8mm Forum: Ken Films was still operating until 1984 (a proof)

This is topic Ken Films was still operating until 1984 (a proof) in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008923

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on January 26, 2014, 10:52 PM:

We only knew that Ken Film had closed down in 1982 when they released Star Wars "Empire Strikes Back".

But I found this auction War Games.

Zoom on the picture and you will see this:

According to IMDB this title was released in May 1983.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086567/releaseinfo

Knowing that the window time is usually between 6 months to a year before a film can get released on video, I made then an assumption that this film was released by Ken Film in 1984.

So this is suffice to say that Ken Film was still operating until 1984.

Any advise or input?

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on January 30, 2014, 02:26 PM:

Is it possibly a reproduction from a catalog advertising a Beta or VHS version that somehow was exclusive to KEN? I'm pretty sure that by 1981-1982 Super 8 was pretty much limited to closeout sales, etc. with the only exception being DERANN, of course. It's petty clear that what's being shown are not original cartons.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 31, 2014, 12:59 PM:

I don't know if this would help, but many of the companies that supplied only super 8 (or 16MM) prints, ended up moving directly into video releases and only kept super 8 going as a sideline.

I do know that Ken Films did release they're low fade LPP STAR WARS and EMpire Strikes Back digests in mid December of 1982. It's possible that they continued in super 8 production, but I just don't have any facts as to any prints after December 1982.

I do know that WARGAMES made it onto super 8 as a low fade feature. If anybody has this feature, now, could they please look at it's original leaders and see if they say "Ken Films" anywhere on them, (as they did place they're names on the actual leaders).

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on January 31, 2014, 01:22 PM:

I'm sure I saw this film at the Blackpool do when it was first out and the box labels were like the above. Plus I think it was in one of those 7" 45rpm record boxes that the features were in.

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on January 31, 2014, 05:07 PM:

Come to think of it, I seem to recall RED FOX advertising this title, but I believe KEN actually printed it being that they had the rights to the MGM/UA titles.

Posted by Mark Todd (Member # 96) on January 31, 2014, 05:37 PM:

I always though Derann released it. I`ve only been wrong for 25 years or so then !!!

Best Mark.

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on January 31, 2014, 07:38 PM:

I've always thought of it as a Red Fox release, as Brad says, so presumably it was licensed via Ken, but the label is surprising. Derann did later sell it and I thought it was one of the negatives they obtained from Red Fox, but perhaps it was Ken who passed it on. It wouldn't surprise me if Ken still traded up to 1983 or 1984 as it must have been around then that I recall the enormous delivery that Derann received that was the remainder of Ken's stock. It was a great time to be a collector in the UK, due to the amount of bargains available, the early signs of the revival, and the availability of genuine imports from Red Fox and LA Films.

Posted by John Hourigan (Member # 111) on February 01, 2014, 11:33 AM:

I have a business filing (from a LexisNexis search) that shows that Ken Films ceased business in 1982.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on February 03, 2014, 12:13 PM:

It must have been at the end of the year, because film leader doesn't lie ...

Unless ...

Someone got ahold of Ken film negatives and continued to print them, but that would seem doubtful, being that they had an exclusive liscense with FOX films and I'm betting that FOX films would have demanded that the negatives be destroyed or given back to Fox?

Posted by Brad Kimball (Member # 5) on February 03, 2014, 12:19 PM:

Unless DERANN or RED FOX worked out an arrangement where they agreed to take over the contract KEN had going with FOX, MGM/UA. DERANN did release "Die Hard" and several other FOX titles after 8mm was already on its way out.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on February 04, 2014, 10:53 AM:

A 1984 Red Fox catalog lists Rocky & Some Like it Hot as Ken Films releases. None of the catalogs I have mentions these films as previously being available.

Doug

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2