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Author Topic: Murder on the Orient Express
John Armer
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 139
From: Lancaster, UK
Registered: Jan 2015

- posted November 24, 2015 01:30 PM      Profile for John Armer   Email John Armer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I picked this title up at Blackpool on Sunday. Does anyone know anything about this release? It's Super 8, on 4x400ft reels in plain white boxes. I've yet to watch it all the way through, but I've sampled the first reel and the colour seems to be OK... perhaps a slight warming in some of the blacks and not the bluest of blue skies, but pretty good.

From what I can make it, it may have been an Iver films release, but I can't find out any more than that. Does anybody know what stocks Iver used? I wonder if the colour is as released or is it starting to shift.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

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From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

- posted November 24, 2015 01:44 PM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
I have the full length release of this print John. I got it from a fellow collector and though faded its still a good view. Lovely scenery etc and some big stars in it.

Full length it is on 6x 400ft reels, I have never come across a 4 x 400ft print so I am not sure about the origins of the one you have John but if it's an Iver print I have never seen one advertised for sale in recent years.

The original boxes are all stored away in the loft so I honestly cannot remember for sure who released the print I have. Hopefully we will both be enlightened by another collector here.

I did think it was a marketing print but thinking about it,the boxes were card not the usual blister pack kind that Marketing Prints came in.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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John Armer
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From: Lancaster, UK
Registered: Jan 2015

- posted November 24, 2015 01:53 PM      Profile for John Armer   Email John Armer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks Andrew... I might just prepare myself for two reels being missing at the end! Will report back.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

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From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

- posted November 24, 2015 02:19 PM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
I hope not John.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Tom Photiou
Film God

Posts: 4837
From: Plymouth U.K
Registered: Dec 2003

- posted November 24, 2015 02:41 PM      Profile for Tom Photiou     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I must admit i thought this was a full length release from marketing films.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

- posted November 24, 2015 02:49 PM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
Maybe it is Tom, I just cannot remember without seeing the boxes again. Never seen a 4x4 version though I have to say. [Confused]

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

- posted November 24, 2015 03:06 PM      Profile for Maurice Leakey   Email Maurice Leakey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
My copy of Marketing Film International catalogue of 1980/81 has this film listed as a full feature #4302 with a running time of 128 minutes.
However, it further says that it was only available in the U.S.A. and Canada.

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Maurice

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Mike Newell
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 826
From: United Kingdom
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted November 24, 2015 03:18 PM      Profile for Mike Newell   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Marketing film stock was thinner than most but I can't see 128 minutes going on 4 reels. It will be interesting to see if someone has made an abridged version out of a feature print.

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Dominique De Bast
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From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jun 2013

- posted November 24, 2015 03:24 PM      Profile for Dominique De Bast   Email Dominique De Bast   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
An Italian release was on 6 x 180 m (600 ft) http://passionesuper8.blogspot.be/2011/10/assassinio-sullorient-express-1974.html

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Dominique

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John Armer
Expert Film Handler

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From: Lancaster, UK
Registered: Jan 2015

- posted November 24, 2015 03:28 PM      Profile for John Armer   Email John Armer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Just found this link about Iver films:
http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=004408

It states
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS-Midi feature only ( 4 x 400ft=80 mins)

Setting the projector up now!

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

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From: Manchester Uk
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- posted November 24, 2015 03:49 PM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
Great news John! [Smile]

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Mark Williams
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From: West Sussex
Registered: Mar 2007

- posted November 24, 2015 04:43 PM      Profile for Mark Williams   Email Mark Williams   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Yes this is the full Iver release and pretty rare too these days 😊

There were also some full length super 8 library prints doing the rounds and an optical version too.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

- posted November 24, 2015 04:49 PM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks for the clarification Mark! Great that John doesn't miss the conclusion on his print. As good as it is, it is very talky this film and you do have to properly watch the film to follow the plot correctly.
It wouldn't be very good at all with any missing reels.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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John Armer
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From: Lancaster, UK
Registered: Jan 2015

- posted November 24, 2015 05:38 PM      Profile for John Armer   Email John Armer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Alas, it is missing the ending [Frown]

It's a real shame as I was really enjoying it... it got to the part where Poirot was interviewing the princess's maid. I will get the DVD so I can see the ending.

So I guess this is four reels of the 6 x 400ft version.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

- posted November 24, 2015 06:30 PM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
If you are big on your film John, rather than digital,you can have mine if you like for very reasonable money.

Its quite faded and i've watched it several times now plus the wife tells me almost daily, I need to cut down on the number of films I buy and keep.

In answer to your first question here John, from the era these were printed in, none will now look like an LPP print even if they ever could or ever did which I strongly doubt.
Print quality came a very long way from 82 onwards.Much of the earlier stuff on 8 can, at times, look very grainy and have soft focus issues in many many cases.

I used to love "That'll be The Day" on Super 8mm in the very early 80's, but I wouldn't be looking to buy it nowadays. It simply doesn't live up to the printing standards of any you see from the later period of releases for sharpness, colour or granularity despite the fact it is a really entertaining and charismatic film.

Some films are best left as a fond distant memory to me on Super 8mm to avoid disappointment from a re run, and this is one example of such.

It's entirely up to you John of course, but the offer is there if you would like the full print of this.

I may also be selling all of my Optical prints now as my interest in anything decent that I can find to view these on is waning fast I'm afraid.

Someone with a top machine would get the benefit from these far more than I can these days unfortunately.

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

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From: Bristol. United Kingdom
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- posted November 25, 2015 03:37 AM      Profile for Maurice Leakey   Email Maurice Leakey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I think that John should contact the seller and ask for a refund as the film is not complete, unless he was informed at the sale that it had reels missing.

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Maurice

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

- posted November 25, 2015 03:45 AM      Profile for Andrew Woodcock         Edit/Delete Post 
I completely agree with you there Maurice. It's totally unfair to sell an incomplete film without first warning the buyer that this may well be the case.

There are lots of films like this now on e bay where the sellers claim to have neither the equipment or the time to view them through.
I am always very wary of these type of sales now.
A good salesperson should always be able to provide a few screenshots and description of the films condition from beginning to end in my book.

Even if the film is a relatively cheap one.

[ November 25, 2015, 05:49 AM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

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"C'mon Baggy..Get with the beat"

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