8mm Forum: Oh! Mr Porter

This is topic Oh! Mr Porter in forum 8mm Print Reviews at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=000315

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on October 03, 2008, 12:23 AM:

Super8 sound "Black and White" running time 18 mins

Well...over the last few weeks I have ran this old film a few times, also came across the Movie Maker review from "August 1970". I dont think I could say it any better than "Movie Maker" so will take the easy way out and publish their review instead... plus my tupence worth at the end [Roll Eyes]

.. so here goes.

Every night when the moon gives light,
The ghost of the miller is seen,
As he walks the track with a sack on his back,
And his earholes painted green!

So, with a sniff and a scoff, station master Will Hay lays the legend of One-eyed Joe, the phantom miller of Buggleskelly, and with the reluctant aid of cheeky chubby Graham Moffatt and the one-toothed wonder, Moore Marriott, sallies forth in search of his lost excursion to Connemara. Bulging with a hulking mob claiming to be the Buggleskelly Wednesday off to a match armed with crates of lemons and goal-posts, the train has failed to materialise at the terminus.

The trio track the train to an abandoned loop line tunnelled through Pooker Hill. After a thrilling escape from a windmill, they stoke up Gladstone, the ninety-year old engine, and go roaring through the wilds of Oulde Oireland, Will flinging out an SOS in Harbottle's medicine bottle while Albert clinging to the carriage roof, clonks inquisitive heads with his coal shovel. The gun runners are captured, Will is reinstated as station master, and Gladstone gives up the ghost!

My tupence worth....is that this film a lot of fun to watch the B/W print is not the greatest but who cares there is so much happening on screen from this 1937 Gainsborough classic including the high speed train ride which is brilliant with poor old Glagstone going flat out, this film will appeal to all ages and with good sound I would highly recomend it considering this Walton print is from around 1970 its very good .

Graham.

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on October 03, 2008, 06:42 AM:

I have the feature on 4x400ft reels which is nice. This print is easy to track down as it often appears on lists from Derann, Perrys etc. Its just a shame that these old Walton prints are not the best of super 8, but like you who cares as the film is very fast moving with not a dull moment.

Graham S

[ October 05, 2008, 12:54 PM: Message edited by: Graham Sinden ]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on October 11, 2008, 10:52 AM:

My copy has 5 reels which I believe is its original length. It's not a Walton print.

Beware of fairly recent prints from Derann which are on colour stock.

Posted by Zechariah Sporre (Member # 2358) on December 19, 2012, 08:50 PM:

I just recently got the Walton Films 4 reel version of this. I was extremely impressed with the sharp image (one of the best ones in my collection). I also enjoyed the story line quite a bit. I had never seen this film previously. Unfortunately mine didn't come with the original box or any art work [Frown]

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on December 20, 2012, 06:46 AM:

This film has had a huge following for many years with fans often going to locations on group trips and more. DCR Films did the full length genuine black and white feature prints but the slightly cut Walton version is still very good and really enjoyable.

[ March 01, 2013, 08:17 AM: Message edited by: Lee Mannering ]

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on December 20, 2012, 07:28 AM:

Another film I enjoyed watching, hired this one a long time ago in a film renters catalogue!!

I think DCR or Movieland? did it complete.

Also look out for 'Ask A Policeman' that's a good one too.

Adding P.S. Any chance of sending me a scan of the box art to put on my web site?

Posted by Robert Crewdson (Member # 3790) on June 26, 2013, 10:03 AM:

DCR films in the Isle of Wight did this, every copy was made to order and processed by Rank Labs. It was run by a man who was in a wheelchair, and he told me personally, back in the 70s, that he paid £1,000 for a machine to enable him to transfer the sound himself, he also stated that he transferred the sound at 24fps, unlike many he claimed that transferred the sound at high speed. He also use to treat the films with 2.22 cleaner and preserver before sending them out. His films were always of the highest quality, I purchased some great films from him besides Oh Mr Porter I bought, David Lean's Great Expectations and Oliver Twist, in my opinion 2 of the greatest films to be made in Britain (younger readers might disagree), and Not Wanted on Voyage and Carry on Admiral, both with Ronald Shiner, and I had the very last available print of Tom Brown's Schooldays, with Robert Newton. I had to wait a few days for him to hear from Rank as to whether they could get one more print out of a negative that was starting to break up.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2