The Empire Strikes Back 200' version

[Adrian Winchester]

I remember a Derann Open Day that must have been quite soon after Derann obtained the remaining stock of Ken films. There was some amusement in the auction when Derek cleared out quite a few 200' new b/w silent copies of 'The Empire Strikes Back', by selling them for only 50p. They were not in boxes. I can't recall if I've ever seen a colour/sound 200 version, so I wondered if anyone can confirm that such a release exists, and it was sold in a typical Ken illustrated 200' box?

[Osi Osgood]

There were color 200ft versions, and they were sold in over sized 200ft boxes, as they were silent, but sold with an audio cassette with the soundtrack on it! I'm betting that the color has faded on it, though.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Jean-Marc Toussaint posted these pictures in a review of the 400' Alien.

[Osi Osgood]

Yeah, that's it!

[Dominique De Bast]

There's another picture here of a magnetic sound version : L'Empire contre-attaque "Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back" (Film Super 8) | Bd-cine.com

[Rob Young]

I have a copy and can confirm that they also (well, my copy at least!) have a magnetic stripe and sound track on the film as well as the cassette and that it isn't an after market job. It's a nice little edit actually.

[Osi Osgood]

I have seen some screenings of it on YouTube, and I love the edit as well. It is a condensation of just part 1, however.

[Patrick Walsh]

most interesting, I have the version which is in the thick box with the audio cassette tape but my print has a mag sound track, mine has held up good colour wise.

[Adrian Winchester]

Many thanks for the replies. It's intriguing that Ken tried such an experiment with cassettes at such a late stage. I have a vague recollection that there might have also been a 200' release of 'Alien' with a cassette. I wonder if the price was more than a typical 200', considering the prints were striped and recorded?

It's still a mystery what box the 200' b/w silent versions of 'Empire' were sold in. I saw one on ebay recently that was sold in a Mountain/Portland Films-type box, with the title printed on a sticker.

[Oliver Feld]

Wow! Another treasure I didn’t know anything about…! Phantastic!

[Osi Osgood]

There was a 200ft "ALIEN", but I have only seen it once. It must have been a small print run.