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Topic: Here's aQuestion...
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Osi Osgood
Film God
Posts: 10204
From: Mountian Home, ID.
Registered: Jul 2005
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posted December 24, 2009 04:54 PM
Joe ...
I would be quite curious as well.
I would think that Eugene Castle was among the first. If I remember correctly, one of the films I have in my collection is among the first. Its a Pathegram release of the Hindenburg tragedy which was edited by ... you guessed it ... Eugene Castle! It is on that ancient Kodak standard 8mm film stock that goes purple. Another very early release is a mint condition standard 8mm print of a 1929 Terrytoon cartoon, (note: the original cartoon was 1929, so this is a rerelease of the cartoon. I'll have to check the boxes.)
Also, among the first cartoon releases on standard 8mm (as well as the earlier double sprocket 16MM) were from two animation studio's of the 1930's. One was the Van Buren studio product,
(Sunshine Makers, ect.). Van Buren studios closed doors in late 1936, and the films were almost immediately sold, (with all rights) to "Official Films" They renamed different characters. For instance "Cubby Bear: became known as "Brownie", the characters "Tom and Jerry" (two human characters), became Dick and Larry. Another company, called, "Commonwealth" bought most of the color releases. Later on, Blackhawk bought the rights from Commonwealth and the original negatives, which is why Blackhawk released the great "Rainbow Parade" cartoons, (the color Felix the Cat and Toonerville Trolley cartoons).
The other company that quit in the 30's was the Ub Iwerks Studio, (the man who first animated Mickey Mouse!). This studio also lasted until 1936, (early 1936, the studio actually folded in 1935, its last releases slated for release in 36). This studio's cartoons would have been completely lost to history if not for the genius of Eugene Castle, as he acquired
the rights to Ub Iwerks color cartoons. He also acquired the rights to many of the Van Buren cartoons. Blackhawk also bought many of the early Castle negatives.
In the case of both of these studio's they were first released on double sprocket 16MM and then, shortly thereafter, on standard 8mm. The 16MM color prints were on actual cinecolor stock, while the standard 8mm prints were "Kodak Safety Film".
I'm sorry that I don't have any actual dates of the sales and when they first actually reached the storefronts. Perhaps our own Douglas can give you the answers, (or someone else?)
P.S. By the way, (if one is lucky enough to find them in vintgae boxes), Castle Films, in it's early days, had they're own 200ft metal reels upon which with, stamped upon them, "Castle Films"
with the patent number "D-122,017"
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"All these moments will be lost in time, just like ... tears, in the rain. "
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