Derann and "Empire"

[Osi Osgood]

Did Derann Films ever officially release Empire Strikes Back? I know that they released Star Wars and Return of the Jedi, but I thought that they didn't release Empire.

[Rob Young]

They didn’t Osi.

[Nigel Higgins]

This was avalible via steve osbourne on super 8mm not sure if still avalible.

[Ed Gordon]

There is a S8 copy of the feature on Ebay. Current bid is $2k.

OK, no need to go into plot and all that, so I will just talk about this print! This is on 4X800ft reels. it has all of it's leader, front and back for each reel. It has stereo mag striping on it, BUT PLEASE NOTE ... I never bothered to record the audio tracks for this. I bought it as an investment mainly. So here are the plus's

1. You will need to record the audio tracks, but these are virgin mag stripes, so you'll get the best sounding recording possible! With modern technology out there, you can get an awesome stereo recording on this film!
2. This print has only been screened once, since it came from the labs, (I synced up from a DVD the audio, and it worked really well, which you can do if you wish once you own this awesome print), so you are getting as close to a new print of this title possible!

so ... obviously, there are no scratches, no splices, just absolutely brilliant color, and a focus so sharp, you'll think you are watching a GOOD 16MM print!

Link: https://www.ebay.com/itm/32525136049...UAAOSwIyZivxss

[Graham Sinden]

This is Osi's print

At that price Osi you should include some screenshots (even if they are poor screenshots) and at least a photo of the film on reels so the buyer knows the condition of the reels they are on. I'm sure when you yourself buy on Ebay you expect that from other sellers .

Graham S

[Alan Rik]

There is no current bid. The Buy it Now is $2k with a starting bid of $1500.

[Osi Osgood]

I will put up screenshots soon, if it doesn't sell in a few days. Needless to say, anyone who owns this Andec print, owns an awesome print already! I had thought that it wasn't released by Derann. Does anybody have the story behind that?

[Barry Attwood]

Derann had a few prints for sale (as well as some other titles like the 1950's sci-fi/horror "Them"), but they were swapped with the Germans for some of their features, I actually bought a print from Derann, but the stripe was very poor.

[Alan Rik]

I have a German print of ET and the balance stripe is peeling away after only 4 viewings and it was purchased new. Osi you may want to inspect the mag stripes on your print to see if it could potentially have some issues down the road. I know the later German Jurassic Park features had a similar problem and the mag stripe was not very good.

[Osi Osgood]

I looked at that before listing it, and the mag stripe is just fine. I wish I remember who put up screenshots from they're German print, as they were very good, and ate from the same negative as mine. When I take screenshots, they always look so horrible, even with perfect color L.P.P. prints. Everything looks so danged red, but I will be trying in a few days.

[Rob Young]

I remember a comment in one of Derann's newsletters around the late 90's which stated that they had some German prints in for sound striping, but, "no more on that right now"'.

I think that kind of meant, "give us a call"!?

My copy of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" was bought 2nd hand around 2000 and is on polyester. There was a copy of Empire on sale from the same seller. The sound striping is most definitely Derann type. That said, the stripe is great, just like other Derann post-stripes form that era.

I understand that Derann did stripe some prints from Andec and suspect these are the ones with troublesome stripe, like "Jurassic Park".

So whether Derann did some of there own polyester prints of these titles at the labs over here back in the 90's, who knows? Maybe a question for Ged at Blackpool?

Non of these titles were ever officially listed of course, but certainly made for exciting times back then.

[Brian Fretwell]

I'm sure Ged put on Facebook that some of their Hammer films such as Dracula Has Risen from the Grave released with German titles were part of an agreement for Derann to get the prints made and sounded for the German market (If you can get the work done you can sell some with English sound). Perhaps this was under similar conditions, but they were asked to keep it even more quiet.

[Phillip Campey]

Hi Osi,

here are some screen shots from my print I used to have which I am sure will be the same as yours

[Osi Osgood]

Thanks Phillip! Was the reason why Derann never released Empire was that they could never get good preprint materials?