Blackpool Convention report 1993 (2)

Colin and Lynda Foy report on the 1993 Convention in the Dec 1993 / Jan 1994 issue of Silver Screen Magazine.

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The 1993 Derann Film Convention at Blackpool

A report by Colin & Lynda Foy

The journey to Blackpool on Friday 19th November was to say the least, hardiarse. It took 6½ hours to travel just over 300 miles. We have never seen so many road works on the M1, and especially the M6. We have endured a road widening scheme at Maidstone for the past 2 years , but they were nothing compared to those on this journey.

As last year we stayed at the Mount Cliff just along the road. The cost of £108 for three bed and breakfasts for 3 adults is marvellous. There’s also 6 or 7 eating places along the road, all decently priced for evening meals. We treated ourselves to fish and chips on the Sunday at the grand cost of £9.75, this included bread butter and a pot of tea for three.

The weather was cold and crisp, but not a cloud in the sky. We had sunshine most of the day on the Saturday and Sunday, while much of the rest of the country was snowed in. God smiles on the righteous, (so the saying goes) so those who attended the film convention must be very righteous indeed.

On the Saturday morning we ambled along the promenade to look at the lights which were still in place, but were unlit. On coming across the famous Harry Ramsdens fish and chip shop it was all boarded up and extensive alterations were being done to the upper floor. It would take at least a week to see most of the major shows at Blackpool. This is something we have promised ourselves if we ever win that big fat cheque from Littlewoods.

The Dinner

We arrived at 7.15pm for 7.45pm and the Cliffs Hotel was already full and bustling with Derann men wearing Mickey Mouse ties. We are glad to say it was because Mickey is 65 this year. The same age as Nicholas Parsons.

Recognising people in the melee was difficult, talking to them was even harder, The Cliffs needs a bigger bar area. We managed to talk or rather shout at times to each other whilst drinking each others drinks. It is far easier than trying to drink your own in a crammed area.

Dinner was called at 8.00pm sharp and we were sat at table U, the same as last year. The table was in a corner and the acoustics were not very clever from where we were sitting. I believe it was the same in the other extremities. Harry sitting next to me, wrote a card asking for written lines and gave it to Derek. It was all taken in jest, but we really did have trouble hearing the raffle being called.

Collectors from Germany and Spain were at the dinner and convention. It’s nice to see people travel all that way to attend.

A running quiz was held, (which we have reiterated at the end of this report) lasting throughout the meal which was interesting and thoroughly enjoyable. In all there were 26 questions. Table U won by a mile, but with representatives of the Silver Screen sitting there this was to be expected. We were also voted, The Best Dressed, Best Educated and The Best Looking Table. Derek bought the whole table a drink (speechless) we are now trying to claim our car sticker for proof. Joking apart it was a very good meal, good company and excellently organised by Mr and Mrs Derek Simmonds. Thank you.

A young lady representative from the Disney Corporation was there answering questions. Most of which were in good faith and jest especially the remark about faring better with Super 8mm, than Euro Disney.

There was a confused vote on what entertainment the audience wanted after dinner, as Derann had received many letters asking for just films, after the ’92 cabaret we’re not surprised. Personally after a meal and a couple of pints films are more than enough for most of us.

Nice to see Barry Littlechild there and for Derek to give a little accolade towards the ‘Silver Screen Magazine’. Yes, it is true, a small magazine, not glossy but at £6.50 a year with copies bi-monthly, a little gem. We do need more members and their articles. Articles are published as written, the truth never hurts.

The film programme was varied, we were shown films from Yankee Doodle Dandy through to the King Louis excerpt from Jungle Book. A nice Tex Avery cartoon ‘Counterfeit Cat’ and Fortune chocolates at 9d. The film show lasted was past midnight.

The Convention

We arrived about 10.30am on the Sunday Morning and the place was already packed. Some people must sleep with matchsticks propping up their eyelids so that they do not miss the 10.00am rush. We had a good look round before we started purchasing anything.

Some of our old films we had to sell, to keep up with the new products. This is the way it goes, but in a way it makes the hobby more interesting and worthwhile.

At the end we had sold two films and purchased three. We were debating purchasing ‘Till The Clouds Roll By’ from the Derann stall but decided to go into the auction room first in the hope that ‘Dr Zhivago’ might come up for sale. It didn’t, but lo and behold ‘Till The Clouds Roll By’ did. Bidding started at £75 and we bought it at £110. It was declared as being in very good condition in its original boxes. 7 x 400′. The film is based on the life of Jerome Kern who wrote the music for ‘Showboat’. Our other purchases consisted of ‘The King and I’ and ‘Mary Poppins’ from Derann. We know that ‘Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines’ and ‘Close Encounters’ are both quality prints, but that ‘Mary Poppins’ has set a different standard. The facial definition and colour of this Walt Disney film are definitely superb throughout the film, it also has excellent sound.

We have doubts about buying ‘The Jungle Book’ because the market has been flooded with the video. This seems strange business from the Disney company, surely it would have been better to have released it on Super 8mm first, then release the video at a later date?

There’s an idea that Disney will hopefully come up with ‘Fantasia’ on Super 8mm, but has the video sold well? It is definitely in the main a children’s picture especially the music. I wonder how many videos of the film were sold? Any ideas? At least there will have been a gap between the film (if released) and the video.

We are still in the market for Good copies of ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business’ and ‘Dr Zhivago’ if you have either title for sale, as we did not manage to pick up copies at the convention.

Just an Idea

We do object to the cost of 1600′ reels at £20 each in cardboard boxes. We have therefore decided to use 800′ reels at approx £8 (it varies) in a plastic box for our non scope films. You save £4 every 1600′ of film, it is in a better box and its less weight for your projector; therefore less wear and tear. We still put our scope films onto large spools because it is very fiddly trying to thread a GS1200 with the lens in the way.

We are now on the lookout for 800′ reels in plastic boxes and a few 1200’s. We are not interested in cracked or broken boxes.

We have numerous 600′, 400′, 200′, 100′, and 50′ reels, some in boxes, some not for sale, any reasonable offer considered. Also we have a 3′ x 3′ portable screen for sale in good condition for £5.

The following are questions we remember from the dinner quiz.

1. Name the first Road film?
2. Who was Larry Hagman’s mother?
3. Name the most remade film?
4. What was the first TV series made from a film?
5. Who is the most portrayed character on film?
6. Sort out the names Fred Austerlitz, Margarita Cansino and Julie Wells?
7. Name the song used in The Bridge on the River Kwai?
8. Scott Joplin’s music was used extensively, in which film?
9. Name the films to the following songs, Moon River, It Might As Well Be Spring, and The Continental?
10. Name the character in the film, The Spy With My Face?
11. Name Minnie’s boys? This is a tricky one.
12. Who had the original idea for St Trinians?
13. How many Oscars did Gone With The Wind win?
14. Who portrayed Jesus in the film, King of Kings?
15. Who played Barnes Wallis in The Dambusters?
16. Where was Rick’s Cafe?
17. How many Oscars did Unforgiven win?
18. What category were they?
19. Name the last western to win an Oscar for Best Picture?
20. How much did the round of drinks for table U cost Derek?

Remember we had no books or catalogues to look at, so be fair and give yourselves at least an hour before looking up the answers.

The Answers

Reveal

1. The Road to Singapore
2. Mary Martin
3. Cinderella
4. Dixon of Dock Green
5. Sherlock Holmes
6. Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth and Julie Andrews
7. Colonel Bogey
8. The Sting
9. Breakfast at Tiffanys, State Fair and The Gay Divorcee
10. Ilya Kuriachin
11. Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo and Gummo (Told you that was a hard one).
12. Ronald Searle
13. 10 Oscars (Included two Special Awards, Colour Design and co-ordinated equipment)
14. Jeffrey Hunter
15. Ronald Searle
16. Sir Michael Redgrave
17. Four Oscars
18. Best Director (Clint Eastwood), Best Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman)< Best Film and Editing
19. Dances with Wolves
20. Mum’s the Word.

How many did you get right?