What 8mm films did I watch last night?

[Brian Fretwell]

I found that the above film had had a bad repair with splicing tape aplied covering a couple of sprocket holes!! I wonder how it ran last time I showed it.

However last night (after removing bits of film from the projector) I showed rather late in the year "Celebration 150" the David Shepard narated fim for the 150th anniversary of the Stockton - Darlington Railway and the grest parade of engines at Shildon. 600ft on Agfa stock from PM films it hasn't faded though it is a bit dark. Followed by a Derann pring of T&J "His Mouse Friday".

[Brian Fretwell]

The first two parts of "Emily" (Koo Stark) the first was badly scratched, but the rest very good. It is on acetate low fade and part 3 had sprocket damage and tore and csrinkled at the start last night too late for me to bother fixing then, so that will have to wait.

[Paul Adsett]

High Society 4 x 600ft Derann. Never tire of this one. Glorious Derann print of the VistaVision Technicolor feature film, re-recorded in stereo so those great Cole Porter songs can be heard to the best quality and fully appreciated. Crosby and Sinatra have some terrific songs here, particularly That's jazz ( Crosby and Louis Armstrong) and Well Did You Evah ( Crosby and Sinatra). Also starring Grace Kelly, Celeste Holm, the great Louis Calhern, and Directed by Chuck Walters, it is MGM at their musical best, and a showstopper print on Super 8. Two hours of sheer joy!

[Douglas Meltzer]

The Moving Picture Boys in the Great War, an excellent documentary about Hollywood film production during WWI, produced and released by Blackhawk Films. Narrated by Lowell Thomas. 3x400', sound.

[Melvin England]

On Friday evening, 15th, I had my first open air film show for about 2 years or so. Last year was a total loss with the lousy summer weather, but recently the UK has been through a heat wave, so I thought "Why not ?"
One thing that an open air film show has for me which usually doesn't happen up in the mancave....... is an audience! So I was delighted when a total of FIVE of us flaked out in the wicker furniture under the gazebo, with extra large screen in front of the shed, and enjoyed The Wizard of Oz (4x 600') in all its black and white AND colour glory! I knew it was a big favourite of my friend who was absolutely gobsmacked to see it on super 8 on the big screen full length, particularly as they thought I only had the 400' cut down which they had seen several times. A real treat for them.

I don't know how many other people in the UK do outside film shows, but I have found that usually there is only about a 6 week stretch, give and take a week or so, starting in August, when it is hot enough and dark early enough to have a show that I try to finish by 11pm to not annoy the neighbours. Within this 6 week window, we are talking weekends, if we have a spell of bad or cold weather that really can mess up ones well intentioned plans, hence they can be few and far between.

But that is not all..........

Tonight, Sunday, I was back indoors to see my final purchase from the CHC sale a couple of weeks ago..... WITH Mrs.E. in attendance! That is twice in three days, so she must be catching the bug I hope !

We enjoyed......

Last Train From Gun Hill - 5x 400' - Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn. A corking cowboy film which I can't have seen for probably 40 years and couldn't remember how it ended.

I projected both Friday and Sunday using my newly acquired Sankyo Hi-Pro F1.0 lens. Oh Boy, What a difference it makes!!! If you have either a Sankyo or Bell & Howell Filmosonic DC(X) projector, I would strongly urge you to invest in one of these wonderful lens'. Nice and bright and VERY sharp. You wouldn't regret it. The icing on a well made cake !

[Graham Ritchie]

Once Upon A Mouse brilliant Super 8 film excellent image. I bought this film from the Derann second hand list long ago. Although the image looked great the sound quality was not. I contacted Derann after about a year owning it and asked if they could re-record it. I told them I was willing to pay for it but they refused to take any money, not only that they sent the film back to me at no cost and the sound quality this time was excellent. Derann as we all know were a excellent company to deal with you couldn't ask for more.

[Chip Gelmini]

August 14

pink hawaii
elvis p

well, there was no blue.......

[Chip Gelmini]

Last night, August 13

The elephant man

Cinema scope, full length

[Melvin England]

I had an hour or two to spare this evening after it got dark, so I carried on watching another of my CHC purchases of 10 days ago, or so.

Tonight.....

Chinatown - 3x 400' - Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway. Never seen it before. Very good edit. Must watch it full length on dvd when I can ! I must also say that the boxes were also in perfect condition. Very rare to see them in that condition nowadays.

Not quite finished watching my CHC purchases, so there is more to come soon.........

[Melvin England]

This week I have been doing pretty much the same as what Brian Fretwell has been doing, and that was to view my latest haul from the CHC sale weekend that started a week last Friday.

The films I have seen over 3 sessions so far are as follows....

Tee For Two - 1x 200' - Tom and Jerry cartoon

Cliff Sings - 1x 200' - Mr.Richard singing Dancing Shoes, The Next Time and Bachelor Boy from Summer Holiday.

No Name City - 1x 200' - The making of Paint Your Wagon.* A very faded to red print but very interesting.

The Deep - 1x 400' - Nick Nolte and Jacqueline Bisset.

The Ten Commandments - 3x 400' - Charlton Heston working miracles with water ! Good colour.

Above Us The Waves - 4x 400' - The attempted blowing up of the German ship Turpitz using submarines.

Angels One Five - 5x 400' - Jack Hawkins, John Gregson and Dulcie Gray


There is more to come..... !

Needless to say, everybody who attended on the Friday and / or Saturday open days had a great time. Also, for the first time for me, I attended Phil's back garden film show and Chinese feast in the evening. I nearly had heart failure when he showed me his garage. Absolutely stacked with MORE super 8 !!! On reflection, I cannot understand why I have not been to any of his back garden soirees before. It was very enjoyable, and I only live about 30 miles away, for goodness sake. I look forward to the next one!! Thanks Phil and Denise.


* The music from this film is excellent. The film itself was lousy IMO.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Brian,

Sometimes it takes a village (of projectors) to run some film!

[Brian Fretwell]

Last night I fanally got round to getting the Eumig 710D out to see the Walton 400ft B&W Standard 8 of The Man on the Eiffel Tower that I bought at Blackpool in 2023!!!.

I ran to speed, but within a minute the lamp failed, too hot to chage at once a delay followed. When changed it showed it was a good print, however the 710D didn't run in reverse so to rewind I had to get out my 810D (the needs a new lamp base or conversion to HID) to rewind it.

[Brian Fretwell]

I finished off with the "Kansas City" 'scope extract from Oklahoma, the Powell films 400fy of Convict 99 (Will Haye) and the M*M cut down of "Adventures of a Pumber's Mate" with good colour. Maybe an odd choice, but part of the film was shot about a mile from where I live, partly in an ex-cinema. (unfortunately not included in this cut down, as I found when projecting it).

[Brian Fretwell]

Carrying on (Literally) the first three reels the 4x 400ft of Carry on Cleo (bargain at £20?). As shown on the box it is scratched and the first reel is on Eastmancolor, parts 2 & 3 are on later Fuji and have good-great colour. My previously purchased cut down has most of the rest of the film so that's good.

Republic trailer reel "Zorro's Fighting Legion" and Don Daredevil Rides again" Sharp picture on Agfa stock looks great.

Popeye "Penny Antics" Film Office print on Agfa, good colour and sharpness.

[Brian Fretwell]

Just back from Cleethorpes and the CHC August event I had to watch a couple of 200ft reels i bought there.

One, un-named on screen from Walton ( a prize in a quix Phil ran) on low fade stock from Walton ahowing the history of RAF air display teams, from bi-planes onwards and featuring them practicing off the coast at Blackpool in the 1970's!!!! (Just looked this up in the Walton catalogue and it is "The 10th Anniversay of the Red Arrows".

Having seen it mentioned here a lot I saw and had to buy the Derann 200ft of "A Train for Christmas", a great print I think on LPP pre-stripe.

More of my haul tomorrow.