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Author
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Topic: Wonderful, archaic, Super 8 and 8mm
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted March 13, 2009 10:56 AM
Okay, 16MM and 35MM could be included on this series of posts, but I don't collect those.
Looking back, some things are well worth tossing out over time, into the dust bin of life. Film was something I once tossed aside.
I'm so glad that I rediscovered it. Not only did I rediscover it, I learned much more. When I first collected Super 8mm (back from 1987 to 1991), I didn't have any faded prints, so that wasn't even an issue, at least not for me. So, in doing careful research, I learned so much more about film stocks and such.
I restarted collecting in 2002. I looked through some old boxes that i had stored, and I found two old reels, the only old reels that I had kept, or just didn't bother to sell.
That made me curious ...
I then looked on the internet to find that there was a vibrant assortment of films out there; some still demanding high prices and to mny shock, companies STILL releasing new product!
Of course, the rest is history. Unlike my earlier, niave self, I have no desire nor intention of selling off this vast collection. It's strange. I hear so much hoopla about this or that new technology, and while I went the gamut in these last 25 years of VHS, Laserdisc and DVD, (and perhaps, in the future, BR), yet I would return to a lovely wonderfully archaic format such as film.
So wonderfully old tech!
LONG LIVE SUPER 8!!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Gary Crawford
Jedi Master Film Handler
Posts: 979
From: Manassas, VA. USA
Registered: Jun 2003
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posted March 13, 2009 01:36 PM
For most of the 1990's I , too had left super 8 pretty much behind , focusing on 16mm. I'd buy an assorted silent or sound short or something, but that was about it. Then, about three years ago I stumbled upon a Derann print of Thunderball...and my opinion of super 8 underwent a huge change. Most of the prints I had on the gauge were , I thought, not quite sharp...almost always leaving something to be desired. But when I put Thunderball on the elmost1200hd...with the nice scope lens...I was totally blown away by the perfect color renditions..the perfect focus...the out of this world sound. It was like I was in a theater watching it on its initial release. Was this a fluke? I next happened to chance upon derann's The Fog.....same thing. I next got the scope Dracula , Prince of Darkness....blown away again. So much so, that I sold my lpp flat print of the same film. It just was not as sharp and the sound did not measure up to the super 8. All in all, I found that Super 8 , far from being archaic, really can offer a state of the art picture and sound experience. New products..shorts and features are being released and I've become a huge cheerleader for super 8 ..when it's done with pride and care.
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted March 13, 2009 03:33 PM
You have a good point there Gary, "When it's done right" (might be a slight paraphrase).
I remember back in the late 80's ( and still, sometimes today), when I see older releases like, for instance "All this and Rabbit Stew" (rare Bug's Bunny with politically incorrect stereotypes)
the print quality is atrocious ...
Then you look at the print quality of Derann, or, (from way back then), the Cinevision scope prints of cartoons, and it really is incredible.
... as well as sometimes rare.
For instance, I just bought from Derann a rare scope cartoon release, "Magoo Goes Overboard" in it's original aspect ratio.
Now, to see the original Magoo cartoons period, is rare enough in any format, VHS, DVD Laserdisc, ect, but to have an original scope print of the cartoon, as it looked in the theater, with magnificent color ... WOW!! Even those who adore animated cartoons rarely get to see them that way!
... and anyone, (as Gary) who has experienced Derann, CHC and German quality is seeing just about the best home theater can really offer!
These modern Super 8 prints, as those who are honest in thier assessment, will have to say that they equal and in many cases, excell 16MM and from what I have seen, are far more affordable than the 16MM title of the same film.
Now, I'm going to say my own opinion which, I'm sure, there will be detractors of ...
I don't really think Home Theater IS HOME THEATER without film prints. Do we see video in the local movie theater? NO! (at least, not yet, as a general rule!).
While there are "home theater" set ups, with the most modern of projection televisions, to me, it's still just a glorified video .... glorfied TV.
and it just isn't the same.
With film, you really have a theater. Anything else is just "Home Entertainment" ... and this comes from someone who also has "Home Entertainment".
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted March 14, 2009 03:13 PM
... and it just makes me giggle in a most sarcastic way, when you hear of these "projection purists" who get bent out of shape, (you have no doubt read in thier reviews of BR releases), at seeing, of all things, FILM GRAIN on their BR films, as if it is some form of evil.
Congratulations video projectionists, your format has finally rose up to a standard to give you film quality and, ooh, boo hoo; you have to deal with film grain!
... and here I was duped into thinking film grain was a good thing!
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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