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Topic: super 8 film packaging buy or not
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Joe Caruso
Film God
Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted January 11, 2010 08:22 AM
If anyone has been dedicated to original packaging, it's me - Say I notice a choice film I want without box, yes I'll still buy it (Carton can come along later in another form). There is information/research to be had on original boxes, so I eagerly seek the earliest releases from Breakspear, Sterling, Excel, Metro, Novelty, Carmel, Movieland Int'l, Powell, Mountain, Walton, Griggs and the such - When a collector finds an original toy, such as the Mickey Mouse or model kits, the original box has as much merit as the figure (if not top value) - Prices have been had just for original cardboard emphrema, and related advertising - Marx Ben-Hur, Wagon Train and other playsets have commanded many times over, in particulat for the rare (albeit, scarce) box - While film boxes aren't of this calibre, they are of value and some people scour the pages and shows just to acquire mint ones - You have to admit, the drawings/renederings are many are quite excellent, practically constituting mini-posters, and should be heralded as such - To make a short story long, the artwork of years ago will never compare to the present because the creative process was faithful and was accomplished with a keen, more aesthetic eye to the casual buyer. Now it's nostalgia, vintage (a word I can't tolerate much) You can always find a better upgrade for a print, but it is darn-near hard to upgrade a box, not impossible, but remember that these were often disposed of while the films were kept, till they too were shown to ribbons and tossed away - I've collected films over forty years and have maintained a sharp awareness to the packaging they come in. Besides which, they look so colorful and appealing on shelves - My seven cents on it, Shorty
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted January 11, 2010 10:21 AM
I've got to admit, I'm not as big on originalo packages, unless it is a very old vintage print, (early castle films, for instance), as they have a great vintage look, an extra reminder of days gone by.
In most cases, (as in optical features) I get the film without boxes. Technically, unless Derann released them, optical features didn't have any boxes period! In a few cases, I have recieved some great boxes that were built by collectors themselves. A good example of that was a print I bought of "Crocodile Dundee", which came in a great illustrated box!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted January 13, 2010 07:07 PM
If a film has attractive packaging, I'd certainly pay significantly more if it's in the original box in good condition. I've sometimes bought a second copy just for the box, and then I'd photocopy the box and sell the extra copy in the copied box. Occasionally, I've obtained a used Derann print without the original box, and managed to obtain the correct box or label from Derann.
The original box certainly adds resale value; I've occasionally seen films on eBay sell for crazy amounts to people who don't even have projectors, as they are buying the item as film memorabilia - so the fact that a film is (e.g.) a 200' bw/silent version of 'Ben Hur' is no problem from their point of view! Also, an original box in good shape may be a sign that the film has been looked after and is not (e.g.) a substandard print that Derann put in a plain box as an indication that it wasn't perfect.
I can understand collectors being obsessive about getting films in the boxes, but what baffles me is the collectors who have been fanatical about NOT keeping films in the boxes! E.g. I once bought some films from a guy that kept ALL his films in cases that contained 2 x 800' reels. Some were Techno UFO releases with the nice boxes discarded. If he bought a 600' release, the box and reel were thrown away so that the film could join the rest on his 800' reels! I saw another similar example many years ago in Perry's old shop near Wimbledon. A collector had sold them many 400' releases in identical Bonum cases, with labels featuring the film titles in Letraset. All the nice clamshell cases to films like 'Alien', and the reels, had been thrown away so that he could have a row of identical cases on his shelves! Can anyone understand this?
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Adrian Winchester
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Joe Caruso
Film God
Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted January 14, 2010 08:42 AM
I've written about this many times, in Steve's REEL-IMAGE and elsewhere. Even espousing about it to anyone at films shows ![[Smile]](smile.gif) You have two areas of collecting; emphrema (advertising) and motion pictures (8mm or what have you) - BoxArt is akin to mini-posters, albeit lobby cards, of the film - That is one separate and lively area of collecting which lately commands a premium if in top-condition - The film is the second area, when with intact leader, titles and splice-free, is also a leading commodity - Put them together and you pay accordingly. Like the Aurora Model Kits which were re-proed a while back, they look darn-near gorgeous, however it isn't an exact duplicate. Same with film boxes. I've had and seen many, the mustard isn't cut, though I respect highly the work involved - many dealers/collectors toss away the boxes because they feel those are just for display, not showing like a film - Understand - I became fascinated with original cartons, labels, tags, and all since I was a boy. My aunt said I was more interested in code numbers and box creation than the toy or film itself - Another point is old toys where both the box and product MUST go together. It is inconceivable to have a wind-up robot, American Character, Marx, Disney or other such product-name toy without the rare, illustrateda nd magnificent box it was contained in. many times on Antiques Roadshow, this very idea was brought out. The box adds spice to the pot and makes for an overall collector item. For all those practicalities, the original box and film are as one, and for me will always so be. I had to buy films with out box or even can sometimes, well, that's the way of it on the road, but I then search doggedly for the elusive box to match (sometimes getting an extra print and selling/trading later) - More later have to attend to box maintenance - Shorty
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