8mm Forum: Choosing Films

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Topic: Choosing Films

Phil Betts
Junior
Posts: 10
From: Plymouth, MN, USA
Registered: Feb 2016

posted February 01, 2016 02:19 PM

I'm gonna jump right in here. Mostly when I Google an 8mm topic it ends up here so...

What will be my best sources of old films? I l love Laurel and Hardy and especially love Buster Keaton. Are there brands to avoid (assuming everything is a copy)? I would love to focus on this era and let the collection grow from there.

Thanks!

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I don't feel like an old man. I feel like a young man with something wrong.

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Andrew Woodcock
Film God

Posts: 7477
From: Manchester Uk
Registered: Aug 2012

posted February 01, 2016 02:47 PM

Blackhawk produce some of the best prints from this era I'm led to believe but look also at some Walton prints. They can be very good in my limited experience with these type of films.

Some Collectors Club prints may well be of interest to you also Phil.

Others will know far more than I ever will in regard to older b/w prints.

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

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Joseph Randall
Master Film Handler

Posts: 437
From: Wyckoff, NJ, USA
Registered: Jun 2015

posted February 01, 2016 04:37 PM

Blackhawk L&Hs are generally complete, while I've heard that Waltons are slightly edited. I say "generally" since most had at least part of the main titles replaced, and some weren't available in any more copmlete versions at the time they were released (e.g. BATTLE OF THE CENTURY, PACK UP YOUR TROUBLES.)

Buster Keaton Blackhawks are very nice, though only a handful were available. COPS is not complete, though the footage missing was edited out of most prints when it was re-issued. Niles overlapped some of the Blackhawks, but also had a few titles not available from Blackhawk. Picture quality from Niles can be below average with soft focus and bad contrast.

Enrique Bouchard released some Keatons, mostly the independent features. I have a print of SHERLOCK JR. that was sold to me as a Bouchard, although there is nothing on the film to indicate this fact. Picture quality is acceptable, closer to Niles than Blackhawk.

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