16mm Abridgements

Anybody notice over at EBAY that 'The Prehistoric Lover' is up to $75 (!!!). This completely baffles me, since from all appearances this simply appears to be another cheap-o abridgement of 'His Prehistoric Past' (the description doesn't include the reel size, but I'd bet it's a 50 or 100 footer). I don't know why any serious Chaplin fan would spend more than a couple of bucks on one of these things (anybody want to buy my copy of 'All Balled Up', or a three minute abridgement of 'Tillie'...?).

Clueless,

Well, someone could ask why you bought these things. But I'll assume that you didn't pay $75 for them.

I think some of the people who bid on these items are clueless

I managed to pick up some very good Hollywood Enterprises one reel cutdowns of the Keystones on EBay. The quality was as good, if not better, than any other versions I've seen before. I even got a cut down of HPP. I forgot what they renamed for it, but, storywise, it was weak.

Fortunately, I never had to pay more than about $15 for those prints.

Sean

Sean http://member.aol.com/SeMurph/index.html

'I & I, in creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives. I & I, one said to the other, no man sees my face and lives.' B.Dylan

I think we actually might have the same thing... I have a fragment called 'Charlie In The Stone Age.' It's on tinted stock, and the image quality is definitely better than any other version of 'His Prehistoric Past' I've ever seen

Is that the same as Hollywood Film?

The quality was as good, if not better, than any other

That's what I paid for my cutdown of HPP from Hollywood Film. And the picture quality is extremely good. It's only half of it, though.

Connie K.

Actually, I have a different print. I'll have to take another look at it. I don't remember what they call it. I always think of it as HPP.

Sean http://member.aol.com/SeMurph/index.html

'I & I, in creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives. I & I, one said to the other, no man sees my face and lives.' B.Dylan

Connie wrote Yes. My mistake.

I don't care for this abridgement, but, generally, I think they do an excellent job.

I wish they released complete versions of the two reelers! (Maybe they have and I simply haven't seen them yet.)

Sean http://member.aol.com/SeMurph/index.html

'I & I, in creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives. I & I, one said to the other, no man sees my face and lives.' B.Dylan

Hollywood Film Enterprises also released 'headline editions' of their films. So if you think a 400 foot (in 16mm) version of an 800 foot film is hard to follow, imagine the same film at 50 or 100 feet! BTW, HFE is still in business (as Hollywood Film & Video) in the same location on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. They haven't sold 8 or 16mm prints in decades, though. At one time they had the rights to both Disney and Hal Roach movies. Richard Carnahan

Do you know if they ever sold 800 foot 16mm versions?

Sean

Sean http://member.aol.com/SeMurph/index.html

'I & I, in creation where one's nature neither honors nor forgives. I & I, one said to the other, no man sees my face and lives.' B.Dylan

No, I don't believe they did.

I believe that the Kodak 'Show At Home' prints catalog had a lot of Chaplin titles listed. Perhaps they were the full length films.(?)

Have a nice day,