What 8mm films did I watch last night?

[Graham Ritchie]

No 641 for me Doug. I don't recall the Silver edition ever coming up in the Derann second hand list I bought mine here in NZ new at the time, but I think in the UK it came only in the Red box. I could be wrong on that, but for years "The First Fifty Years" was a very common sight in there second hand list, heaps of them for sale in fact, what I could make out then, they were in the red box ones.

What did surprise me last night, was that I had thought the print had faded a lot more than what I saw. It still looked pretty good, with only a slight bit of fade, not bad after all those years. .

I did buy another copy from the Derann list for Steven years ago, he still has it and took a photo of the box cover of it a while back.

[Graham Ritchie]

Had another screening last night this time some screen shots. For years I used to subscribe to the monthly issues of "Movie Maker" and "Film Making", still got them. It was in this November 1978 issue that had the write up of Mickey Mouse: The First Fifty Years. I still think this was one of best Disney Super 8 release, although Mickey is now 44 years older, that makes him now 94 years old .

Anyway for a print that has had a lot of use over the last 44 years, its still fun to watch.

[Graham Ritchie]

Forgot to mention that the Disney presentation box is really neat, including the "Special Collector's Booklet" and the little white "Please Note" card that came with it.

[Osi Osgood]

It has been a popular title in our house as well. Our copy was printed on Fuji film stock, so it still has vintage color. It even has that little card which conditions the viewer to be prepared for black and white! From what I understand, this was originally a film from Disney's 16mm library, that made it onto super 8 as well! The only part I could have done without, was the live action shots of an idiot in a Mickey costume from the theme parks. The special presentation made for, well something special, certainly in comparison to the regular boxing of the title.

[Brian Fretwell]

I went back to the first Super 8 sound film I ever bought (1972/3) I didn't even have a sound projector then but the difference in price was small enough for me to buy it. Dastardly & Mutley in "Movies are Badder than Ever" from Walton on 3M stock which it looking better than I thought, though it never looked as good as other Waltons I have. Also "Musical Madness" with Little Roquefort & Percy (Eastmancolor and a little brown overall, not just the mouse ).

[Osi Osgood]

I know that there were two low budget boxes for Mickey's 50, but I think that there were three of the Special Editions with plastic slipcovers, obviously, red box, I have the Silver Box and I am pretty sure that there was a Gold box, but was there any other colors?

[Janice Glesser]

I fired up my Yashica P-810 and watched my 4x400 Blackhawk print of The Mystery of the Mary Celeste with Bela Lugosi.

[Chip Gelmini]

Die Hard scope and stereo full length

had 4 guests, too.

everything was flawless

[Graham Ritchie]

Its been years since I last watched "Grease" on Super 8, so thought it would be nice to watch the full feature once again last night.

[Brian Fretwell]

In view of our recent losses I watched the 1 x400ft version of Grease last night (unfortunately now fading and pinkish but all colours present) and also a couple of Wombles episodes Bungo's Birthday (fading a little and Marrow Pie (on Agfa so as good as new).

[Steve Klare]

I yelled out "I'm showing Grand Day Out with Wallace and Gromit at 9 O'clock!" to the rest of the household the other night.

-INSTANT audience!

[Osi Osgood]

XANADU! Universal 8 2X400ft digest!

[Graham Ritchie]

Steve

You certainly cant go wrong with "Grand Day Out" everyone likes Wallace and Gromit, its timeless fun. The first time I encountered Wallace and Gromit was on a Air New Zealand 747 over Canada at night while most folk on board were trying to get some sleep "most cabin lights turned off" there was one person with his head phones on laughing loudly. The cabin attendant came up and asked him if he was all right as out of the quietness all you could hear was his laughter. The film was "The Wrong Trousers" In later years 2005 Aardman Animation released the brilliant feature "The Curse Of The Were Rabbit" we ran the 35mm print at the cinema, its really good

Last week I did run the 3/400ft on one Elmo 800ft reel of "Prophecy" although the editing was ok what I don't really like about this particular print, is the fact that its a letterbox scope film. It really should have been printed as a full frame Scope print, or a full frame pan and scan job. Squeezing a Scope image into Super 8 film like that, does not look good, its to letterbox for me .

Print quality was just "so so" no where as good as other Marketing films such as Airplane War Of The Worlds or When Worlds Collide .

The best part of Prophecy is the boxes the film comes in.

If only Marketing had released it in Scope

[Edward Nicielnik]

Wild One 400 feet Marlon Brando Lee Marvin full Reel nice copy I had a copy Sold it years ago now I found this one on Ebay in my Collection again

[Osi Osgood]

That made me think about the 3X400ft "Black Sunday". I kind of feel the same about Marketing Films letterboxed digests. Modern digests like "JAWS" in letterbox are super sharp and really great to look at, but these old digests, well, my personal opinion is that the optical technology for a good letterboxed print just wasn't available at the time. The same would be true for Universal 8's letterboxed digests as well.