This is topic Collector Overload? in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.
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Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 09, 2018, 02:34 PM:
I had a strange moment the other day.
I was standing there in grazing mode: Looking over a shelf full of 400 footers as if I was leaning into the 'fridge looking for something to eat. I saw a Blackhawk: "Will Rogers, Big Moments From Little Pictures".
It sounds like the kind of film I'd like to buy, but I don't remember buying it!
It had tape on the leader (which I don't use) and had a Eumig leader trim (The Elmo trim works with Eumigs, so I always use that), so odds are excellent I didn't ever watch it either!
Kind of disturbing: it's like an anti-thief visited my film shelves (-kind of like a "put-pocket"!)
(As long as it's nothing incriminating! "Ummmm! I don't know how THAT got there! Somebody's framing me!")
Compared to a few people I know, I have a pretty modest collection. I've heard tales of collectors gone too far with rooms full of films they not only haven't watched, but aren't particularly aware exist either! Have I crossed that line?
How big does a collection usually become before any one film goes invisible like this?
PS: I watched it, I enjoyed it.
-if the next time I look for it I can't find it I am going to completely freak out! ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on July 10, 2018, 04:50 AM:
I haven't bought any film since 2 years ago. I don't really buy now since I feel enough with what I have collected so far.
To be honest, I still love real films but for daily entertainment I use the silver disc... ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on July 10, 2018, 06:29 AM:
I bet the Will Rogers film is one that came as a gift from The Reel Image....Steve O likes to send gifts and sometimes I will not remember buying certain films in my collection and then it hits me.....oh yeah..... ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 10, 2018, 08:06 AM:
My guess is I bought it at CineSea. I had a fairly decent haul last time and I think this one just got lost among the others.
Too often I find perfectly good films on the shelf that I bought, liked and watched only once. If I ever feel like I have nothing to watch: maybe this is the reason!
-I kept a list and updated it every time I got a new film until maybe two years ago. Maybe it's time to bring it up to date. I won't watch a film I don't know I have!
Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on July 10, 2018, 09:16 AM:
It depends how organised a collector is or the size of collection. I have come across films I had forgotten about and had duplicate copies of trailers and cartoons. Mind you there are some manic folk out there who buy, receive and never project. I have bought titles second hand with the cellophane just about opened and the sellotape still holding the film lead in its place. Record collector are just the same.
Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 10, 2018, 09:23 AM:
Maybe the warning signs start when you have to get really creative storing them.
Most of mine are actually on shelves and all of them have some place to go, but I've heard stories of people having narrow aisles up their staircases because every step has piles of reels on it, never mind the ones that take sponge baths (hopefully) because they've sacrificed their bathtubs to film storage.
-suffice it to say these collectors tend to live by themselves...
Posted by Rob Young. (Member # 131) on July 10, 2018, 01:00 PM:
A few years back I decided to sell off a lot of super 8 that was either fading or no longer of interest.
I was honest about condition, and the total was around 70 plus 400ft or 200ft titles.
Sometimes afterwards I would think, "Gosh, I wish I hadn't sold my copy of..."
Only to look and find that I hadn't! That has happened quite a lot, which makes me wonder what I did actually sell off! And how much stuff did I have? ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
Posted by Chip Gelmini (Member # 44) on July 10, 2018, 01:16 PM:
Everything I own is on 800 foot reels up to 2000 foot.
Depending on the make up I can have two or three cartoons plus trailers spliced to the first large reel. All of this from the early years of collecting before features. Money was tight so I built up cartoon and trailer screening running feature length time slot.
When features topped 150 I decided to break up cartoon and trailer programs, and added them to selected features. It is here when I too question whether or not I have the cartoon or trailer. I also don’t know which features they are on until of course I screen the movie and whatever is attached lights up my screen.
And, I like it. Because running a movie of this format is a good time for all who are there in the moment. But adding a trip down memory lane....well that’s just priceless not including some slight fade......
Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on July 10, 2018, 03:33 PM:
When the shelves list one way or t'other, time to re-adjust and re-connoiter - I have found duplicates among the throng, only to set them aside as trade barter - Gotta clean out that closet one of these days, so said Fibber - Cheers, Shorty
Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on July 10, 2018, 03:54 PM:
I sometimes see a film and think "Should I buy this - or do I already have it?"
Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 10, 2018, 04:23 PM:
We had a hassock with a hinged lid: I filled it with 200 footers.
-but what then to do with the 300 footers?
I talked my wife into buying a second hassock!
-Now isn't that just a little...creative?
Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on July 10, 2018, 08:54 PM:
Don't think you have crossed the line Steve ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
not yet anyway
If your film collection gets like this then Houston we do have a problem
Recognize this final shot of a certain well known film?
Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 10, 2018, 09:25 PM:
-absolutely! My wife has put out the stuff to take on vacation!
That tiny figure is me packing the car! (We have a cargo pod.)
(... )
Seriously, it does bother me a little that at a certain point each individual film matters less than when I had 30 or 50. back in those days a package showed up and I may not even have waited until dark to screen it.
(Raiders of the Lost Ark)
Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on July 11, 2018, 04:18 AM:
Reading through this fascinating topic made be start to wonder at what point does one seriously reach the point of overkill?
I guess it depends on the individual. It must be somewhere on some sort of graph that takes in the total number of films one owns... in relation to the frequency one views films....in relation to the length of ones film shows... in relation to the number of times one feels they must view a film to say they have watched it several times.(in other words.... have had their money's worth!).
Once this point is exceeded, I guess it is Ebay time!
Another thought.....
Who has a bigger collection? The person with 15 x 400' digests, or the person with a full length "Ben Hur" and "Gone With The Wind"?
Based on titles, the digest person wins 15 to 2
Based on reels (and I shall stand corrected on this one...)BH & GWTW amount to 20x 400' .... so they would win!
.
Posted by Patrick Walsh (Member # 637) on July 11, 2018, 05:23 AM:
my 35mm films are getting out of hand, Just found out I have 3 prints of THE MAGIC PUDDING and DEATH AT A FUNERAL
Posted by Melvin England (Member # 5270) on July 11, 2018, 06:36 AM:
Patrick - 3 prints of The Magic Pudding? That's not overload....... That's just GLUTTONY ! (ha ha)
Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 11, 2018, 10:58 AM:
Graham, great picture!
Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on July 14, 2018, 12:45 PM:
A very interesting topic. By sheer coincidence I am reading a book purchased for my recent birthday titled "A Thousand Cuts". It was mentioned in the latest edition of "Flickers" the journal of The Vintage Film Circle of which I have been a member almost since it started!!! The book is about quote, "The Bizarre underground world of collectors and dealers who saved the movies" by Dennis Bartok and Jeff Joseph. It is mainly about American collectors, certainly "overload" regarding some of them. Our own Kevin Brownlow is also mentioned particularly with regard to rescuing and restoring classic silent films. There are a few photographs one being a skip (Dumpster) full of discarded 16mm sound projectors, which a thought was a sad reflection of the way we have become a throw away society. It makes me wonder if T.V.s,and Video projectors will go the same way as has happened with the cine camera and amateur camcorder, V.H.S. player, Laserdiscs and domestic DVD Recorder. How much longer will DVD/Bluray players survive? On the plus side, in years to come, the ones not thrown away will become valuable antiques! Ken Finch.
Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on July 14, 2018, 02:06 PM:
Happy Birthday Ken!
That is a great book. I have the hardcover and have promised myself to re-read it every couple of years: just to keep perspective!
Hobbies are best as kind of the icing on the cake of life. Unfortunately there are too many people in that book that have lost their cake and have nothing left but the icing.
I run two Super-8 machines side by side and one of them is sitting on top of a blu-Ray player to feed signal to my VP. All three feed audio into my mixer and sound system. The projectors are both old enough to have kids in college, but the blu-Ray player will almost certainly go first: it's just not built to either last or be repaired.
With the trends in streaming media these days I wonder how long I'll even be able to replace it.
Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on July 14, 2018, 07:36 PM:
Over the last few weeks I have been dumping more badly faded prints and using those Elmo 800/1200 reels to place a number of 200 footers with there heads and tails removed onto those reels instead. Many of those shorts which are very good I have not watched in years, The thing about having a good cleanout, is that you come across films that I had all but forgot about over time.
Going through the Super8 and 16mm films I came to the conclusion that I need to screen them a lot more. Its really pointless having them otherwise.
Time for me to get real and watch the good stuff and not turn into a hoarder
Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on July 15, 2018, 05:53 AM:
Steve, you have confirmed my points exactly but I think the situation for those who would like to preserve the older technology is the difficulty in keeping the equipment in good order due to the decline in numbers of people who have the technical knowledge and skills required. In response to Graham's post, I think hoarding is part of the male genetic make up!! We just can't help it!! Ken Finch.
Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on July 16, 2018, 03:55 AM:
I think you are right Ken, must be something in the old brain department however I will try to fight it
Aside from film, I wonder how many people here are in that "collector overload" mode in other things as well?
Posted by Mark Mander (Member # 340) on July 16, 2018, 04:08 AM:
My Vinyl collection is definitely collectors overload and if I'm honest so are the films,don't tell the wife I said that though!!! Mark
Posted by Chip Gelmini (Member # 44) on July 16, 2018, 05:08 AM:
Some of us have way too many projectors especially ones of certain kinds
:-d
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