8mm Forum: Gerald McKee

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Topic: Gerald McKee

Jonathan Sanders
Film Handler

Posts: 82
From: Bath, England
Registered: Oct 2005

posted June 27, 2007 06:59 AM

I have just learned that the British cine enthusiast Gerald McKee recently passed away. I'm told by a close friend of his that he was 83 and died of leukaemia, having been ill for some time in a nursing home.

Gerald wrote 8mm film reviews for Film Making magazine (rival of the better-known Movie Maker) between 1976 and 1980. He was also the author of several books for the cine collector: "Film Collecting" (Tantivy, 1978) and its self-published sequel "A Half Century of Film Collecting" (1993); "The Home Cinema" (Classic Home Movie Projectors 1922-1940)and its sequel "The Cine Days" - although I'm not absolutely sure that he completed and published the latter (perhaps someone can confirm?) before the stroke which severely restricted his activities in September 2001.

For many years Gerald also edited "Flickers", the magazine of Britain's Vintage Film Circle. By profession he was an industrial photographer and movie-maker, and an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society.

He collected films on all gauges, beginning in the early 1930s with a toy 35mm projector, which his parents soon disposed of - due to worries about nitrate fires! - and replaced with a 9.5mm machine. I think 9.5mm remained his greatest love.

I cannot claim to have known him well; we never met, but in the late 1990s we got in touch and exchanged copies of our books and he would send me video transfers of his 9.5mm silent rarities, to which I then added music tracks for our mutual enjoyment. He struck me as a very kind and courteous man, always willing to share what he could, without entrenched opinions about any aspect of his hobby. Sadly, after his stroke we lost touch due to his difficulties in communicating, but I still have his letters and remember him with affection.

Perhaps any members who knew Gerald better would care to share their memories of him.

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 27, 2007 08:45 AM

Very sorry to hear of this Jonathan. I have two of Gerald's books - 'Film Collecting' and 'The Home Cinema'. They are both terrific reads, expertly written, and crammed with all the technical details of film collecting. They will remain forever as essential references for anyone interested in film collecting.
I never met Gerald, but you can always glean from a book something about the character of the author. I had concluded long ago that Gerald must be a very nice gentleman.

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Andrew Wilson
Jedi Master Film Handler

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

posted June 27, 2007 11:09 AM

I too am saddend by the passing of G.MCKEE!His articles in Film making were always first rate,easy to understand!He will be missed,
a man who knew his cine stuff.Andy.

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Trevor Adams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 763
From: Auckland,New Zealand
Registered: Jun 2003

posted June 27, 2007 04:17 PM

As another devotee of McKee writings I to,mourn the passing of a true gentleman and scholar. If Cine Days exists, I'd love a copy!Trevor

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Trevor

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David Kilderry
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 963
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Registered: Feb 2006

posted June 28, 2007 06:47 AM

Very sad, another true buff from the golden era of Super 8 and film collecting in general is gone. I too love Gerald's book "Film Collecting".

Trevor, if find two copies of "Cine Days" then let me know!

David

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 06, 2007 07:11 PM

I came across this page from Gerald's wonderful book 'The Home Cinema'. It perfectly captures the magic of the home cinema that we all know and remember. I think it makes a nice little rememberance of Gerald:

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The best of all worlds- 8mm, super 8mm, 9.5mm, and HD Digital Projection,
Elmo GS1200 f1.0 2-blade
Eumig S938 Stereo f1.0 Ektar
Panasonic PT-AE4000U digital pj

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Trevor Adams
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 763
From: Auckland,New Zealand
Registered: Jun 2003

posted July 08, 2007 05:16 AM

Nice one Paul.I'll tell you what is the "real" fantasy-it is the squared shoulders and carefree spring in the step of the bloke carrying the projector and speaker!Trev

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Trevor

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Jim Carlile
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Burbank, California, USA
Registered: Apr 2007

posted November 25, 2008 01:07 AM

Just today came across a fabulous 3-page McKee article from a 1970 Movie Maker that details some great 8, 16 and 9.5 collecting tips. His point was that 9.5 pre-War treasures are around and worth seeking out. He also mentioned many of them by name (amazing) and that most were in private hands at the time and rarely found on the market.

A collection of these articles might be worth making up. Really well written and informative-- his knowledge of old (old!) films was impressive, as too were Pathe's 9.5 gatherings and the extensive Kodascope series of releases that apparently ended in 1940.

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