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
BYE BYE BIRDIE
Columbia Home Movies (Selected Scenes)
Title: Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
Catalogue # Unidentified on the box
I have discovered TWO copies of this release
Copy A: 400 Feet Fire Engine Red PLiO MAGiC (USA) reel
Copy B: 400 Feet Fire Engine Red PLiO MAGiC (USA) reel
NO leader as such on Copy A but Copy B has a short White leader
Colour
Sound (Mono)
Run time: approximately 16 minutes
A struggling songwriter Albert Peterson (played by Dick Van Dyke) and his girlfriend/secretary Rosie (played by Janet Leigh) concoct a publicity stunt to save his career when rock-and-roll icon Conrad Birdie (played by Jesse Pearson) is drafted. They arrange for Birdie to kiss a small-town Ohio fan, Kim McAfee (played by Ann-Margret), on The Ed Sullivan Show.
COSMETIC CONDITION:
USED
CLEAN
Both of the original cardboard cases have seen some handling wear and one in particular (I have called this Copy B) has "colour fade" to the artwork. This same copy B also has an old price sticker attached to the topside and a paper label on the side-edge with the film title.
The reel is not cracked or damaged
NO personal writing on the film reels or the outer cardboard boxes
Copy A has NO White leader film (just a short length of Black film before the movie begins) but Copy B does have a White leader, although short. No film clips on either reel
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 either reel, including the sprocket holes, appears to be physically undamaged
I ran both of the films through the projector for approximately the first five minutes, to observe the picture and check that the sound quality.
COPY A:
This is the reel inside the cardboard box A and the film has practically no leader, just a short length of plain Black film before beginning.
Not the greatest of colours here, but BETTER than Copy B (with the faded looking cardboard box). There are some Greens as the Reds are subdued and become more like a Brown but Blues? No way, they have left the party unfortunately. While watchable, the movie has substantially Brown tones.
Sound on this copy is a bit "strange", just at the beginning of the movie Dick Van Dyke is lamenting his "star" not being available but the dialogue I hear on Copy B is not here! Instead I can only hear music but no speech. This continues for perhaps 30 seconds and then the dialogue suddenly appears ... I think someone has at one stage overwritten the sound stripe right at the beginning.
COPY B:
This copy is in the faded cardboard box with the price sticker on the front. It has LESS colour than Copy A in that the Greens are more subdued and the overall picture looks more Pink-Red. Obviously the Blues have all gone to lunch, no sign of them at all.
The sound on this reel is more "normal" with dialogue right from the beginning, unlike Copy A
SPECIAL NOTE: I felt I needed to add this little note ... whilst viewing the film on the screen, it actually looks "reasonable" but it has become apparent to me that 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 while the film is running too, that doesn't help provide a good image. The photographs are only a very rough guide for what to expect but in reality the film is not as bad as in the photographs. I work with what equipment I have, room lighting etc ... if anything, at least you can see that the films have actually been run through the projector.
This film is now stored in a cool, low humidity environment while it awaits a new projector to bring it back to life again!
You can choose either copy in the selection box on this page OR if you select both films, a discount is applied automatically to both films.
