the Law makes an important contribution to our understanding of the ways in which legal frameworks - from copyright, tax and labour law to antitrust and censorship regulation - have shaped the business, culture and aesthetics of Hollywood and its products.