8mm Forum: Star Wars (just getting into Super 8)

This is topic Star Wars (just getting into Super 8) in forum 8mm films for sale/trade/wanted at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Nicholas Cook (Member # 2973) on March 14, 2012, 08:37 PM:

Hey guys,

What an awesome forum!

I'm just getting into Super 8 collecting, right now I'm trying to get my hands on some of the Star Wars reels. I'm a huge Star Wars fan, repeated searches about different versions of Star Wars on Super 8 continuously brought these message boards up, so I decided to make an account.

From what I hear, Star Wars is considered common on Super 8 and is slightly on the cheaper side, thank GOD! This is a nice change compared to Laserdiscs, comic books and vinyl records, where anything Star Wars related is at upper end of the spectrum.

Earlier this week I received the silent, B&W 200 foot reel, just wanted to check it out. Went over to my grandparents today (they own the projector), my grandfather hadn't used the projector in at least 5 years and despite my recommendation to consult the manual, proceeded to flip the leader before starting the projector, snapping the tape during the opening credits.

We removed the tape, rethreaded it, wound it onto the takeup reel and i noticed it was playing too slow, suggested bumping the speed up to 24fps and the projector locked up, burning a hole in the film [Frown]

The projector was a Eumig Mark S 709. It ran without a hitch as long as the film was threaded properly [Wink]

Can you not change speeds while projecting? I didn't think this would be a problem...

Anyways, a replacement reel is in order. The completionist in me would like to eventually get the two 400' reels, as well as all 3 versions (silent B&W, silent colour and colour with sound) of the 200' reel, just so I can say I have all the versions (call me crazy... [Big Grin]

)

I was hoping to find other Super 8 collectors in Canada or the US who would be wiling to part with any Star Wars reels.

I was hoping to keep it around $10-15 for the 200' reels (with about $5 in shipping). You guys know more about the prices than I do, so let me know if this is unreasonable.

Also, I'm sick of reading ebay listings saying "the film is in excellent shape!" I ask about fading, and get "oh, we'll I haven't actually WATCHED it... but the reel looks fine"

Sorry if this was more of an introductory post... hope to see you guys around, there are a few other digests I'm looking to pick up (not all at once) including Indiana Jones, Alien, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Logans Run, I'm more into 70s-80s sci fi. I like the older stuff just as much, but I collect so much other stuff I'm being a bit selective about how much I spend on Super 8 (for the time being, anyways... we'll see how long that lasts [Eek!]

)

[ March 16, 2012, 01:22 AM: Message edited by: Nicholas Cook ]

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on March 14, 2012, 08:52 PM:

Hi Nicholas, and welcome to the forum! I think you're in for a real "eye opener" when it comes to STAR WARS on super 8! [Big Grin]

Posted by Tommy Woods (Member # 2437) on March 15, 2012, 02:56 AM:

Hi Nicholas
I agree with Joe re-Star Wars,however if you should somehow be successful in sourcing these at that price and decide not to have them, could you give me the wink [Wink]

welcome to the forum

Tommy

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 15, 2012, 05:07 AM:

Hello Nicholas
Good to hear you mention the old Laserdisc of Star Wars and one I have kept unopened for many years. Bit sentimental about the film as with several school friends we all went to see it during the first week it opened in central London and the cinema was full to capacity so they let us stand at the back and watch the entire film. Fond memories of the first time I viewed SW and I expect many on here can recall a first viewing as well in the 1970's on the big cinema screen. Welcome to the forum in a galaxy not so far far away..

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 15, 2012, 01:12 PM:

How technology changes (and welcome to the forum!)

I was down in the park for the Saturday morning Flea Market last year, and a fella was selling a bunch of Laserdiscs that a friend had given him in lieu of rent and then ran off. He amazingly only wanted one dollar for each one ...

My Pick?

The deluxe Box set Letterboxed original STAR WARS Trilogy, all CAV discs, with a ton of extras, as well as a hard bound book of Lucasfilm and they're special effects. The amazing thing was that it didn't even look like it has been played!

... oh, and I also got "Quack-Busters" a rather rare Warner Brothers Animated Feature starring Daffy, Bug's and the gang!

Posted by Pasquale DAlessio (Member # 2052) on March 15, 2012, 01:20 PM:

Hi Nick

Welcome to the forum. If you want to purchase Staw Wars films you have to first take out a morgage. If you all ready have one, then a second is recomended! [Confused]

Posted by Hugh Thompson Scott (Member # 2922) on March 15, 2012, 08:03 PM:

Hello Nicholas and welcome to the House of Mirth.Regarding your
projector,the Mark S709,which is a workhorse and should give
you many years service.Regulating the speed should only be done
with the switch in the verticle position,no running or lamp,alter
the speed and let it stabilise for a minute and away you go.
"Star wars", well their are plenty of gents on this forum who are
experts on this phenomena and you won't go far wrong by
consulting our very own Jedi Knight ....Osi Osgood,what he doesn't know on this film isn't worth knowing, so he'll keep you
straight.

Posted by Nicholas Cook (Member # 2973) on March 16, 2012, 01:16 AM:

Osi, it's good to hear that things like that still happen [Big Grin]

I've literally been looking for Star Wars laserdiscs for over a year and have yet to come across them for a reasonable price. I'm looking for used copies, don't have to be 100% mint, but as long as they play well and don't have many scratches I'll pay up to $10 apiece, which I think is fair.

The closest I've come (twice) was one guy who had the early (non THX) releases and wouldn't go down to $25 from $30 for the three (and was being a jerk about it) and another who said $10 per disc would be fine, turns out he wanted $60 because each of the movies is 2 discs... [Mad]

Hugh, thanks for the info about the projector. We tried switching speeds while the film was running [Eek!]

I guess I was expecting it to be like flipping the switch from 33 to 45 on a record player, but no such luck, just some melted film [Frown]

I'll keep that in mind for the next time haha

Posted by Nicholas Cook (Member # 2973) on March 27, 2012, 05:11 PM:

Just recieved my replacement for the aforementioned black and white 200' reel

I looked at the front of the box and saw this ugly, brown, square-shaped stain on the front of the box, kind of bugged me until i found out what it was from

I unrolled a few feet of film and noticed almost immediately the leader was different from my other black and white reel, plus there was fading...

It's a Color & Sound version! The sticker fell off and the stain on the front is adhesive residue! The guy listed it on ebay and sold it to me for $8 with $7 shipping.

It also came with the little fold-out catalog. Was very surprised.

It it quite faded, but the text at least appears green during the intro. I have yet to watch it all the way through.

Posted by Eric Ray (Member # 3000) on March 27, 2012, 09:49 PM:

Are there 3 different reel sizes for the Ken Star Wars F48?
I have the 5 inch reel of b/w Star Wars (bought new back in the day) and the 5 inch reel version with color and sound. I see what appears to be a 7 inch version of Star Wars on Ebay sometimes.

Posted by Chris Fries (Member # 2719) on March 27, 2012, 10:34 PM:

Hi Eric,

Welcome to the forum. Yes, there is a 7 in. 400' reel of Star Wars F48. There is a great review of all the different Star Wars super 8 digests here.

http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000045

[ March 28, 2012, 01:06 AM: Message edited by: Chris Fries ]

Posted by Nicholas Cook (Member # 2973) on March 27, 2012, 10:36 PM:

Just 2 sizes for F48, 5" and 7"

the 5" came in b&w, color silent and color with sound

the 7" only came in color with sound (but was released in both a cardboard box and plastic clamshell case)

there were also the two F64 releases (flat and scope) both in clamshell cases

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