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Author Topic: Major 8 Movies
Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 20, 2007 05:21 AM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Hi Guys,Do any of you have any titbits or stories on this late 70's UK based 8mm company? They released mainly horror/sexploitation titles thru there deal with Alpha/Target distributors,I remember paying 30 quid to a very nice young lady at an 8mm convention in South Kensington for a pre-release digest of David Cronenberg's excellent SHIVERS aka THEY CAME FROM WITHIN,then had to wait a further 6/8 months for it to be delivered!!!

I even remember calling round to there swish London office to see where my print was!!

Here's a list of the 400FT digest titles they released..

KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE
FISTFUL OF YEN-ENTER THE DRAGON SPOOF FROM THE ABOVE.
SHIVERS
RABID
THE BROOD
21 HOURS AT MUNICH-FRANCO NERO
UNDER THE DOCTOR-BARRY EVANS
ADVENTURES OF A TAXI DRIVER-BARRY EVANS
ADVENTURES OF A PLUMBERS MATE
LETS GET LAID-ROBIN ASQUITH
JUSTINE
CAIN'S CUTTHROATS AKA CAIN'S WAY-JOHN CARRADINE

There may also be a few promo's or trailers floating around.

Cheers Mark W

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Osi Osgood
Film God

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

- posted June 20, 2007 11:05 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I've certianly heard of some of those titles, (love to have Kentucky Fried Movie), but know nothing about the company.

Sorry dude.

OSI

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

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 20, 2007 12:43 PM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Osi,

I,m not surprised as they didnt last long on the Super8 scene,the quality of there prints was usually very good though,mostly printed by Buck labs here in the UK.

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Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003

- posted June 20, 2007 02:07 PM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
with the KFM i have both parts but the main sketch part as opposed the a fistful of yen, was soft in focus although very watchable, at the time i wrote to Major 8 who explained that this was the same with all prints of that title, the Brood,(which irecently sold) was also good but fading was evident.
Not sure about the company (i do know it was headed by a Lady) details or if any catalouges existed.

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 20, 2007 02:12 PM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanx Tom,I used to have copies of both parts of KFM too and they were pretty good quality.
I also forgot to mention that Major8 released CRUEL PASSION too,which starred KOO STARK & MARTIN POTTER.

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Andrew Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 784
From: dundonald,belfast,co.antrim,northern ireland.
Registered: Jan 2006

- posted June 20, 2007 03:15 PM      Profile for Andrew Wilson   Author's Homepage         Edit/Delete Post 
Patricia Hamilton was the woman who ran Major 8 movies!Andy.

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 20, 2007 04:20 PM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Cheers Andy!
Now that name does ring a bell.
Also just remembered that they released a digest of the controversal at the time THE BLACK PANTHER starring Donald Sumpter based on a very nasty kidnapping/murder in the UK,the film was made only a few months after the end of the actual court case,far too soon in my opion.

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 21, 2007 06:25 AM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Barry,

Have you ever come across any other Major8 titles??

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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted June 21, 2007 11:15 AM      Profile for Barry Attwood   Email Barry Attwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mark,

Yes the 2 extracts from "Kentucky Fried Movie" comes up quite often, as does "The Brood" & "Squirm". I think these were there best sellers, as these come up quite often, but I've only ever had a couple of there "Adventures of" series. Quality was pretty good on all Major 8 titles, although the editing was a little choppy on a couple of the titles, nice boxes though. I think the trouble was they were raiding the independent distributors, and a lot of the titles available to them would,nt sell on 8mm, you can't come up with titles like "The Brood" every day.

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 21, 2007 02:08 PM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Cheers Barry! they don't appear to turn up often these days though,I did spot a copy of LETS GET LAID on EBAY a few weeks back but it sold very quicky.
PS-SQUIRM was actually releaed by AIP on the Ken label,now that does turn up quite often,though most of the prints are faded now.

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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted June 22, 2007 03:14 AM      Profile for Barry Attwood   Email Barry Attwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Mark,

I was thinking of "Shivers" and wrote "Squirm", I think old age is fast approaching!

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 22, 2007 04:22 AM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Barry,
LOL!! I have the same problem and both films feature nasty worms so its easy to mix em up.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

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

- posted June 22, 2007 11:05 AM      Profile for Osi Osgood   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Did this company ever release any cartoon shorts? Any scope titles?

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

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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted June 22, 2007 12:20 PM      Profile for Barry Attwood   Email Barry Attwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Osi,

No all their releases I came accross were 400' editions, but they were only around for about 2 years or so before going out of business, none in scope.

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted June 23, 2007 04:48 PM      Profile for Kevin Faulkner         Edit/Delete Post 
Barry, where were they based. There was a company down the road from me in Romford and I cant remember their name?

Kev.

--------------------
GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003

- posted June 24, 2007 03:11 AM      Profile for Barry Attwood   Email Barry Attwood   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Kevin,

That was "Quality Products" who specialised in sports films, they also did a hire library, and I hired my first film from them ("She Wore a Yellow Ribbon") back in 1978. I'm not sure where Major 8 were based, I don't think I have one of their films in stock at the moment, so I can't look on a box.

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Andrew Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 784
From: dundonald,belfast,co.antrim,northern ireland.
Registered: Jan 2006

- posted June 24, 2007 03:14 AM      Profile for Andrew Wilson   Author's Homepage         Edit/Delete Post 
Kevin,was that Quailty Products Romford ltd?.There address was
43victoria rd,romford,essex.Andy.
Major 8 movies address was 17-25 Prochester Place,London W2 2PE!.

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 24, 2007 07:39 AM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
And very plush offices they were too!!

I have just been reminded of another title ADVENTURES OF A PRIVATE EYE with Harry H Corbett,now how could I forget that gem!!!

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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

- posted June 24, 2007 06:33 PM      Profile for Adrian Winchester     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
"I also forgot to mention that Major8 released CRUEL PASSION too,which starred KOO STARK & MARTIN POTTER."

Mark - you did in fact have this in your original list, as for some reason the release was titled JUSTINE. I have a print and it even has a basic opening title saying this instead of the proper main title. Perhaps they thought customers would be too embarrassed to ask for 'Cruel Passion'!

--------------------
Adrian Winchester

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Mark Williams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 846
From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 25, 2007 02:46 AM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanx for the info Adrian.

These titles changes are always very confusing,I bet it saved the punter a look of embarresment when he went into his local 8mm dealer amd asked for some reels of CRUEL PASSION please-LOL!!!

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted June 25, 2007 06:18 AM      Profile for Kevin Faulkner         Edit/Delete Post 
Yes it was Quality products. Thanks Barry and Andy. They were enough to me when I worked at Ilfords that I was able to pop along during my lunch breaks.....those were the days [Smile]

Kev.

--------------------
GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Andrew Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 784
From: dundonald,belfast,co.antrim,northern ireland.
Registered: Jan 2006

- posted June 25, 2007 09:55 AM      Profile for Andrew Wilson   Author's Homepage         Edit/Delete Post 
Kevin,did you not think that Quailty products were a bit more expensive than any were else at that time?.Andy.

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Kevin Faulkner
Film God

Posts: 4071
From: Essex UK
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted June 26, 2007 07:49 AM      Profile for Kevin Faulkner         Edit/Delete Post 
Not especially. I always found that they had special offers for shop customers and bought quite a lot off them for the years they were in existence. Even though they specialised in Sport films they always kept stocks of the current releases of the time.

What I also liked was that they specialised in promos and trailers especially from the USA.

Kev.

--------------------
GS1200 Xenon with Elmo 1.0...great combo along with a 16-CL Xenon for that super bright white light.

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Dave Alligan
Film Handler

Posts: 47
From: Suffolk
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted June 26, 2007 09:14 AM      Profile for Dave Alligan   Email Dave Alligan   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I remember getting a trailer for ET from Quality products before the film came out at the cinema, when I showed it to the family they couldnt believe that i had a trailer for such an up to date film like that.

Dave

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Steve Ellison
Junior
Posts: 21
From: Wigan
Registered: Aug 2006

- posted August 02, 2007 07:15 AM      Profile for Steve Ellison     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The 'nice young lady' mentioned by the original poster was Patricia Hamilton...who worked for the legendary Stan Long and ran Major 8 Movies from her penthouse in Paddington. I knew Pat quite well in those days and she was a lovely lady. Once had tea with her at the Grosvenor House, and Anthony Newley was on the next table ! I well remember the event at the Commonwealth Institute...in fact I exhibited there(Phoenix Films).Those were the days !

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