My Niles print of the original Hitchcock feature The 39 Steps with Robert Donat and a 400ft Columbia digest of Two Fisted Law starring Tim McCoy shown on my Kodak M100 projector onto a six foot screen. The 39 Steps was very watchable but of typical Niles quality whereas the Columbia print was outstanding to the point the viewing rose above the subject. Looked like 16mm.

Hi David,
I also have the Niles version of “The 39 Steps”, and agree with you. A good title, but I thought it was soft and not sharp...

I also have the digest of 'Two Fisted Law'; the picture quality is incredible. I had the feature on VHS, and running time was I think less than 60 mins; they managed to condense it very nicely. Pity that Columbia didn't do full features in Super 8.

I have 2 prints of Hitchcock's 39 STEPS. One of them is Niles and it is a clean print with no lines but soft focus as mentioned. The other is THUNDERBIRD and it is sharp with better contrast but does have some wear/lines. I can never make up my mind which to keep so I keep both. However I do prefer the THUNDERBIRD version better. I think I also have an odd reel of the feature on 16mm. I have quite a few of the Hitchcock thrillers of the 1930's on 16mm as features but not 39 Steps. Just super 8!

We also have the niles print. While abridged, it is still an excellent classic. As you say, slightly soft. Is the thunderbird feature uncut?

I thought both prints were complete but honestly I would have to check. I have not screened them in some time so I will pull them and give them a screening and report back when I do. I will post a review comparing the prints and try to have some pics.

Robert

I agree. The Columbia digests were truly excellent in image quality. Shame not to have full features printed off the master materials they used to cut down the 400 footers.

Columbiaa did release a number of full features.

Columbia did have some feature titles for sale I have Emmanuelle feature. I also recall Born Fee, On The Waterfront, Dr Strangelove, and I think Gilda. They also had quite a few for hire only.

The £9 Steps I have the PM Films release that is abridged and they did a good job too. I would say its The 36 Steps.

I've had a full-length print of this for a very long time, but I was never sure who released it. From the comments in this thread, I assume it is from Thunderbird, since there is nothing wrong with the picture.

I've always felt that Niles gets a bad rap, though most of my Niles are the Sherlock Holmes features, which I understand to be of a very high standard. That being said, I've found their Our Gang silents to be more than acceptable, despite their reputation being otherwise.