8mm Forum: The Big Reel

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Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 01, 2016, 11:17 AM:

Is "The Big Reel" still published in the U.S.?
As I recall, it was a monthly publication somewhat sized like a newspaper, and carried many advertisements from sellers of 16mm films, and possibly, other gauges.
It was always something to drool over.
In the past, I bought many films from the various sellers. I believe the biggest dealer was a gentlemen in Florida who said he had a huge number of films available.

Posted by Stuart Reid (Member # 1460) on August 01, 2016, 11:19 AM:

Maurice, I believe it stopped publication some years ago. Like you, I used to leaf through it, my mind boggling at the wonders it held! Surely all those dealers must still be going? I wonder where they hawk their wares these days, eBay perhaps?

Posted by Mitchell Dvoskin (Member # 1183) on August 01, 2016, 11:41 AM:

Sadly, the Big Reel is no more. I believe it stopped publishing sometime in the late 1990's. The internet killed it.

Posted by Bill Phelps (Member # 1431) on August 01, 2016, 03:16 PM:

It was the late 2000's that it stopped....I don't know if this is the last issue but the last one I have is Issue 400 from Sept/Oct 2008....I had a subscription for many years.

Posted by Michael O'Regan (Member # 938) on August 02, 2016, 12:09 PM:

I have a copy from the late 80's. Unbelievable how much film is for sale in there.

Posted by David Ollerearnshaw (Member # 3296) on August 02, 2016, 12:45 PM:

Used to subscribe and bought many films from the advertisers. Would you be thinking of Ray Courts? There was Western Cinema, Thornhill, 100's of them.

Posted by John Hermes (Member # 1367) on August 02, 2016, 01:34 PM:

The good old, glory days of film collecting. I started getting The Big Reel in about 1976 (40 years ago??!!) when it was pamphlet-sized and put out by Donald Key. I bought loads of 16mm and 35mm films over the years from it. I have great memories of the excitement of waiting for the next issue to arrive!

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 02, 2016, 02:40 PM:

David
Ray Courts. That was the seller in Florida wasn't it? I seem to remember that he said he had warehouses full of films for sale.

Posted by Joe Caruso (Member # 11) on August 02, 2016, 04:03 PM:

I'm in there, occasionally - BIG REEL was the standard, next to Blackhawk Bulletins - Many times I missed outon a deal, because I didn't upgrade to 1st Class, even then, the paper would often arrive late anyway - Those were the times of phone calls and letter-writing, two areas of which I still prefer - BIG REEL gave me alot of items I wouldn't find elsewhere, made a ton of solid friends to this day - Shorty

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on August 02, 2016, 05:15 PM:

If I remember correctly there was a guy called Art Edelstein (I think that was his name) who was based in Florida or Georgia, and sold a lot of films via The Big Reel. I bought quite a few new and used S8 titles from him. Anybody remember him?

Posted by Joe Taffis (Member # 4) on August 02, 2016, 08:36 PM:

Paul,
Art's company was Famous Films in Florida. Basically he operated out of his hotel room. He would take orders for films, and then get them from real distributors and flip them. I know he stuck at least one distributor for quite a few $$$...
I also subscribed to The Big Reel. I bought and sold a lot of films through ads on there. Those were the days!

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