posted November 02, 2007 03:51 AM                   

Hi all,

Perhaps it is only in the UK, US, Germany and some European countries where 8mm films are still in place. Yet, it is hardly seen a magazine is covering 8mm in their publications, unless in some dedicated/segmented magazines such as "small format", "Super8 Today", "Film for Collector" and sort of.

But when it appears in Indonesian magazine then it is quite surprising, noting that it is almost impossible to meet a collector here (even in Asia, unless a small number in Japan & Hong Kong).

However, the latest edition of ME ("Male Emporium"), a man life style magazine has changed that and one article of 8mm could increase 8mm fellow here.

Enjoy...

(I put a free translation for each page)



-START-

Rambo in Super 8mm

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On the second floor at [name of place], Winbert Hutahaean (WH) is keeping his entire collection of around 450 super 8mm films in a dedicated room which is designed like a mini cinema. The super 8mm film is a celluloid based format that is similar to the one used in regular cinemas, only it has a smaller width.

Because it is 8mm width therefore it is called super 8mm, while the regular cinema is using 16mm and Imax is 35 mm (wrong quote: it should be 35 mm for regular Cinema and 70 mm for Imax). The narrow width of super 8mm is intended for domestic purposes, i.e. projected in a small room or bedroom.

Due to its narrow width therefore, it is roughly only 20 minutes of show spooled in one reel and every 20 minutes we need to change with a new reel. According to WH, a [my official position] there are normally 2 reel size for home cinema, i.e. 200 ft and 400 ft. 200 ft usually consists of 1 reel while a long version of one film can be spooled on to 400 ft x 3 reels.

In his world of 8mm collecting, WH is not bound by one particular genre, but he is collecting all genres available, such as war, romance, drama, comedy, horror, etc. From entire of his collection, a father of two sons’ most favourite films are “Saturday Night Fever”, “MASH”

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and “the Mask”. A story line in “Saturday Night Fever” is an unforgettable memory for him. “The Mask” (ps: should be MASH, writer has misheard me) is also unforgettable for him, because this was his first 8mm film inherited form the parents. “It still can be played to date” while he is showing the film to ME [name of the magazine “Male Emporium”].

Using internet and friendship relations

In collecting the 8mm films, WH always spares his time visiting flea market in [name of a flea market in Jakarta]. It needs a further skill to find a good 8mm film, otherwise, a damage film is purchased.

Beside flea market, a post degree graduate from University of Wollongong in Australia has also a lot of chances to visit flea markets around the world, since his nature of works as a diplomat permits him to go overseas often. Every time during his official overseas trips, he will spare his time to find 8mm films.

He says that between his busy schedules during the overseas trips there should be always the time for sight seeing. One time he was assigned to Singapore. During his free time, he saw a house was being renovated and a bunch of 8mm films was piled in front of the house seemed going to be thrown away. Without any further consideration, he offered to buy the films and by only paying S$40, he brought around 30 films.

“They were too many and too heavy to carry them. So I just left them on the side road looking for a taxi. It took time to get a taxi,

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but, when I returned to that place, the films were still there. No one even wanted to touch them.” “I think Singaporeans were just crazy with (their new) VCD/LDs”

When he is in Indonesia, WH is hunting the 8mm films via internet. However, because the postage cost to ship the films to Indonesia is too expensive, therefore, he always uses his friends’ addresses who are being assigned abroad as diplomats and asked to bring the film with them when they are returning home.

However WH, the man with a prescription glasses, is not only collecting 8mm films, which was a big trend in 1970s, but he is also collecting Vinyls. In 19 years of his collecting time, he has now around 1200 LPs. A various genres of LPs are stacked in his room. To get the vinyls, he says that he does not need to go overseas because LPs are abundant in Indonesia. “Although there are quite a lot LPs here, but the price is quite step. For example, this [name of group]’s LP can reach Rp 700rb for each and this LP of [name of artist] is Rp 400rb each. The rarities are sometime increase the price”

-END-

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And know a little bit of "Narcism".....



Have a look to 2 x Elmo ST1200s in front of me and am holding Star Wars 2 + Slap Shot. Behind is an Open reel Tape Recorder (TEAC 7010 GSL).

At least, a Derann 8mm cover has once appeared in Indonesian magazine....

Happy filming super 8mm mate...

cheers,

[ November 05, 2007, 05:26 AM: Message edited by: Winbert Hutahaean ]

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Winbert

posted November 05, 2007 05:04 AM                   

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but you might be surprise of the amount of cine enthusiast in s'pore.

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LPs AND reel-to-reel; I couldn't agree more...

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Claus, actually there is another one....train models and I believe some forum members here are also doing this

Osi Osgood :

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I envy your Ben Hur cinevision print!

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Osi, but my prints have faded.....

Douglas Meltzer:

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And now we can take that picture and use it for a member photo!

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What kind of reel is on your ST1200 right near your head?

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posted November 15, 2007 08:27 PM                   

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...Behind is an Open reel Tape Recorder (TEAC 7010 GSL)...

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I have 2 of them "reel to reel"s One is a wollensak 1958-1960 T1515 tube amplified tape player. One is an AKAI 1970s SOLID STATE 4000DS with lots of features.
Here are some pics.





(NOTE: I do not own this ad, I found the pic on the web)