8mm Forum: Straw Dogs who released it?

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Posted by Pablo Alvarez Roth (Member # 655) on July 21, 2007, 05:34 PM:

Hi every one I have bought my second super 8 feture, boy I am happy it´s the cult favorate "Straw Dogs" by Sam Pekinpah.

This film I bought it though ebay for 39 bucks and good deal, it was on 2 800ft reels but the seller was kind enough to cut the film onto 4 400ft reels, a job well done with good leader and care.

the print is quite nice, nice color kodak eastman A 9 safety film and no scratches on the film.

Unfortunately they came without the box, so I made a nice box with pictures from the original poster, images and dvd covers, but my question is who released this film on super 8, in the begining it says, abc pictures international, but did they realese prints on super 8?. (I´ve never heard of this super 8 company)

Posted by Brian Hendel (Member # 61) on July 21, 2007, 08:48 PM:

Yes, there was an ABC distributer that released a series of features back in the 70's. The ones I remember are:

Straw Dogs
Cabaret
Song of Norway
Charley
Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice?
Take the Money and Run

Those are the ones that come to mind - maybe someone can list the ones I have forgotten.
Although they put out their features on 5 X 400' reels they were slightly abridged.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on July 22, 2007, 05:37 AM:

Two of their other features were 'They Shoot Horses Don't They' and 'The Last Valley'. The 5 x 400' reels came in a box with an illustrated lid. If yours is now on 400' reels, they must be pretty full! Looks like you got a bargain.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on July 22, 2007, 10:15 AM:

Peak Films Ltd based in Canada released all of the ABC features in 1979,The colour features were abridged to 5 x 400ft but the black and white features were complete and uncut!!

The prints were usually excellent too.

Here's a list..

STRAW DOGS-DUSTIN HOFFMAN
CABARET-LIZA MINNELLI
TOO LATE THE HERO-MICHAEL CAINE
DUEL IN THE SUN-GREGORY PECK
THEY SHOOT HORSES DONT THEY?-JANE FONDA
SONG OF NORWAY
THE LAST VALLEY-MICHAEL CAINE
TAKE THE MONEY & RUN-WOODY ALLEN
JUNIOR BONNER-STEVE MCQUEEN
FOR THE LOVE OF IVY-SIDNEY POITIER
REBECCA-HITCHCOCK
NOTORIOUS-HITCHCOCK
SPELLBOUND-HITCHCOCK
PORTRAIT OF JENNIE

There were a few more as well but I can't remember the titles,any idea??? [Confused]

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on July 22, 2007, 11:01 AM:

& i think the Last valley is a very underated film which i am pleased to own although it is slightly edited on the 5 ax 400ft release thru ABC. If you get a chance to get, its an excellent film with Omar Shariffe and Michael Caine with a superb soundtrack by brilliant John Barry,
Image colour and sound are all very good.

Posted by Robert Wales (Member # 502) on July 22, 2007, 11:13 AM:

Peak Films may have sold the ABC films but they did not release them. I was quite friendly with the owner of the business those many years ago. If memory serves I actually think ABC went through Ken Films.

Surely someone out there still has the boxes with some fine print on them ?

[ July 22, 2007, 03:16 PM: Message edited by: Robert Wales ]

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on July 22, 2007, 12:38 PM:

Just to clarify PEAK were only the UK distributor of these ABC Corp titles,KEN FILMS were the US & Worldwide producer & distributor.

Posted by Pablo Alvarez Roth (Member # 655) on July 22, 2007, 01:45 PM:

Wasn´t straw dogs also released by marketing?, how many reels did it come in, I plan to soon compare my version with the dvd to see how much of it was cut.

Anyone have a can or picture of this box, I made my own custom cover but I would like to find out a bit more about this version or others of this film.

It seems this film came in two large 800ft reels in a round tin look at this picture of the box.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on July 22, 2007, 01:58 PM:

Hi-Pablo,
No Marketing never released STRAW DOGS as far as I am aware,the Ken release came on 5 x 400ft spools in a cardboard box of which the cover has been taken off and stuck on the tin in your picture.
Also one of the reels was printed back to front,can't remember which one which is very amusing when you see a sign in the bar/pub back to front!
I personally think the cut version is far better than the over long 118 min theatrical version as it gets rid of several long winded dialogue scenes and gets to the action far quicker,the last 20 mins are still incredibly powerfull!
Both of the prints I have previously owned have been excellent,with great colour and sharpness.
I hope this helps.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on July 22, 2007, 05:03 PM:

Just remembered that I used to have a print of "The Killing of Sister George" which was on 5 x 400' and I think was another ABC release.

I think the print of this was OK and my 'The Last Valley' is quite good. However, I bought 'They Shoot Horses Don't They' and found it was so soft that I got Derann to exchange it for 'The Last Valley'. I don't know if all prints of 'Horses' are as bad, though.

Posted by Pablo Alvarez Roth (Member # 655) on July 26, 2007, 01:24 PM:

Is the ken version of straw dogs, diferent from my abc version?, does anyonde have a sacn of the box?.

cheers
pablo.

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on July 26, 2007, 01:41 PM:

They are one and the same,ABC were the worldwide distributor and Ken released them in the USA & Canada on 8mm.

Posted by David Kilderry (Member # 549) on August 19, 2009, 12:40 AM:

All of the above just answered all the questions I had about this print. This forum is a wealth of information; I don't even have to ask a question, just search for the answer.

Mine does not have a box.

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on August 19, 2009, 02:04 AM:

Hmmmn, 'Straw Dogs' eh? Now that film was famous for the use of a pre-production Triumph Stag throughout - RVC 430H. Whatever happened to that particular car?

Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on August 19, 2009, 02:24 AM:

John, according to the DVLA website, it was registered on 26/03/1970 and last road taxed up until Jan 1987. It was probably scrapped a long time ago.

But it might, just might be lurking in a barn some where... [Wink]

Mike

Posted by Mark Williams (Member # 794) on August 19, 2009, 03:46 AM:

Great detective work Mike!!!

That car was a real beauty!!

I wonder what happened to her???

Cheers MW

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 19, 2009, 01:27 PM:

Maybe My Brothers Triumph Herald could step in, VDR 567? [Big Grin]

I suspect the number plate is worth more than the car.

Not quite the same is it [Wink]

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on August 20, 2009, 02:17 AM:

So your brother has a Triumph Herald eh Tom? I saw hundreds of Heralds at the weekend as it was the big TSSC show at Stafford.

With regards to the Straw Dogs Stag I was teasing a bit really. Take a look at www.triumphdvd.co.uk and from the Stag DVD page run the trailer - you'll see the car in question as it is today. Sadly I don't think it stands much chance of a restoration given the present condition.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on August 21, 2009, 11:27 AM:

A great car and the one most Triumph car owners would love to have had in there hey-day. I still a couple running around in Plymouth from time to time.

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