8mm Forum: THE LUCKY CORNER

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Topic: THE LUCKY CORNER

Tony Stucchio
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 625
From: New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2005

posted February 08, 2010 07:21 PM

Blackhawk release in Super 8 sound.

One of the best of the Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts, which was made in 1935, and released in 1936. Officially a 2-reeler, it's more like a reel and a half. I won't rehash the plot -- which can be found by a simple "google."

Blackhawk really outdid themselves with this one: bright, clear picture with perfect sharpness and image density. Unlike many Blackhawks, particularly the Laurel and Hardys, I don't find myself saying, "I need to upgrade this title to 16mm." Sound is excellent, too. I find this to be the case with most Blackhawk Our Gangs. One notable exception is OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1938, which looks horrible.

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Brad Kimball
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1171
From: Highland Mills, NY USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted February 08, 2010 10:41 PM

My copies of "Hide & Shriek" (2 Super 8 and 1 16mm) are terrific. Great picture and sound. My Super 8 print of "Kid From Borneo" is a little on the dark side.

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Gian Luca Mario Loncrini
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1948
From: Verona (Italy)
Registered: Jan 2009

posted February 09, 2010 06:31 AM

One of my favorite too.

Most of my OUR GANGS are very good to excellent prints. I must say I've had more than one copies of KID OF BORNEO and OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1938: some were definitely too dark. The prints I actually have are really good.

Some of them are stunning and better than others: HOOK AND LADDER is absolutely an impressive print! Perfect in every way.
I still miss some [Frown]

.

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I remember when I was (super) 8 years old...

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James N. Savage 3
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1375
From: Washington, DC
Registered: Jul 2003

posted February 09, 2010 01:50 PM

I must agree about "HOOK and LADDER". The print quality is just excellent on that print. Most of the Blackhawk "Our Gang/Little Rascals prints are good to excellent though.

Tony- the thing about "Follies of 1938"- this was one of the few Little Rascal shorts that were actually available from different sources, other than Blackhawk Films (there were just a few). So, that might have something to do with your poor quality print. Thats not to say that Blackhawks were always excellent prints, but for the most part, they were acceptable at worst.

James.

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Tony Stucchio
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 625
From: New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2005

posted February 09, 2010 06:20 PM

James,

My FOLLIES print is a BH.

I don't know what the deal was, but the L&H 16mm BH prints I have are excellent, but their Super 8 brethren leave something to be desired. So they did have great pre-print -- I think they cut corners on the Super 8 L&H's, maybe because the demand was so high.

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James N. Savage 3
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1375
From: Washington, DC
Registered: Jul 2003

posted February 09, 2010 06:59 PM

I remember demand being high in the 70's for the Little Rascals films. In fact, when particular titles were on sale, I would usually have to wait a month or so to receive it, because it would be on back order.

I wonder if any of the other companies, like Red Fox, had better prints of "Follies of 38". If so, I wonder if they used the same negative, with the custom "Blackhawk" titles.

Has anyone purchased a non-Blackhawk Little Rascals print, that could advise?

James.

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Gian Luca Mario Loncrini
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1948
From: Verona (Italy)
Registered: Jan 2009

posted February 10, 2010 03:30 AM

I did indeed, James.
It was OUR GANG FOLLIES OF 1938. Red Fox print, if I well remember. Not even comparable to a Blackhawk. It was absolutely a fair print.

--------------------
I remember when I was (super) 8 years old...

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Tony Stucchio
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 625
From: New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2005

posted February 10, 2010 06:27 PM

quote:
I remember demand being high in the 70's for the Little Rascals films. In fact, when particular titles were on sale, I would usually have to wait a month or so to receive it, because it would be on back order.

That happened with just about everything I ordered from BH back in the '70's. And pretty much everything I ordered from them was either a Laurel & Hardy or Rascals film.

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