HISTORY:
My "world" is 'the arts' and more specifically, music, artwork and hand crafted/decorated chinaware's.
I am not a film enthusiast but an associate has asked me to find new owners for THEIR large collection of photographic and film stock ... this is one of those items.
Most of the film stock is Super 8 or Regular 8 film but I also found some 16mm, this is one of those 16mm film reels
Unfortunately, while I have a number of Super 8 & Standard 8 projectors, I have no equipment for 16mm so the information I can provide about this film reel is limited
UNIDENTIFIED EXTERNALLY - 16mm format Reel
The information below was read off the film, it is not indicated on the reel
12 inch (fully loaded)
1200 feet capable although the film indicates it is 1092 feet
16mm format
Black & White
Sound
Film print date 1970
After examining the beginning of the film and reading the information, I now know this is a film PROFESSIONALLY shot (by Australian Broadcasting Corportation?) at the Rugby League game between Australia and England, 4th July 1970
As the duration is just 29 minutes 7 seconds, this appears to be an "edited" version of the game
There is no indication on the reel that there was ever another reel.
For the sport historian's, I am sure they will know this game - very significant decider match
This was Game 3 of the Ashes Series in 1970, this game being played at Lang Park. It was one game all and this match was the decider ... England clinched the decider though.
Not a historian? Well, this is a match played 53 years ago - perhaps someone "special" in your family or circle of friends was at this game - there were 165,000 other folk there that day!
Just imagine presenting them a film of the game, now all you have to do is find a decent working 16mm projector!
CLOSER EXAMINATION:
On with the cotton gloves and let's take a look at this reel in more detail ...
There is NO CAN - I received this from my associate wrapped in copious amounts of bubblewrap with his departing words "look after this one!" My curiousity was aroused!
The plastic reel is a TUSCAN, made in Australia by the Australian Reel Co.
THE TUSCAN REEL IS DAMAGED!
The outer edge of the flange has one crack right across a top section on ONE SIDE only. I can see other "stress" cracks on both sides but these do not separate.
The reel remains useful, if only to de-spool onto a decent metal reel but take it carefully so that the edges of the film do not catch on this old reel.
The actual film does not appear to have suffered any damage although of course that is very hard to tell with 1200 feet of film wound onto the reel!
Carefully unwinding the film, I find this information on the film
* Clear and then Black leader film - no print of any kind
Then after a few metres length, ALL of the following information is exposed on the film
Dur 29 min. 7 sec.
1092 Ft.
TITLE RUGBY LEAGUE 3RD TEST AUST. V. ENGLAND 4.7.70
RL HEAD NO 3477
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING COMMISSION
PICTURE HEAD SMPTE UNIVERSAL LEADER
STRIPE SYNC
35 SOUND START
START (and the frames do the countdown 8-7-6-5-4-3)
Black film for a metre or so and then ...
HEY PRESTO! We are at the park, I can make out players on the ground - there is no accompanying text (I guess a commentary is on the sound stripe)
Yes, I can clearly see the magnetic sound stripe down one side.
Definitely Black & White - no colour here!
By this time I have already wound off quite a few metres of film so I stopped - I do not wish to risk damaging the film.
I saw very little in the way of splices, the above information was continous on the film (and easy to read, rightside up! Yeah, no mirrors!)
COSMETIC CONDITION:
While examining the beginning of film I noticed NO "disasters"
NO torn film
NO damaged sprocket holes BUT I noticed something strange where the SMPTE frames are located, the normal sprocket hole is present but it also has a small extension to the hole, just for a few frames - looks to have been done by machine and perhaps this is something to do with synchronising film with television broadcast equipment?
Film "appears" to be relatively clean
The film DOES NOT feel brittle or fragile and I did not notice damage from previous use.
As much as I would love to, I cannot view this film and make further judgements about it's condition. After gaining the information above from the beginning frames, I carefully wound ALL the film I had extracted (there is a LOT of film on this reel) and carefully placed it safely away, waiting for a new owner!
