For those with comprehension difficulties, a few excerpts:

"Copyright in a work created on or after January 1, 1978, subsists from its creation and, except as provided by the following subsections, endures for a term consisting of the life of the author and 70 years after the author's death." [Joint works- applies to the last surviving author].

Here are some of those "mild complications" mentioned by Richard Bridge-

"303. Duration of copyright: Works created but not published or copyrighted before January 1, 1978" [replete with footnotes!].
(a) Copyright in a work created before January 1, 1978, but not therefore in the public domain or copyrighted, subsists from January 1, 1978, and endures for the term provided by section 302. In no case, however, shall the term of copyright in such a work expire before December 31, 2002; and, if the work is published on or before December 31, 2002, the term of copyright shall not expire before December 31, 2047. {got that?]
"Copyights in their first term of which is subsisting on January 1, 1978, shall endure for 28 years from the date it was originally secured.
(B) In the case of-
[posthumous works, copyright secured by proprietor; copyrighted by corporate body.... or employer...;
the proprietor of such copyright shall be entitled to a renewal and extension of the copyright in such work for the further term of 67 years.
Etc. etc. etc. for several pages of explication.
[what could be simpler?]

The introduction indicates compliance to the Berne Convention, provided that acts of Congress as specified in the regulations are not violated.

Now what is the problem?