8mm Forum


  
my profile | my password | search | faq | register | forum home
  next oldest topic   next newest topic
» 8mm Forum   » 16mm Forum   » Stinking Collection of Castle Films - Aarrrgh!

- UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!    
Author Topic: Stinking Collection of Castle Films - Aarrrgh!
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted February 18, 2013 11:33 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Any of our resident experts on Castle titles want to take a glance at this? I've acquired about 2 dozen Castle titles in 16mm sound, all full versions. A few are faded color, most B&W. Most are spliced together and thus are missing the lab leaders and even a bit of the very start or end, but otherwise look respectable - most have no splices, all have medium to little scratches and wear. Even with the ends trimmed and no original boxes or reels, these would have a bit of value - except that they're stricken with a strong case of vinegar. O f the ones I've screened, the best play adequately, while the worst have a bit of curl, making edge-to-edge focus impossible.

Before I bin any of them, or toss them in the farthest corner of the shed, please tell me if anything rare or important is here.

REEL #1 [Kodak Safety 1959, 1960]
- War of the Planets - digest from This Island Earth (c1955 Universal)
- Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein - digest (c1948 Universal)
- Creature from the Black Lagoon - digest (c1954 Universal)
- Bride of Frankenstein - digest - Boris Karloff (no copyright, 1935)

REEL #2 [Kodak Safety 1959, 1960, Eastmancolor 1960]
- Ten Fathoms Deep (c1952)
- The Cold Penguin - Chilly Willy ("Fairy Fables" by Castle; orig title "Chilly Willy", 1953) COLOR VERY FADED!!!
- Yesterday Lives Again - Old Time Movies edited by Eugene W. Castle (no date)
- A Weak-End Driver (c1957)

REEL #3 [Kodak Safety Postive 1961, 1958, 1960 x2]
- The Harlem Globetrotters (c1956)
- Hold the Lions, Please - Bugs Bunny (c1942)
- The Invisible Woman - digest (c1940, 1951) with Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore
- Here Comes the Circus (no date, looks like 1940s)

REEL #4 [Kodak Safety Positive 1956, Kodak 1960, Eastmancolor Safety 1960]
- Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves - digest (c1943 Universal, c1956 United World Films)
- The Great Chase - extract from The Bank Dick with W. C. Fields (c1949) ONE SPLICE!
- The Gay Nineties Live Again - Old Time Movies edited by Eugene W. Castle (no date)
- The Rockabye Legend - Chilly Willy (no date, Walter Lantz 'Cartune' orig "Legend of Rockabye Point" 1955) COLOR FADED TO RED!

REEL #5 [Kodak 1959, 1960, Eastmancolor 1960]
- Jabs and Jolts - The Sport Parade - really campy boxing & wrestling (c1951)
- Wee Gee's Camera Magic - cp 1946 film of same title, this one is awful (c1960) COLOR AND FADED TO RED
- Deep Sea Adventure (c1953)
- Barber of Seville - Woody Woodpecker (c1948)

REEL #6 - [Kodak Safety 1959-1961]
- 1. Movies Greatest Headlines (c1952) - sprocket damage on picture for about 2/3rds
- 2. [Official Films!] Charley Chaplin in Laffing Gas (no copyright)
- 3. Railroad Story (c1951)
- 4. Africa Untamed (c1953)

REEL #7 Terrytoons reel [Kodak 1945]
- Dog Wanted (aka ‘Happy and Lucky;’ 1938) abridgment of Puddy the Pup cartoon
- Kiko at the Bat (aka ‘Play Ball,’ 1937) slightly abridged? - pretty decent baseball affair starring Kiko the Kangaroo.

 |  IP: Logged
Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted February 19, 2013 04:02 PM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Being that Castle made enormous quantities of their titles I would throw them out. While some of the titles are desirable, they can all be replaced as they turn up now and then. However, finding them and getting them at a reasonable price won't be easy.

--------------------
Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

 |  IP: Logged
Vidar Olavesen
Film God

Posts: 2232
From: Sarpsborg, Norway
Registered: Nov 2012

- posted February 19, 2013 04:06 PM      Profile for Vidar Olavesen   Author's Homepage     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
And talking about vinegar smell ... Is it dangerous for other films kept close to each other? It's a chemical prosess, right? Would it affect anything, even running it in the projector, is it any harm in that?

I have one vinegar smelling one myself, and dare not use it before I know it's safe

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted February 19, 2013 04:28 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Joe, thank you for weighing in on this. I really appreciate it.

Vidar, using VS film is not at all a problem, and probably helps it. Since VS is simply the acetate molecules breaking down into water and acetic acid {a reaction that increases with presence of moisture and acetic acid(!)}, you want to store that film away from other acetate films. The cooler and drier VS film is, the slower the deterioration progresses. Projection probably helps release vapors, too. Just keep other films away from that smell. Some like to thoroughly clean the projector after running VS film, but you'd have to prove that vapors penetrate the chrome projector parts for that to seem necessary to me.

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted February 22, 2013 04:13 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I guess anyone else who's seen this agrees with Joe! No other responses. That's fine. But I'm not intending to "replace" any of these Castle titles for my collection.

What I'd appreciate knowing is which of these titles are "desirable" or rare?

 |  IP: Logged
Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted February 22, 2013 04:36 PM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
None of them are rare as so many prints were struck. Condition wise, some are rare if its like new with zero splices and complete lab leaders. The only prints that are rare are those with excellent color that were printed on Low-Fade Stock. Or a Mint condition Original CineColor print. Even those turn up from time to time but not very often. The Horror/Sci-Fi titles are always Desirable and Popular among collectors that do not already own them or are looking for a better quality print.

--------------------
Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted February 22, 2013 10:27 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thank you again for your reply, Joe (and nearly instant!). Makes sense. It's hard to comprehend that each of these shorts cost the equivalent of about $200 or more in today's dollars, and now they're rotting themselves into uselessness.

 |  IP: Logged
Dino Everette
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1535
From: Long Beach, CA USA
Registered: Dec 2008

- posted February 23, 2013 01:13 AM      Profile for Dino Everette     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Bill don't forget I have a growing supply of rotting film for you whenever you want to pick some up. [Big Grin]

--------------------
"You're too Far Out Miss Lawrence"

 |  IP: Logged
Pasquale DAlessio
Film God

Posts: 3523
From: Bristol,RI, USA
Registered: May 2010

- posted February 23, 2013 03:11 PM      Profile for Pasquale DAlessio     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Bill

I sent you a PM about reel 1.

PatD

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted February 23, 2013 03:32 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Thanks guys, I will PM you both next! [Smile]

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Phelps
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1482
From: USA
Registered: Jan 2009

- posted February 23, 2013 06:45 PM      Profile for Bill Phelps     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
It's too bad all those films are VS. I can't answer your question about what is rare but one of the titles that sticks out for me is RAILROAD STORY. To me that is a good one and has very nice Lionel model train footage and does have value to train enthusiasts.

Bill [Smile]

 |  IP: Logged
Joe Balitzki
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 529
From: Charleston, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2005

- posted February 23, 2013 08:16 PM      Profile for Joe Balitzki   Email Joe Balitzki   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I want to clarify my mentioning about Castle Films prints on Low-Fade Stock. Some were printed in/on: Ansco, Kodachrome, CineColor, and for a very short time in IB Technicolor. Some Ansco prints are fine while others are not. CineColor prints are the equivalent of what what was shown Theatrically as the same process and lab was used to make prints. The same goes for the IB Technicolor prints which are the rarest as they were only available for a short time. They likely were discontinued because of poor sales as they cost more to make and were sold at a higher price. I have never seen one myself nor do I own any. I do have a Beautiful CineColor Castle print in 16mm Sound. CineColor prints were struck in Standard 8mm but in Silent prints only as at the time there was no Standard 8mm Sound Format. Finding any Castle Films prints with Excellent Color is Rare as the majority are in Eastman Color.

--------------------
Movie Lovers Do It in the Dark

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted May 02, 2013 02:39 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Long-time no post here. Finally watched the last of these reels last week, and Bill P., my family and I did especially enjoy "Railroad Story." Other than the ends being cut off, these films were minty or at worst lightly worn. It's a collector's tragedy that they're all stricken with vinegar and near worthless. Some were cupping and unfocusable, some weren't.

[ May 13, 2013, 11:12 PM: Message edited by: Bill Brandenstein ]

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted May 13, 2013 11:13 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
PASQUALE - check your PMs!

 |  IP: Logged
Dan A. Caprio
Film Handler

Posts: 71
From: sarasota florida
Registered: Jun 2010

- posted May 14, 2013 08:16 AM      Profile for Dan A. Caprio     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
If their VS affected their worthless ...especially faded color... ... [Roll Eyes]

[ May 14, 2013, 03:45 PM: Message edited by: Dan A. Caprio ]

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted May 15, 2013 12:45 PM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Exactly. I would never offer these for sale. A few I'll keep for awhile, like "Railroad Story" isn't warped yet, but in the long haul I haven't a way to freeze or store VS prints, so they're worthless to me too. But fun to watch once or twice, particularly since I've seen NONE of these before! Pretty basic stuff, I know, but still new to me.

Thankfully I didn't lose my shirt on the rest of the collection these films came with.

 |  IP: Logged
Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

- posted May 17, 2013 12:34 PM      Profile for Joe Caruso     Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
WEE-GEE CAMERA MAGIC is a novelty, no matter how awful the smell - I'd salvage what I could, then junk the rest - Replacements are hard but not impossible through dealers, and Cinefest, Cinevent and around here - Shorty

 |  IP: Logged
Bill Brandenstein
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1632
From: California
Registered: Aug 2007

- posted May 20, 2013 12:09 AM      Profile for Bill Brandenstein   Email Bill Brandenstein   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Joe, it appears (but I don't have the wonderful Castle Films book) that this is the later and inferior of 2 shorts with the same "WeeGee" title. Of everything we screened listed above, it was the worst of them (by family's reaction). Wouldn't the older, B&W one have been better? Even so, no motivation to find out!

 |  IP: Logged


All times are Central  
   Close Topic    Move Topic    Delete Topic    next oldest topic   next newest topic
- Printer-friendly view of this topic
Hop To:

Visit www.film-tech.com for free equipment manual downloads. Copyright 2003-2019 Film-Tech Cinema Systems LLC

Powered by Infopop Corporation
UBB.classicTM 6.3.1.2