Paul Browning made a nice suggestion how "Jason and the Argonauts" would make a popular new 600 ft. digest. I like that idea, and I am wondering what other film titles people would want to see in a NEW print...

In addition, off the top of my head, I can think of:

Blade Runner
Saving Private Ryan
Home Alone
Back to the Future
Jaws
The Dark Knight

I am sure there will be many different answers, but it would be nice to hear what others here would like to see....
And, assume any new prints would be based off a negative created from 35mm. In some cases, like Jaws, it will be quite difficult to find an unfaded print to use.

Greg,

You mentioned "Home Alone", I implored Derek Simmonds to bring it out on 8mm when he had his Fox deal, he thought it was too seasonal to sell many copies, I always said he was wrong, but he wouldn't move on it, what a shame, as it's on TV throughout the year and not only at Christmas.

My choice for a new digest would be a 600' of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind", there's not enough F/L prints out there, as this was discontinues when Derann lost there Columbia deal.

There would be quite a lot in my list, close encounters would be a good one Barry, also the italian job, any of the hammer films in any format, house on haunted hill, psycho, shawshank redemption, escape from new york , bullitt .......

Close encounters scope,
Saving private ryan,
Scum
Home alone for definate,
7th voyage of sinbad
One million years BC

Would love to see The Hateful Eight, Reservoir Dogs, Savage Streets, Chained Heat, Sergio Leones Dollar trilogy. And agree on those mentioned, Close Encounters, Back to the Future Trilogy, but only if from film, not interested in a digital to film myself

Vidar, hateful eight would be a good one, along with dirty harry, i would imagine they would be almost impossible to get hold of as films to make a negative but worth a mention.

Tom,

Yes, one of the biggest hurdles, in addition to the cost to have a negative and answer print made, one also needs a top 35mm print that can be cut and spliced together to create the desired edit. I would doubt anyone would "loan" a 35mm print and have it cut up--even though it could be subsequently reconnected. So then if you don't already have a 35mm print you would need to buy that as well. And of course, for all of these titles that would not be cheap either.

However, I wonder if a 4k scan could be done of the 35mm print, and then the edit could be created from the scan. In this way, film is the true source for the subsequent negative, but this would allow for an edit to be created digitally using the scan file without having to carve up a 35mm print.

This would seem like a fair compromise to perhaps maintain the essence of true film and would reduce the costs involved and simplify things a bit.

I would like to hear others opinions on this approach, as I am no expert on these things. Thanks!

We are all different, which is a good thing; but I wonder why anyone would pay several hundred pounds for a 30 minute edit, when you could buy the complete film on disc for peanuts. I know it's not the same as watching real film on your projector, but the cost of new films is just too high IMO.

Robert,

As always, your feedback is appreciated. Thank you for weighing in on the cost issue. It certainly impacts the sale of prints.

Greg, i willPM later on this issue

It is too bad that Home Alone wasn't done years ago. That would be a good one, and my son would love it! The cost is expensive but with all that factors in to getting a digest made the only way the cost would go down is if more people bought them. So few prints are sold so the only way to even try to break even for the person fronting the money is to charge accordingly. I figure down the line the ones I have bought will sell ok so I will end up getting some or maybe even close to all of the cost back. Plus I get to enjoy it until then.

Bill, that home alone has ro be the most frustrating non release super print ever. As Barry said, Derann had the rights to release the full feature in scope when he had the 20th century fox rights but didnt think it would sell well being aseasonal film. No one will ever kbow, but i wouldnt mind guessing that it would have been a top seller.

I must say, I like Greg's list. I was also thinking it might be cool to get a new 2 x 400ft of Jaws struck from a 35mm, perhaps even in 'scope. It was a great edit. Then we could put the two reels in our U8 cases and finally part with our pinky originals!

I suggest that the topic's name should have been "New 600ft digest: What would you be prepared to buy?"
This would narrow the choice down to a higher favoured few titles.

Good point Maurice, there are many titles that collectors would like to see released but i would imagine only a very few would generate enough orders to make it pay.
I dont know the exact amount of copies that would need to be sold to break even, my guess is at least 30 perhaps?
Dave Baker chose a great title as his first 600ft reel which was destined to be a wanted title, i for one do wish to obtain a copy, i am just awaiting a UK outlet where the seller isn't trying to get carried away with the price unnecessarily. if you take my meaning.
Saving Private Ryan would be top of my list but as a 30 minute cut down it would be very difficult i think as the all action opening is 25 minutes of the film. If that section were able to be released as a standalone it couldn't really be called saving private Ryan as this part of the story isn't made clear until after the huge opening landing battle.

Tom
I have already got my copy of "Jurassic Park" from Dave. I suggest you do the same and order direct.

Many great suggestions. Here are mine:
* Rear Window
* Wallace & Gromit - The Wrong trousers.
* Men in Black
* Apollo 13

One of the most repeated watches I have is the last Reel from the feature "Rocky".

The final fight is tremendous with lots of close ups & bright reds this suits the Super 8 frame to look like 16mm. Would not need any editing to release this as an extract.

One of the few digests I bought when new in the hobby was James Cagney in 'Blood on the Sun'. The feature had been discontinued. The fight sequence is the highlight of the film.

As Mark said, sometimes just one reel of a feature is a good repeatable viewing, this is what i was thinking by way of Saving private Ryan, if it were released as a 600ft reel it would, (only in my view) only work well as the opening beech sequence. The film has so much action it would be almost impossible to make a good half hour cut down.
A few people on the other channel mentioned Jaws but as much as it is a modern classic, it has been on the super 8 scene for so many years i dont know if it would do that well. I may be mistaken but i dont think we will ever know.
I still look out for a low fade copy, Barry, have you got one yet?

I think the Ryan opening salvo is a great idea. It runs about 25 minutes and ends with that crane shot over the beach. A short story in itself.

Exactly Martin. It really would make a great stand alone and with five minuites to spare may also help keep the price down a little. I cant think of anything else the extra five minutes of the reel could be used for from that particular film.
Looking at the attention that David has put into the editing of Jurassic park, i think home alone or national Lampoons christmas could be good contenders. Perhaps even jingle all the way,
Just another thought, predator?

Vidar also mentioned Close Encounters. Again, the last half hour of the film would make a decent long except, and its the best part of the film, although i think this particular film would need to be scope after seeing the old columbia flat cut down.

I think there is a theme to davids 600ft edits, as his email suggest monsterman, prehistoric types or horror types, so our many suggestions won't get done unfortunately, but his has plenty of scope if he wants to branch out. As for jurrasic park, i have 2 copies of the feature so i'm not likely to buy the 600ft version, nice though it is, and your saving ryans privates, you have as much chance of that being done as BLM voting Enoch Powell as leader................

Good shout Paul

Your lucky to have two copies of the full feature Paul.
Am i right in thinking this feature suffered really badly with the sound stripe peeling off as well as generally poor sound?

Yes Tom, stripe is peeling off, darn shame really, pretty good other than that. its a problem that needs to be tackled, there on the the back burner till i have some time to solve correctly.