8mm Forum: How about some Derann film history?

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 19, 2007, 09:25 AM:

What I'm looking for is a history of Derann's prints from about 1989 to the present. The reason why is that I saw Paul Fosters newest listing, and I saw a print of "Rock-A-Doodle". This was
A Don Bluth animated film. Now, I know that Derann released "Secret of Nimh", as well as "All Dog's Go To Heaven", so I assume that Derann also released "Rock".

I was out of the Super 8 game from about 1989 until year 2002, so I have little idea, (beyond thier recent catalogues) as to what they have released on Super 8 in between that time.

It would help a lot as to what I should look forward to finding on Super 8 one of these days.

All the best!

P.S. When did Derann get the "Disney Catalogue" ?

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on March 19, 2007, 09:59 AM:

Osi,

"Rock A Doodle" was actually released by my old boss Gary Watson when he ran CEC Films, I worked for him as 8mm manager, and eventually my brother and I bought him out, and that's how INDEPENDENT 8 came about. I think Derann may have done a couple or reissue prints, but the main was from CEC Films (I think about 8 were struck, that's all).

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 19, 2007, 07:22 PM:

Okay, NOW, what was CEC film company?

Posted by Barry Attwood (Member # 100) on March 20, 2007, 02:28 AM:

Osi,

Gary Watson started buying and selling 8mm films in the late 1980's, his first business name was Nostaw Films (I wonder how he thought that name up), but he had changed it to C(inema) E(ntertainment) C(ompany) Films in the early 1990's. Like myself he specialised in used prints, but he also went a little farther in obtaining a contract with Rank Film Distributors here in the U.K., and besides "Rock A Doodle" he did 8mm prints of "F/X: Murder By Illusion" F/L (an odd print crops up here and there), but just as he got these 2 features to the market, 8mm went Disney crazy, as good old uncle Derek at Derann announced his Disney deal. There were more releases planned if these sold well, but alas CEC's 2 features were no Disney's, so that ended that, pretty much dead. Gary re-printed a few titles from DCR Films, but nothing really sold too well at the time, as Derann had literally collared the NEW PRINT market with their slew of big distributor deals. Gary Watson continued for a couple of more years, and then his interest started to wain a bit, and the rest is history, as we bought out his stock, and Independent 8 was born, and then I started to release some bits and pieces, but that's another story.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 20, 2007, 10:01 AM:

Gary, this brings up an interesting question :

I've often wondered how much clout a person needs or what connections you need in order to release super 8 product?

Say a person had, for instance a scope negative of Dragonslayer (scope) full feature, and he wanted to get it released?

Now granted, it must be a lot easier in the U.K. as there are fully functional super 8 labs there.

God!!! I'd love to buy the equipment in order to make actual
super 8 product in the states. These days it would really benefit our UK collectors as well, as the damned dollar is now at one pound: two american dollars!!

Posted by Adrian Winchester (Member # 248) on March 20, 2007, 07:39 PM:

Amazing to read about 'Rock-A-Doodle' - I have the trailer but I never knew there were full length prints. It sounds like a brave release as, if I remember rightly, the film got a very limited UK release so few people saw it.

It's a chance to snap up a genuine rarity if Paul Foster still has it.

CEC released some good trailer reels and a nice 200' of vintage British ads.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 20, 2007, 07:50 PM:

Interesting stuff, but could we get back to the history of Derann? I'm really interested in dat!!

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on March 21, 2007, 04:16 AM:

I believe Derann's history is featured in the next issue of smallformat. Their Disney deal was covered a couple of issues back so it's all in print.

Posted by Colin Robert Hunt (Member # 433) on March 21, 2007, 02:46 PM:

There website containes a history of the company. I think I hired most of there Standard 8 releases via Perry's film library in the wimbledon shop in the early seventies. They were really churning out the features in those days and mostly B&W. Cheap to hire and prices to buy were reasonable.

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