Question for Shorty ...

[Osi Osgood]

... or otherwise. What years did Blackhawk Films use the Psycedelic boxes with white backgrounds. You know, the cool florescent images on the front or top covers.

[Joe Caruso]

1968, coinciding with the dawning of the age of aquarius

[Osi Osgood]

That's surprising. I would have thought it was some time in the 70's. Surprised to hear it was that early. Thanks, oh Shorty, of the Joe variety, archivist of all things Blackhawk!

[Osi Osgood]

Shorty, what is your opinion of the early super 8 prints done by Blackhawk? I know that the standard 8mm prints were truly outstanding, but would you say that these early super 8 prints could "stand on their own"?

[Tony Ferrara]

I am not "Shorty", but I have several early Super 8 Blackhawk prints that are excellent. The ones where the titles on the sides of the box were done using rubber stampers rather than the later typed label with the red-background "Super 8" square on it.

I am not sure I know what you mean by Blackhawk's psychedelic boxes. Any examples?

[Osi Osgood]

Shorty had said that the Psychedelic boxes were in the late 60's, and they were white, with academy ratio size "squares" of famous early comedians, but instead of many colors, they are one color, and they were bright, almost florescent colors. Very "mod".

[Joe Caruso]

True, and the generic Blackhawk boxes contained (mostly) outline renditions of the Blackhawk Indians with a silhouetted one dead-center (in multi-color variations), these were also added or replaced with ratio-size renditions of Arbuckle, Pickford, Hart, The Gishes, Sterling, Fairbanks, Mix and...for some reason, Crosby...this was due to the re-popularization of "Road" pictures, his many golf and TV appearances, and his passing in 1977 causes a re-interest...the other style of box had a black background with a circular reel depicting Fairbanks/Pickford, Arbuckle/Sterling, Crosby and Helen Holmes...still another was of 3 filmstrips showcasing Turpin/Natalie Kingston and a white background edition showing similar illustrations...the Chaplins were always issued in yelow boxes with his characterization poses..the earliest Chaplin releases (1952 through 1958), were drawing boxes of 200' or 2x200' Std 8 Silent renditions...On the subject of L&H, the very first issues in pink Std 8 Silent boxes (flap-top) were derived from the best negs available, and we should be grateful we have what we have, elsewise these might have either been neglected or never printed had not a deal been struck with the Roach Studios and Eastin-Phalen...Std 8 always were sharp because they were struck from the best materials, and I eagerly sought these out painstakingly for years, comparing/contrasting and trading for the finest quality if not from Blackhawk direct, then through top collectors/dealers...the Super 8 pink boxes are also tops, once Lee began with a new box and presumably new preprint, the quality was hit or miss, though not too bad...then 1960s (my time), film collecting was escalating due to exposure of TV showings, books published and the rarest interviews being conducted...so, there we have it...the silver editions are sought-after as well, Our Gangs are especially nice...different lab was used, no longer CAL (Calvin), will look into into that...bottom-line, it always eagerly fascinating to me when I hear of a new cache of Blackhawk, as one never know what box or print condition will be had...no doubt there will be more questions and the search continues...Cheers, Shorty

[Tony Ferrara]

Shorty had said that the Psychedelic boxes were in the late 60's, and they were white, with academy ratio size "squares" of famous early comedians, but instead of many colors, they are one color, and they were bright, almost florescent colors. Very "mod".

Osi,

I'm still trying to visualize this. I have a huge collection, all types of Blackhawk boxes. Do you have a pic of one -- or a link to one?
I'm guessing I have one -- I have hardly ever seen a Blackhawk box on the big auction site that I didn't have -- except for the title-specific L&Hs, and the railroad boxes.

Thanks

[Joe Caruso]

Even some of the L&H, Chaplin, Keaton and others came out in these assorted boxes. I'm trying to pinpoint the manufacturer of these boxes...have understood this was in New York City....Shorty

[Tony Ferrara]

I have a few Chaplins in generic Blackhawk boxes, but I prefer the yellow Chaplin-specific box.
I have never seen a Chaplin film offered for sale in a silver Blackhawk box. But of course the RBC prints (of which I have 2) that Blackhawk sold were in silver boxes -- not that it matters. Don't know why RBC never offered "The Kid", "Shoulder Arms" (or the whole "Chaplin Revue"), or "The Idle Class".

I could never understand why Charlie Chase, Our Gang (even Niles had a special box for them!), Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton never got their own boxes from Blackhawk. I know they only had a few Busters, but still -- he was one of the "3 geniuses" lauded by Brownlow and Gill, though that was after Blackhawk's heydey.

So there are generic Blackhawk boxes (many different styles, including the silver), L&H pink (early ones had a darker shade) and olive green (all Lee Enterprises, never Eastin-Phelan, I believe), Hal Roach, Mack Sennet, Chaplin, and Railroad boxes.
Some specific-titled with pics L&Hs (I believe from the Standard 8mm era -- I have never seen one offered in Super 8.)
Oh, and the red Chaplin box from the Standard 8mm only era.


At the end of the day, it's the film inside that really matters. I have bought many a print in a can or plain box.

[Osi Osgood]

Shorty, do you happen to have a photo of one of those "mod" boxes? BTW great extra long and detailed post, short-meister!

[Tony Ferrara]

Short-meister? Is Shorty making copies at the copy machine?