8mm Forum: Halloween screening

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Posted by Sam James (Member # 477) on September 03, 2007, 01:52 PM:

Hello again gents (why still no ladies?),
Have not posted on the forum for almost 8 months as I've gone through a life change. Sold the house in London, packed in the "career" as a jobbing actor gurning for cheesy commercials (see Derann's Ad reel number 17 - I think) and bought a restaurant with the missus in beautiful West Wales. Thankfully the cafe has been up and running for 4 months and we've been extremely busy, but the season's coming to a close and it was always our plan to do "themed" dinner/screenings to bring in the locals when winter draws on.
My gear: Portable pull up screen approx 7ft wide in Academy format. Kowa Prominar 8z scope lens and bracket. Elmo GS1200 Xenon.
My aim: Fill the 30 cover restaurant with ticket only customers. Feed them a set supper. Turn down the lights and show a collection of old ads, the Pearl and Dean thing and then a full feature.
I don't have Pedro's box so the sound will have to be from the mag stripe and on to external speakers (not ideal I know) but once I can finally place an order with Pedro (is he still supplying?) that'll change.
A licence to provide entertainment will cost me about 25 quid for the night and I aim to do my first event on Halloween night.
The dining area is 9.5 metres long by 4.5 wide and in the June, when we were closed on a Sunday evening I screened The Railway Children for some visiting pals and their kids - it looked fantastic.
I own just a few features: The Railway Children, Jungle Book, Singing In The Rain, Carry On Up The Khyber, The Elephant Man - Scope (Thanks Ricky) and Star Wars - Scope (Thanks Kev).
Can anyone suggest a horror/thriller feature for the first screening? (I'm hoping to do it on a monthly basis through the winter months.)
John Carpenter's "Halloween" is the obvious choice, but the customers who are likely to buy into, and have already expressed a great interest, in the whole idea are in their late fifties/early sixties and would probably prefer somthing more classicly chilling and less violent (saps!).
I will be coming down to the BFCC in October (if she lets me) but any suggestions or offers would be very welcome. The Scope Star Wars I have looks superb but I'm unlikely to be able to show it at any point for the above reasons (obviously not the violence!) so I would be prepared to swap it if anybody could offer something of close to equivalent value and interest.
Sorry, long dull message but it's great to have the time to look at what's been written over the last months and I'm delighted to be able to get out my toys again.
Life, by the way, is fabulous if you are able and dare to change it.
Best Regards all, Sam
P.S. Kev, the offer of putting you up for a couple of nights is still there if you'd be happy to oversee the first showing (drinks and fine food on us!) Really sorry the Ninja was nicked - that's part of the reason we left!

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on September 03, 2007, 02:09 PM:

How about one of the classic Hammer horror films, such as 'Dracula' with Christopher Lee. Or, a Vincent Price Film such as 'Masque of the Red Death' (scope). Both are Derann releases. For sheer creepy horror it's hard to beat the original 'Nosferatu', but your audience would probably prefer a sound and color movie.

Posted by Sam James (Member # 477) on September 03, 2007, 02:16 PM:

Blimey Paul, you're quick off the mark. Yes I was wondering about a Hammer, which as a kid, when the BBC bothered to show late night creepies, enthralled me, but which one will really tie them in for future evenings? The problem is that they've all been a hundred times so I need to make it somehow special. I know that watching projected real film is unbeatable, but I need to be able to pass that on so I daren't get it wrong for the first time.
Sam

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on September 04, 2007, 03:19 AM:

Don't get involved in sync' pulse for a public Screening Sam. That's just adding another element that could go wrong on the night.

I think you'll find just about anything will go down alright once you have the audience in place. Having a mechanical film projector is interest enough and people will enjoy almost anything.

Make sure you come and see me at the BFCC Sam.

Posted by Christopher Quinn (Member # 831) on September 04, 2007, 09:43 AM:

Sounds like an awesome idea Sam. If I lived anywhere near I’d be up for buying a ticket! The fact that it’s on film instead of a boring DVD makes it something really special!

Posted by Tony Milman (Member # 7) on September 04, 2007, 01:00 PM:

Sam

Sounds great fun. Do you do B&B as well?

Posted by Sam James (Member # 477) on September 04, 2007, 05:46 PM:

John, I'll definitely come and say hello as long as you don't mind being asked the same old boring questions you've been asked a thousand times.
Christopher, the Seacat comes from Rosslaire to Fishguard (10 minutes from me) in 90 minutes, so if you're in the south you'd be very welcome and we'd even put you up.
Tony, no B&B, it's only a restaurant but anyone with your cynical sense of humour would be very welcome to come and stay providing you bring a bottle.
P.S. All the above offers are subject to the consent of my missus who naturally worships the ground I stand on but still beats the crap out of me if I get anything wrong.
Still no suggestions for the definitive Halloween film to show?
Sam

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on September 05, 2007, 04:58 AM:

I don't mind being asked any questions when it comes to film collecting, projecting or the BFCC Sam so just go ahead and ask.

I'd say go ahead and screen Halloween but it's 'Scope and you're probably better set up for a flat film. Any of the Hammer's would be a good choice or perhaps even an old Universal horror. Perhaps have an old extract for a supporting programme so people know they're getting something different and not the usual run of the mill tosh anyone can see on a TV in their own home.

Posted by Keith Ashfield (Member # 741) on September 05, 2007, 06:46 AM:

Hi Sam. What about POLTERGEIST. Available flat or scope? Not too much violence and gore and very creepy for Halloween. [Eek!]

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on September 06, 2007, 06:50 AM:

How about the ultimate classic black and white super 8 release: 1969's original "Night of the Living Dead"?

This is available in super 8 full length and is not too hard to find.

James.

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on September 06, 2007, 07:18 AM:

Sam,

There is nothing wrong with the sound coming from the magnetic stripe. You say its not ideal, but personally speaking as an 8mm fan I would much rather hear the original sound from the film rather than from another DVD source. If you want to re-record the soundtrack, but I think super 8 shows should be totally super 8.

Graham S [Smile]

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on September 06, 2007, 10:31 AM:

Hi Graham,
I understand your sentiments about keeping the sound on the super 8 stripe, but I have seen and heard (at the BFCC)the stunning effect that can be obtained by syncing S8 to DVD sound. And after all, this is what professional DTS sound is, 35mm film (with optical time codes)synced to a CD sound track ( too bad no one has found a way to get magnetic time codes onto one of the S8 tracks). But I am not sure that I would have the nerve to attempt it in front of an audience of 200 people like they do at the BFCC, so you are probably right in suggesting that Sam keep the sound on the stripe. But, as you say, re-recording would improve the quality immensely.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on September 06, 2007, 01:33 PM:

Uncle Lee likes his sound on Magnetic stripe also. If nothing else it saves lugging more gear around. Good stereo Mag stripe of a few years ago and beyond was capable of some superb tracks and like all things if the master is good at the start the final result will be good. Much of the problem with prints I always felt was that the sound was recorded at high speed down onto super 8 and quality was often lost due to poor operation of recording gear which was shifting at 4 times the normal projection speed. Far better then to re-record stereo and even mono tracks of features on good tackle using a digital master which is what I do here time permitting.

Sure, the DVD link up idea is great but humping more gear around is a no no for many these days and also may give rise to sync problems before a large audience. I seem to have always got the best stereo re-recordings from a Elmo GS800 having used many other machines over the years with variable tweakable speed control.
And its fun with a sense of achievement after the job is done.
I’m with you Graham on this one.

Posted by Bradford A Moore (Member # 426) on September 06, 2007, 08:11 PM:

Hey Sam,

Here is what I'm showing. For the last three years, I have been doing a winter film series at the radio station I work at. I show films on a weekly basis, and I'm starting off with The original 1931 Frankenstein in 16mm. The second week a super 8 Blackhawk print of Nosferatu. The Third week a 16mm print of Freaks, and finishing off with a Blackhawk super 8 print of The Phantom Of The Opera. I hope you like some of these as selections.
Brad

Posted by John Clancy (Member # 49) on September 07, 2007, 03:07 AM:

Nowadays Lee all you need in addition to the Super 8 equipment and amplification is a cheapo portable DVD to sync' up to so it's not a great deal to lug around.

I still wouldn't advise sync' pulse to a large audience unless it's an audience of film collectors (a la BFCC) or you're really confident everything will work.

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on September 07, 2007, 07:19 AM:

Paul,

I also see your point of view. I too have heard the stunning audio at the BFCC with DVD sound when an extract of Gladiatior was shown. On the other hand with modern prints from Derann the stripe sound would probably have been very good anyway.

Returning to your point, There is also a big wow factor when you tell your audience your listening to dolby surround sound. Mixing super 8 with digital is one way to encourage young people into the hobby. Most young people's view of super 8 is something their grandad did showing holiday films and 'baby on the lawn' films, sending the family to sleep. Some of my friends are astonished that new super 8 is still being made with titles such as Master and Commander.

Its just good to see super 8 shown to a wider audience whatever the audio is. [Smile]

Graham

Posted by James N. Savage 3 (Member # 83) on September 07, 2007, 12:16 PM:

The Universal 8 400 foot digests are pretty fun to show. Some good ones are Incredible Shrinking Man, A & C Meet Frankenstien, & some of the 200 footers like Turantula.

I think CHC was selling full length prints of Turantula recently.

Good Luck!

James.

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