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Topic: "Rare" titles in your collection?
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Kurt Gardner
Expert Film Handler
Posts: 193
From: San Antonio, TX
Registered: Aug 2005
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posted February 07, 2009 10:18 AM
Maybe I have your Monty Python episode! Mine is a black and white conversion with a military film service logo on it, which leads me to believe it was shown on ships at sea and other bases and places with no telly. It's on one 600' reel.
The "I Love Lucy" episode I mentioned in an earlier post is another rarity. I also have a "Horror Express." I can't tell who the original manufacturer is, but it's not Niles, that's for darn sure. The colors are still very good and the sound is clear. Interestingly, it's on four 400' reels (as opposed to the 4x600 mentioned by others here) but it doesn't feel incomplete. The story is comprehensible and the violence is intact.
Another interesting piece of film I have is a "Poltergeist" pre-release teaser trailer featuring rather dubious interviews with "paranormal experts." At that time the studio was going more for hard-hitting horror and planned to release it with an "R" rating as indicated by the MPAA ratings card at the beginning of the trailer. There's only one scene from the film included: a quick snippet of the kids struggling against the black hole in the closet. The rest is stills.
Also have the Walton 4x400 "Witchfinder General." Colors have held up fairly well and the story doesn't suffer from the sight abridgment.
Finally, I have a Niles print of Pete Walker's "Schizo," which is a little brown but not too bad. I lived in the same town as Niles Film Products (South Bend, Indiana) and used to go to their storefront to buy/trade films. "Schizo" was one of the first they offered in Super 8mm and Betamax tape! I don't ever see it on any used lists, so I don't know how many film versions made it out there. It's an endearingly ramshackle 1976 slasher with poor Lynne Frederick providing the cheesecake. And it's so-o-o-o English. You just want to bring out the Guinness and chip butties while watching it!
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Tony Stucchio
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 625
From: New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted February 09, 2009 08:24 PM
quote: HAVE BADGE, WILL CHASE, with Abbott & Costello, from Castle Films.
That was a joke, guys. But I figured that hundreds of people selling this on eBay can't all be wrong!
Like Kevin, I also have Red Fox prints of FRA DIAVOLO (Laurel & Hardy)and ROBIN HOOD (Errol Flynn). I didn't think the latter was that rare, though.
I would add:
UNACCUSTOMED AS WE ARE (L&H, sound/talkie version, Blackhawk) SMALL TALK (Our Gang, Blackhawk) THAT'S MY WIFE (L&H, Vitaphone track- only reason my print is rare, Blackhawk) RAILROADIN' (Our Gang, sound/talkie version, Blackhawk) YOUNG IRONSIDES (Charley Chase, Blackhawk)
I think some of my Stan Laurel solo shorts (SHOULD TALL MEN MARRY? - Blackhawk, ON THE FRONT PAGE - unknown, and EVE'S LOVE LETTERS - unknown) are also pretty rare.
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Tony Stucchio
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 625
From: New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2005
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posted February 10, 2009 06:43 PM
quote: Tony,
Would you also include L&H Blackhawk prints with Vitaphone scores of: Angora Love, Wrong Again. Also They Go Boom is not a very common title.
The Battle of the Century extended version is also a very rare title. Not complete, because it is missing the scenes with the boys signing the fight contract. However the Boxing Match is in place. It also contains a very nice score by Gaylord Perry.
By the way, was the Our Gang short: Cat, Dog & Company released with the vitaphone score on Super 8?
Gaylord Perry is famous for his spitball, not organ music accompaniment to silent films. I think you meant Gaylord Carter.
I don't have those other Vitaphone prints Michael mentions, but, yes, I would consider them rare. I have THEY GO BOOM, but since that was in release by BH for many years -- not so rare. UAWA wasn't released with the soundtrack until 1979 -- pretty late in the game -- VCRs were already playing in people's homes by then. Long version of BATTLE is extremely rare. (I don't have it -- only pie fight version.)
My Blackhawk THICKER THAN WATER also has M-G-M titles -- I thought that was unique to my print -- like an "answer" print. WRONG TREK I have, but that title shows up A LOT on eBay.
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