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
This is the 2nd print that I have found of this "selected scenes" film
AFRICAN QUEEN
Ken Films (Selected Scenes)
Classic with Humphrey Bogart & Katharine Hepburn
Title: AFRICAN QUEEN (1951)
Catalogue # 337
400 Feet Blue PLiO MAGiC (Made in USA) reel, includes an original "Mail Order Promo" card from Ken Films (for nostalgic sake)
The original formed polystyrene hinged case with coloured graphic artwork front and rear
Leader film is fitted
Colour
Sound (Mono)
A classic! Even I remember this one ... after a religious spinster's (played by Katharine Hepburn) missionary brother is killed in WWI Africa, dissolute steamer captain (played by Humphrey Bogart) offers her safe passage. She's not satisfied so she persuades him to destroy a German gunboat. The two then spend most of their time fighting with each other rather than the Germans but inevitably fall in love with each other.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
The original polystyrene case is in great condition with no extra labels or personal writing added and the hinge is sound.
The reel is not cracked or damaged
NO personal writing on the film reel or the library case, in fact there is no identification on the reel at all.
NO film clip is fitted
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 reel, including the sprocket holes, appears to be physically undamaged - at least on the first section that I examined and ran through the projector for testing (about 5 minutes duration of the film).
I ran the film through the projector for approximately the first five minutes, to observe the picture and check that the sound quality.
The colour representation is actually pretty good, better than the first print that I found recently. It opens rather Reddish-Brown but then I can see plenty of Greens and Oh yes, Blues are alive! I can clearly see the Blue skyline and the natives running around in Blue clothing - nice (the Blues, not the natives running around in clothing!) Overall there is a heavier accent on the Red-Browns but these are nicely balanced by the "other" colours being present. A really good watch
Good news on the sound too, the audio is crisp, clear and of a good level ...
SPECIAL NOTE: I felt I needed to add this little note ... whilst viewing the film on the screen, it actually looks "less Red" 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 a couple of the frames are pretty blurred because I didn't stop the film just at the right time for those photographs. In any case, these photographs are only a very rough guide for what to expect.
This film is now stored in a cool, low humidity environment while it awaits a new owner to consider bringing to their home ...
