8mm Forum: DUMBO! (first WDHM feature, perhaps only feature?

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 13, 2016, 12:15 PM:

I could be wrong and I'll cetrainly be corrected if i am not ... but i remember reading many years ago that Walt Disney Home Movies (WDHM), in thier official days back in the 70's and early 80's, dabbled in releasing officially, one of thier feature films in releasing for a very short time ... Dumbo?

Is this right or wrong?

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 13, 2016, 02:00 PM:

Never ever seen one complete WDHM full feature Osi.
That's not to say one doesn't exist somewhere in the USA
But if it does,..I've never ever seen one, and I'm a keen spotter of these things! [Big Grin]

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on August 13, 2016, 02:28 PM:

Osi,

It's possible, however I've never heard of that. The last Disney Catalog I have is from 1980 (The Black Hole is the new release) and there is no mention any full length features.

Doug

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 13, 2016, 02:48 PM:

Never ever ever seen such an item..as said.

If anyone will know for sure, it surely has to be the maestro of S8 Disney himself...Gian Luca Loncreni!

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on August 13, 2016, 02:48 PM:

Hi Osi

I am not aware of Walt Disney Home movies ever planning to release Dumbo as a feature on Super 8. I would suspect their last releases would have been around 1979/80 Black Hole might have been one of their last digests. There was a feature release from Italy for Dumbo it was a bit worn in terms of negative marks. Derann were also selling Dumbo at the Blackpool convention in 1987 for £100. This was close to their Buying of Techno negatives from Italy . A later release using a different negative was also released by Derann in 1990s it was close to the quality terms of their other Disney releases. The only criticism I would have would be that the construction of the circus at night scenes were printed slightly too dark otherwise it was close to perfect.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 13, 2016, 02:54 PM:

I have Dumbo and it is totally unfaded and a very nice print, but it isn't of the quality of the rest of the Derann prints I have from Disney.

I think it's a first generation print that I have, shall we say! [Wink]

Not that I'm complaining, given its rarity now, it's nice to have any at all! [Smile]

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on August 13, 2016, 03:16 PM:

I think Derann sourced different negatives through the years. I only bought my copy because Derann brought it to one of the the Belfast conventions and Mike Dimmock's recommendation was I would be happy with it. Mind you I was able to project it five minutes later in the cinema room so it would have been embarrassing [Eek!]

if it hadn't been good!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 15, 2016, 11:12 AM:

Thanks for the comments, folks. I'm wondering if "Dumbo" might have been one of the prints like "The Fox and The Hound" that was released in the UK by a certain firm. Not legal WDHM prints then, but they weren't all that shabby and comparing them to some super 8 feature releases, (before Derann), downright good.

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on August 15, 2016, 04:05 PM:

Im sure there is a small shelf somewhere with all the legit releases sitting on it. A very small shelf with no chance of overspill [Smile]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 15, 2016, 06:22 PM:

Or a very large one Mike! [Big Grin]

Posted by Luke Hopkinson (Member # 2649) on December 19, 2016, 11:39 AM:

I have Dumbo on Super 8mm but it is not a Derann print (I think). I have not watched in years. When I get a chance I'll see if there are any markings on it. I know it was re-recorded into stereo. I got it from "The Reel Image" about 3 years ago.

[ December 20, 2016, 01:10 PM: Message edited by: Luke Hopkinson ]

Posted by Panayotis A. Carayannis (Member # 1220) on December 20, 2016, 02:04 AM:

I also have DUMBO,bought in four reels.Most probably an italian print,with original soundtrack and near Derann quality!

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