Blackpool Convention report 1988

Phil Sheard, writing in the January 1989 issue of Film For The Collector magazine, reports on the 1988 Convention – the one with special effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. The image above shows Ray, centre, with Ged Jones, director of Derann Films Services, left, and Derek Simmonds, managing director, right.

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BLACKPOOL! A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Nowadays conventions are found every other month. I started my addiction with the jaunt to Blackpool, and it has always remained my favourite. They do seem to get better every year, certainly the attendances go up and up, but what a delight 1988 was.

I must start straight away and say just how good and well served the meal was at the dinner on the Saturday night. I marvel at the presentation and cost. Altogether a first class job. But the highlight of that evening was, of course, Ray Harryhausen, the after dinner guest speaker.

I sat enchanted as we first enjoyed a film show demonstrating clips from this masters work which included extracts from his early Sinbad adventures through to the suspenseful Gorgon episode from CLASH OF THE TITANS. He then took us through his secrets of production, and charmed us with his warmth of presentation and amusing anecdotes. I have never realised that some of the jerkiness in animation may very well have been caused due to Ray leaving the room to answer a phone! And what about those models he brought along? They were super. Actual miniatures used in the making of the Dynamation classics which we had just witnessed on the large screen were now before our very eyes.

The stage behind the head table had been dressed with memorabilia from some of Ray’s earlier films, the centre piece being a rare poster for JASON & THE ARGONAUTS. There were also some of Ray’s early production sketches on display which depicted scenes from the best of his films. For those of you who didn’t attend you missed a super end to the night when Ray surprised most of us with a final film, a reel of Mother Goose Fairy Tales that he made in his garage way back in the 1940’s. They were hilarious.

The following day opened well, with the two dealers hall doing brisk business as 650 film buffs passed through the doors. I did my usual rounds of the tables and picked up what I could. There were five programmes in the cinema, and I did best to catch what I wanted to see during the day.

It was not until early afternoon that I was particularly taken by a film. That was DUCK DOCTOR the Tom and Jerry cartoon. I, along with a rapturous audience, found it hilarious, and it received a well deserved applause. It was the next film though that really got me. IN WHICH WE SERVE was represented by a section showing wounded soldiers disembarking, forming up and marching off the dockyards. The print of this film is a cracker, so many B&W prints of this vintage are washed out, particularly in the background distance, but here, the docks were sharp and visible way into the horizon. A super job by the labs.

Next we enjoyed the new releases. POLICE ACADEMY II was first on the agenda, the super opening sequence over the titles being shown. Again a first class print.

Then followed the film which many had been waiting to see all weekend – JASON & THE ARGONAUTS. The battle with Talos was shown and the print, originating from a 35mm master, was superb. Both this and POLICE ACADEMY II are sure to be big winners for Derann.

The auction followed for what seemed to be ages. Poor Derek Simmonds visibly aged there was so much stuff! But alas nothing great. It seemed to me that most sellers were getting rid of their old unwanted 2-reelers and other shorter subjects. Where have all the rare features gone to? There were some surprises of course. A rare 6-reeler of Warner’s LITTLE CAESAR failed to reach its reserve price of only £30. The Laurel & Hardy 2-reelers fetched consistently high prices, as did the one-reeler of THE SORCERERS APPRENTICE. The sale of the day though, must go to the true fanatic who paid £45 for the 65mtr version of FANTASIA from Piccolo Films of Germany!

Must I ask some 16mm collectors to use the bring & buy stall not to sell their trade films. “THE LIFE OF A POLYP” did raise a few laughs, but sure wasted a lot of time.

On to the Scope Show. As usually plenty to see here – at least twice as much as any other show! I am not a war film fan, but I have to say that 633 SQUADRON must be a winner. We sat back and enjoyed the final battle attack sequence through to the end titles. I was enthralled by the action, the music, and the print and sound quality. It really is well edited so full marks to its production and three cheers to see a new scope cut-down on super 8.

Finally the highlight of the day. Derek had said some time earlier that in obtaining THERE’S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS, that he had spent a great deal of money and it sure brought with it its fair share of headaches!

The old Fox DeLuxe colour was never that good, and the negs were made to produce lighter prints due to earlier light output problems in the cinemas. It was with great delight then that I sat back and wondered at the stunning colour of the opening music hall scene with Dan Dailey and Ethel Merman. This was then followed by the finale with the whole cast belting out the title song whilst surrounded by flag-waving extras and dancers coming over the horizon. The stereo was very good and obviously original, and well worth having. I was rather concerned that the resultant print on super 8 might not be as good as I would have liked. Well it’s better than I had dared hoped for. It really is super. Everyone with a scope lens should go out at once, forget the holidays next summer, and buy a copy!

To close the day we saw some more Red Fox re-releases and a super rare ‘Silly Symphony’ “WYNKEN, BLYNKEN & NOD”, which I am very fond of.

Just one point, and this is not a criticism, I always enjoy Disney films, so can we consider a part of the programme devoted to these films as was the case when the convention first started many years ago?

As I state in my opening paragraph, the whole weekend was a delight. I have tended to use rather a lot of superlatives, but I have no doubt that we go to these events to be entertained and impressed.

I was.

(Phil Sheard)