8mm Forum: TWO TARS on 2 reels

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Posted by Tony Stucchio (Member # 519) on January 20, 2006, 07:06 PM:

I've noticed that most silent 8mm and Super 8 Blackhawk prints of TWO TARS on Ebay are on 2 reels. My restored version with the music track is on one reel. Did the pre-restored Blackhawk have an extra-long historical prologue that made it too big for a 400' reel?

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on January 21, 2006, 11:08 AM:

Tony,

"Two Tars" has a running time of 21 minutes. Blackhawk's catalog lists a 430' silent version, with their mag sound prints coming in at 22 minutes. Although I don't have that particular short, I'm sure you're correct about Blackhawk's intro pushing it just beyond the capacity of a 400' reel.

Doug

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on January 21, 2006, 02:14 PM:

Also, some people refer to 400 feet films as "2 reelers". I think a long time ago, film reels didn't exceed 10 minutes. Thats why in many of the old Blackhawk 400 foot shorts, you can see the circle marks in the upper right hand corner about half way through the movie.

Nick.

Posted by Tony Stucchio (Member # 519) on January 21, 2006, 07:39 PM:

I call them 2-reelers too, but in the pictures on eBay you can see the double size box and 2 400' reels. My sound version fits comfortably on a 400 foot reel, and that's the way it came from Blackhawk since there are no splices. I was just curious why the pre-1975 un-restored version couldn't fit on a 400 foot reel. I've been tempted to buy one just to find out! :-)

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on January 22, 2006, 02:06 PM:

Tony,

It has been reported by a friend of mine that has moved entirely from 8 to 16mm, that Two Tars is a 3 reel film. He has a version that has at each reel, a plaque that reads: Reel One, Reel Two, and Reel Three. He has left this in his print to illustrate the unique quality of Two Tars.

Two Tars is an extra long silent short, and I donot know if Blackhawk tinkered with the action to make it move quicker in order for it to fit it all on one reel?

I have a Regular 8 silent version of The Second Hundred Years, by Blackhawk.
It was originally on 2 - 200 foot reels and someone had mounted it on one - 400 foot reel. There is a splice joining reel one and two, with the title card printed into the film stating Reel One and Reel Two.

Keep in mind, that footage of reels is designated in terms of measured length and not by the reels the film is mounted on.

Off hand, I do not know the calibration that determines the difference between specific reel length.

Michael

Posted by Tony Stucchio (Member # 519) on January 22, 2006, 07:11 PM:

TWO TARS was originally planned as a 3-reeler called TWO TOUGH TARS, according to William K. Everson in his book on the boys. But all books (including Everson's) list the film as a 2-reeler. I have never even heard a rumor that additional footage exists. I just thought that the author of the Blackhawk prologue might have been in a rather verbose mode when he wrote the intro to this film, which many consider their greatest silent.

I have only seen the Blackhawk restoration of this film, which does not include the typical prologue. I have never seen the older Blackhawk versions of this.

I just may pick one up on Ebay one of these days. It usually can be had for around $10. I have always wanted to compare the quality to the restored version anyway.

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