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Topic: Thunderbird films?

Osi Osgood
Film God

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

posted February 23, 2006 11:15 AM

I have run across a number of different and quite suprisingly rare Thunderbird titles, but I know absolutely no history to this company.

So, would anyone within this vast vault of super 8 knowledge enlighten me as to this mysterious company. How Long it existed, ( I know at least late 70's, 79? )

The prints I have run across have been very sharp, but the original prints used for the releases have tended to be in so so condition.

Enlighten me, oh Super 8 nuts, (ah we must all stick together!)

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

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Adrian Winchester
Film God

Posts: 2941
From: Croydon, London, UK
Registered: Aug 2004

posted February 23, 2006 06:47 PM

I'm sure others can tell you more but I think I've heard of their catalogues having an early 1980s date. I've got a lot of their trailer reels but I've never seen any of their other releases. I think there may have been something in the region of 175 200' trailer reels. I also know that some obscure US company (possibly Moorcraft?) re-released at least some of the trailer reels, possibly around the mid-1980s. I have some of these, in plain white boxes, and the print quality is worse than Thunderbird prints.

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Adrian Winchester

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Michael De Angelis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1261
From: USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted February 23, 2006 08:56 PM

Thunderbird, had varying quality.
However if you contacted Tom, he
would be glad to take back the print
and offer a replacement with improved
quality. Especially if he had improved
material to work with.

Some of the Super 8 rivaled 16mm.
Morgan, was his lab man, and worked
closely with Tom. Later on, Morgan ran
Morecraft. I have a wonderful reel of
vintage adverts from Morecraft. It is printed
with sharp and richly saturated quality.
It is titled Anouncements #3.

Both guys are gone from the scene.

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Isn't it great that we can all communicate about this great
hobby that we love!

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John Whittle
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 791
From: Northridge, CA USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted February 24, 2006 09:21 AM

Tom (of Thunderbird) also had problems with the Feds. He also delt in many "popular" but copyrighted titles during a time when the FBI was knocking over 16mm collectors and small labs.

I heard he had left the country at one point, I don't know if he's still alive or not.

One reason these companies produced the trailer reels, was trailers were not copyrighted back when they were exclusively handled by National Screen Service.

John

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Osi Osgood
Film God

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

posted February 27, 2006 12:08 PM

Thank you for your posts. As stated earlier, thier quality could vary. I had a lovely print of "Courage of Lassie" which looked stunning with razor sharp focus. The only Thunderbird I have left is "Rocketship" (Flash Gordon, 1936), which is a nice sharp print with pretty good sound. Besides, I just love that ole campy look of Flash Gordon, so matter how cheesy it gets!

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

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