8mm Forum: Show Boat

This is topic Show Boat - A Question in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 31, 2017, 04:58 AM:

As most members know I bought many film some time ago from a deceased collection. They are projected in turn.
It was now time to see the 1951 MGM "Show Boat" on Super 8. It was in four parts, in white boxes, but with photostat copies of the artwork for the MGM issue number M-17.
After opening, I was surprised to see the spools were not 400ft as anticipated but 600ft, and not a poor colour copy but a stunning print on LPP. And the film is complete, not edited.
I assume this is the Derann issue masquerading in another cover.
Am I right?

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 31, 2017, 05:07 AM:

Of course Maurice, and the only surprise to me is that you'd expect it to look any different at all once you realised it was a Derann later print on 600ft spools, not an early print on 400ft ones released by MGM.
Clearly the previous owner has just stuck some MGM box art on it.

I just watched The Jolson Story last night, mounted on 5x 600ft spools from Derann with all original boxes and art and it was an unbelievable picture. Stunning image quality and colour as well as great great sound in those days of laminated stripe, straight out of the box!

Way To Go Maurice! [Wink]

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on August 31, 2017, 10:42 AM:

I am also fortunate to have the full length Derann print of Show Boat and it is indeed a flawless print. I did go ahead and do a re-record from the DVD which has some sound enhancement.
One of my prized film titles.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on August 31, 2017, 11:23 AM:

I once saw a very good super 8 optical sound feature print of "Showboat" as well on ebay, but I'm betting that you're mag sound prints sound better, crucial for a musical! [Smile]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on August 31, 2017, 11:33 AM:

It will no doubt look and sound completely different Osi, especially since Paul has transferred the DVD digital 2.0 Stereo track onto his film.

Good job Paul! [Wink]

As much as many of the optical prints are doing relatively well, none exactly emulate LPP qualities.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 01, 2017, 11:53 AM:

Unless, of course, they were printed on L.P.P. ... or othert low fade stocks! [Smile]

Not all super 8 optical prints were printed on quick fade film stocks. I have "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" (1969) and "Snoopy Come Home" (1972), an they, to this day, both have brilliant unfaded color.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 02, 2017, 02:32 AM:

Few and far between though Osi, on S8 optical sound prints.

Posted by Osi Osgood (Member # 424) on September 02, 2017, 11:31 AM:

Very true, glad that I have the ones that I do, though. [Smile]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on September 02, 2017, 12:06 PM:

The print that springs to mind from any I have for looking still the most colourful, is A Fish Called Wanda.
Still very very good.

Lots have plenty of colour left but they also show changes towards either pink or brown.

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