The Snowman release

[Alan Myers]

I was looking at an ebay listing to day with interest, but unfortunately something doesn't look right.
Can you help? Whats your thoughts?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234866612...Bk9SR-zp9uC6YQ

This film is described as a 600ft, however, i am aware of this release as a friend of mine has a copy he bought from new and his is indeed, 600ft. I am also aware there was a shorter version on a 200ft reel bnut this one is too big for that.
Is this seller a con or does he think it's the full film. The meters of film on this reel is 120 which is about 375 feet. Seems a bit odd to me.

[Osi Osgood]

That IS quite odd, as I have this release and it certainly does fill the reel more full than that, and even if a thinner film stock, it wouldn't make a 25 minute animated short, that little information on a reel. Interesting.

[Melvin England]

The best thing to do is ask him.

Ironically, I emailed him yesterday regarding another film that I thought he had incorrectly advertised. It was the Disney release "Bear Trouble." A lovely 200' colour film that he advertised as having sound on it. I pointed out that the small piece of the film that was in the photograph hanging off the spool didn't have a sound stripe on it so couldn't be sound, and also that this super 8 was only ever released as a silent version (more's the pity).
He was very good about it and said he would change the description. Although I feel he is an approachable guy (not a member on this forum btw) I don't think he is really a "super 8" person as I think he may be selling these items, and there are a few, on behalf of somebody else.

Alan, I don't think the word "con" would really apply to this person. I just think he doesn't have the background knowledge.

.

[Brian Fretwell]

There aren't any screen shots, so maybe he hasn't projected it. From the pictures of the reel it does look as if there may be some splices and different stock so maybe a previous owner has edited it and reduced the length with bad rewinding giving the effect and/or spliced in another film to what was left and the seller is unaware of this.

[Mike Newell]

The film level is at 120 metres/ 400 ft so it is not the 600ft release. It also looks like two film sources on the reel so could it be the Walking on Air 200 plus something else but with Snowman label stuck on the box. £56.00 so far hope the buyer is happy.

The seller also mentions one of his other listings is in the wrong box. I would guess the other Disneys and Tom& Jerrys are silent.

[John Halfacre]

I looked at this too. If you look closely it looks like a few films spliced together, so possibly home movies or a home edit of a couple of shorts and has just been wrongly boxed. As others have said the real Snowman is a full 600ft reel

[Mike Newell]

More than likely another Christmas cartoon or two on the reel.

[Joerg Polzfusz]

The sticker on the reel says 1998-1999 (which sounds more like some home movies shot in this time). Given the look of the film on the reel, I would expect that it is either not the Snowman at all - or a much shorter version of the Snowman plus some other films. (The photos remind me of a "Stan and Olli"-movie that I bought years ago for 1€ on a fleamarket. The 120m-reel contained nothing but professional films made in Scandinavia. )

[Graham Sinden]

It does say on the edge of the box 1998-9 so it could be a different version that somehow made it onto Super 8.

Graham S

[Mike Newell]

It does say on the edge of the box 1998-9 so it could be a different version that somehow made it onto Super 8.

Graham S

It could be a date that the reel was complied. Title also says Derann Christmas so could related to the Seasons Greeting they brought out plus a cartoon.

[Mike Newell]

The sticker on the reel says 1998-1999 (which sounds more like some home movies shot in this time). Given the look of the film on the reel, I would expect that it is either not the Snowman at all - or a much shorter version of the Snowman plus some other films. (The photos remind me of a "Stan and Olli"-movie that I bought years ago for 1€ on a fleamarket. The 120m-reel contained nothing but professional films made in Scandinavia. )

Yes I’ve seen similar reels in Holland. Another nice mess

[Alan Myers]

Thank you for your replies, yes i will avoid at all cost!!

Melvin, thank you as well, i wont imply that he is a con, but i think anyone who list something on ebay should be careful, if they dont know what is in the box it shouldn't be on there.
This seller has actually advertised this, "THE SNOWMAN 600FT SUPER 8 8MM COLOUR SOUND CINE FILM DERANN CHRISTMAS." So this in my view is very misleading. When you read the description, it is just copied and pasted from the title. It has bids as well, someone is in for a disappointment.
The seller doesn't appear to either know what he has, or perhaps doesn't care about what his customers receive. Fortunately, because i was stung three times on ebay i no longer use it.

[Brian Fretwell]

Maybe it is the Walking in the Air with the other things people have suggested.

[Lee Mannering]

It could be someone is dealing with an estate, so not reelly clued up.
Possibly a reel in the wrong box it happens.

[Bill Parsons]

I contacted the ebay seller and suggested it was probably not the Snowman, he checked a few frames and it was in fact a home movie as I believe John suggested, apparently he does not have a projector so just assumed it was the correct film in the box, he has now removed the listing.