Happy 40th ... LPP!

[Osi Osgood]

OK, I am technically off by a year, but I didn't realize this until just now. LPP film stock was first on the market in 1982, and may have already existed before 82, but just not named, but this wonderful film stock rescued many a film collectors dreams from the dreaded red Eastman film stock ... And baby, you still look awfully good to this very day!

[Mike Newell]

It might have been introduced in 1982 but Derann and others didn’t throw their old stock away. It was flagged up in 8mm collector circles around 1986 and the panic it caused triggered the announcement around 1987 by Derek of the move to LPP stock. Might explain why some Derann and later Red Fox stock still fade.

[Brian Fretwell]

I suspect it would depend on which lab they used (I think they used both rank and Buck at the time) as to which prints went to LPP and when. Buck used a lot of Fuji stock.

[Osi Osgood]

LPP took a little while to become that which we know and love today. Much of this was probably the labs figuring out how to process this new film stock. Some of the early LPP was really bluish, but once they got it down, it looked and looks great!

[Mike Newell]

Shame that striped 8mm became unavailable soon after and Derann bought up all film stock from everywhere so nobody really know which titles were old stock or LPP.

Guess that’s why God made “white box specials” or on as known on eBay “rare exclusive editions”

[Osi Osgood]

Hahahaha! Good one, Mike!

[Mike Newell]

Well they are rare. The best ones are where the stripe hang out from film reels like hairs on bacon-rind On sale on the big D stand at Blackpool one year and people actually bought them. Apparently extra stripe that became attached odd wee drop in sound in places and they were reeled up before anyone noticed. Great test reels. All you need to use is a pair of scissors to trim.

[Osi Osgood]

I once had a reel of " The Mark of Zorro ", that sadly had the stripe literally peeling off as I watched it. Quite sad, as it was a good watch.

[Mike Newell]

That was one of the titles.

[Lee Mannering]

I was dreaming about white box specials last night, whatever next.

[Osi Osgood]

I have bought some LPP that was sadly, stored terribly, but it still maintains it's color, so prints stored properly should hold up even better.

[Mike Newell]

Early days to see how LPP holds up. It should do better than earlier stocks but nothing lasts forever. I think stripe might be the Achilles heel.

[Brian Fretwell]

I believe Kodak gave up pre-striped LPP due to wastage during production.