What 8mm films did I watch last night?

[Steve Klare]

A Mystery Reel!

I was organizing some stuff when I found a 400 Ft. case and full reel. It was interesting: Super-8 sound on a Standard-8 Reel. This means I have never projected it because none of my sound machines can mount an R8 reel. My editor can, so I ran the first couple of feet and saw it was a Stooges Short!
This is actually the first Three Stooges we have ever had here. Maybe because my Mom forbade me from watching them when I was a little kid! (-some "violence....thing!") -So it's always had the allure of forbidden fruit! I've wanted to for a long time, but I've just never gotten around to picking any!
The film was Uncivil Warriors (1935): the Stooges are Union (ummmm...) "Intelligence" Agents infiltrating a Confederate headquarters and learning what their military capabilities are. Naturally, nothing that happens came out of any Army field manual! (-to say the least!)
I found a spare 400 foot 8mm reel (-of the proper persuasion!), spliced on some black leader after some white leader and we enjoyed it tonight! We agreed this one is CineSea Worthy and after years of enjoying Stooges Shorts there (Mom would understand!), maybe it's time to have a horse in that particular parade!

-but the mystery remains! How in 2024 did an unknown Super-8 film magically appear like this? Was it part of a pile of reels I picked the obvious gems out of and since this one wasn't marked, did I shove it to the side? Did I actually buy it and forget? (...I sure HOPE not!). It was in my house, so I guess it's my film. I don't remember paying for it, so I guess that makes it kind of...free!

[Chip Gelmini]

I got my latest brand new super eight Full length print Yesterday on Saturday, June 22 gorgeous color from the J-E-F FILMS REG'D library 1960s the time machine

[Steve Klare]

I have the German Language Piccolo Das Boot. There is no language barrier here: when you have a bunch of guys in a damaged submarine up to their necks in seawater screaming in terror, there is no translation necessary!

[Douglas Meltzer]

Steve,

I've watched the German version. I will soon start matching up the audio for re-recording into English.

[Steve Klare]

Doug?

Hast du Die Augen der Laura Mars auf Englisch oder Deutsch ausgesehen?

(Es würde leichter auf Englisch für uns sein!)

I like buying German language prints on eBay US: there is never much of a battle!

[Douglas Meltzer]

Eyes of Laura Mars Piccolo Film 2x400'

[Osi Osgood]

We watched a fairly rare cartoon on super 8 that I just acquired, "Mickey (mouse) plays Santa". A short, slightly edited black and white gem. Rarely ever seen this one on Super 8.

[Graham Ritchie]

After the blu-ray last night I found time to again screen this one straight after, I never get tired watching it

[Chip Gelmini]

Over the past weekend I settled down and watched two great movie musicals. A Star is Born from the early 40's; then on the next night I watched the early version of Till the Clouds Roll By.

They just don't make movies like this anymore.......excellent screenings despite the brown copper fade. Everything super 8 sound.

[Brian Fretwell]

The first part of Carry on up the Kyber (4x600ft version), I started laste and needed some sleep, I'll be watching more today.

[Oliver Feld]

The full feature of HIGH SOCIETY, the wonderful Musical starring Bing, Grace and Frank. I once re-recorded it to Stereo, which makes the feel good film even more amazing.

[Graham Ritchie]

Steve you are right "A Grand Day Out" kept appearing in the second hand list which surprised me at the time, I thought it would have been snapped up, as we know, by the time we got those overseas lists, most of the films I was after were well and truly gone by the time I phoned up. I cant remember what it cost, but price wise at the time it was very reasonable. Its certainly a nice print with very good sound.

Last night it was the Derann release of "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" I put this film onto two Elmo reels, one 1200ft the other 800 footer, both picture and sound are very good. Collectors were over the moon when Disney allowed it full length onto Super8. Up to that point only two extracts were ever put out there I can think of, so getting the OK for the full feature was really a landmark in the world of Super8.

One thing I did notice for the first time at the end credits, it states that it had been "digitally restored" that made me.

PS I still think that old witch is one nasty piece of work, always surprised the film was given a "G" rating, should have been a R18


A couple of previous screen shots

[Steve Klare]

What was kind of amazing at the time was even after the negative was (umm) destroyed, A Grand Day Out kept showing up on the Derann used list over and over again, and these days many more collectors seem to have prints than that limited printing should have been able to supply.

(-just saying...)

I was feeling a little impoverished back around that time (-had a kid in day-care!), but I would have considered selling a kidney to get a print of The Wrong Trousers!

(Just wasn't meant to be! -and having a spare kidney these days is probably a good thing!)

[Graham Sinden]

That story about the damaged negative is a cover up given at the time. The real reason is the BBC found out about it and gave a Derann a big telling off so there was no more 😉.

[Juergen Kellermann]

Thanks. I heard about the damaged negative, but was under the impression that it was damaged before any prints were made. Great that there are a few out there.

In Germany, there are German-dubbed 16mm prints of the first three shorts, which were available for loan to schools and educational institutions. This seems to be the only other way to get hold of W&G for your home cinema. I have one of these prints, THE WRONG TROUSERS, but they are now also rare as hen's teeth.

The first three shorts were also shown as a compilation-film in cinemas (I remember seeing it on the big screen) and there are a few 35mm prints in collectors' hands. I wish, I could get one of these...