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What can the super 8 wizards here on this forum tell me about Marketing Films? I know they were based out of NYC. They seemed to be in direct competition with other super 8 digest makers of the day, such as Universal 8. They released sound and color cutdowns of many well-known features, and I'm not sure what else. My trail ends there. I'm sure someone here can add to what little I know.
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Oh where to start...
I've had a passion for Marketing Films which started trading in 1972 recalled from a slightly fading memory bank.
The first film I got to see was when a representative who called at my local Film and photo shop as I stood there watching him open his brief case demonstrating what Marketing could offer the owner. The first thing that impressed me oh 47 years ago was the quality of the boxes and over the years they improved this dramatically as we know. My stockist always listened to his customers so eventually by the mid 70's had a large display of Marketing Films on offer. You can spot the early release as the boxes had a fairly simple yellow white bordered colour box.
Marketing was based in Bochum and by mid 70's we had 'the seal of quality' a gold sticker closing the box. This was not in fact always the case but hey ho..
By 1977 my local dear was selling his most popular title King Kong as 4 parts. He was a wonderfully kind man to me allowing me to buy each part month by month along with other films.
By the end on the 1970's Marketing abandoned all Acetate film prints favouring Polyester which was a major break through for film collectors really and my shop owner friend did tell me when Star Wars comes in they will all be on Poly stock. By this time I was a serous film collector by the way and Stereo re dubber.
Make no mistake Marketing were big by this time striking deals with Paramount Pictures and others that no one else could so should not be underestimated. In fact they had established a good link to the USA which paid dividends back then and by the start of the 80's full features were available on Poly film stock so we just about had it all.
Difficult times were to follow as Video took off but I have fond memories of Marketing and if anyone were to ask what's your favourite release it will be Raiders of the Lost Ark 400ft which I recently dubbed to blazing Stereo sound -
I have the "Marketing-Film International" 1980/81 catalogue in front of me :-
The Ten Commandments 400' selected scene edition, and 400' three-part edition
War Of The Worlds 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (85 mins)
Saturday Night Fever 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (118 mins)
Samson And Delilah 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (143 mins)
Rosemary's Baby 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (136 mins)
Grease 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (110 mins)
To Catch A Thief 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (106 mins)
Prophecy 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (94 mins)
Once Upon A Time In The West 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (165 mins)
When Worlds Collide 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (81 mins)
Godfather 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (171 mins)
Godfather II 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (200 mins)
Star Trek - The Motion Picture Special 12 minute edition on 400' spool
True Grit 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (128 mins)
Murder On The Orient Express Full feature only (128 mins), available in USA and Canada only, and only in English
Marathon Man 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (125 mins)
The Warriors 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (94 mins)
Death Wish 400' selected scene edition and full feature (93 mins), available in USA and Canada only, and only in English
Black Sunday 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (143 mins)
Death On The Nile Full feature only (140 mins), available in USA and Canada only, and only in English
The Longest Yard (The Mean Machine) 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition, and full feature (121 mins)
King Kong 400' selected scene edition and full feature (135 mins). available in USA and Canada only, and only in English
Barbarella 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition and full feature (98 mins)
Chinatown 400' selected scene edition, 400' three-part edition and full feature (131 mins)
Barracuda 400' three-part edition only
Emmanuelle, The Joys Of A Woman 400' selected scenes, and full feature (92 mins), available in USA and Canada only, and only in English
Unless stated above all copies are available in English, French and Spanish.
It's interesting to know how many features were sold and how much they were.
MauriceComment
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I have a couple of 200ft extracts, so I know some of those were available as well, though they came in the same size case as the 400ft ones. "The Longest Yard" and "The Godfather". I wonder how common they were?Comment
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Stuart,
Here is a thread about Marketing Films from the Grand Old Forum:
http://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bi...=005354#000000
DougComment
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