Andrew it might just be a case of " pride of ownership " of a particular print within the domain
of our very limited film collector fraternity .
Or it could be that its actually on film that is the reason we pay 300 times the amount of a DVD/BLU-RAY.
Or maybe we all have some form of mental illness and need to see a Psychologist or Psychiatrist as soon
as possible because we spend vast sums of money on something we cant really afford.
We may all be just plain NUTTERS to Mr Average the man in the street who cant comprehend our
interest and hobby.

I think it must be the latter in my case David!

though these days, I do have to say, if i cannot afford it at the time, i simply will not buy. Maybe that is some sign of progress here for my illness! lol

Never mind Andrew so long as we are all happy in our insanity who the hell cares really !

It was the only way of watching a movie when I started; I remember reading of video recorders coming out with an expected price tag of £1,000. This was in 1970. I didn't see or own my first one until I was 37, by that time many of the dealers had disappeared. I also grew up in a more mechanical age, we use to hear the phrase 'Boys and their toys'. Men liked doing something physical. Nowadays you buy something and it says, 'No user serviceable parts'. For years I resisted buying a battery operated watch, as I preferred a mechanical watch. I think the price of Super 8 is way over the top. I couldn't afford to buy it now. I think you all need to be very careful how much you spend on a film; if ever your fortunes changed, and you needed to raise some money, could you get back what you have laid out. Maybe now, but how about in 10 years time?

You're right of course here Robert, but given my methodology of funding these things nowadays, the way I look upon is, what do I have to show for 500,000 cigarettes I've no doubt smoked since 16?

If I bought a new car, how much would that be worth in 5 years time? i can't be that sensible with my money personally. I like to get some form of enjoyment from it.
If I'd been into investment property 35 years ago, no doubt I'd be reasonably wealthy now. As it stands, I don't have much but what i do have, I thoroughly enjoy it all!

Andrew I think you can add to that the money some of us have wasted on booze over the years.
I mean just look at the price of a pint of beer these days.
Its a complete rip-off and a scandal.
Still they always moan and groan about the price rises but are always willing to pay up.
I protest with my feet. I don't frequent pubs any more.
After all you are only Pub landlords best pal while you are squandering your money
across his counter. A complete waste of dosh as far as I am concerned.
Just watch his face when you walk in to the pub and order a pint of water.
You suddenly are no longer his best buddy. hahahahaha !!!!

Bah Humbug! David.

There's not many left now to frequent!

Andrew ... Thank for your concise and very detailed reply. hahaha !

You were living up to the traditional reputations of a good old fashioned proud Scotsman there David for a minute back then! (only kidding matey)

Maybe it's a case of as you get to a certain age you start to look and think "flamin ell, when anything happens to me, what's the missus going to do with this lot" so you decide to sell some of it while you can. If you are intending to take it with you, you'd want a bloody big coffin and some even stronger pall bearers

It's true to say there has been plenty a widow left with a very big headache as to what to do about a ridiculous quantity of film and machinery!

It's a good point is that Del. I must give it some pondering when I'm 96 ha ha.

That is actually a very good point Andrew, the dealers won't pay that kind of money. It reminds me of the late Ken Smith of Ritz Films,
he was like yourself, he loved Disney, Derann were just starting to release their Disney features at the time, he also loved Laurel & Hardy.
He told me quite frankly on the phone, "Hugh, I look around at all my films and realise its just dead money" as I'd enquired if he'd got
DFS latest release, Ken knew he was dying, and it came quick, but he knew the legacy that he was leaving to someone, if I remember
he and his wife had split up.

I think we are all eccentric, that was Roger Lily of Movieland internationals verdict many years ago.
Lets face it, we must be nuts but we do love our films.
Tonight my Brother & i had a "shorts" evening and one of them was the 400ft version of Scrooge. Its mid summers day for flips sake But we loved it, and that print i bought from Mr Guest is such a good print, its like new.
As for Die Hard, i just think this movie was made for the super 8 scope screen, i guess its my own fault for not buying it many years ago, along with, (let me think and start getting all depressed),Preditor, Platoon, DH2, Silence of the you know whats, Poltergeist, the list goes on. But Andy, my eyes are peeled.

A very sad tale there regarding Kens situation back then Hugh. I hope somebody got the pleasure that clearly Ken did once he sadly passed away.

It must be far worse for someone who has no one to organize their affairs for them after they've gone if the person lives alone and has no living close relatives.
i think the son of the wonderful older chap I visited in Lancashire who sold me his prized print of Snow White (early gold label numbered members edition), was selling his Dad's films off as part of his early inheritance from what I could gather.

The son, who was equally as nice a man as his Dad was I may add, insisted all payments were made to him, not his father.

Still, I suppose there is something to be said for organizing these things in a timely consenting manner , than have family members squabbling over these type of affairs during a grieving period following a bereavement.

Not a great topic for thought though, however these things sort themselves.

Talking of collectors getting out,i answered an ad on e bay for a couple of projectors just to see what they were like as the buyer lived near by in South Devon.i went to this elderly guys house to find him laden down with old film ,projectors, and boxes of bulbs.You name it he had it.But and theres always a but,this stuff was at least ten years old or more anda lot of it had been in outside garages.So where had it come from I enquired,and as Hugh was eluding eto,this stuff came from an elderly widow of an ex cinema owner,who had collected for years and passed on many moons ago.The widow did not know what to do but she thought this elderly gent who ONCE collected films would know what to do with it.The real sad part is they threw out boxes with films in not knowing what was in them because the boxes were falling apart.Well a lot of the stuff is gone past its sell by date and now im waiting to hear from the old boy who is now ill himself.
I reckon theres loads of stuff still in the garages but the old boy wont divulge the widows name etc.I just feel its all rather sad that it ends this way.

I tell you what everyone, i bet there are cine treasure troves of films and projectors in attics/basements and garages. Unfortunately much of it, as mentioned, by folks who have passed away and relatives either have no interest in it at all or simply do not know what to do with it.
Very sad, even my own said to me a few weeks ago,"what do we do with all your films when die Dad". Great question to ask me, NOT!!!! Cheerful kids, suffice to say they did laugh but i didn't!

Well children, that is happening now as we speak, Pinedene Films, Wally relies on help to try to sort or sell his films, but his stock is
enormous, on all gauges, no doubt it'll go to landfill.

This one's for tom, my copy of die hard maybe up for sale shortly. You know the plot and you've seen some screen shots. I will check and do another screen check on this so its a warts and all description, so you get the honest sp on it. Let me know tom if you interested still.

Well Andrew has proved what a really kind lad he is with his offer to our Tom, fingers crossed on your film Paul, which I've
no doubt will seal the deal. Where the hell he's been when I flogged a lovely print of it a couple of years ago, and Poltergeist
and Silence of the Lambs, all in average price of £150.00 on SFFF, if you're a member you can check.

Paul, defiantly Sir.
Hugh, i remember your silence of lambs, i think i missed it by a snip, Alan was too quick for me

I sure hope Wallys films do not go for Landfill Hugh. What a terrible waste of someone's lifetime collections. Surely someone within his family would prefer to see these things go to caring owners.

As far as I know Andrew, he and his wife are estranged, but still keep in touch, he's infirm, but tries hard to manage. I'd hate
to even think of his stuff being skipped, but who knows how some folk think? Wally is another old lad I loved to speak with,
my phone bills were dear, but I loved the stories, great old gent..

Yes I remember because I went to this Currency Exchange place in Midtown Manhattan in NYC and purchased Sterling for my US dollars. The man kept telling me that If I changed my mind that I would lose money if I came back to return it. I still have that print. Its a really great print and the movie is well..just as great! :)
Thanks Hugh!

Last week, when I went down to Southampton to see Grahame Newnham, he kept a lot of stuff in his garage. I saw what I thought was a pile of 16mm films in cans (1 reelers), but he told me that were 9.5mm and not for sale. All the cans were rusty, with film inside. Houses were never designed for our collecting mania, but if you want to keep films or equipment, and are concerned about their long term preservation, you have to store them in a suitable place.

Robert, you are so correct in that our collections need proper storage. I would NEVER store any films or projectors (due to any rubber or plastic parts) in an attic or a garage! It's no wonder that so many prints are out there with vinegar syndrome! Just to validate how hot a person's attic can be...we had an artificial white Christmas tree stored in our attic one year. When it was brought down, the white colored branches had turned brown AND the plastic stand had warped to the point that the tree could not stand up! That's HOT!