This has been bought up before but as time goes by i am still very curious as to why anyone would want to sit through a film of one colour.
Recently on ebay the Texas Chainsaw went for £310.00 and is was advertised as red
I fully understand when a film has early fade that filters help etc, we ourselves have a couple on the turn but i see screenshots of two hour films that are pink or red and i am sorry folks but i just dont get that at all.
Am i missing something here?
If i bought an audience in to watch a movie and it had no colour left or even only had a few colours left i am not sure i would be doing cine any justice as they would probably question why i would want that in a collection, or even question why i would want to continue this way and not go 100% digital (oops, did i use the D word?)

As i said, each to there own, i am not criticising anyone who may not be bothered by it, i am simply asking why? as i just dont get it. I would rather have a darn good b/w copy.

First off, perfect print price is vastly more than a faded. When I started, I wanted quantity and paying one or two pounds for a 16mm was like heaven for me. And I still get the magical feel, Even if I certainly would want it perfect, I still can enjoy it. But, I do mostly see them by myself. Sometimes the club members want to see a film, due to it perhaps not on di ... di ...(pukes slightly) digital format. Warped prints I do not want, dislike spliceywhen dialogue missing, but stripes, I do not mind much

Film has Magic for me, even faded ones

But 310 for a red Texas, that is not for me, but at 30 I’d probably enjoy it

If that works for you Vidar then that is fine by me
it is of course a matter of preference, i have to say over 300 for a faded print would make suicidal parting with that much cash for trash. i gets upset if i pay hundreds and it has scratches after being advertised as excellent.
I think im getting less tolerant on red now, top dollar these days must equal good quality with no fade, can do a few light lines though,

£310 for any film in the condition that CTM was in, is pure lunacy beyond comprehension by my book.

Most here and elsewhere where I've seen this same piece written, appear to be of the mindset of where a few occasional scratches here and there only add to the character and charm of a film in many cases.
Most it would seem, are far more accepting of this flaw in a film as opposed to any levels of fade other than those witnessed at the very onset of film fade.

For me personally, for anything other than base scratches or a flash of a line that are very very brief at worse, I personally much prefer to see a film that has been preserved the very best it possibly could have been but does now suffer from a modicum of natural and unavoidable fade, than I ever am seeing a perfectly decent film with lovely colour left in it damaged by unnecessary wear and tear from poor ownership and neglect or ignorance as often can be found in this hobby.

To me it is these examples which represent the real crying shame, not the faded examples.

Tom
Was this print on Super 8 or 16mm? I assume it was a full length feature.

It was Super 8mm Maurice, quite possibly full length (I can't remember now just for this particular example), which even if it is full length, does make it rare, but in this condition, still makes the price tag undeniably insane for what that money actually buys you with prints of this quality now.

Some fussy collectors may even choose simply to bin prints of this standard in the assumption they are now completely worthless.

I'd rather have a good colour print with scratches, than a blemish-free red print. This particularly applies to 16mm. A lot of ex-library prints sadly got beaten up in schools and institutions, so to a certain extent we have to settle for what's left, as many titles show up so rarely for sale. Unless you're a millionaire, I think you have to apply a certain rationality to the hobby, and apply your own rules of engagement.

I may change my mind on what's acceptable in the future, particularly being new back in the hobby, but for now I know my personal red lines, if you'll excuse the pun!

I think a different set of rules as well as principles HAS to apply to different collectors of the different gauges Martin.

Some annoying frequent quirks of one type of prints, simply isn't an issue with another.

For me a little fade on what otherwise is a beautifully well preserved print with no actual damage or cuts, is more than tolerable so long as we arn't talking beetroot here.

For me, this entire hobby is all about Condition, Condition, Condition.

Well her is my two pence worth,and its only my opinion each person has his own ideas,but I personally would like to obtain the best condition print I can
within a reasonable budget.
For instance I have a copy of The Commancheroes which when bought for less than £150 was in good condition some years ago.
Over time the print is slowly fading not drastic but each year the colour looks less vibrant,but at the end of the day its my print and if it goes red its still mine and
its one of my favorite films so I will keep it.Now to compensate for that I now have the VHS tape,DVD,and Bluray of the film.So much as I still love collecting film
its got to be at a sensible price.To me its a hobby. I for one am quite happy to embrace the newer systems to watch up to date films.
I cant see there is any likelihood of there ever being 16mm prints of Dunkirk or the new Star Wars,so for my money I will have the best of both worlds within a reasonable budget.
As TCM more money than sense

Gwyn, that makes perfect sense.
We have quite a number of super 8's. The majority are fine,
Like Andy, i would rather have some blemishes or thin lines to the far left or right than a red or pink image.
As Vidar said, if you can buy a film for under a tenner and you are happy to view in red that's also fine , but i just cant do it, the super 8's we have where the colours are still very good but have a slight red hue to them are the ones i can live with, regretfully, the warriors, one of my favorite films, is there now. Still has excellent colours but that marketing hue is now there. So we have a decision to make in the new year with around 5/10 of our movies,
As for 16mm, i am ensuring i am being fussy, as i only want a maximum of 20 tiles i am ensuring i buy the best i can get, i will not have any faded ones, (one of my early titles All that Jazz), is now fading so this one along with our episode of happy days will go in the new year. 20 titles will probably go to 25/30 but that really will be it due to room. But so far we have struck lucky and with two great titles on the way i am so far a happy bunny with 16 where fade is concerned, I have secured Dances with Wolves, (flat version) and the brilliant Harrison Ford film Witness.

I think as Gwyn and to some extent Tom has eluded to here, (but definitely in the past if not here now) what helps "keeping it real" so far as a hobby and expenditure is concerned, is having an ability to project by a much cheaper means and also to a very high standard for when the prices really are prohibitive for sometimes buying the actual "film" of a movie with all round good everything.

That and of course for anything post 2010 that likely catches your fancy.

We as film collectors are no longer in the position like years ago, where our sheer desire to once watch our favourites as intended up on the very biggest of screens in darkness, meant no other solution than film even when prices are simply ridiculous.

Today's technology choices for many of us now, allow us all to keep a lid on our ceiling figures without breaking the bank or necessarily feeling anything of a compromise. 😊😊

The two "D's", the very best of both worlds!

That's it as far as I am concerned I am quite happy to have the best of both worlds now.I will take what ever I can if the price is right.
Yes there is still a lot of film still out there I just think one has to move with the times and I know this has been covered before but what are you going to do
with reels / cans of film if no family member wants it.
Anyway faded prints no thanks anymore unless its so obscure as not to be on a disc,but as already said each to his own......
Merry Christmas