8mm Forum: The Big Reel

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Topic: The Big Reel

Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted August 01, 2016 11:17 AM

Is "The Big Reel" still published in the U.S.?
As I recall, it was a monthly publication somewhat sized like a newspaper, and carried many advertisements from sellers of 16mm films, and possibly, other gauges.
It was always something to drool over.
In the past, I bought many films from the various sellers. I believe the biggest dealer was a gentlemen in Florida who said he had a huge number of films available.

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Maurice

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Stuart Reid
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 720
From: Worthing, West Sussex, UK
Registered: Feb 2009

posted August 01, 2016 11:19 AM

Maurice, I believe it stopped publication some years ago. Like you, I used to leaf through it, my mind boggling at the wonders it held! Surely all those dealers must still be going? I wonder where they hawk their wares these days, eBay perhaps?

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Mitchell Dvoskin
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 128
From: West Milford, NJ
Registered: Jun 2008

posted August 01, 2016 11:41 AM

Sadly, the Big Reel is no more. I believe it stopped publishing sometime in the late 1990's. The internet killed it.

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Bill Phelps
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1482
From: USA
Registered: Jan 2009

posted August 01, 2016 03:16 PM

It was the late 2000's that it stopped....I don't know if this is the last issue but the last one I have is Issue 400 from Sept/Oct 2008....I had a subscription for many years.

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Michael O'Regan
Film God

Posts: 3085
From: Essex, UK
Registered: Oct 2007

posted August 02, 2016 12:09 PM

I have a copy from the late 80's. Unbelievable how much film is for sale in there.

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David Ollerearnshaw
Phenomenal Film Handler

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

posted August 02, 2016 12:45 PM

Used to subscribe and bought many films from the advertisers. Would you be thinking of Ray Courts? There was Western Cinema, Thornhill, 100's of them.

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John Hermes
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 139
From: La Mesa, CA, USA
Registered: Nov 2008

posted August 02, 2016 01:34 PM

The good old, glory days of film collecting. I started getting The Big Reel in about 1976 (40 years ago??!!) when it was pamphlet-sized and put out by Donald Key. I bought loads of 16mm and 35mm films over the years from it. I have great memories of the excitement of waiting for the next issue to arrive!

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John Hermes

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Maurice Leakey
Film God

Posts: 5895
From: Bristol. United Kingdom
Registered: Oct 2007

posted August 02, 2016 02:40 PM

David
Ray Courts. That was the seller in Florida wasn't it? I seem to remember that he said he had warehouses full of films for sale.

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Maurice

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Joe Caruso
Film God

Posts: 4105
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 02, 2016 04:03 PM

I'm in there, occasionally - BIG REEL was the standard, next to Blackhawk Bulletins - Many times I missed outon a deal, because I didn't upgrade to 1st Class, even then, the paper would often arrive late anyway - Those were the times of phone calls and letter-writing, two areas of which I still prefer - BIG REEL gave me alot of items I wouldn't find elsewhere, made a ton of solid friends to this day - Shorty

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Paul Adsett
Film God

Posts: 5003
From: USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 02, 2016 05:15 PM

If I remember correctly there was a guy called Art Edelstein (I think that was his name) who was based in Florida or Georgia, and sold a lot of films via The Big Reel. I bought quite a few new and used S8 titles from him. Anybody remember him?

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Joe Taffis
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1592
From: United States
Registered: Jun 2003

posted August 02, 2016 08:36 PM

Paul,
Art's company was Famous Films in Florida. Basically he operated out of his hotel room. He would take orders for films, and then get them from real distributors and flip them. I know he stuck at least one distributor for quite a few $$$...
I also subscribed to The Big Reel. I bought and sold a lot of films through ads on there. Those were the days!

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Joe Taffis

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