8mm Forum: Maurice Trace's silent guides

This is topic Maurice Trace's silent guides in forum 9.5mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=9;t=000306

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 16, 2015, 02:00 PM:

I recently spoke about the sound guide published by Maurice Trace. I have now bought two silent guides from Maurice. They are printed on single sided A4 paper and are in folders with metal securing clips.

"A Guide to Pathescope 9.5mm Silent Non-Fiction films" is almost 2" thick and contains 795 entries with twelve appendices.

"A Guide to Pathescope 9.5mm Silent Dramas, Thrillers, Adventures & Westerns" is 1" thick with four appendices.

The first mentioned may be of more interest to collectors of the small black metal cassettes as they seem to be pre-dominate. It appears that hundreds of these were produced. Longer films are also included.

The second is very useful as it contains also the titles of the foreign films which were used for British issues. All titles are in alphabetical order with foreign origins mentioned twice, (foreign/english.)

Both are exhaustively researched and I can recommend them wholeheartedly.

Posted by Graham Sinden (Member # 431) on August 16, 2015, 07:09 PM:

Its a shame Maurice dosent offer all his guides as a pdf file. Although nicely printed and excellent value, the size of them puts me off as I need more space.

Graham S

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on August 17, 2015, 03:22 AM:

It is true that the Guides are large to handle as they are A4 size, but Maurice's work is not just a list of titles, there is a lot of very interesting reading with information on each film gleaned from many sources.

It's the thing to go through whilst sitting in a comfortable lounge chair in front of the fire and get lost in the wonderful world of 9.5 films. It's not the thing to read sitting in front of a computer, unless, of course, you are looking for a specific film.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on August 17, 2015, 04:39 AM:

I agree with you, Maurice. It is definitely better to have a print support. What's more, it is so easy to send pdf files for free between collectors without any respect for the hard work that has been done and deserve to be rewarded.

Posted by Ken Finch (Member # 2768) on August 23, 2015, 12:20 PM:

It has taken Maurice Trace many years of research, almost a lifetime, to compile these highly detailed lists of films. Most of which no longer exist on any other gauge or format. To put it on a PDF file would to my mind, belittle all the effort he has put into these projects. I have one of his earlier versions of the drama and adventure catalogue, purchased from him many years ago and it is much smaller than the one Maurice has. This shows how doggedly he has continued to find the origins of those elusive little films. Ken Finch. [Smile]

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2