Castle 16mm Shorts!

[Steve Klare]

Thanks for the pictures, Bill!

(That does look nice!)

I'm not exactly sure what I'd do if I got the chance to buy a real color print: does the addition of color make the use of funds and space worthwhile? I could have a whole separate film using those same dollars and cubic inches of storage space!

What's hysterical is I bought my own B&W print from the Franchettis!

I've been to CineSea...ehhh!...a couple of times (-about twenty-five! -but who's counting?!)

My wife ran a baby shower there when the youngest Franchetti was soon to be born!
-maybe the first in the history of film conventions!

If you get a chance to join in, please do! It's good, clean fun and the people that attend are generally pretty happy they did!

[Bill Davis]

Black and white of color is not necessarily bad. I am trying to collect most - but not all - of the Castle travelogues. I’ve been very happy to get B & W prints of several that were released in color. I only have one Kodachrome Castle print in my collection - it’s the one on Holland - and I paid dearly for it on eBay. I do have a few faded Eastman’s and if the chance to upgrade to B & W I would do it in a second. But faded Eastman is better than nothing!! I would think the Newfoundland film would look typical of the period in B & W. When I did “movie nights” at my church - before Covid - I would always start with a cartoon (IB) followed by a travelogue, then the feature. The travelogues don’t always go over but I always included one. If I knew a member that expected to attend was from a certain state or someone I knew just came back from a vacation to a certain area and I had something I would include that for the travelogue portion. There were many beautifully filmed travelogues released in the 1950’s, early 1960’s. Those are the bulk of my collection.

[Steve Klare]

-another Castle 400 Footer:

Railroad Story

-a tale of how much boys love trains and how every young man wants a Lionel layout.

This is absolutely Classic 1950s stuff: How Dad and Junior head down to the Hobby Shop wearing suits and ties to enjoy the latest Lionel 3-rail O-gauge offerings (-actually pretty impressive to see these things doing what they did in the days before microprocessors or even transistors!).

I'm sure the Lionel folks didn't mind the publicity at all!

What's really great about this one is it's kind of a reference-point in time: how different the world looks and acts now as compared to 70 years ago.

[Bill Davis]

I have RAILROAD STORY in my collection too!! A little off topic - anyone have any Kodachrome prints of the Castle travelogues?? I only have one in my collection - it’s the one on Holland. I know Castle printed more on Kodachrome but they never come around.

[Steve Klare]

Castle had a very definite leaning towards Black and White, maybe sometimes even a little too far. I'm a fan of B&W, and have shot at least my share of S8 B&W cartridges, but here and there I've gotten Castle prints where anything but wonderful, brilliant color is just plain wrong and should never have even been offered!

Examples:
Hawaii World Parade
Sky Diving

It's like getting to the concert and finding out half the musicians didn't show up!
I realize they were probably cheaper, but...

Who knows, maybe back in the era before color television people just didn't care that much!
-for example, my wife's grandmother was watching a black and white TV when I first met her in 1989! (She preferred it.)

(While we're at it: anybody out there looking for silent prints of Fantasia?!! )

[Bill Davis]

A couple times over the years I got into and out of collecting super 8 in favor of 16mm. At one point in the late 1960’s I purchased a brand new super 8 print of Castle ‘s CHALLENGE OF THE ALPS in color and sound. No idea what the color stock was (I’m guessing it was Eastman) but the color was breathtaking. I did not have much of a collection at the time and I ran this many many times. I would consider this one of the best - if not the best - Castle adventure and/or travelogue released. It’s a very fast moving beautiful short. I got back into concentrating on 16mm and sold most everything I had in 8mm and super 8 and did not keep this print all that long. The color was still beautiful when I sold this title. In later years I’ve been trying to get most of the Castle travelogues (especially those I owned years ago in 8mm or super 8) back in 16mm sound editions. So far I have 40 or 50 of the prints I’m looking for. I’m very happy with black and white. However I have found a few only in Eastman color. CHALLENGE OF THE ALPS is one I have only found in faded Eastman color. It’s definitely lacking because of the color. I keep it still on my “want list” for a better print. I think a Kodachrome is most likely impossible but would grab a black and white if I had a chance. I have a few more faded Eastmans would love to upgrade to black and white. My thought as to the reason most of these were released in black and white was the cost factor involved. We are in Tennessee right now for the Thanksgiving weekend so I don’t have access to my Castle book or able to look up titles in my collection. There is another Castle release (which I have never had) on the Tall ships sailing into New York harbor in 1976 for the bicentennial. I guessing Castle prints are all Eastman if the color version. This Castle release is a 400’ edited version of an 800’ Universal release. I can not give you the exact title as I’m not at home. I have a mint LPP print of the complete Universal release. It is breathtaking. I’m sure many of the Castle travelogues are cut downs of other longer theatrical releases. That could be the subject of another book altogether on the history of Castle Films!! Any input on this Shorty??

[Bill Davis]

Or Scott (not sure if you are a member here??)

[Douglas Meltzer]

Bill,

Was there an 800' 16mm release of Operation Tall Ships? The U-8 catalogs only list these:



This release never made it into a Castle catalog. Scott MacGillivary says in his book that it was sourced from video. I'll have to check my Super 8 print to see how the color has held up.

Ken Films put out Happy Birthday America (Super 8mm 200' & 400' color/sound) which includes footage of the Tall Ships & Bicentennial celebrations.

[Bill Davis]

Doug, The 800’ print I have is not a Castle Film. Has Universal Pictures logo. We are still in Tennessee so I can’t get exact title until I get home - hopefully tomorrow weather permitting!! We have a 12 hour drive tomorrow. I was told the Castle release was edited from this Universal short. I guess I should keep an eye open for a Castle print (even red) so I can compare it to the longer Universal release. I’m assuming the Universal release was shown in theaters. Interesting Scott’s book shows edited from video?? I’ve always wondered as to the sources of all the Castle travelogues and adventure films. It’s hard to believe they were all originally made by Castle Films for sale to collectors. Seems more likely to me they were edited from other shorts originally released in theaters.