JAWS 600ft Digest DAVE Films

[Lee Mannering]

Old Uni8 is so old now and although good in its day unbearable to watch up against the new print to my eyes at least. I watched Jaws only yesterday again and didn't need to adjust the focus once during the show, with the stereo making for a very nice entertaining watch.

At the end of the day you pay your money and make your choice, but with antique prints selling for silly money on fleabay I know which I find the best value.
☃

[Stuart Budd]

I've just received a U8 print and it's no better than that of Lee's. I've only watched half as there was a bit of damage in the middle. The edit does seem different. But this is what I got from that.

How difficult to edit to a 600ft reel safely without overspill. Yes I would have used U8 as a guide and from there spent a fair time tweaking and adding, subtracting. All the while looking at that time/feet gauge to get the best bang for buck.

I do like collecting, so the difference between Dave's and U8 print is interesting but only academically as they are what they are. For watching again and again or the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Christmas Syndrome. It'll be Dave's edit that gets the repeats.

It's new, it's now and it's more to come. Red prints are ok but not a patch on new. It's a sad lose and unfortunate.

So my early New Year Resolution. New or great colour or not at all. Black and Whites ok. Gotta be watchable without compromising or Kings New Clothes.

[Osi Osgood]

Thanks, Lee. That certainly shows superiority of the new print compared to the original U8 release. I'd like to see that same shot from a good color U8 print, as that would also show the superiority of the new prints in comparison to the U8.

[Lee Mannering]

OZ This is how the old 20th Century Uni 8 2x400 thin poly print looks today off screen projected on a Halogen lit projector. Game over I think but interesting..

And just for you Oz Here is a mobile phone snap of what a 21st Century Super 8 print looks like, but we know that as we actually buy the new films.

You can actually see the detail of Roberts facial hair with virtually nothing on the old Uni8 film, along with all the detail around the eyes and water on the side of his nose.

One thing that always bugged me on the Old Uni8 2x400 =600ft was the spots and chemical marks as you can see in the pink top picture making the Universal8 less than perfect. Comparing the frames the Uni8 has a degree of top/bottom cropping where the new print does not.

[David Baker]

Oh come on , get over it , it's not THAT great .

[Lincoln Thorn]

Y'all have fully convinced me to commit to purchasing this JAWS release after the Holidays! I'm excited to share in with you all.

[Osi Osgood]

I sold my Universal 8 2x400ft, in order to afford the new print. Otherwise, I'd do it myself. The reason for this requested exercise is simply to show the vast superiority between the original super 8 releases and the new prints, grain, color, ect. It wouldn't take actual video, screenshots of the original unfaded release and the new release would serve.

[Mike Newell]

Lee, your spot on! Could someone who owns a completely unfaded Universal 8 print, and also owning the new print, compare, shot for shot, ( those that are the same shot in both digests ), do a side by side comparison?

You ask a lot Osi. What would an exercise like that achieve. Away to count my strawberries again 🤪

[Stuart Budd]

There's this link to a bit of a blog. Probably seen before, of the 200ft version. Mentioning Day for Night scene of the opening shark attack.

There's a write up and video link as well as what looks like an order add for the print from a magazine.

Does mention, VCRs breaking through around this time too (release of S8 cut down of Jaws). Just interesting.

http://jawsmovie.com/2010/12/jaws-super-8mm-version/

[Graham Sinden]

I thought you own both Osi .

[Osi Osgood]

Lee, your spot on! Could someone who owns a completely unfaded Universal 8 print, and also owning the new print, compare, shot for shot, ( those that are the same shot in both digests ), do a side by side comparison?

[Lee Mannering]

Osi Brian
You guys are so right and I'm probably one of the worst offenders being caught in the whole nostalgia memory thing of the 70s S8 collecting. Nostalgia can be dangerous.

The new prints bottom line are its new and no one can take that away. The uni 8 was never released in belting Stereo sound in fact it was very squeaky sound from my memory book. Still have my old pink print and its a shadow of the new one.

Perhaps we need a video upping to show what quality is available from S8 in 2021 compared to the 70s? Certainly come a long way since then although I still love my late 60's S8 films which hold a different kind of magic and truly have been enjoyed since my youth back then.

[Brian Fretwell]

Perhaps people are also remembering the sometimes exaggerated colours caused by contrast increases from working from far from first generation prints and having negatives made from them.

[Osi Osgood]

You know, I don't quite get when people talk about the color not popping in these modern releases, as, having just recently owned a completely unfaded print of the 2x400 Universal release, the colors on this new JAWS are definitely more vibrant, especially for a 70's feature film, which have always tended to be slightly muted to begin with when first released. Well, they weren't working with Technicolor as of the mid 70's.

[Lee Mannering]

Oh sentimental me... Best thing for me was being able to relive memories of the old Uni8 version which has long gone pink. The colour of Dave's print is really quite vivid and the Stereo bang on.

Photo from a mobile snap off screen