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Author
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Topic: Conventions
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Dave Alligan
Film Handler
Posts: 47
From: Suffolk
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted October 19, 2007 11:58 AM
Seeing as we are in the hight of the convention season, it got me think about the first convention that I first went to, this was the home screen scene at the Rembrandt Hotel in london, it was in 1979, I also went to all the BFCC's at Holborn Central Library, the hall in Red Lion Square (cant remember the name of the building), Watermans Centre, Top Hat Club and Ealing and not forgeting Blackpool, my first was in 1982 at the Gables Hotel,then it moved to the Cliffs Hotel in 1985 and Then the Savoy Hotel in 1995 plus during the year was Tadley,
Come on fellow collectors can anybody tell me how far back their first convention was that they went to.
Dave
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Adrian Winchester
Film God
Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004
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posted October 23, 2007 07:35 AM
I'm sure my first was a BFCC at Holborn Library, almost certainly spring 1982. In those days, there was only one a year. It was a nice venue with a proper projection box, although most of the dealers were in the 'cinema' so they could not sell during shows! It was smaller than later venues and I'm not sure if there were many more people attending then compared to now. This was the time when S8 was seriously in decline, before the major revival started. I recall the last show finished with the Uinversal 2 x 400' of 'Xanadu' which I presume must have been released since the previous convention. Another memory is that I walked past the premises of Mountain Films in New Oxford St on my way there, and they still had some 8mm in the window at that time!
Dave: are you sure the first Blackpool convention at the Cliffs was 1985? My first Blackpool was the last at the Gables, which I thought was perhaps 1983, but I could be wrong.
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Adrian Winchester
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Barry Attwood
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1411
From: Enfield, U.K.
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted October 24, 2007 02:49 AM
My first convention was also like Dave's, it was the Home Screen Scene '79 at the Rembrandt Hotel in London. This was a 2 day event, and I went on the Sunday. I remember that they had a dealers forum, and a very young Derek Simmonds told everyone of his forthcoming WB's/U.A. films he had coming out, the audience were spellbound (I wonder if an expectant DVD audience would react that way nowadays, as we all know they will come out eventually). I remember that there were at least 2 screening rooms, with varied programs, all day long. The myriad of dealers is now mind boggling, together with Derann, I remember Walton Films, Fletcher Films, Powell Films, P.M. Films, Iver Films, Perry's Movies they were all there, plus many more I can't remember now. This being my first convention, I left thinking I wanted more, which is exactly what the organisers had intended, and I never missed a London convention since then, it took me a few more years to venture out of London (I did go to the P.M. Films organised event in Slough one year, just technically out of London, I suppose), and I am now a regular at Derann's Blackpool bash each year.
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