When it comes to buying a film, are most of the titles already known to you, or do you take a leap in the dark by buying a title you have never seen before, but it sounds interesting, or you are familiar with the lead actors. When I first got into sound, 1975, the majority of the films were B movies that probably were largely unknown in England. You wanted to show something on your new projector, but were taking a chance on whether you would like the film. Later, I came across DCR films and they were releasing classic titles, such as Tom Brown's schooldays, Scrooge, Great Expectations, and Oliver Twist, to name just a few. Then came along Derann and his deals with the major distributors, that allowed him to release films like 'Gone with the Wind'; something that a few years earlier would have been thought impossible.

Very few of the films that I have bought in 16mm were known to me before; sometimes I have bought it on the strength of the leading actor, other times, it sounded interesting, and I wouldlook on IMDB for reviews, then I go on to Amazon to see if a digital copy has been released,and read more reviews there. Then there is Wikipedia as another source, and even Google Books. Sometimes you can find clips on Youtube. Quite often the films have had poor reviews, and I have spent weeks, even months deciding whether to buy. Often I have gone ahead, regardless of what the reviewers say, and I'm pleased to say that I haven't been disappointed with my choice.

Hello Robert and welcome back, I have to say that don't mind buying a film if its not that well known, or a "B" movie as you say, because I like to think we have a choice outside of
our tv channels or freeview and I still enjoy the cinematic experience even on our small screens, some impact is lost I think and the tv anyway. I think you have a lot more choice on 16mm as apposed to 8mm, I have some rare one's on 8mm but its a film I enjoyed at the cinema long before it was shown on the tv and has influenced my purchase for sure, but I have a wide choice of films so I won't get too bored watching them more than once..........

In my case the answer is yes and no. I certainly have a wanted list with titles well known to me, but I often buy films, that are unknown to me, if the price is OK.

I'm the same as Mats however, 90%+ of the titles i buy i have seen. The cost of a film is too expensive to gamble on if i would like it. That said, over the last two years i have taken a punt on a couple of films and made purchases without ever seeing it. One title, (believe this or not), is Scrooge. My Mum always liked it, My Brother always told me it was a classic and my Wife loves it but until i bought it last year as a full feature , (after selling the cut down), i have to say i really liked it. It is good to actually have a film your watching for the first time on the home screen and not know whats coming next, although Scrooge is a bit obvious.
My most recent purchase on 16mm is Jagged Edge, (on the way), and i have to say i have never seen it before. With Jeff Bridges and Glenn Close i know it's going to be good, and of course i did read up about it and viewed the trailer on youtube so i i am looking forward to this film as i have never watched it, Also, Dances with Wolves which we are planning to view Wednesday or Thursday is also another film i have never seen,My Brother has and does like it and being such a modern day classic i had to get it when the chance came up.

If it’s dirt cheap, I get it. I mean, 1 pound for three 1600’ reels in cardboard boxes are is worth it, no matter what crap on the film. Was not too bad this 1 pounder though, Bud and Terrence is okay, with fair colour too

But lately, been buying more expensive, but mostly what I know is

We don't get bargains like that in the UK. In the beginning it took me 2 months to save for a Super 8 feature. I've had some good films on 16mm for under £50, and three top condition prints from the US at under £25.

I have bought many films over the years without knowing much or anything about content,some of them have been a nice surprise and some have been shockers. Sometimes I've also bought not knowing a title but heard of the actors in it,if it's someone I like I'll buy it and give it a try, the ones that have cost the most are the ones you want,Mark

One of the films I got from the US for only £23 was the penultimate film of Alan Ladd, in top condition, with better than average sound and picture. In the story, Alan Ladd gets mugged by a teenage gang one night while searching for a petrol station after his car broke down. The cop in charge of the case, Rod Steiger, is taking too long to get results, and Alan Ladd decides to hunt them down himself. Even with postage, and import charges, it was still a lot cheaper than I could have bought here.

I also have made som nice finds from the USA, but with today´s shipping prices, I prefer to search for my wanted films in Europe. It´s possible to find real bargains, like Vidar´s £1 film, on our meets in Scandinavia, but usually a feature cost something between £ 20-100 depending on title and condition. Most of these films have original soundtrack and Scandinavian subtitles.

The better ones goes 20-40, but gots lots for 5-10 so. I love our meetings

Hi Mats, all these purchases were sent via the Global Shipping Programme. I wouldn't bother if it was being sent by USPS, plus customs, it would add at least another £100 to the price, if not more.

Got this for 25-27 or so, not sure I seen this


And this for 8-9

Back, in the good old days, there was a 4th class media mail option. I had a lot of films sent from Blackhawk Films and others. Slow, but really cheap and I had to pay custom fees, only a couple of times. Those were the days.

I got my Blackhawk and Niles films through a company named Regent Films; it was a slow process, as you had to enquire about the current price as the exchange rate fluctuated. Then you paid a deposit, then I think you waited up to about 6 weeks, then got an invoice to pay the outstanding amount. Then waited for the film to arrive.

I must admit, I think it was okay towait. Looking forward to things had its charm

As Mats says, those were the days

I´m curious about how Regent Films managed to import Laurel and Hardy films from Blackhawk. They were licensed for USA and Canada only. Maybe they had a business partner in USA, who bought the films and sent to UK

Interesting Mats, I never knew that. I bought a few; I do remember one is a very good Hal Roach comedy 'Call of the Cuckoo', with Max Davidson; I also bought a couple of William S. Hart westerns.

Got this too, must rewatch, do not remember what it was about even

Regent Films were originally from Bolton looking at my old film magazines. They were already in Blackpool when I started collecting in the 70s number 2 Palladium Buildings. The shop would have been one of the first I visited it was like Aladdin and his cave, full of film stuff, they had the Blackhawk films Thunderbird Films and releases from most of the other US distributors. Don't know how they got the titles to the UK, but they had loads of them.

This is the building



And of course they were the ones who started the Blackpool Northern Film Convention.

One of my very first super 8 films was bought from Regent films, Flight Of The Phoenix 400' colour sound, it cost me the pricely sum of £30.00 which in the late 70's/early 80's was a small fortune.

Thanks for posting that picture David.
That is the first time I have actually seen a photograph of what the building itself actually looked like.
It would be brilliant if someone just happened to have an old photograph of how it once looked during it's film distribution heydays.
I was a little too young in that era to travel that far for a film shop but if I had known it existed back then, I would have definitely persuaded my Dad & Mum to have stopped off there with me during one of of our many visits to the seaside town during the 70's.
They used to like to look at all the fantastic titles on the shelves themselves during those times at Jubilee films.They were always unimpressed by the cost of such things though!

I know Del used to visit here quite a lot apparently in that era as he used to live in Blackpoool many years ago.

I also went to see The Wizard Of Oz in the Cinema directly next to it, that's how it all started

And now you have it for your own miniature cinema Del!

What a fantastic place to park a film shop,..right next to a Cinema!
Genius

There also used to be a photographic shop near the old Woolworths that used to sell super 8 films, I used to stand and stare at them in the window drooling.

The films that Blackhawk didn't sell outside of the US,I bought from other sellers new or,second hand. Eddie Sammons,the owner of Regent also wrote a booklet full of 8mm two reeler reviews (see Picture Gallery),in 1980 and from 1981 to 1986 issued 15 issues of Home Screen Scene, a magazine full of 8mm reviews,all written by himself,for the rarities that he imported.