posted October 04, 2006 04:12 AM
Winbert, being a great fan of John Carpenter, I would recommend buying Assault. It's a very fast paced cut-down, if you're into action and gunfights. A "reel" classic for a 600ft. Isn't Assault from PM Film? (not sure, though...)
Posts: 1633
From: Cheshire, U.K.
Registered: Dec 2003
posted October 04, 2006 05:51 AM
Winbert, "Never Ending Story" was printed by Derann in the mid-1980's and I'm sure other forum members will back me up in saying that colours on releases from this era are not prone to the fade of earlier relases.
I used to have a copy and it was very nice indeed and well edited.
An interesting aside; during this time Derann offered this title as either mono or stereo (stereo being £10 more!) so both mono and stereo prints exist.
"Assault" was a PM release originally but was re-printed by Derann in about 1987. Again, if this is a Derann re-print, I don't think fade should be an issue.
I've never seen the "Assualt" print but I've owned copies of "Watership Down" from both PM and Derann (the re-print) and the Derann version was much sharper.
Posts: 591
From: Neath, South Wales, UK
Registered: Jun 2003
posted October 04, 2006 08:43 AM
My 'scope print of 'Never Ending Story' has kept its colour and is a very sharp print. I have the mono version and the sound is very good. The story is well edited Mal
-------------------- I'm gonna live forever or die trying
posted October 04, 2006 01:58 PM
My print of Assault has not faded. It's a bit dark but so is the film (mostly night scenes). I can't compare with the Derann print.
posted October 05, 2006 05:59 AM
Assault on Precinct 13 overfills the reel so must run for at least 30 minutes. If anyone has seen 'The Men Behind the Movies' series then you'll know this was cut down by Howard Billingham (BBC) and ended up being a real favourite of his.
The feature is a masterpiece (I hope they don't ever attempt to remake that one... oh dear!) and this 600ft reel is just as good. When I first saw it when first released I was convinced it was even better than the feature.
-------------------- British Film Collectors Convention home page www.bfcc.biz. The site is for the whole of the film collecting hobby and not just the BFCC.
Posts: 784
From: dundonald,belfast,co.antrim,northern ireland.
Registered: Jan 2006
posted October 05, 2006 04:06 PM
When RALPH MCGILL left super8 to go to the half a picture format(video);DERANN got the rights...So DERANN are still going strong,and thank god they are,while PMFILMS are no longer trading. So who had the last laugh eh?.Andy.
posted October 06, 2006 03:26 AM
I'd like a copy too Rob!!! My best mate bought a copy when we were growing up and he still has it to this day. Whenever he tried to thread it up loads of it would fall onto the floor as it overfilled the reel so much.
Jean-Marc, I was joking about hoping it doesn't get remade. I deliberately avoided it as remakes in general just sour my opinion of the original. Something I forget about in time but John Carpenter's film is one of my favourites - as are many of his films. I met the chap in 1994 and got him to sign my UK theatrical release 'Halloween' poster.
-------------------- British Film Collectors Convention home page www.bfcc.biz. The site is for the whole of the film collecting hobby and not just the BFCC.
Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003
posted October 06, 2006 05:12 AM
I agree this is a very good 600ft and a very full one, i watched it last night and it does run for a full 30 minuites, only gripe is its not scope and slight softness in the some pats of the picture show this as does a wee bit of pan and scan however, the editing and fast paced action makes this one of the best cut downs on 8mm. It does crop up from time to time on the lists and is usually a very reasonably priced reel.
My next investment is the two DVDs men behind the movies, to my discrace i have yet to see either
posted October 07, 2006 03:31 AM
And it takes multiple viewings of this reel to finally realize one of the main characters is killed and you don't even notice.
So when are you coming over Tom?
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posted October 08, 2006 10:30 AM
Derann's scope digest of NEVER ENDING STORY is great indeed, very sharp and with nice colours. This reel is also very full - according to the counter of my Elmo, the print is 185 meters long, which means it runs for 30 and a half minutes. A full length scope version of NEVER ENDING STORY was released by the German company Harnischmacher by the end of the 1980's, but collectors were very disappointed due to poor focus of the prints.
Just did as search (thanks Rob Young). Great to see some of the other comments about it. Of course, these were posted before the very inferior Ethan Hawke remake, which broke the key rule of the original - nobody is allowed to leave the Precinct alive.
posted July 14, 2010 02:41 AM
Interestingly John, I did see the first half an hour or so of the remake but couldn't take any more and had to turn it off.
It's been interesting re-reading this thread from 2006 as I'd forgotten a lot of the information I typed in myself. Wonderful to get these memories back. I think I'll be purchasing the 600ft reel next time I see it on a list.
-------------------- British Film Collectors Convention home page www.bfcc.biz. The site is for the whole of the film collecting hobby and not just the BFCC.