BACKGROUND INFO:
I am not a 'film enthusiast' and my past working life has revolved around electronics (many fields including communications, industrial and audio) and "The Arts", more specifically, creative arts such as handcrafted fine china, ceramics and landscape artworks.
An associate has asked me to help find new owners for HIS large collection of photographic and film items ... this is yet another one of those items. I am frequently asked "THE QUESTION"
So how many films do you have, Russ?
My response is ... boxes and boxes of them, perhaps 350+ films are now left for me to look through ... plus a few projectors
Another question I am often asked "Can I come and have a browse through the films?" Sorry, but the answer has to be a flat NO!
ALL film stock is safely away in my storage units, nice n cool and out of harms way, each day (or so) I will retrieve a few films, take a look (and smell!) at each film ... absolutely NO ONE can just casually "browse" the collection. My associate wouldn't like that and neither do I.
There is a lot of detail on this page plus even more HERE ... I strongly suggest anyone who is interested in this film to read everything carefully, including looking at the link. To not do so is at your own peril!
Vinegar Syndrome "smell test" ☑= Negative
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (Plus)
20th Century Fox
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
PLUS
Spliced onto the end of Reel 4 is a trailer for ... HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE
Yes, there is a LOT of film here! I imagine this could be the full length feature, not a selected scenes version, each reel is full right to the outer rim.
4x 600 Feet Light Grey or Cream EUMIG reels
4x individual 600' library cases (with drop down front door), these are also from EUMIG
Leader film is fitted to every reel but no reels have film clips fitted - manageable (just)
Colour
Sound (Mono)
It is said online this is a classic Western although I found the motion picture really engrossing because of the lines spoken (and unspoken) and there is plenty of comedic situations, such as their arrival in Bolivia and their adaptation to a new way of life. The two cowboy robbers are so very calm and cool throughout the movie, even at the dramatic ending (a situation that most robbers end up in). Much more than just a cowboy "shoot em up" motion picture and very entertaining (in my opinion anyway). In brief, the two charming, aging outlaws (Paul Newman and Robert Redford) lead the Hole-in-the-Wall Gang. As the Wild West becomes modernised and a relentless, elite posse pursues them for repeated train robberies, the duo (plus Etta Place, a lady who is looking for a more exciting life) flee to Bolivia to find a new life. They naturally retreat to their old ways, bank robberies, (funny scenes when Paul and Robert are trying to learn the local language in preparation for their first robbery) until they try to go "straight". Things don't go quite as planned and the final minutes of the film are the inevitable "stand off" with LOTS of heavily armed soldiers ... the end is pretty obvious and the film finishes in a pretty "nice, clean" way - the robbers knew this was the end and the audience knew as well - a soft ending if you like to think of it like that. Oh and the music soundtrack is interesting, besides the old standard song "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" (BJ Thomas) there is a lot of instrumental in the light-hearted vein, creating something like a very jovial Western!
The motion picture runs across all four reels but just at the end of reel 4 is a few minutes of a trailer for How To Marry A Millionaire. The trailer begins by promoting the Cinemascope picture features, introduces the main characters and then give a brief outline of the storyline ... I didn't time this trailer but I would estimate it ran for around 3~4 minutes.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
The EUMIG library cases have Brown drop down doors and all of them are in good condition, no physical damage and just some light marks here and there as it appears these library cases have previously been used with other films at some stage. Each library case has the contents identified with a single White paper label (typed on a real typewriter except the label for the trailer which is hand written)
Each reel has only the reel number indicated on it, not the film title
NO reels are cracked or damaged in any way.
SPECIAL NOTE: I mentioned above about just how much film is on each reel, these are fully loaded reels (meaning you are handling around 2400 feet of film in total length!) but (in my opinion) not overloaded, you just need to either create a simple film clip or be careful handling the reels.
NO personal writing on any of the film reels or the library cases
TESTING:
Test machine: ELMO 1200ST
The projector film path has been completely cleaned prior to running this film through the machine. I now have a "running sheet", my maintenance schedule if you like - I record when each maintenance is performed because I am running a lot of films through the machine.
Film stock on the reels, including the sprocket holes, is undamaged and I can say this with certainty because I became so engrossed in this movie that I watched each reel completely!
The "main feature" film colour is actually not too bad, yes there tends to be Redish colouring dominating but also a lot of Yellows and Green, I think the Brown is coming from the presence of the Green mixing with the Red. Blues on the other hand are not really in the picture although at times I suspected I was looking at some Blues (skyline scenes) Quite frankly I found the storyline and the acting to be of primary interest and this is what took my attention for so long last night! So, the colouring does tend to be quite "desert like" with the Yellows, Oranges and Browns but other colours are still there as well.
Tacked onto the end of reel 4 is the trailer and the colour on this is also pretty good, in fact really good - more colourful than the main feature.
Across all four reels, the audio is fine, clear and crisp at a good consistent level.
SPECIAL NOTE: I felt I needed to add this little note ... whilst viewing the film on the screen, it actually looks "less Redish" than the photographs would indicate ... My antiquated digital camera (very old, one of the very first 'point n shoot' models!) just isn't up to the task in regard to colour representation nor the ability to portray contrast properly. The screen shots I take are now taken with the film on pause which gives an improved image but the light is dimmer and sometimes a bit blurry as it is difficult to stop the film at "just the right spot" These photographs are only a very rough guide for what to expect in any case.
These four reels, in their library cases, are now stored in a cool, low humidity environment while the motion picture awaits a new owner to consider bringing to their home for a Newman & Redford "Marathon Night"!
