HISTORY:
My "world" is 'the arts' and more specifically, music, artwork and hand crafted/decorated chinaware's.
I am not a film enthusiast but an associate has asked me to find new owners for THEIR large collection of photographic and film items ... this is one of those items.
While the world of 8mm/Super 8mm is not my area of expertise, I am doing my best to establish the condition of each item that I am listing.
I tend to be quite detailed in my item descriptions, please READ all the details to decide if this item may interest you.
Now, on with the description ...
CASTLE FILMS - Super 8 Film
NEWS PARADE Series
Years 1974 & 1975
Released on Super 8 by Castle Films (USA) although I also see a credit to Universal City Studios, to bring the current news into the home. It seems that Castle Films had been doing this each year since 1938.
Here is a synopsis of the contents (taken from the accompanying information sheet from Castle Films)
1974
President Nixon resigns
Watergate climax
Election landslide (USA elections won by the Democrats)
Nelson Rockeffler is the new VP
Middle East developments (USA undertaking shuttle diplomacy between Arab nations and Israel) - sound familiar?
Cyprus upheaval
Ethiopia in turmoil
Government changes in Portugal
New Chancellor for Germany
Death of Juan Peron (Argentina)
France, new president elected (Giscard)
Palestine Liberation Organization leader at U.N. (Yasir Arafat)
America's economic problems
Pioneer 10 (spacecraft) photographs of the planet Jupiter
1975
President Ford visits China
End of 30 year Vietnam War
India's Gandhi uses emergency powers (curtailing press freedom, jailing opposition leaders and ending democracy in India)
Saudi Arabia's King Faisal assassinated
Egypt & Israel continue negotiations
Problems in Lebanon
Independence for Portuguese Angola
Spain reliquishes Sahara
Disorder in Portugal
Death of General Franco in Spain
Terrorism in Holland (Mollucans seize control of the Indonesian embassy)
Terrorism in New York (bomb at LaGuardia airport, New York)
Helsinki hope for world understanding
U.S.S.R & America together in space
Note the heavily "leaning" American perspective on the news events, these news items were sourced from American based newsreel and telefilm production companies.
Monochrome
There is NO sound strip!
NO SOUND - this surprised me, perhaps we have become too used to having audio with our vision?
Reel diameter: 7"
This tends to indicate a total run-time of approximately 26 ~ 29 minutes, presumably the two years worth of news are equally shared on the reel, meaning that each year should run for around 12 ~ 14 minutes
COSMETIC CONDITION:
Very good
Film stock and reel are undamaged, leader is fitted (KODAK)
The reel canister is a stiff clear plastic (two halves) NOT a solid plastic or metal case/canister
Both information sheets (one for each year) are in very good condition, easy to read and clean
NO personal names or other writing on the canister, film reel or information sheets
TESTING:
I ran this film up on the ELMO ST 1200, and away we go ....
A single reel with two years worth of news but .... I just cannot understand why there is no sound track! Physically there is no magnetic strip down the side of the film and the projector confirmed there is absolutely no audio - it's pretty tough watching the news with the volume turned down.
Each short news item has a title so at least you can understand what the news is about but it would have been nice to hear what the people making the news of the day were actually saying.
This is definitely a monochrome (Black & White) film and while most of the filming is of a good quality, some is a bit blurry.
Film runs fine and no physical issues were noticed at all - just dead boring (to me!)
An intriquing reel of film, perhaps only of use to a collector of such things or even just for the 7" reel
As always, I have sealed this "Newsreel" in a clear plastic packet so that it is protected from the environment while it waits for a new home.
