I am very passionate about my hobby, film collecting, which I have been involved in for at least 20 years.I began with silent Super 8 home movies and moved up to Super 8 sound shorts and eventually full length features. With the increasing popularity of home video, Super 8 became almost absolete, forcing me to continue collecting mostly 16mm films. These have also become more scarce in recent years, as less material is being printed on that format. There are still many sources for the film collector.DERANN AUDIO VISUALin England carries the best selection of classic as well as recent blockbuster feature releases in Super 8mm in their original theatrical formats.However,particularly if one likes to collect the older (classic) titles in 16mm or even 35mm,THE BIG REEL is probably the most important publication as a source of films in all formats , as well as movie posters, lobby cards, and movies on video.I also like to collect the soundtracks to my favorite films especially when they are digitally remastered and made available on compact disc.
One of my best references for classic movie titles as well as recent releases is the U.S. movie data base website which is constantly updated. I strongly recommend that you add them to your Bookmarks on the Web.
Some of my friends still don't understand why I prefer film to video. It is much more expensive, the titles are not readily available (one must wait for another collector to give them up), and the films are not new prints, and often have lines, splices, and damaged sprocket holes which must be repaired. I guess having been a part-time projectionist in college made me fall in love with the film medium. There is nothing that compares to a sharp, brilliant photographic-like image on a large screen.The present video technology still has not rivaled that. True, the laser video discs are the best source for video collectors, and their digital sound is unequaled, but I am still a very "visual" being, and I am very satisfied with my sound system.
Motion picture film requires care, and any serious collector should be familiar with film stocks and how to protect their investment.I guess I love restoring those prints that have had unkind previous owners, and being able to thread them on my projector, and blowing them up on a CINEMASCOPE screen is an unsurpassed experience, unless you visit a movie theatre. I have done just that and built my own screening room in the upstairs of my house (the large master bedroom suite just had to go). I found some old theatre rocking chairs, restored them, and set up a 14 foot wide screen with electrically sliding black curtains; soundproofed and decorated the room with carpeting on the floor as well as walls; built a small projection booth, framed and hung a few posters around the theatre and presto, I am in my own heavenlyCinema at home.On Friday nights we hold private screenings for my special friends and relatives.
I have quite a few movies in my collection, but I find that in order to keep up with the expenses of the hobby I sometimes need to trade or sell some of my titles to be able to obtain new ones.PLEASE PEAK AT MY FILM CLEARANCE LIST
If you are interested in any of these titles please contact me via
E-mail for more information.
THE FILM PRAYER FILM COLLECTOR'S REFERENCE CENTER
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