8mm Forum: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer { 1938 }

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Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on August 28, 2006, 04:58 AM:

David O Selznick produced this classic Technicolor film prior to Gone With The Wind.

Available in 5/400ft reels can fit onto 1400ft reel [home made with 50mm centre fits ST/GS] running time about 70 minutes.

Cast

Tommy Kelly as Tom Sawyer
Jackie Moran as Huckleberry Finn
Ann Gillis as Becky Thatcher
Walter Brennan as Muff Potter
David Holt as Sidney
Victory Jory as Injun Joe
May Robson as Aunt Polly

Directed by Norman Taurog
Music by Max Steiner

Tom lives with his aunt Polly and to his annoyance also with Sidney his half brother, no matter what Tom gets up to whether he is in the right or wrong he always seems to come out the worst of it, and with Aunt Polly always siding with Sidney he just cant win.

He has a girlfriend Becky who he is always trying to impress but even here things are not working out. There are many amusing scenes one of which is when Tom is forced to take his medicine, and while Aunt Polly is distracted he feeds it to the cat, with hairaising results. [Smile]

Tom has had enough and decides to run away with Huck the townspeople after searching the river for the boys conclude that they must have drowned, actually down river playing pirates and after the food runs out they decide to return not relising the trouble everyone had gone to looking for them, they return to town in time to hear a memorial service being held for them, and from listening from the balcony and upon hearing all the nice things people are saying about them decide to make there presence known.

Much to everyones delight and relief upon seeing them, turns to anger, as Tom lets it slip that they were playing pirates. Later Tom and Huck witness a brutal murder in the graveyard by Injun Joe, poor old Muff is also there and he set up to take the blame.

Only the boys no the full truth and during the trial Tom comes forward to help his friend Muff, and tells that it was really Injun Joe that comitted the murder, this leads to Injun Joe throwing a knife at Tom in the witness box narrowly missing his head before making his escape.

The climax of the film happens when during a school outing to a cave Tom and Becky become lost, adding to this a rockfall traps them, and unknown to Tom, Injun Joe is in the cave with them with revenge on his mind I wont tell you how it ends up that would spoil it.

Its hard to imagine this film was made in 1938 it has lost none of its appeal the acting is superb in particular Tommy Kelly as Tom, also there is much more to this film than the brief description above, its a classic I would highly recomend for everyone, forget DVD, the colour {natural} looks great this is what Super8 is all about.

PS. I have two copies of this film the first bought over 10yrs ago from Derann second hand and the colour is fading. [Frown]

The second bought here in NZ which has exellent colour [Smile]

[different stock] the reason I mention this, there are good prints around but if you are thinking of getting one just be carefull!!.

Graham [Smile]

[ August 28, 2006, 02:20 PM: Message edited by: Graham Ritchie ]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 28, 2006, 10:21 AM:

I have this feature as well! It is so incredibly charming! I have mine on 3X600ft reels and it fills them nicely, (with a vintage trailer for Snow White on it!) I have noticed that the color does vary slightly. Some of the early scenes are slightly muted, then there are other scenes where the color just jumps off the screen. The sharpness is quite nice and very passable for a print of this era on super 8. Grain is more than acceptable. Unfortunately, mine has the slightest of Kodak SP fade, so my color is slightly off on a few reels, but still very enjoyable. Good review.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on August 28, 2006, 02:40 PM:

Thanks Osi
I have added a bit more to the review regarding colour, and as you say there are scenes it does jump right at you, thats why I cant imagine DVD looking the same, it really does suit Super8.
Graham. [Smile]

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 29, 2006, 09:09 PM:

Graham-

Thanks for the review.

Who released this one on super 8? Was'nt it also available as a 400 foot digest?

Nick.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on August 29, 2006, 11:59 PM:

Was this by any chance an ABC Films release?

Doug

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 30, 2006, 09:59 AM:

Yes, it was an ABC release.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on August 30, 2006, 03:58 PM:

Hi Doug ,Osi, James.
Sorry for not replying sooner been busy at work, your right Osi its ABC I dont really no much about them I think they were american excuse my ignorance on this one. It was released as a 400ft, not sure if the feature came out at the same time. There is a difference I noticed between the two prints, one print starts with The Selznick Studio intro, the other print has a MGM intro instead. [Confused]

Graham.

Posted by Paul Spinks (Member # 573) on August 30, 2006, 04:49 PM:

Hi,
the ABC film library prints were released by Ken Films of Fort Lee NJ. They released some excellent titles. I have been searching for Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca", one of their most popular titles, for a long time now but it rarely shows up on the used lists. Their feature release of "Straw Dogs" was the only way UK Home Cinema enthusiasts could see this film as it was banned by the BBFC and remained uncertified for many years.
Best wishes,
Paul.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 30, 2006, 07:32 PM:

Hey Paul, would you happen to have a list of what was released under the "ABC" banner?

I happen to have the "Tom Sawyer" feature with the original "Selznick" titles, which is pretty cool!

Posted by Paul Spinks (Member # 573) on August 30, 2006, 08:10 PM:

Hi Osi,
I'll have to do this from memory so if I miss some out maybe someone can fill in the missing titles.

Intermezzo
The Paradine Case
Rebecca
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Little Lord Fauntelroy
Duel in the Sun
They Shoot Horses Don't They?
The Killing of Sister George
Straw Dogs
For The Love Of Ivy
Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice
Portrait of Jenny
The Spiral Staircase
Ruby Gentry
Junior Bonner
Spellbound (I think)
The Garden of Allah (I think)

All of these titles were edited down to 5x400ft reel versions.
Best wishes,
Paul.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on August 30, 2006, 10:25 PM:

I believe ABC also released both a feature and 400' version of "Lovers and Other Strangers". Also possibly "Charly"?

Doug

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 31, 2006, 10:13 AM:

Was ABC also the folks who released "Too Late the Hero" (Starring Micheal Caine, 1970)?

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on August 31, 2006, 02:02 PM:

ABC / Ken also released "Take the Money and Run" (Woody Allen) in 400 foot digest and full length.

Nick.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on September 15, 2006, 11:01 PM:

Ooooh Boy, I would love to
see this release in color.

I think that High Noon was
another release too.

Michael

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on September 05, 2018, 08:54 PM:

Hi Osi

Thanks for you PM the other day regarding this film. I had a look at both prints and sadly both have now faded [Frown]

I think the ABC was on Eastman SP, looking at the other feature there is no ID on the edge of the print anywhere regarding its source.

I tried to reply through the forum but your mail box is full and cant send you an e-mail...that aint working either [Frown]

...so thought I would reply to your PM here instead.

Sorry I cant help more, but its really unfortunate, that both feature prints have now got to this stage of fade.

Anyway hope you can find a good one [Smile]

Posted by Luis Caramelo (Member # 2430) on September 06, 2018, 05:37 AM:

hi! Michael,the film high noon was from iver films,it,s the full leght in 5x400ft a great print and sound.one of mine favorite western.
best;
luis caramelo

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 06, 2018, 11:14 AM:

Thanks for that reply ...

I'll still hold out hope on this title being found on low fade. Anything is possible in the world of super 8. I mean, i found a low fade L.P.P> print of "Till the Clouds Roll By' on L.P.P. when every other print I have seen was on pinky eastman stock ...

So, it's possible. I have a print of this "Sawyer" and the seperate reels are hit and miss. Some sections look like there's not a spot of fade and very accurate colors, then there's other reels that are obviousyl more faded. I have read that just because a print is the full 5X400ft, that doesn't mean that all five reels came from the same film lab, even if the same film stock. I've ran through 4 copies of this through the years, and even though my last reel (5) doesn't have the perfect blacks, (so necessary for a long "cave" sequence), it's the best that I've seen yet.

My hope?

Either a low fade of this, or maybe finding an old camera shop that has a nice, unopened Kodak SP print of this in they're air conditioned basement, just gathering dust. It's about the only chance I'd have of finding an unfaded kodak SP. [Smile]

Posted by Panayotis A. Carayannis (Member # 1220) on September 06, 2018, 12:53 PM:

Put ABC Films on "search" and you will get all the answers.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 24, 2018, 11:52 AM:

I must have just lucked out on at least an "OK" color print of this title. here is a link to one on sale at this moment, but it's certainly red.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-8mm-Sound-Feature-Film-THE-ADVENTURES-OF-TOM-SAWYER-1938-Tommy-Kelly/332815686716?hash=item4d7d5c5c3c:g:7LwAAOSwZttbpkhr

my print actually has almost passable color but all the reels are Kodak SP. A few of the reels have almost perfect blacks and decent colors (even in the night scenes), so I'd better hold onto it, eh?

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