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!
COPY 1: Vinegar Syndrome "smell test" ☒= Positive
COPY 2: Vinegar Syndrome "smell test" ☑= Negative
I have retrieved two copies of this film, but there are differences between them in both the packaging and condition ... please see the TESTING section below. Either print copy can be purchased using the check box on this page.
GIGI
MGM Home Movies (Selected Scenes)
Musical with Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan & Hermione Gingold
Title: GIGI (1958)
Catalogue # M-22
400 Feet Blue PLiO MAGiC (Made in USA) reel
The original formed polystyrene hinged case with coloured graphic artwork front and rear
Leader film is fitted
Colour
Sound (Mono)
Weary of the conventions of Parisian society, a rich playboy and a youthful courtesan-in-training enjoy a platonic friendship which may not stay platonic for long. This film is just a little bit before my time but I remember the song "Thank Heaven For Little Girls" from this film.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
I have two identical prints but the cases do differ slightly ...
Copy 1 is the original polystyrene case and it is in good condition with no extra labels or personal writing added and the hinge is sound, HOWEVER it has taken a knock to the top left hand corner which has caused slight case damage and there is also some previous label glue residue in the same area.
Copy 2 is also in the original polystyrene case and it is in very good condition, no extra labelling or personal writing added and the hinge is fine. There is no case damage or glue residue on this case.
The reels are not cracked or damaged
NO personal writing on the film reels or the cases
Copy 1 has the word Gigi hand written on the reel with Blue textor.
Copy 2 has no writing 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 reels, including the sprocket holes, appear to be physically undamaged - at least on the first sections of film that I examined and ran through the projector for testing (about 5 minutes duration of each film).
I ran the films through the projector for approximately the first five minutes, to observe the picture and check that the sound quality on each print.
The colour representation isn't terrible but quite Tan ~ Brownish in colour although there is quite a bit of Greens around as well but I did not see a whole lot of Blue in action. BOTH copies look pretty much the same on screen, perhaps Copy 2 was just ever so slightly better from the colour perspective but the differences are really marginal. I have taken a few scene shots from both reels so you can see for yourself that one print is not markedly different to the other from the colour perspective.
Keep in mind that Copy 1 is DEFINITELY a Vinegar odour producer, even with my degraded sense of smell I can detect the vinegar smell on this copy. Not so with Copy 2.
Good news on the sound though, with both copies 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 quite 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 ...
