8mm Forum: Derann Kudo's

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 14, 2008, 09:06 PM:

Okay, I know, Derann has been praised countless times on this forum, but I just thought I'd do so once again!

Derann has never shafted me once, while others in the U.K. has been a little less than, shall we say, reliable. (Independent 8 is another incredible seller, and the priase listed here is the same for Him as well).

When it comes to color, for instance, Gary has NEVER overstated color, or lack of it. His assessments have always been spot on. Honestly, I can't say that for a couple of others, (who shall remain un-named, this is a case of "If you can't say something nice ...) who, in one case in particular, has overstated the condition of his prints EVERYTIME.

Derann's love for the customer is obvious, and I've never gotten the sense from them of a "sneer" and a "you should be lucky that WE even deal with you",attitude, as I've kind of gotten from others, (note, bad sellers are not just in the U.K. obviously, they're are bad sellers in the US as well). I mean, i actually still have 6 pounds with one seller in credit and I've had such bad problems with him that I could care less about my six pounds. THAT is saying a lot.

But not Derann, they really LOVE the customer.

Of all the people I'd love to meet, (and if I had only one choice) between Barry Atwood and the folks at Derann, I'd probably get really frustrated at not being able to make a choice, and go and pee in the corner of me padded little cell!

Posted by Mike Tynus (Member # 1108) on July 15, 2008, 04:03 AM:

You could never praise Derann too much!
When I visited London back in the 90's, I took a train up to the West Midlands, and the good folks at Derann let me hang out all day! Gary took me on a tour and let me take pictures and video of all the operations, from taking used film orders to film slitting. Ged demonstrated the whole recording operation to me. The tea kept flowing. Then, in all my excitement, it was suddenly time to make my purchases, and I unintentionally made the whole staff wait until it was completed, as the rule there is that everyone must leave together when locking up. They were all so cooperative! Then Gary graciously drove me to the train station. Shame I didn't meet Mr. Simmonds as I was there on a Thursday, his day off. Can't wait to go back, but more efficiently this time!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 15, 2008, 10:50 AM:

Great little story there, Mike ...

any other visitation stories from Forum members that we haven't heard? First visits?

By the way, what was your first purchase from Derann?

Mine? Always remembers it ... used sales list ...

ALIEN scope feature!

Posted by Clive Carmock (Member # 347) on July 15, 2008, 04:57 PM:

Agreed- Derann are spot on. Unfortunately I have so far only visited the shop oncee - as a teenager with my parents many years ago, though I have bought a lot mail over from them since!

Anyway that vist was to pick up a 4x400 ft 2nd hand print of X The Unknown, which I still have in my collection. They actually ran a few mionutes of each reel for me in the shop to be sure I was happy with the quality.

I still remember being told when I get chance to run the entire print if I was unhappy to return it for a refund. Happily it was in pretty much mint condition.

Clive

Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on July 16, 2008, 12:45 PM:

Osi, that's brought back memories...my first actual purchase from Derann was the trailer for "Gremlins" back when I was only a kid. I'd seen the advert for it in a UK publication called "Making Better Movies" and was amazed that people were still releasing 8mm films in the new era of VHS!

I managed to pursuade my Dad into writing a cheque for £7.50 to Derann after handing over several weeks of pocket money to him...I'm sure he thought I was mad and would never see the trailer.

It arrived only a couple of days later and I can still remember the excitement of coming home from school, finding that now familiar jiffy bag lying inside the post box and lacing up the trailer to a relatively brand new movie...remember these were the days when super 8 was supposedly dead and gone.

I must have run it over and over and still have it to this day. [Smile]

Posted by Wade Epler (Member # 1158) on September 05, 2008, 02:55 AM:

Yes! Derann has always been a pleasure to deal with...a couple of months ago, one of my orders had a mixed up reel (right box, wrong film) and Gary graciously allowed me to keep the film with a credit to my account! If I only have one complaint about Derann, it's that they sell out of their used titles so quickly! My first title from Derann was probably the 2x400 ft of Empire Strikes Back. It's because of Derann that I have this as a hobby at all!

Posted by peter booth (Member # 242) on September 05, 2008, 08:17 AM:

My first Derann purchases were in the 1960's,trailers to Beyond This Place,Grand National Night both Standard 8.The first feature purchased from them was Waltons Genevieve 4x400ft B/W,the pricec paid memory has diminished with time,regards,Peter.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 05, 2008, 09:41 AM:

Good heavens Peter, you've literally been with them from they're beginnings, yes?

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on September 05, 2008, 10:13 AM:

I discovered Derann on one of the Filmmaking forums, and I couldn't believe that new prints were still available in 2002. This was great news, but I had an obstacle: I was Silent Only back then. I had this nagging feeling I was missing out on something.

So I took the plunge and bought a sound projector. Now I'll never buy anything else! In 2001, my entire collections was silent, today? -maybe 10%. (...and I've very rarely sold a film!)

One of the nice things about it is opening up the mail when I get home and finding that flat cardboard package. Then I show it to my son and he says "We got a movie!"

Posted by peter booth (Member # 242) on September 05, 2008, 12:00 PM:

Yes Osi,I remember when they first started,when the lists were small and not packed with film.Their first hire catalogue was Standard 8mm,a nice glossy A5 printed catalogue.When the Super 8mm catalogue came out it was a series of loose pages held together with a plastic sleeve which slid on or off.Happy Days,
Peter.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 05, 2008, 12:22 PM:

My first introduction to Derann was back in, I think, 1988 or 89. I know someone can verify the exact time, because I got my first catalog from Derann films and they had, (Oh My Gosh!!) STAR WARS and they were just releasing CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE 3RD KIND!!

(That will narrow down when I got my first catalog, as I'm sure Kevin or Doug or one of the other on this forum can even verify the time of year even)

and, my first purchase from them, back then, a beautiful scope copy of STAR WARS!!!

I was going to buy CLOSE ENCOUNTERS, but is disappeared from thier listings. of course, now a days, we know that they were only able to make less than twenty prints, but at the time I felt so let down.

and now ... I have the rarest of even rare CLOSE ENCOUNTERS Super 8 scope prints ... the elusive non Derann original 1977 version. I still wonder if maybe I have the only known existing copy?

Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on September 05, 2008, 02:33 PM:

I "discovered" Deranns back in the late 1960's when they had their original "small" shop. It was mainly then a Film Library and on Saturdays, when it got busy, if there were more than 3 people in the shop and a fourth need to gain access, someone had to "leave". Then they moved to their more spacious current premises. Boy, was that so much better! The advent of the "upstairs" cinema was great. For a while they had two more shops. One based in Brierley Hill, just outside Dudley and another, in St.Albans, Hertfordshire.
I have to say that, unlike most things nowadays, their commitment and service to the hobby has never faltered.
If Derek is "looking down" from that cinema in the sky, he must be very proud of the "lads" and their achievements, despite his much missed absence.
By the way, my fisrt purchase from Deraan was "Wake of the Red Witch", on 4 x 400ft reels.I still have it now, along with many other "treasures" from the "treasure trove" in Dudley.

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