What 16mm Films Did You See Last Night?

[Steve Klare]

My wife is a big fan of the *M*A*S*H* TV series. I bought her a 16mm episode for one of her Christmas presents. We finally got around to screening it last night.

This was the episode Hanky Panky where BJ Hunnicutt is comforting a nurse who just received a "Dear Jane" letter from her husband back-home and the… "comfort" violates the bounds of his Marital Fidelity (-so to speak…). Unlike many of the *M*A*S*H* doctors, this isn't his usual style and much of the episode is coping with the after-affects and regret.

This was a TV print: including black seconds of film followed by brief countdowns inserted several times where the commercials were supposed to run. It's a shame it's not in the original can: it would be nice to see TV station markings on it. I could imagine a real connoisseur of the series wanting something like this even without projecting it.

I was a little nervous about this one: the eBay seller described it as "plenty of color left". In some translations this becomes "red as a firetruck" once up on screen, but I'd rate the color here as good to excellent. Frankly, if I bought a new print and it showed up in this condition, I'd be fine with that.

Now, there’s another issue to consider here: a film collector gifting his non-collector wife a can of film has certain overtones of a fisherman giving his wife a row-boat! She just may jump to the conclusion that he’s really getting something purely for himself and the Yuletide Chill will come inside the house too!

-so I did something about that. Bear in mind I did put the film in the gift box with the picture facing downwards: -there’s nothing like that half-second of Christmas Adrenaline before I told her to turn the reel over!
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-it’s all about presentation!

[Larry Arpin]

I'm a big fan of *M*A*S*H* and remember that episode well. Started watching maybe 2nd or 3rd season, then every Mon thru Fri when it was syndicated and now have all 11 seasons on DVD. I've seen good color episodes for sale on Ebay but they go for too much.

Did you get a big hug and kiss from your wife? Or that snear look of 'what's this'?

[Larry Arpin]

Never got around to watching that Christmas movie but did watch EARTH VS THE FLYING SAUCERS.

[Steve Klare]

Larry,

I think she was a little baffled by the present at first, but "reviews" since the show have been quite positive! My wife has been to CineSea quite a few times and she "gets it" where film is concerned.

I recognize this is my thing, but I try to make it benefit the rest of the family too. (-makes it feel less...selfish.)

This was something I wanted to do for her for a couple of years, but the last time there was a *M*A*S*H* episode on eBay I got sniped! In this case the price was right and it was "Buy it Now". it was mid-December and gift-giving season was going full-force: it just seemed the right time to seize the opportunity and make a present that was a little-bit special!

We now have an ongoing pact: if I see one, I'll let her know, and we'll take it from there. (Time will tell!)

This was a Frank Burns *M*A*S*H*: personally, I'd like to have a Charles Winchester one. Charles was a much more worthy opponent for Hawkeye, much the same way Yosemite Sam was more formidable than Elmer Fudd!

[Janice Glesser]

Last night I watched a 40-minute documentary on Teddy Roosevelt... Bully! I just love these old educational documentaries.

[Steve Klare]

He was quite a guy! A sickly boy, he basically fought it off by leading "a vigorous life". On Oyster Bay, maybe 10 miles from here, he'd shove a rowboat into the water and row about 3 miles north, and if he had time, he'd drag the boat across Centerport Neck and row to Connecticut, too! Did he have them send a car for him? No: he rowed back.

One day when he was campaigning for reelection, a man fired a pistol shot into his chest. After preventing the crowd from lynching his attempted assassin, he delivered his planned speech and only then allowed his staff to take him to the hospital to have the bullet removed.

-he had to deliver the speech from memory: his 50 page script had a bullet hole through it. It's entirely possible his gift for long speeches saved his life by slowing down that bullet just enough!

First President to fly in an airplane, even if it was after he'd left office, it was back in the era when a plane was basically a big kite with a primitive engine!

Trivia: John F. Kennedy was the youngest elected President, but TR was the youngest President, since he succeeded William McKinley after he was assassinated and was several years younger than newly elected JFK.

Sagamore Hill, his estate, is maybe 30 minutes away from here. I've been going there every couple of years since I was a little kid. Mom described it as "a man's house": Teddy Roosevelt was a prodigious hunter and basically if a room doesn't have a moose head or a bear skin rug, then it probably has a sink and a bathtub or stove!

[Janice Glesser]

Thanks Steve for the additional embellishments on Teddy Roosevelt! I am in no way a writer like you, but I know what I like when I see it. Teddy Roosevelt was a very interesting person.. Someone who lived life to the fullest. I would have loved to have met him. The documentary did mention him being shot and giving his speech before getting treatment. Unbelievable!

[Steve Klare]

The Hummingbird

I found this film about three years ago and was very pleased! I really enjoy birds and the hummers are likely my favorites. They are a wonderful example of the adaptability of nature. Both they and the ostrich are "birds", but look how different they are and live!

Hummingbirds are almost magical: there are stories that Aeronautical Engineers still don't quite understand how they can fly at all! The Ruby throat migrates across the Gulf of Mexico and nobody knows how they store up all the energy this requires. They share something in common with the Polar Bear: they have no fear of mankind, although for the tiny bird, it's not because they can kill and eat us easily! Hummingbirds so easily evade capture that they have basically no natural enemies, human or otherwise. They have the reputation of encountering people a lot more more curious about us than anything close to being afraid.

So I watched this film tonight: a little sunshine and color on a fairly grim Winter day: just the thing!
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It's a retired Library print (-many thanks to the good folks at the Public Library in Abilene, Texas!), so it's a little experienced (-not bad, really), but by and large it's wonderful viewing. The color is excellent. -good thing too: faded color with such spectacular creatures and scenery would be kind of a tragedy!
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The film follows a Canadian Naturalist all over the Americas encountering dozens of species from the smallest to the largest.
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Kind of a strange thing I get from this film is hope. This is not "big" hope for important things like Peace and Understanding among Peoples, noooo...nothing that noble, but actually hope for another film! (Much wiser people than me will need to work those other things out...assuming they ever show up!)

This film is from a Canadian TV series called Profiles in Nature. Years ago I had one of these on VHS about my favorite filmmaker: Bill Mason. Finding this one gives me hope that Spirit of the Wilderness is out there too! (-and hopefully in at-least equal condition...)

(In the meantime, I'll do what the hummingbird does and just stay persistent about it!)
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[Steve Klare]

Kind of interesting I mentioned the Ostrich when I was talking about the Hummingbird film last night: Truth be told, I have a few other films about birds! (the British Robin, the Cuckoo, Foghorn Leghorn, Daffy, Donald, Tweetie,...those Pixar Birds)...and I DO have this other 16mm titled (simply) Ostrich, which I screened tonight.
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Now, LOOK! -I know it's not my place as a Non-Avian to take sides here, and I'm NOT saying that the Ostrich is not impressive!
(Trust me, it is! Out in Arizona, people ride these in races like horses! You just don't DO that with Hummingbirds!)

-It's just the Hummingbird definitely pulls out front in the looks department! (-just saying!)

Gentlemen, Start your engines! (link)

[Phillip Campey]

Tonight I watched my Technicolor print of 101 Dalmations.

[Larry Arpin]

Finally watched IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA. I've had the last reel for some time and in the past year I had the main title, ship attack, and beach attack printed from the blu-ray. At the head I had a clip of Talos from Jason and the Argonauts which is faded.

Also saw the first reel of SON OF FLUBBER which is all I have of the film. I noticed the feature showed up on Ebay but is too expensive. That company keeps listing items and lowers the prices when re-listed. Maybe it will come down to a reasonable price.

[Steve Klare]

So I was downstairs (Theater II) last night and I found a 16mm reel by my wife's desk (The label-maker is one of her Magic Powers and when I buy a film that needs a label I drop it off to be done.) Typical of many 16mm prints in the modern era, the label on the can has absolutely nothing to do with the film inside! "Organic Chemistry"?...probably NOT!

The film was (actually) "Northern New England, USA", which I bought in early December. Given the hectic Holiday Season, I scarcely remember buying it, so I watched it again tonight.

It's kind of a travelogue on a mission: the United States Chamber of Commerce wants us to travel up there and leave our money behind, so they take us through the seasons. It's this wonderful film-stew: The Mount Washington Cog Railway, the leaves of Fall, skiing, maple syrup season, hiking, canoeing, parades, county fairs, lobster, clam chowder, lakes, rivers, campfires, forests, fishing, the beach, sunsets...etc.!

It's a stunning print: sharp image, beautiful colors and not a mark on it. It gives the vibe of being a print made and bought not long before somebody bought a VCR and a TV on a cart. (-and I am grateful!)

I really enjoy this film, but as far as its mission of getting me up to Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and leaving my money behind, it's a couple of decades too late! I love it up there and have been going basically since I got a driver's license.

(Doesn't mean I can't watch it a couple of times a year and think about going back!...Actually, I'm thinking about it right now!)

[Graham Ritchie]

Its been a while since I last ran "The Snow Goose", but tonight it was the turn of my B/H 16mm slot loader to get a run, and what better way than to watch this film. My understanding is that to date it has never legally been released onto any home format. Years ago, and it must be at least 30 years a friend of mine had one of the best home cinemas in this city who invited all of us to a Sunday night film evening. One film that caught my attention, was the full length of "The Snow Goose". At the time I thought this is a really good film, and that night I certainly enjoyed watching it.

Sadly in later years the chap passed away and again sadly all his stuff was sold off. I did turn up much later, and was told that the only thing left was a film on birds, so I took the chance and bought it. On the first screening at home, and after the initial introduction, the title "The Snow Goose" came up, to this day I still think its one of the best, its full length on one 1600ft reel, not a mark on the print and runs through the B/H like a swiss watch. The down side to it being a perfect print, is the dreaded fade, in saying that it seems to have got to a stage where its still ok to project. In fact if I had used my blue filter on the lens tonight with the lamp on full, it would would still be fine. I will post a couple of photos later on, but until then here is a extract from a previous screening.

"The Snow Goose" was first transmitted by the BBC on the 15th November 1971, and stars Richard Harris and Jenny Agutter, music by Carl Davis. This particular 16mm print I am sure was used for television transmission sometime during the 1970s here in NZ.

[Graham Ritchie]

Screen shots from two nights ago, they show a bit more red than what is on the actual film, however I will watch it again soon, but this time with a blue filter which should take the edge of the red a little bit.

PS I should have said 2000 ft reel not 1600

[Dominique De Bast]

L'homme aux gants blancs (The White Gloves), a French 1908 film from Albert Capellani. Strange release : the first part has the title and the intertitles in French and the second part is in English, except for the final board, which is...fin.