8mm Forum: DCR films

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Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on March 11, 2012, 06:54 PM:

Did DCR ever produce a catalogue as Ive never seen one.

If someone has one any chance you could scan it in.
Thanks,
Graham S

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 13, 2012, 07:18 AM:

Morning Gray. Don’t think they ever produced a cat as such, certainly I have never seen one. They mainly advertised in the old Movie Making or Film Making magazines which I’m sure you will have seen around and its worth picking some of these up if you see them about as a useful tool/ point of reference. Keep well lad.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on March 13, 2012, 07:33 AM:

I seem to remember a list of theirs coming in a pack of catalogues, etc. from Mailmaster films back in the day. Not a catalogue as such.

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on March 13, 2012, 04:59 PM:

Thanks Lee and Michael for that info.

Yes Ive also seen the numeros adverts in Movie Maker and this is my main reference since there are no catalogues. I quite like DCR films for their shorts and documentries because there are some you wont find anywhere else. We should all thank Dave for bringing these to super 8 and their later releases were on LPP so good to find, and print quality was pretty good too.

Graham S

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 14, 2012, 10:14 AM:

I found it fascinating that Dave recorded all his super 8 prints himself using a synchronised reel to reel tape recorder in what amounted to a shed in the garden. Just goes to show how successful you can be with a fairly basic setup, which reminds me I must watch some DCR films this week. Looking back (here I go again) they sure were great and memorable times Graham. Sent you PM.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 15, 2012, 02:24 PM:

Dave West of DCR Released some very unusual stuff as you rightly
say Graham and as Lee pointed out was a bit of a one man band
who achieved some excellent results.One of my favourites done
by him, is the excellent documentary on pioneer flight entitled
"The Wind in the Wires"narrated by James Mason,which still
brings a lump to my throat when you see all those brave men
flying in things held together with glue and string,as Mason says
"The skys will never see flyers like this again" A nice film and one worth keeping an eye out for.I do believe that we all share
this nostalgia Lee,it does seem strange when you open one of
the old "Movie Maker" mags and realise that all those firms
that advertised are gone,as are Tony Rose,John Wright, Ivan
Watson.On this depressing note I'll leave it or we'll all be looking
for a rope!

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on March 16, 2012, 09:23 AM:

I have a number of their railroad films. Two of my favorites are "Terrier to Wooton" and "Piccadilly Line to Shanklin". These are both shot in the Isle of Wight in the 1980s. Both are amateur productions, but this is a compliment: they are very good ones. ("Terrier" was the very last brand new Derann print I bought, and has a prominent "Derann" logo at the head.)

Is it possible that if we work together here we can build up a list and give DCR kind of posthumous catalog? I'm sure I have at least five I can contribute.

Posted by Mal Brake (Member # 14) on March 16, 2012, 09:33 AM:

Hi Steve,
I also have the two films you mentioned. If you like those,
another to look out for is Tracks Around the Island which covers the various transport modes on the Isle Of Man.It proved to be popular with rail fans and general audiences alike.
To follow up your suggestion I will check what DCR prints I have/had in my collection.
Mal

[ March 17, 2012, 07:42 PM: Message edited by: Mal Brake ]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on March 16, 2012, 09:42 AM:

Hi Mal!

I have "Tracks Around the Island", it is a good one. It describes the railway there as being built to the "Rare 3 ft. gauge" which in North America was (and still is) the most common narrow gauge.

Off the top of my head I have:

"Ffestiniog Holiday" (1x600 Ft.)
"Land of the Little Trains" (1x400 Ft.)
"Tracks Around the Island" (1x400 Ft.)
"Terrier to Wooton" (1x300 Ft.)
"Piccadilly Line to Shanklin" (1x200 Ft.)

-probably more when I can get to my shelves...

"Terrier" was supposed to arrive from Derann on a 400 foot reel but was squeezed onto a 200 footer. I had at least 1/8 inch of film beyond the flanges. The opening minute of that first projection was a little tense. Our friends at Gepe set things straight.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on March 16, 2012, 08:39 PM:

Two More:

Journey Into Spring (1x600)
Between the Tides (1x400)

Also, lot of the Looks at Life ("Look at Lives"? "Looks at Lives?") I bought from Derann have this lable:

Is it reasonable to assume these titles in the Derann Catalog all started out at DCR? I have a file with all the Derann titles in it.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on March 17, 2012, 05:35 PM:

I still have the DCR David Lean feature "Great Expectations 1946" an outstanding film, as with the print and sound.

I used to have "Oliver Twist" 1948 another David Lean film I am pretty sure it was also a DCR release.

One film I bought new from Derann years ago was "Vickers Aviation" 50 years of achievement from the vickers corporation. I am pretty sure although it states a DCR release at the begining it was printed and recorded at Derann.

An excellent film by the way.

Graham.

PS. Just thought, would someone like to add a bit more regarding DCR the people behind it and the business itself, would be interesting.

[ March 17, 2012, 08:05 PM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 18, 2012, 05:00 PM:

Did you chaps know that Columbia actually infringed Dave West's
copyright on the release of their 400' condensation of "Scrooge"
Which was probably released as "A Christmas Carol" in the US.

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on June 17, 2012, 09:27 PM:

Hugh, How did Columbia infringe upon Dave's copyright? Wouldn't Columbia have had their legal eagles check all that out prior to the release of the "Scrooge" digest?

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on June 18, 2012, 12:29 PM:

DCR also had another title, "Davelyn Films". Mr & Mrs West?

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 18, 2012, 12:42 PM:

Dave West had the UK rights to the film and even went so far as to
put it in "Movie Maker" at the time.Come to that it was a pretty
scarce film over here from Columbia,Daves film being the more
common.I think his 400' version ran for 23 mins.Some years ago
when I was searching for a copy of "Scrooge",I was having no luck
this would be about 1991/2 and so I enquired of Dave himself,
who told me that he wasn't going to be making anymore copies
but was prepared to sell me the negative.I didn't wish to get into it this deep, so I patiently waited for a copy to turn up secondhand,which it did.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on June 27, 2012, 04:44 PM:

I have just come across the very issue of "Movie Maker" that has
DCRs advert where he mentions this,I quote "PLEASE NOTE THAT
"A CHRISTMAS CAROL" DIGEST VERSION IS ILLEGAL.PRINTS ARE
LIABLE TO CONFISCATION". That was December's issue 1979.
So Columbia must have infringed his copyright.

Posted by Panayotis A. Carayannis (Member # 1220) on June 29, 2012, 04:53 PM:

Here is a DCR list

...

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on July 03, 2012, 08:14 AM:

Well done Panayotis,he also released a few aviation films and a
longer complete version of "Night to Remember" and a great
comedy "Night We Got The Bird",plus the excellent tribute to
the early flyers "The Wind in the Wires" col & b/w snd.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on July 04, 2012, 06:37 AM:

A real oddity on that list that I have is the 'Dick Turpin' TV episode. An uncharacteristic release for DCR and I can't believe it was really an "import"!

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 03, 2013, 12:48 PM:

I had a catalogue of DCR, it came with my very first purchase, which was 'Not wanted on Voyage', contained photocopied pages; I never received any others. Graham, I have Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and Tom Brown's Schooldays, also from him Carry On Admiral, and Oh Mr Porter.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on August 03, 2013, 04:21 PM:

I have PLAYING TRAINS and DRAW THE FIRES but I believe these are from Derann. Did they reprint some of this material?

Bill [Smile]

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 03, 2013, 04:29 PM:

I wouldn't be surprised Bill, they snapped up some of the negatives of Collectors Club, and took on Movietone News from Powell Films.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 03, 2013, 05:31 PM:

I was offered the negative of "Scrooge" by Dave, for the princely sum of £60.00, this would be in 1991,I had been searching for
a print of this film, Dave only had the neg. thankfully, Ian at Perry's came to the rescue.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 04, 2013, 04:01 AM:

What happened to Keith Perry?, he was the owner when I was buying films.

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on August 04, 2013, 05:02 AM:

Hi Robert, he lives in Spain in retirement after he left "our Ian"
to run the show,which he has done admirably.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on August 04, 2013, 07:04 AM:

From DCR I have:
Scrooge
The 39 Steps (Kenneth More)
Days Of Thrills And Laughter
Green For Danger
Quite a few Look At Life
Advert reels

All were treated with 2:22 and are good sound and picture.

If you see any secondhand get them.

It was always a please to call Dave and order a film, another gentleman of the film world.

DCR also had the rights to the Gilbert & Sullivan opera films. Also I think Romulus Films "Sailor Beware" He also had quite a few RKO shorts too.

Sad if the negs have gone.

Hugh you should have bought "Scrooge"

Still a couple I need from DCR though.

Posted by Jonathan Trevithick (Member # 3066) on August 05, 2013, 04:22 AM:

I have a Sheila Graber double bill and an Isle of Wight Look at Life from DCR.

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on August 05, 2013, 11:45 AM:

He came up with a lost RKO short of The Glenn Miller Orchestra, at the beginning a voiceover announces that Glenn miller is missing and Tex Beneke has taken over . They were still hoping Glenn would turn up. The Miller family had a disagreement with Beneke and when The Glenn Miller Story was made he was written out of it.

Posted by Steve Ellison (Member # 658) on November 11, 2015, 12:47 PM:

I've a glossy folded 'flyer' here for Daves release of Never Take Sweets From A Stranger(?). Must dig it out. There is also a flyer for the DCR release of Land Without Music.

Posted by David Skillern (Member # 607) on November 11, 2015, 02:18 PM:

Hi all,
I was going through my collection on the weekend and I screened my copy of DCR's Ask a Policeman - which not only is a brilliant comedy - but the print and sound was excellent . I also have Oh Mr Porter, Convict 99 and the brilliant Alistair Sim comedy thriller Green for Danger. These prints are still of excellent quality - Dave West of DCR did release quality products.

David

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