What 8mm films did I watch last night?

[John Armer]

Started with a railway short (inspired by Lee Mannering's recent thread): FOOTPLATE EXPRESS.

"Take your place on the Flying Scot as she speeds her way from London to Scotland and on a typical run, Lots of nostalgic shots of steam railway operation"

A sepia Perry's Movies print on polyester stock. I like this as it has a shot of the castle at Lancaster - the town where I live in NW UK.

Followed by THE AFRICAN QUEEN full feature - Red Fox on LPP. Probably one of the nicest prints in my collection. I don't think I touched the focus once during projection. Katherine Hepburn and Bogey are superb in this - brilliant performances by both.

[Gustavo Fernandez Johnson]

Wrong post, sorry

[Brian Fretwell]

Last night I went "Underwater" from Mountain a Buck Labs print on Fuji. It had a few stains but I got it at a good price, the second spool was rather buckled which gave a rather noisy show on the Eumig 926 with a couple of loses of top loop so it has been put on a good reel now.

[Melvin England]

My Saturday night delight consisted of.........


Ghost Train - 4x 400' - Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch

Escape From Alcatraz - 3x 400' - Clint Eastwood.


Strange mix, I know !

[Janice Glesser]

Chaplin night.

The Tramp

The Immigrant

[Steve Klare]

Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) 4x400', Blackhawk

If I had to list 10 benefits of collecting films, getting to know Buster Keaton would definitely make that list!

This is a scored print: a silent movie style organ playing throughout. I must have cranked it... a little bit. Afterwards I said to my wife "What a great movie!" She said "It was a little loud!" I said "Not 'loud': 'Theatrical'!".
.

"Alright, that was pretty good...should we go for another take?"

[Oliver Feld]

Walt Disney‘s ALADDIN, the breathtaking Derann print...! I could watch it again and again and You will always see some new details to enjoy.
Sadly the former owner had a machine which scratched the print hard with a lot of green lines, especially in reels 3+4. But this doesn’t take away the magic of this unique adventure.
Animation at its very best!

[Brian Fretwell]

Last night (after watching the DVD in the week) I screened the Derann 400ft cut down of "The Lavender Hill Mob" complete withe Derann B&W logo - at the end. As a frequent first drinker then worker at the annual Battersea Beer Festival (at the Arts Centre on Lavender Hill) I feel an affinity with the "Mob".
In the cut down they get away with it too.

[Lee Mannering]

I'll drink to that!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANK RANDLE England's finest character comedian.
Started our annual birthday celebrations screening It's a Grand Life along with looking thru the paper archive of lobby cards etc. Took some flowers to his grave yesterday and did a bit of a tidy up as well.

[Brian Fretwell]

A Disney "Island of Mystery", Swiss Family Robinson silent print with Spanish subtitles on a stock marked 7725, a bit pale but all colours were there, followed by the Techno 2x400ft Jason King "Uneasy Lies the Head" on SP, pink but it doesn't show up at first as it starts with a sunset in Istanbul. 🙂

[Melvin England]

Tonight was Elvis night in the Man Cave.


Elvis Presley's Wedding Highlights & Aloha Press Conference - 1x 200' Colour

Elvis on The Dorsey Brother's Show 1x 200' Black and White

G.I.Blues - 5x 400' Colour



It was interesting to observe that on the non original white box that contained the wedding highlights, there was a photo copied logo stuck on the side with the words "Used Super 8 and 16mm Film and Equipment." The person to contact was a Colin Deaves of Leeds. Has anybody ever heard of this dealer as I have never come across him before ?

.

[Melvin England]

I had another little film show this afternoon. This time it is was nothing that any of you will have seen as they were home-movies. However, at least a couple of them are worth a mention with a little story behind them.

First, a steam train journey from Hull to Carlisle. 450' at 18fps shot on KII I guess. It was sound which, for the sound of steam trains and atmosphere, really enhanced the film. It was one of a whole collection of films that came into my possession possibly 30 years ago after the film maker, who belonged to the then cine club, passed away and I became the custodian. Although there is no commentary, it is a really good record of an historic journey. Being a movie maker it was very watchable with his "better than average" ability to make films. He used film as people use camcorders...... time is not an issue. Maybe could have been edited slightly but certainly something that someone like Steve Klare would find fascinating.

The second film was a small 70' one that I made way back in 1994, also at 18 fps. It was shot in the back garden of one of the cine club members houses. It features all the members of the cine club, together with the members of Grimsby cine club who had been invited over for the day, having a Sunday afternoon tea party and generally having a good time. We later went into the member's private cinema for a very enjoyable film show. Sadly, this bit is not in the film.
It was shot on Kodak Tri X black and white film. I had always filmed in colour, but I once came across a few rolls of black and white and wanted to use it for the fun of it. Soundstripe was added with carefully timed instrumental music to start and finish at the correct time. It is sad to think that there are only 2 people still alive from the Hull club on that film, but was great to see them all again.

Finally, a trip I made to Germany in 1993, specifically Hamlein, or Hameln as it is. This time 400' @ 18fps shot on AGFA. I think because it was a couple of pounds cheaper per roll than Kodachrome K40 and in those days, money was tight. False economy. Colour wise, no way as good as K40 but acceptable.
Most of it was music with voice over. However, in the town square, the story of the Pied Piper is re-enacted. What I did was to film it in silent, but got my friend to stand in a position with a recordable Walkman (which was all that was available in those pre digital years) to capture the sound. Back home, it was a job and a half to match up the sound with the lip movements, particularly as I did not understand a word of it. However, I persevered and the result was really good, some sound running over several shots etc instead of either that nasty 0.25 seconds silence at the beginning of each shot, or inconsistency of sound levels per shot. A job well done.

Just a footnote to that last film..... By 1993, I think it is safe to say, that super 8 movie making was on the decline. It cheered me up no end that day to spot another person using a super 8 camera filming the same performance. Wouldn't it be a co-incidence if that person is also now a forum member!!!??

.

[Lee Mannering]

Great read Melvin.

Finally got round to sorting last years super 8 100D filming in to order ready for editing. Been a befuddling last year but getting the filming in order for editing over summer. I've dusted down the magnetic striping system and mixed some fresh stripe adhesive. Just to contemplate the film cutting.

Ending the day watching Tons of Trouble DCR as it was Richard Hearnes birthday over the weekend.

[Lee Mannering]

Talking about Disney on 8. Got a perfect colour of I WANNA BE LIKE YOU so will be recording the Stereo sound onto that with others in for re recording this week for my customers.


Inspired by a fellow collector watching NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT I made a night of it and projected my what must be 50 year old Standard 8 sound feature which amazingly still runs OK. Pinked of course but the Eumig HID lamp conversion really does help that.
Take some flowers over for director Tom Blakeley each year coming from the famous Mancunian Films Studios of Manchester.

TB

[Mark Mander]

Watched Viva Las Vegas 2x600, nice print.