8mm Forum: Almost TOO easy to find films!

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Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 05, 2015, 10:25 PM:

Two visits to the Dentist:

Spring, 1979

I am 17 years old and 6 months away from passing my driver's test. My friend and I ride our bikes to his dentist's office and I am sitting in the waiting room. All there is to read is Sports Illustrated so I read about golf and hockey and baseball. All of a sudden I find an ad. for Sportlite Films and see they have a Blackhawk "First Indianapolis 500" in Super-8. I am a newly minted film collector so I write all the information down. Later I get a check from my Dad, write a letter, put it in an envelope, stick on a stamp and send it off. This is the genesis of my one and only brand new Blackhawk print, which I still have.

It remains my only Blackhawk until about the year 2000.

Fall, 2015

I took my son to the Dentist this afternoon. Once again, I am sitting in the waiting room (They still have Sports Illustrated, possibly even the same issue!). They have WiFi. I had my laptop. I spied three Blackhawks I liked on E-bay from the same seller. I used Buy it Now and paid with PayPal. They'll be here next week.

I'm thinking almost 30 years after Blackhawk closed up shop it should be much harder to find their films, either at the Dentist or anywhere else! We should be prospecting classified ads and rummage sales for months on end without finding any at all...

-but the Internet sure has changed the world, hasn't it?!

Without it would I even be able to tell the tale? (-especially to someone who cares?)

Posted by Paul Barker (Member # 4318) on November 06, 2015, 12:54 AM:

what a lovely little experience. and put so well. yes how times have changed.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 06, 2015, 03:13 AM:

Great tale there Steve and regarding your final comments,you are so correct. It's all very well and good people complaining constantly about the modern digital era and how things were so much better before the digital era and the internet in general, but where would this "minor sport" hobby of ours (that is adored globally by probably no more than 10k people now) be without any of it???

Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 67) on November 06, 2015, 06:29 AM:

Andrew is entirely correct. Steve Klare's writing is entirely brilliant.

Posted by John Hourigan (Member # 111) on November 06, 2015, 07:23 AM:

Couldn't agree more, Andrew. Even though I started my film collecting pursuits in 1971, thanks to all the things that come with the digital age, my film collection has accelerated in terms of quantity as a result of the Internet. While some people pine for the way things used to be, I definitely wouldn't want to go back to the way things were!

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on November 06, 2015, 08:59 AM:

You should pen a column for Reel-Image - I'm way overdue, Shorty

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 06, 2015, 09:08 AM:

I've thought about doing that: but I only got around to re-subscribing the other day after lapsing a couple of months!

-live moves swiftly at this age!

Mr. Osborne is a gracious fellow, I'm sure he will forgive!

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on November 06, 2015, 09:13 AM:

He has to me, and I'm a years'-behind or more in submissions - have to think on a new series of topics, or re-arrange the older ones

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 06, 2015, 09:34 AM:

I'd have to think of something different than I do here.

Why would people want to read more of the same stuff they get free every day?

Maybe Trisha should do a column from her point of view:

It could be titled "What on EARTH are you DOING?! Things are rattling off the shelf up here"

-or maybe my kid:

"Daddy likes wires!!"

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 06, 2015, 09:40 AM:

How about Jerry Springer. He has just been here in the UK and was very very funny on the Channel 5 "Wright Show" the other morning.

I reckon Steve and Jerry would make a great comedy double act for any column in any magazine! [Big Grin]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on November 06, 2015, 10:40 AM:

I like to think I'm a little more subtle than Jerry Springer!

(Then again so is your average amphibious assault unit!)

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 06, 2015, 01:27 PM:

[Wink]

. He was very funny the other morning though Steve. Honest. [Big Grin]

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on November 06, 2015, 01:33 PM:

Without doubt the internet has changed how we communicate and exchange information. you-tube, Facebook, and how you can take a photo or short video with your phone and ping it of within seconds to someone around the world are amazing examples.

The downside for me has been the loss of film projection in the cinema because of the digital change. The sad decline of such famous companies like Kodak.

The internet and the digital age has changed the world...and its still on the move...what's next I wonder [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on November 06, 2015, 01:37 PM:

I miss Kodak as was I must admit. I loved all their film products I ever used when I was younger including their excellent slide films. Kodachrome was superb.
Oh for K40 Sound Film still being available!

Posted by Joseph Randall (Member # 4906) on November 06, 2015, 08:10 PM:

I've bought many films via the net, but my velocity was the same when buying through snail-mail lists like those from Dave Thomas.

Posted by Simon Balderston (Member # 5106) on December 01, 2015, 05:28 AM:

hi talking of dealers of years ago i used to buy them western cinema from a guy called bill anybody know if hes still around thanks

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