8mm Forum: Raid on Entebbe (Super 8 color sound)

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 14, 2007, 10:52 AM:

Here's a wonderful nugget of 70's history. This film is based on actual events! This was released by IVER'S FILMS. 5X400FT.

The story (history) is classic. An airliner is hijacked by German terrorists, who are connected to the Palestinians. It is a Iraeli airliner, which has over a 100 Jews as well as a number of other nationalities. The head terrorist is played by Horst Buchholtz, (most well known as the young "straggler" in the film "The Magnificent Seven"), and he commands that the airliner be diverted to Uganda, where Idi Amin welcomes them with open arms.

Back in Israel, the leaders plot as to what to do. The other countries are sitting on thier thumbs, not willing to help the Israeli's. They know that negotiations won't won't, besides, they have a "no negotiations with terrorists" policy, so they start to weigh thier options. The head leader is played by Peter Finch, in one of his last roles. He contacts the Israeli military, headed by Jack Warden (whoi died just last year) and the ever reliable Charles Bronson. They come up with a counter terrorist plan. They do dry runs tiume and time again, to get it down to the last second, as they don't want a whole bunch of dead hostages, which would cause a worldwide problem as well as potential world war!

Even as they are already in the air, flying to Uganda, the politicians argue over whether they should send this operation out. The military simply is waiting for the word to go ahead. Finally, politicians agree, and the operation "Thunderbolt" is under way.

They land undercover of night, (the whole operation happened at night), and moves smoothly. Seven of the eight terrorists are killed. (In a decent moment, the head terrorist has the opportunity to blow themn all up, but decides to put the pin back in the grenade, giving the terrorist a little bit of humanity, instead of just making them some cartoon actions figures.

History speaks for itself. Only one solgier was killed, and only three hostages, (caught in the gunfire, one of them stupidly standing up.), and one old woman, who was taken to a ugandan hospital, after the sucessful operation, was never seen again, sadly.

Before taking off, the solgiers blow up the Ugandan jet fighters, (so the ugandans can't blow them out of the sky while they escape_, as well as killing off the Ugandan troups that had come out to aide the terrorists against the Israeli fighting forces.

All racial politics aside, whether jew or gentile, you have to admire the hutzpah of this incredibly sucessful operation. There has not been before or since, such a sucessful operation!

As stated earlier, Peter Finch died shortly after this film came out. All the actors do a really good job, you get the sense that this was something these people really wanted to be in and they are not just phoning in thier performances. The only actor who appears to ham it up a little too much, is Yaphet Kotto, (more well known to us from the film "Alien"), who plays Idi Amin in an almost cartoon way.

This was actually made for TV. The TV running time was two hours and ten minutes, but this film was so well made that it was released to theaters, cut down to 118 minutes.

This Super 8 version is cut down to approximately 100 minutes, (give or take a minute), but largely, it is well edited, no doubt taking most of the minutes out of the preparations for hostage rescue, and concentrating on the important moments. There are a few rough cuts, however. Also, changes of filters for daytime/nighttime are a little ragged, but passable.

This is on Agfa stock and the colour hasn't faded a bit! Contrast is fine. The sharpness is just passable. Not perfect, but this is a common failing, (I have heard) with IVERS film releases) The sharpness is marginal, but it does pass.

The sound is incredible! It is mono, but it is incredibly loud and sharp, with great hi and lo end to it.

By the way, when I bought this print, it had incomplete titles. I found that the film, after the end credits run, had an additional "20th Century Fox" logo, followed by the IVERS films "The End" titles. So I took that FOX logo and put it on the beginning of the film. Since the logo had no soundtrack, (since it was at the end of the film), it didn't add any adverse soundtrack problems to the beginning!

This was just another very good buy from Derann films which, if I may give yet another plug, is always reliable for a great buy and many a rare title on super 8mm in thier used sales lists!

A great film of a magnificent military operation!

[ March 14, 2007, 06:47 PM: Message edited by: Osi Osgood ]

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 14, 2007, 02:07 PM:

Oh that was nice to read Osi....
When the Ivor logo came onto the screen here years ago my very young Son and I used to say "here comes Uncle Ivor". My lad is now 22 and I dont have many Ivor Films now, but good to read such a review and hear Ivor Films mentioned again.
Lots to remember here tonight....

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on March 14, 2007, 04:53 PM:

Osi, I had that IVER print, but was very disappointed that it was heavily edited....not for content, but for time. [Frown]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 14, 2007, 06:51 PM:

Joe,

True, it was edited, but I found that the parts edited out slowed down the original film, though there are a few things I would've liked to have seen.

On a strange side note, I looked up this film on Yahoo and found that there are very few copies of this out there, and the VHS (and I think, one version of it on DVD with really bad print quality), and the video versions run slightly over 50.00 dollars, which is what I paid for this print on Super 8!!

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on March 14, 2007, 08:21 PM:

It's a great 5 reeler Osi, but I just don't like edited features.... The missing scenes may slow down the action, but I love the details and the news report scenes that are missing from this particular film. You got a great deal though...and it is the most complete version on super 8mm. [Smile]

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on March 15, 2007, 12:19 AM:

I foun many times that IVER released this title in three version, one reel digest, three reeler and five reeler.

I am not like Joe, who loves the details. I rather go straight to the action.

So my question, can anybody who has seen the three parter tell me how the story flow and what do you think? And does the three parter also have the same quality like Osi told above?

thanks,

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 15, 2007, 04:28 PM:

Winbert, I wish I could give you details on the three parter. I do feel that the five reel version flows pretty good.

Diffrent versions can vary a lot, as they might use different film stocks for different versions.

For instance, IVERS released a five reel version, (or 3X600ft. version), of Shout At The Devil, and most copies have faded badly. I'd love to find a good copy of that title!

Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on January 14, 2009, 02:24 PM:

I have just obtained a print of this movie and have to agree with Osi's review, wholeheartedly. The colour has survived very well indeed, considering the age of the Iver release. The sound is "booming" (more complaints from the neighbours coming, I fear)

What makes all the more special, is that it only cost £28.00!

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on January 14, 2009, 02:42 PM:

I think the only downside to this release (I bought mine rather cheap as well), is that it isn't as sharp as todays releases, but quite good, none the less!

Good to hear from you, Bro!

Posted by Trevor Collett (Member # 5465) on July 23, 2016, 02:27 AM:

Watched my Iver Films print of RAID ON ENTEBBE last night. This edited feature (from 121 mins to 100 mins) moves at a brisk pace. Right after the opening credits (which seem complete) we’re on an Air France flight being hijacked by Palestinian terrorists. This edited version concentrates on the hijacking with the planning and execution of the rescue mission. This was the second major international terrorist attack against Israelis, the first being at the Munich Olympics in 1972 (21 HOURS AT MUNICH was the TV movie made from that – that movie is highly recommended). But this time Israel wasn’t prepared to stand by and let others control the events.

I really liked this film. And I’ve only ever seen this abridged version. The lead up to the raid builds anticipation and when it happens it’s an exciting release of tension.

The cast is excellent as well. Peter Finch, Yaphet Kotto (as Idi Amin), Charles Bronson are the headline actors with a supporting cast of solid performers including Martin Balsam, James Woods, Eddie Constantine, Jack Warden, John Saxon and Robert Loggia with Horst Buchholtz. Directed by Irvin Kershner who would a few years later bring us STAR WARS EPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

I’ve always found RAID ON ENTEBBE (this version anyway) extremely watchable and is recommended. Even though made for television, it has cinematic credentials in performances, staging and direction.

The print has retained superb color as at July 2016 (no fade or turning to red whatsoever). Good picture quality including brightness (although super 8 is commonly on the softer side and this is a slightly soft print as pointed out in the original review above). The only real flaw in my print is that there is movement in the picture frame. This is not a result of worn sprocket holes – it’s gentle movement up and down in the frame itself without the film frame line ever becoming visible. Definitely a printing error. A little distracting, but the experience of watching the film overcomes this. May not apply to all prints.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on July 26, 2016, 10:40 AM:

Mine didn't have that movement that you described. I have a reel of "Thunderball" (optical super 8 features) that have that same "rolling" effect. A shame, as it has perfect color.

Posted by Trevor Collett (Member # 5465) on July 27, 2016, 01:56 AM:

I got my print second-hand and it may have been a 'reject' print. I know Derann let some titles go cheap that had printing errors, probably other companies did this as well. I had forgotten this problem, and while a little offputting at first, it became less important as the movie progressed. At least it wasn't juddery like you get with worn sprockets. The print itself is in excellent shape.

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on July 27, 2016, 03:20 AM:

I belive that at one time the reduction printer at Buck labs had problems with the revolving prism in the mechanism. It showed up as vertical movement in the picture. It built up slowly over a while and the worst example was the test print of "Calamity Jane" shown at BFCC, the printer was then stripped down and rebuilt to cure the trouble.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on July 27, 2016, 04:29 AM:

Thanks for the info Brian!

You learn something new in this hobby, every single day!! [Wink]

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