8mm Forum: Choosing Films

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Posted by Phil Betts (Member # 5230) on 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!

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on 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.

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on 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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