8mm Forum: Ken Film Features

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Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on December 14, 2004, 01:05 PM:

I've touched on this before but was wondering if there are any Ken film feature releases that I'm not aware of. I am really speaking specifically of the ones that they released in those rather splendid vinyl cases [Wink]

.

I'm aware of; The Dirty Dozen, American in Paris, Easter Parade, That's Entertainment, West Side Story and Ben Hur but what others were there? Did they ever release Show Boat? I'd certainly like a copy if they did.

Thanks guys...

Mike [Cool]

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on December 15, 2004, 10:40 AM:

Mike,

They put out a full frame print of 2001: A Spacy Oddysey in those super cases, and of course the early prints of Casablanca as well.

Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on December 15, 2004, 10:47 AM:

Barry

Doug M and I both had an experience of a Ken film in those nice boxes of Casablanca where there were numerous areas of orange/brown especially around the eyes! Nice

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on December 16, 2004, 02:45 AM:

Tony,

Yes the Ken Films prints of Casablanca were variable, but they had a bad tendancy to farm out printing to more than one lab, wheras when Derann got the neg, it was all printed at Rank, which made the difference. I have seen some nice Ken Casablanca prints, but these were mostly from 1st run prints, where more care was taken.

Another 3 titles that were in this packaging were French Connection 1 & 2, and Silver Streak.

Posted by Mike Peckham (Member # 16) on December 16, 2004, 12:11 PM:

Thanks Barry, some nice titles there to look out for. I didn't realise that French Connection was released on 8, that's another title to add to my wanted list but I don't seem to have seen it on any lists so I guess it didn't sell in great numbers. Was it one of their later relases?

Mike

Posted by Chip Gelmini (Member # 44) on December 16, 2004, 12:32 PM:

I've got 2001 it's OK. Flat, pan and scan, mono. Better to have this than not at all. Colors seem fresh, but warm, if that sounds possible. Would love to have this in scope.

CG

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on December 16, 2004, 01:27 PM:

Mike,

Funnily enough The French Connection films together with Silver Streak were amongst the 1st batch of F/L features, they released their 1st batch on 400' sales figures, and I believe there all time best seller of the 400' editions was surprisingly not Star Wars, but Silver Streak of all films, so that was why it came out 1st.

Posted by Michael De Angelis (Member # 91) on December 16, 2004, 05:53 PM:

I wonder what happened to the negs on French Connection?
That would be a great one to have.

Was French Connection Flat or Scope?

Best,
Michael

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on December 17, 2004, 02:24 AM:

Chip, Cineavision did "2001: A Space Odyssey" in 'Scope. Prints aren't particularly great though.

Interesting comment about "Silver Streak" being the best selling Ken 400 footer. Amazing really.

Posted by Douglas Meltzer (Member # 28) on December 17, 2004, 07:59 AM:

John,

My money would've been on "Squirm"......or possibly "Mako-The Jaws of Death". [Wink]

Doug

Posted by Tom Photiou (Member # 130) on December 18, 2004, 08:57 AM:

French connection would be brill. I remember Derann selling this and the seqal as new prints. I have seen them on a couple of losts but with colour fading. I didnt think these features were released all that long ago to be on that poor film stock.

Posted by John Hourigan (Member # 111) on December 19, 2004, 04:22 PM:

I always wondered -- when did Ken Films begin to offer feature films? Was it in the early 1980s before they went out of business? I don't recall seeing any marketing literature from Ken Films during that time advertising their features -- I only recall their advertising for their digests (?).

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