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Topic: Can't believe Paul Foster read on

Jonathan Trevithick
Jedi Master Film Handler

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From: Gold Coast Australia
Registered: May 2012

posted January 22, 2016 05:16 PM

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Thanks Mike and Andrew. That gives me a better understanding of Bob Monkhouse.I will read those links now.
However, taping shows 'off air' has been the norm in most households since the advent of VHS. If he did sell any of them, that's another matter. My understanding is it was about preservation for him not duplication.
As has just been pointed out, if it wasn't for people like Monkhouse, some films would be lost forever.

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Andrew Woodcock
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From: Manchester Uk
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posted January 22, 2016 05:17 PM

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Thanks Mike, just taking a mid reel break but will watch tomorrow thanks when time is no object till 17:30! Ha ha [Wink]

[Wink]

Jon, I couldn't agree with you more!!

Bob Monkhouse had more money than you or I could ever dream of.
All Bob would have ever been interested in here, is simply preserving one of his loves in life, just in the same way as we all treasure our film collections no matter how humble they may be.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Mike Newell
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posted January 22, 2016 05:23 PM

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I don't think he sold stuff just collected and unfortunately caught the jobsworth eye as he talked about having prints on radio and tv. After he was chased for owning it he became even more secret about what he had.

Some early stuff did turn up at auction after he died.

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19801/lot/8/

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Andrew Woodcock
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From: Manchester Uk
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posted January 22, 2016 05:26 PM

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Mike you are an absolute font of treasured information and knowledge! Thank You so much. [Smile]

[Smile]

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Clyde Miles
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From: Bromsgrove, UK
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posted January 22, 2016 05:38 PM

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bob monkhouse had very little on 16mm or 35mm , snippets, i spoke to him years ago outside the atv studio in birmingham, he had no full length feature films

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Jonathan Trevithick
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From: Gold Coast Australia
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posted January 22, 2016 05:42 PM

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Ah Mike, all from the Kaleidoscope Archive. After some dealing, one of my films went to them but that's another story! Except, someone from the BBC Archives told me it's not illegal to own one of their old programmes on film but if it's a missing show, they strongly suggest you give it back! (at least to copy)
At least history has put things in perspective now and Monkhouse is now seen to have done the right thing by saving a considerable amount of shows.

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Paul Suchy
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posted January 22, 2016 05:52 PM

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I can sort of understand a person selling obscure television shows by transferring 16mm prints, especially when the copyright owner isn't going to release something because they don't anticipate a profit. Of course, it's still a violation, but most I have seen are sold cheaply and are purchased by people who would gladly buy a legitimate copy if available. People routinely contact Sony and others to release long forgotten (by most) shows, but they will never see an official release. However, I think it is really out of line to generate cheap copies of shows that are legally available to the public.

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Paul Suchy

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Dominique De Bast
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posted January 22, 2016 06:21 PM

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Many live programmes from Belgian television are lost. They once talked about a kid show that was on air in the 70's and the only remaining footage was taken in super 8 by one of the parents of a child taking part of it (one or two 50 ft cartridges). Frenc television, however seem to have kept (almost) everything from the beginning through a dedicated society called INA (Institut National de l'Audiovisuel).

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Dominique

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Steven J Kirk
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posted January 22, 2016 06:46 PM

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That link to Bonhams is interesting. Dated 2012, it shows it can't be illegal to own 16mm prints or an auctioneers like that wouldn't touch them. It shows NOSFERATU, originally subject to lawsuit and declared an illegal infringement of Bram Stoker's work it would now be, what, Public Domain?

It also says Monkhouse was acquitted and the collection was saved.

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VistaVision
Motion Picture High-Fidelity

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Alan Rik
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posted January 22, 2016 08:51 PM

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That was shocking for me to read this too. I have purchased many films from Paul so on the Super 8 front, he has been very good for my collection personally, and I think for the Hobby very good as well. We all make mistakes so now he has to pay the piper so to speak. I hope that when all the dust settles he continues his Super 8 operation.

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Andrew Woodcock
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posted January 22, 2016 09:03 PM

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Your reply doesn't surprise me one bit Rik, be it from from the Film side of his business from a film loving and film purchasing aficionado!

I do however, struggle to see where Paul goes forward regarding all of this in respect of his film sales.

Like you, I live in hope, but I feel it is more in aspiration than anything else if I let my head rather my heart do it's judgement.

We shall see.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Tom Photiou
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posted January 23, 2016 02:25 AM

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So do I Alan.we need all the dealers we can.
In a nutshell,he did do wrong but prison is over the top.he didn't copy the discs,he sold them,are the authorities now working to find out where these came from to get them prosecuted No and they they will never stop it,do car boot sales get checked at weekends,hardly,there are two huge ones close to us every weekend and every one each week has several huge vans selling copied dvds and cds,I myself have reported this to both the police and FACT nothing has ever been done. Paul was silly enough to use ebay and do it from home,easy target.

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David Skillern
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posted January 23, 2016 02:30 AM

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Andrew,

Like you - I wonder if Paul can carry on with film sales - as I mentioned in an earlier post - we don't know if any of his film and projector sales has been confiscated in order to pay this hefty fine - as it says "prosecutors will seek to reclaim some of his profits under proceeds of crime legislation " - so would this include film sales - who knows ???

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Steven J Kirk
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posted January 23, 2016 03:07 AM

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Okay, here is an oddity! EBay shop is back online as of 9am this morning 23rd Jan:

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/MOVIE-SHOP-HEAVEN

His wife or another family member...

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VistaVision
Motion Picture High-Fidelity

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Maurice Leakey
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posted January 23, 2016 04:17 AM

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I was talking to Paul Foster a couple of years ago and he told me that film sales were but a very small source of his income. The majority income came from the sale of his DVDs.
He further said that all the sales of DVDs came from his site on eBay.

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Maurice

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Mark Silvester
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posted January 23, 2016 04:41 AM

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Hi all

I have read this post with interest - I always liked Paul. But, he stepped too far and ended up "nabbed" as it were and offered up as an example.

I have no doubt that all his mailing lists and customers will have been looked over to by the "boys in blue".

Yes he will pay a price - but there could easily be a lot more "cell mates" in there with him...including people who are connected to 8mm and 16mm/35mm...cos a lot of that stuff is not "legal" copyright wise AT ALL! And only so much of the Derann stuff was totally "Kosha"...the Disney and the mainstream stuff. What about other releases subsequently also by other people??...like I said the principle is the same whether film or DVD...makes you think..

[Wink]

[Wink]

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Mark Silvester

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Dominique De Bast
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posted January 23, 2016 04:47 AM

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99,9 % positive comments on his EBay account.

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Dominique

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Mike Newell
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posted January 23, 2016 05:15 AM

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I don't think collectors have as much to fear as distributors. I remember you could buy new Derann product at substantial discount if you went to other 8mm dealers and if Paul has had dealings with others you can guarantee there will be bank records identifying them. If they are bootlegging DVDs as well as super 8 which is more or less a definite to make it worthwhile they will be in the target range they are a easier catch than China. In turn dealers in the UK and US who are selling them on to customers will also be drawn into the net.

If you remember Elvis EPE they decided in 1990s to draw up a list of the biggest bootleggers of Elvis CDs and memorabilia and target them with the aim bankruptcy and jail. Sid Shaw in the UK was the only one left standing the rest were toast.

Franchises like Disney,James Bond & Star Wars all adopt similar approaches. They won't care if the people in question are doing it for love or few thousand. They will pursue you maybe spending ten times the amount they are saving convicting you. Courts in the US are particularly draconian but UK and EU authorities also adopt an aggressive approach.

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Paul Spinks
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posted January 23, 2016 05:50 AM

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This is really bad news. I have bought a few 16mm and Super 8 films from him over the years and I have always been very pleased with the way he has conducted the transactions. The films have always been good quality and his delivery has been fast. Whenever I spoke with him on the phone he was always pleasant and friendly. It is sad that this probably means the demise of another UK Cine dealer. I didn't like that bit about prosecutors will now seek to reclaim some of Foster's profits under Proceeds of Crime legislation. Does that mean he could lose his home?

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Paul Barker
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posted January 23, 2016 05:57 AM

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who knows but lets face it you would have to be a number one prize IDIOT to buy from him after this. but i dare say there are some ready too. my god you have even got some making excuses for him. put them top of the list on the IDIOT board.

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Brian Fretwell
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posted January 23, 2016 06:00 AM

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From what I remember was said about the Bob Monkhouse films, the police were told to return all that had been taken but some had gone missing in storage, so it was assumed they had been destroyed.

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Mark Silvester
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posted January 23, 2016 06:09 AM

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Hi Mike

I could not agree more with your comments, etc.

Also, like others have mentioned people would be crazy to continue dealing with him as if he takes up the business when he is released as will be watched like a hawk...although they have probably watched his whole business for quite a while as is often the case in these matters. ALL his dealings etc will have been scrutinised and also those he dealt with.

[Cool]

[Cool]

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Mark Silvester

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Keith Ashfield
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posted January 23, 2016 06:23 AM

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In view of the mounting "paranoia" about "possible outcomes" for the collecting fraternity, would it not be prudent to take this particular topic "out of the spotlight" so to speak?

After all - who knows how many "big brothers" are watching us?

It could be a perfect opportunity for some young, aspiring would-be executive to gain a "feather in his cap"

I would think that, by now, most of the "interested parties" who know Paul Foster are aware of his "self made predicament" and the result that has been given for his misdeamenour.

As they say - "You buys your ticket and you pays the price"

To keep "brooding" over the possible ramifications of the situation is "not helping the cause".

In my opinion the topic should be "vastly edited" or removed by the moderators.

The unfortunate thing, from a "British justice" point of view, is that if Paul had been employed by a certain "broadcasting company" he would probably gotten away with "commiting far worse offences" and been awarded a knighthood for his services!

Just my opinion of course [Embarrassed]

[Embarrassed]

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"We'll find 'em in the end, I promise you. We'll find 'em. Just as sure as a turnin' of the earth".

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Mike Newell
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posted January 23, 2016 06:46 AM

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Considering it is on all the other forums a bit pointless to delete. What do we say every time someone queries where Paul Foster is? Comments here are mild compared to what is written elsewhere. I would say the authorities would have a full road map of Pauls dealings and associates without playing Inspector Clouseau here. Looks more like a trading standards bust rather than FACT. The fact that business is as normal on eBay is beyond belief. The 8mm/16mm side a small insignificant portion of the business and will no doubt be up and running soon with a different voice on the other end of the line.

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Michael Hyde
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posted January 23, 2016 07:39 AM

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I feel Pauls problems are only just beginning,however long he spends in prison,upon his release, with the CPS waiting to serve a proceeds of crime writ against him,hes facing a hefty fine of many tens of thousands of pounds,plus thousands in court costs,so I don't think he will be bouncing back any time soon, and if he cant raise the fine his home will go too,such is the aggression of the CPS

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