8mm Forum: Gerald Mckee & Denis Gifford Film Books

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Topic: Gerald Mckee & Denis Gifford Film Books

David Ollerearnshaw
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1373
From: Penistone Sheffield UK
Registered: Oct 2012

posted January 22, 2013 01:37 PM

My copy of this book arrived today looks like a good read, perfect for the snowee nights. A quick look takes me back with some of the dealers mentioned.

I also bought Gerald Mckee's A Half Century of Film Collecting, last week.

This book is more of the early days of film collecting, it features quite a few 9.5 reviews as well as standard/super 8mm film. Also gives a short write up on some of the stars who were in the films reviewed. Contains a few b/w images. Again dealers are mentioned. Quite a few in the back.

One I bought last year 'The Armchair Odeon: The Collector's Guide to the Movies.'

This book is by Denis Gifford who wrote the 8mm reviews in Movie Maker magazine and its predecessor (Damm forgot its name).
He had numerous books published on various nostalgic subjects, and did a radio show 'Sounds Familiar' and its TV version 'Looks Familiar'.
The book is really a compilation from his reviews from Movie Maker, altered so that each is just treated as a single review.

I highly recommend all three books.

The Gerald Mckee books I bought via Abe Books The Denis Gifford came from e-bay.

--------------------
I love the smell of film in the morning.

http://www.thereelimage.co.uk/

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Graham Ritchie
Film God

Posts: 4001
From: New Zealand
Registered: Feb 2006

posted January 22, 2013 02:20 PM

Thanks for posting those front covers.

They look interesting and will have to look out for them.

Graham. [Smile]

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted January 22, 2013 02:24 PM

I myself have both books by Gerald McKee and find that unless
you are into vintage film, they have little to offer the modern
collector.In fact he seems to go out of his way to avoid mentioning
many of the recent releases of the time.

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David Ollerearnshaw
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1373
From: Penistone Sheffield UK
Registered: Oct 2012

posted January 22, 2013 05:08 PM

Agree there Hugh, although he does mention in passing a couple of the newer titles at the time of printing, he mainly looks back to the older releases. The 50 years book doesn't seem to mention any newer titles of the time. I suppose it wouldn't anyway.

Its interesting to look at the reviews though. The same complaints about editing are there.

--------------------
I love the smell of film in the morning.

http://www.thereelimage.co.uk/

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Zechariah Sporre
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 557
From: Ladysmith, WI U.S.A.
Registered: Dec 2010

posted January 22, 2013 09:34 PM

I got the Film Collecting book and found it extremely interesting with tons of information. I do agree that that book really focused on older films which was fine by me.

--------------------
There is a fine line between a hobby and a mental illness

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Ken Finch
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 543
From: Herne Bay, Kent. U.K.
Registered: Oct 2011

posted January 24, 2013 12:31 PM

I have all 3 of Geralds Books. They all deal with vintage films and projectors. This was because this was his interest. He was a long standing member of the Vintage Film Circle and editor of their journal "Flickers" still going strong and edited by Patrick Moules. The V.F.C. began before Group 9.5 for collectors of films mainly 9.5mm and the rarer vintage gauges. There were very few films available for sale on other gauges in the U.K. He was about to publish another book about projectors when he died. He was a great guy and I knew him well. Ken Finch.

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Hugh Thompson Scott
Film God

Posts: 3063
From: Gt. Clifton,Cumbria,England
Registered: Jan 2012

posted January 24, 2013 02:38 PM

That's interesting Ken,nice to have these snippets of info,it shows
that these folks were human after all.

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Bert Haagsman
Film Handler

Posts: 80
From: Bussum, The Netherlands
Registered: Oct 2011

posted January 27, 2013 02:11 PM

I bought Armchair Odeon a few weeks ago, through Abebooks. I think it's a great book: it has lots of reviews and it’s well written.
What I like especially about the book is its focus on digest editions (or 'package movies' as they are called here), and the attention the author pays to the condensation and editing aspects.
Highly recommended!

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