8mm Forum: "1941" (Steven Speilberg) Universal 8 2X400

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 14, 2008, 04:57 PM:

I had remembered seeing this release a long time ago and had seen the full feature, and while this is only a 2X400ft release, it is quite enjoyable AND well edited!

The film begins with that wonderful complete beginning in which Speilberg does a take off on his own "Jaws" opening, (in fact, the same woman). She goes swimming to find herself on the periscope of a Japanese Submarine. The japanese come up (as well as a german in cahoots with them, played by Christopher Lee) and discuss thier plans to invade Hollywood, (which they think is the proper target). All the solders go back down, except for one private who finally looks up, (at a well rounded ass) and manically screams, with joy, "Hollywood!!" pointing up to her, even as the Submarine submerges.

We cut to John Belushi, (great in his role) as a completely wacked out pilot, who finds that the Japs are heading to LA. After completely anniallating the "gas station" he stops at.

We now switch to a airbase where a rather horny young solder has the hankering for a lady who only "gives it up" when
you either talk about planes or get her up in one. (She is the secretary to the general). He gets her up in a bomber (on the ground) and accidentilly drops out one of the bombs, rolling right at the general who is giving a speech on how safe todays military is, and how safe the people are in thier hands.

BOOM!!

We now cut to a family that is getting dropped off at thier house a "howitzer" (I believe), as he is on the coast and they have selected his family as one of the destinations for this BIG GUN. (back to him later)

Lastly, two idiots; a father, son and his ventrilioquist dummy,
are put on guard duty on top of a ferris wheel.

The stage is set.

We now switch to LA, where the people are told to get ready for Japanese invasion. The general could care less and instead goes to see the Disney film "Dumbo", (which makes him cry, as Dumbo is rocked on his mothers trunk to "Baby Mine"). The tank crew that dropped off the gun, (led by Dan Ackroyd and John Candy) try to take control outside the movie theater.

Back at the families house on the coast, they spy the japanese sub on the coast.

PART 2

The young solder gets into a small bomber (with the woman) and finally gets her up in the air, pretty much putting the plane in autopilot as he prepares to get her "landing gear" up as well.

Our John Belushi gets wind of a small bomber heading towards LA.
The chase is on!

Dan Ackroyd's captian knocks himself out while he is doing his own impromptu "Lights out" (blowing away all the lights on the block!)

The General continues to cry to Dumbo, oblivious to everything going on outside.

The father of the family gets the Howitzer ready for firing, pulls the trigger ... and blows away a good portion of his house!

The two men on the ferris wheel start firing at the jap sub with thier guns, and the lights of the amusement park go on. The Japs decide to fire on the theme park, sending the ferris wheel off it's foundation and into the nearby bay. The japs feel that they have struck a great blow for japan! Bonzai!!

Meanwhile, John Belushi has found the small bomber and starts to try to shoot it down! They end up having a great little dogfight over LA, (flying very low) and the bomber is finally brought down outside of LA in the La Brea tarpits!

Then, the local army national guard start blowing away John Belushi's figher! He's downed!

The night ends, and the morning comes up with nearly everybody in the film ending up on the Fathers land, (with the howitzer).
The father is rewarded for his patriotism. He takes a wreath, and sets himself to nail it to the door, saying, "Well, I'm not going to let no Jap spoil our Christmas!

He pounds the nail in, and this makes the already weakened house completely slide off it's foundation and into the ocean.

Run credits ... (very nice end credits, showing a little shot of each person from the film.

As I stated, this is a pretty well edited 2X400. It is actually closer to a reel 2X400, as it has about two minutes too much film to fit on a 600ft reel, even without the beginning Universal 8 logo's at the beginning of reel two, (which I edited out). So I would say that this is approximately 35 or so minutes.

The copy I have has the slightest bit of fade. Not absolutely perfect blacks, but very good color, just the same.
It should be noted, (as with the case of some other Universal 8 digests) each scene is introduced with a full frame intro and then proceeds to go back to a letterboxed image until the next change of scene.

SHARPNESS

The image is very sharp, the full frame shots are rather grainy, however. With the sharpness of this release, you don't mind the letterboxing.

CONTRAST

Quite good, no overexposed or underexposed scenes.

SOUND

It's your average mono and a loud booming mono it is!

I deeply appreciate that they kept that whole "Hollywood" scene at the beginning, (reiterated when the Ferris wheel goes into the bay to that same private whispering "Hollywood"), but I do miss Slim Pickens being taken on board the submarine, but with a film that runs over 2 hours, they did a pretty good job.

A fun release that rolls along at a express train speed, yet gives you most of the best scenes.

LONG LIVE SUPER 8!!

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on June 16, 2008, 02:28 PM:

Good review Osi, i did have a copy of this once, unfortunatly it was so soft in some places i had to return it. Was mine a duff or are there good copies ofthis title around?

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 16, 2008, 04:08 PM:

Tom ...

The full frame parts are a little soft. When it gets to the letterboxed sequences the sharpness really goes up. I noticed that at the beginning, (The "Hollywood" scene), as the subtitles are even a little hard to read.

Besides the full frame parts, the rest is really good!

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on June 17, 2008, 09:01 AM:

Osi-

Thanks for an excellent detailed review. I think this 2 x 400 digest is another example of how a digest can be more repeatable that the feature. I did'nt particularly care for the feature enough to watch it again, but could watch the digest again.

For fans of "1941", I strongly recommend the trailer as well.

The "1941" trailer was released on super 8 in the early 80's, as part of the "Steven Spielburg trailer reel" (which was actually released by fellow forum member Larry Arpin [Smile]

)

The trailer is fully letterboxed, and is nicely paced, as the narrator names the actors, and alot of funny scenes are shown. An excellent trailer to have.

The colors are still as good as new (all prints were on Kodak low-fade stock). I recommend this trailer and/or trailer reel if it pops up on the used film circuit.

James.

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on June 17, 2008, 01:37 PM:

Cheers boys, i'll look out for another print on the lists. [Wink]

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 17, 2008, 10:50 PM:

Yeah, I'll be looking for that trailer reel as well!

Posted by Larry Arpin (Member # 744) on June 19, 2008, 12:43 AM:

James-I never kept any of my reels. I was just wondering what else was on the reel. I remember the low fade stock was a little extra back then, but I guess it paid off. I would sure like to see it. Can you post a screen shot or tape it and put it on 'youtube'? The lab that printed those is now a laundermat. There probably aren't that many prints around. At one point I was printing my own. I wish I still had the printers. I had a contact printer that printed from a super 8mm negative to print. Also a reduction printer from 16mm negative to super 8mm print or 16mm print to super 8mm negative to be used on the contact printer. And a slitter.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 19, 2008, 10:26 AM:

Oh Larry, WHY Why did you let them go? (sob, boo hoo, chortle)

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on June 20, 2008, 03:20 PM:

Hi Larry!

Thats so interesting about how you printed those great trailer reels [Cool]

.

I'm going to list the trailers on that reel, but I'll start another thread under this review section. I hope this works well for everybody [Wink]

See "TRAILER REELS".

James.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on June 21, 2008, 11:12 PM:

Hey guys ...

I wanted to cuation you guys on this 1941 digest ...

I believe that this was printed on the easy fade Eastman stock. Everybody else that I have personally talked to about this release have faded prints. I bought mine about a month ago from a guy I completely trust, and except for the ever slightest fade, (the blacks aren't even brown, it's quite good)
that's probably as goods as it's going to get. I noted that,
the "Universal 8" logo has a little fade, with imperfect blacks, but you go right into the begining title and beyond, and the color is nearly spot on.

So, be quite cautious, chaps!

Posted by Winbert Hutahaean (Member # 58) on December 05, 2008, 01:10 AM:

Osi, I agree with the slightly fade on this print. mine is like that too.

But did you notice that on the Dumbo's scene the colors are perfect?

I think, that because we are comparing the human action vs animation in one frame. While the colors on animation are more contrast than human skin.

cheers,

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on December 05, 2008, 10:12 AM:

I noticed that too Winbert,

I think my slightest fade is just not absolutely perfect blacks. The blacks, (most notable with the letterboxed sequences) are not perfect blacks, but it might have honestly been printed that way. It's printed on the bad fade Eastman, and to have a good color print of this title is a miracle in it'self, which is why I keep this print refridgerated, unless I'm watching it.

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