8mm Forum: Battlestar Galactica, Should i return it or keep it ?

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Topic: Battlestar Galactica, Should i return it or keep it ?

Manuel Tapia
Film Handler

Posts: 47
From: Monterrey, mexico
Registered: Aug 2012

posted August 30, 2012 10:30 PM

I'm a newbie in 8mm films, I found in the mercadolibre the latinamerican version of ebay, the battlestar galactica in spanish. so is very rare version, is a 2x400, the sound good, but it is totally red, the colors are almost null. I pay 29 UDS shipping included .

I claim to the seller because he said was in excelent conditions, and i think is not, i'm not expect to see as DVD but at least see the stars [Big Grin]

and he is acept the return.

but Unfortunately all my movies (5) are almost in that way. so i never watch movie in a good state. so i don't know if that is normal or should be better than that.

I upload a video, please i need your advise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=809VdGrDEmY&feature=youtu.be
"Maybe my video is worse than the film [Smile]

"

Thanks !

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Akshay Nanjangud
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 637
From: Dallas, TX
Registered: Nov 2011

posted August 30, 2012 11:14 PM

Manuel, you will learn fast enough about colors on film. It's historically tricky to preserve color on film. The earliest film stocks used for printing color titles have faded or are in some state of fading. What is fade? The film turns to a state where mostly only red is visible on some film stocks, purple in some other. Your films color have faded to red.

To prevent films from fading, color preserving film stocks began to be used. On Super 8 they are LPP, AGFA to name a couple. Color titles on this stock are the ones you want. CAUTION: Very expensive.

Learn more about film stocks and identifying film stocks on Paul Ivester's website. Google Paul Ivester.

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

posted August 31, 2012 02:00 AM

That is very red Manuel; you will find often film from hotter parts of the world - Mexico, Northern Australia, south east Asia etc will have more fade. As you say, Spanish soundtrack versions can be hard to find.

Here in Australia you can find good colour on some prints and and completely red on others. If they have been stored with air conditioning then they have amuch better chance of having good colour. I also buy a lot of used Super 8 from England as the cool climate was much kinder to Eastman colour stock.

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 31, 2012 10:09 AM

quote:
"Maybe my video is worse than the film"

Manuel your youtube can be worsening because of the camera setting.

Because you are very new to 8mm film collecting, I am not sure how is your level of accepting red film. Maybe a warming film (which mostly collectors can still take it) is very avoidable to you because you were expecting DVD quality.

As Akhsay says above, it is very hard to get film with DVD quality (in terms of color) except you are ready with cash. It is indeed very expensive.

So, coincidentally, I uploaded the very same film on youtube when selling it on Ebay:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwWUG-gp9z0

Please learn the link and if your film in terms of color is par with my yuotube, then your film is graded as "warming". Mine was sold for $46 not include shipping. So you paid $29 include shipping is a good deal.

Better keep it!

[ August 31, 2012, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: Winbert Hutahaean ]

--------------------
Winbert

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted August 31, 2012 12:47 PM

I would highly suggest that you send it back to the seller and ask your money back. It certainly is not in good condition. It is the sellers responsibility to know the item that they are selling. It's not a good enough excuse to say, "Well, the film didn't fall apart in my hands and the reel looks clean, so it's in good condition", because there is far more that suggests "good condition".

By all means, send the bloody red print back. Please have hope however, as there were very good printings of this title. i have one on Kodak SP that hasn't faded a bit and looks beautiful.

What I would suggest however, is, before you send that film back, run it one more time, and record onto CD or onto your computer in a computer file, the complete audio from both parts so that the next time you hunt for this title, you can go ahead and get an english one, (and not be narrowed down to just having to bhuy a spanish language one), because, if you already have the spanish audio you can either ...

1. Re-record it yourself
2. Send it to someone who can, as there are many a forum member that could help you with that.

--------------------
"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 31, 2012 01:47 PM

Osi... that print is not necesseraly red as camera setting may contriubte to the reddish (e.g the setting is for daylight).

Plus Manuel bought it for $29 incl shipping. Supposed the shipping cost is $7. Do you think $22 for this quite sought after titles is still to expensive alhtough it is (possibily) reddish?

I don't think so....

I never found this title was sold for less than $25 (excl shipping) before.

My 2 cents.

--------------------
Winbert

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted August 31, 2012 01:59 PM

Thats a good point Winbert,$29.00 doesn't seem a great deal of money, and as you rightly say, the camera setting could make
the film look worse than it is.Also there is also the fact that a lot
of the interior shots were done under "emergency" lighting, the
red lights as they do in submarines, so it probably isn't as bad
as the video makes it look.

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Bill Phelps
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1482
From: USA
Registered: Jan 2009

posted September 01, 2012 08:14 AM

Hello Manuel, welcome to film collecting!

Osi makes a good point about saving the soundtrack if you send it back. If you do decide to keep it until you find a better one you can always re-sell the red copy to get back some of the cost of the good one. I have some red films in my collection waiting to be replaced. Some titles are hard to find so red is better than none. I am a little more forgiving about red prints, some collectors won't go near them!

But red prints should be at BARGIN prices. I have received quite a few as gifts.

Bill [Smile]

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Manuel Tapia
Film Handler

Posts: 47
From: Monterrey, mexico
Registered: Aug 2012

posted September 01, 2012 09:40 AM

Thanks boddies,

All this information is very helpful, I just want to know what is the aceptable or the average cause i just have 6 movie. 2 in B&W the other 4 are cartoon, isn't too red but don't have to much color, the Starwars IV & V part 1, the red is just when the dark, like the space, you can see some color but definitely not a rich color. so i don't have anything to compare.

Osi, thanks for the idea i think i'll do that !

The seller have another film Buck Rogers, he will check if is red too if not we'll change, but know maybe i'll keep until i find a good one as bill suggest.

Thanks for you comments

By away
Do you know someone that created a storage with temp/humidity controled ? i don't know maybe a frigobar or something like that, because in the next month i plan to build my home theater, so could be i good idea to add it to the project, because hgere in Monterrey the summer we can reach 45°C/113°F in summer.

Thanks !

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted September 01, 2012 01:03 PM

Ahhhh Manuel, a man after my own heart!

For eastman or Kodak SP prints (that will fade or are already fading), my suggestion is use a large plastic freezer bag, (you know, those "zip lock" bags), and put your cherished films in there, BUT, make sure you put a "selica gel" pack (or two) in there, as the gel pack tends to keep the moisture away from your prints.

However, keep them in your lower section of your fridge, and not the freezer. Also, do not do this if your freezer/fridge is not the frost free type, as the old fashioned freezers allowed for a good deal of moisture, and you certainly do not want your films to be around a heap of moisture.

Oh, and welcome to the forum, if I didn't say it earlier!

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Laksmi Breathwaite
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 771
From: Las Vegas
Registered: Nov 2010

posted September 01, 2012 08:31 PM

Okay Osi is giving good advise . But if you are getting these prints that are rare living in a warm place if I were you go for the black and white prints and collect your heart away.

Then you don't have to have molding film from moisture from to much cold. All you need is a fan on them an keep your films on the floor heat rises. If you have air condition on that is good but don't keep the films to close to it. Moisture! Most of your films if color and not on high grade film stock will go red and fade in time you can't stop it. It is not DVD it is film on poor stock! So go B/W. And yes you got a deal on the films but send them back if you can or keep them if you like the titles are rare I will trade them out someday. I have a few red prints that I keep because they are rare but not as red as your print thank God. Yours are pretty bad. Thats because you live in a hot place. I live in Las Vegas and it gets hot in the summer but try keeping your collection near ground level and it will protect them keep them dry and feel the case.

Is it getting warm or what? Happy collecting! Adios Amigo!

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" Faster then a speeding bullet, more powerful then a Locomotive "."Look up in the sky it's a bird it's a plane it's SUPERMAN"

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Winbert Hutahaean
Film God

Posts: 5468
From: Nouméa, New Caledonia
Registered: Jun 2003

posted September 02, 2012 08:43 AM

quote:
The seller have another film Buck Rogers,

Manuel, instead of returning your film, buy this title. If it is the same price or can be even cheaper. No matter reddish or good color, you still can re-sale later for the same price or higher when you get a better print.

Sci-fi films tend to keep the price.

cheers,

--------------------
Winbert

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