First of all, i know it isn't exactly a "true restoration, however, it is my own and it was a lot of work, and still just a tad more to go. But the bulk of it is now done.

As you may already know, i bought a 16mm copy of High Plains Drifter.
It is a scope feature and the colour is A1, no fade,however, it was a TV cut and there was some very poor splices and repairs with a lot of jumping, with several sections of sprocket holes missing, so when the opportunity arose to get hold of a theatrical print but,again, with a lot of damage for a song, (also scope and A1 colour) i snapped it up from a friend of a friend. He may as well have given it to me for what i paid but i did show willing. His copy was going to be binned rather than viewed.
Yesterday i set about making a good theatrical print from the two. As pure luck would have it the frame and focus were the same, After two sessions of well over two hours work during the afternoon and evening i finally finished, I was able to replace whole and jumpy scenes with the uncut version and as luck would have it the damage was pretty much confined to parts of the film i didn't need anyway.
I could have bought the Blu ray for a fiver but i wanted my 16mm print and i wanted it restored as best as i could manage. It wont be perfect, but not far off.
This is something you cant do this with a DVD or blu ray, this was fun & the biggest repair job i had done on any print and very much well worth it!!!!!

I broke all the rules doing this, (and others in the past), i dont have a 16mm editor, and i dont fanny about with cotton gloves. This was me working with my 8mm editor to pop the film in simply to look at where i was, i used an eye piece in order to see the frames, (one great advantage over 8mm is being to see an image on a frame easily), and my trusty CIR splicer and rewind arms. Once finished everything looked great. Today i gave the film a light clean and ran reel one, tomorrow evening i will run reel two (or possibly Tuesday). Reel two is where around about 400ft of film had been replaced in four long sections, it will remove all the sticky/jumpy parts with what appears to be almost perfect sections. So far, it appears to be looking great, Here some images from reel one, and will pop up some from reel two focusing on the replacement sections tomorrow or Tuesday.

What these images dont show you is how vivid the colours are and how sharp the image actually is, my little camera appears to have over exposed some of the brighter images here making faces look dupey but the actual film is excellent.

Looks really god Tom. Well done.

Thanks Mat, im hoping part two is as good, im sure it will be, trying to edit without an editor is not too easy, but i decided not to part with any cash for one as after this movie, i probably wont need one again. In fact, using the 8mm one was actually OK in the end. Obviously i didn't wind film through it otherwise the sprocket would have scratched the film, instead, i used it to pop the film in to see where i was, once i was almost there, it was a case of using the rewind arms slowly and the eye glass. Oh, and a good desk lamp

Well done Tom; you were lucky to get two copies, with good colour, and both in Scope. You have restored to it's original release, instead of the TV edited version you started with.
My films are pretty special to me; owning the DVD of a particular title doesn't mean anything to me; you can go out a buy a dozen copies if you wish. There are not so many film prints around. It's all part of the hobby Tom, repairing and restoring, adding extra leader and tails; inspecting for possible problems like bad splices, or torn perfs. Lubricating, and keeping the projector path free from debris. It's not just about sitting down and watching a movie. The screen shots look excellent. Look forward to hearing about the second part. You must be well pleased.

The print looks awesome! Nice work on your part making a complete version. As Robert said that was very lucky for you to find 2 prints that were the same quality and in scope. It is also sweet that it is one of your favorite films too!

Really nice and a great film to watch too. Only have the 2x400’ Super 8 myself

That U8 2 x 400ft version is what we have had for well over 30 years. It is actually a really well edited version too. Have had many many years of happy viewings with that that one, and prior to that it was the "not so well put together" 200 footer. It would have been OK had they not have edited it for a general audience.
This one is the bees knees though. Part two tomorrow will be the big test as the second reel had to have quite a few long swap's in order to turn it back to the 18 version.
Images will follow tomorrow all being well.

The beauty of 16mm is that you'er not restricted to digests, or whatever the distributors wanted to give you.

Viewed part 2 last night, very pleased with it, 80% better, now all i need to do is a couple more bits which i had forgotten about, then this will be an A1 print. Defiantly one of my favourite Eastwood 70s movies.

Tom,

That is really fantastic! I watched my slightly faded Super 8 combined digest a few weeks back, and while it was still fun, the color on your 16mm print is spectacular.
Eastwood, and in particular the westerns, is one of my favorites. Between that and most James Bond films I would have a tough time picking who is best.

Clint Eastwood in a movie more than guarantees a good viewing. I cant think of many of his films that i would avoid. This particular one seems to have everything and in among the gritty action there's a fair share of simple comical lines.
I will add that i bought this from Nigel Higgins and am very pleased with this purchase, although i had a little whine that it was originally a TV edit, the fact is that this print is still an hour and half longer than the U8 package version still makes it a win win purchase. Now i have replaced the TV cuts with the 18 version footage it makes its all a worth while effort.
The excellent colour on this print was a super surprise. Nigel said the colour was good but i didn't expect it to be anywhere near this good. and scope to add to it, so thank you Nigel.

You were very lucky, who found two prints that completed each other so well. I have never heard of anyone that have managed to do this. Usually there are scope prints completed with flat scenes or two different film stocks that don´t match, fade wise or focus wise. Congratulations.

Yes ive been been more than lucky on this one. I had to coolect the second print up from redruth in cornwall. There use to be a small dealer near newquay who who use to deal mainly in 16mm. I believe that this was originaly where the guy in redruth bought this print from.as a whole film the second print does have a number of fading repair sections in it and a fair few sections of damaged sprocket holes, hence why i have been lucky that the relativly short parts i require are good, especially after a clean up. There are also other sections that i would not put through my projector.

Think the dealer was Dane Films bought a few super 8 from him. Nice work to get such a complete film too. I bought a couple over the years on 16mm that just had swear words on all they did was stick some blooping tape over the optical track to mask the word out.

"Dane Films", yes David that's the one. Great days again for me. 30 years ago i started work where i still am, i was the Cornwall driver /rep for Vauxhall in Plymouth. My job was great, Driving to all the trade garages between Plymouth and Penance, even down as far as Sancreed near lands end, I use to call into Dane films just outside Fradden, it was his house, this was where my first 16mm films came from. I remember him having a garage which is where all his films were. He had Bond movies which even back then he wanted around 300/400 pounds way way out of my earnings. My visits to Dane were around 25 years ago, he was an older chap back then, i bought Sweeney 2 and Freebie and the bean from him for around 40/50 each and great prints they were. I also bought a small number of super 8s including my copy of Goodwill to men in scope, this one is as good today as the day i bought it. These were later sold on, a bad move on my behalf.
Very fond memories, and back then i had all day out and didn't have to go back to the depot and there was no such thing as parts vans being tracked. Today, unfortunately, i'm inside all day.

Tom,

I got my copy of Freebie and the Bean from Paul Foster - I'm still looking for both Sweeney cinema films - but if I had to make a choice I'd get Sweeney 2 as it is such a great film.

it was a very good film, excellent print too. i was scilly to give it all up but at the time i only had a two up two down house so 16mm was just way too big. now its 16mm on the way up and super 8 is being trimmed. A few more items recently sold off that i never thought i would sell, unfortunately watching the ones fading no longer makes me feel good. As Robert said before, when you remember a print in all its glory then see it fading its not the same film anymore.
I'm definatly in favour of selling to buy now, recently i sold off a few very short super 8s, these few films, (no more than the equivalent of 3 x 200 footers), have more than paid for the full feature of Mississippi burning on 16 and in immaculate condition by the looks of it. Will continue to get shot of as much fading super 8s as possible over the coming 12 months and hopefully end up with more quality items. Only two more features to go on 16mm before i reach my limit. However, one or two older slightly fading items will also go in favour of new titles.
This will only change if the value falls away.