8mm Forum: Kodak in the 1970's

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Topic: Kodak in the 1970's

Brian Fretwell
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1785
From: London, UK
Registered: Jun 2014

posted September 19, 2017 03:31 AM

I read this is a review of the Blu Ray of "The Man with Two Brains"

"The film was made during a period when film stocks were notoriously problematic as a result of Kodak's efforts to reduce its use of petroleum products following the Seventies' surging oil prices. The company's experiments led to numerous problems with such fundamental properties as color reproduction and grain texture, and it wasn't until the late Eighties that Kodak yielded to pressure from filmmakers and the industry to return to more stable formulations."

I don't know if this was only camera stock, but if it was print stock (including 16mm and 8mm) as well it would explain a lot of problems.

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Osi Osgood
Film God

Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005

posted September 19, 2017 11:43 AM

Great quote there!

Well, I've noticed that the optical sound super 8 prints largely used whatever stock was available and more likely, whatever stock was the cheapest, hence, early to mid 80's super 8 optical sound prints that have fade, after the advent of L.P.P.

Thankfully, not all super 8 optical film labs used to lowest of the low film stocks and there ARE low fade good prints still out there, but they are the exception and you really have to either search for a crummy but not faded yet stock of a print, or a low fade print. It takes time but it usually pays off.

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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "

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Alexander Vandeputte
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 243
From: Belgium
Registered: Nov 2009

posted September 19, 2017 01:13 PM

I think the remark in that review is fundamentally not true. Of course the development of new filmstocks has always been an on going process, but to say that this compromised color reproduction and grain structure is taking things too far. I think the experimentations of the seventies directors of photography with, film flashing, film pushing, under/over exposing, new zoom lenses etc, contributed more to the distinct visual style of the seventies cinema than any deficiency in Kodaks stock.

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Daniel Macarone
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 224
From: Summit NJ, USA
Registered: Nov 2015

posted September 19, 2017 10:04 PM

I have always noticed the downgrade in image quality in many films of the 60's & 70's. I tend to think it's due to too much experimenting; I'm sure filmmakers abused the inferior zoom lenses. But, for sure the filmstocks themselves literally paled in comparison to three-strip technicolor.

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