8mm Forum: A question about a 9.5mm print ...

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Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 15, 2014, 12:48 PM:

I have just one 9.5mm print (I like having act least one print of each gauge in my collection), and I'm just curious of the date (age) and such of the print.

It is a "Pathe-O Gram" print, with that stated on the first images, "Pathe safety Stock" (wound around a triangular image under the "Pathe-O-Gram"), curious, as I was expecting early Kodak stock.

It is a Mickey Mouse cartoon entitled "Haunted House" and appears to be complete, as it is on a very full metal 200ft reel. Very cuious reel, in that it doesn't have the usual super 8 or standard 8 middle to it, but these two holes in the middle. I assume that this was common for 9.5mm?

I must say, I have always been fascinated with the fact that the sprocket was in the very middle of the film, instead of on the edges, which nearly every other film gauge has it ...

So, can anybody date this thing for me?

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on March 15, 2014, 02:04 PM:

Ossi
Pathe 9.5mm predates Standard 8 and was the first affordable home movie guage for the masses, and still my favourite to a large degree. Not sure of the launch date but pretty sure it goes back to the 30's or maybe before. There will be experts replying to give you more exact data, of that I am sure.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on March 15, 2014, 04:11 PM:

"Haunted House" is a Mickey Mouse 200' number M/30151. It's actually a 1929 cartoon called "The Haunted House".

The M reels were introduced by Pathescope Ltd in November 1934.

"Haunted House" was issued on 9.5mm in December 1935.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 19, 2014, 12:42 PM:

Maurice, your magnificent! Totally awesome ...

Fairly old reel then. I like it, though I can't project it.

As a general rule, have 9.5MM films aged well or not?

I'm curious, as, apparently, they used they're own stock and not necessarily "Kodak Safety stock" (which a lot of the early standard 8mm and double sprocket 16MM were printed on).

Once again, kudos to one Mr. Leakey!! [Big Grin]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on March 19, 2014, 04:07 PM:

I blush.
9.5mm film was printed on Pathe stock, only during the war was stock from UK Kodak used, reverting back to Pathe when supplies were resumed after the war.

Posted by Lee Mannering (Member # 728) on March 20, 2014, 01:39 AM:

Osi’s question: As a general rule, have 9.5MM films aged well or not?

Over the years they have held up very well Osi if kept in good hands and well away from an ACE silent projector, similar with the optical sound film if kept away from a SON sound projector not used correctly. I’ve found the films to stand the test of time very well indeed and they have also benefited from a design where the film has more actual mass than the smaller gauge so more tolerance to shrinkage perhaps. With the sprocket hole in the middle should the films show signs of shrinking it’s a very even process where as with 8 and 16mm they can warp in a curve.

Posted by Dino Everette (Member # 1378) on March 20, 2014, 01:50 AM:

Osi
most of the printed 9.5 films are on a diacetate stock, rather than the triacetate stock that most 8mm prints are on...I have found pretty much across the board that diacetate holds up better. It has a far less chance of getting vinegar syndrome and is overall more durable. One of the many reasons I love the 9.5 [Big Grin]

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on March 20, 2014, 03:19 AM:

Osi
I you would like to see your cartoon, click on my attachment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8LiPoIpxnk

Posted by Terry Sills (Member # 3309) on March 20, 2014, 03:35 AM:

I have had many 9.5 films over the years, and still have quite a few now, but I have never had vs on any. The main problem is that some go brittle and then the film suffers from cracking perforations which is largely terminal as it makes it unprojectionable because it will keep breaking as it transports through the film path. The great thing about 9.5 silent film is that because sprocket holes are in the centre of the film the picture image is maximised to almost the full width of the film and picture quality is nearly as good as 16mm, so definition is much better than 8mm.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on March 20, 2014, 12:13 PM:

Thanks for that link Maurice! [Smile]

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on March 28, 2014, 12:36 AM:

Osi, the three holes on the reel is indeed the normal standard for 9,5. The earlier films were however mounted on small black cartridges and there were notches on the film itself. The first 9,5 projectors (known as Pathé Baby) stopped the film each time there was a notch so the projection could be longer. Of course, the notches were put on images like titles or statues or anything that doesn't move on the screen. The projection restarts automatically and many 9,5 projectors from that time still work. The purpose of Pathé (the company that invented the gauge) was to make it afordable and easy to use to a large audience as possible so Pathé used the middle perforation system, the notches, the cartdriges and the safe ininflammable filmstock. It is interesting to note that 9,5 is still alive and it is still possible to film in that gauge.

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