Just two short reports on 1991’s Convention in issue 20 of Film for the Collector magazine.
DEREK DOES A DANIELS!
The 15th Northern Film Collectors Convention held on November 16th/17th, 1991 was, as expected, a huge success. Ticket sales were well up on last year, and all dealers reported brisk business on the day.
The Saturday Evening Dinner provided a host of surprises, the highlight of the night not being the announcement of Disney’s The Little Mermaid (the applause nearly brought the house down!) but Derek Simmonds stuck to a chair on the stage! The cabaret was provided by illusionist Brodie Fry, who picked upon three members of the audience, Derek included, to take part in his act. If you have seen Paul Daniels perform the trick/illusion where his ’stooges’ keep getting electric shocks from a chair then, when they touch it, can’t put it down, you can picture the scene! The whole evening was a wonderful success and concluded with a 40-minute film presentation of Derann Film Services new, current, and proposed releases. And next years? – already booked for Saturday and Sunday, 14th/15th 1992! And before that the one-day Blackpool Film fair takes place on Sunday, 15th March – see you there!
Had a most enjoyable day out at the 15th Blackpool convention (thanks to Derek and the Derann team) – what a relief the big Disney news is out at last – It’s been quite a strain keeping that a secret these past few months – FULL-LENGTH DISNEY FILMS AT LAST – well done Derann! Also what a marvelous job Dave Worrall has done on the latest Derann catalogue (great cover) launched at Blackpool – a bargain at £2.50, I recommend it all and everyone.
To arrive at the ‘breasy’ Cliffs Hotel In time for the 10am opening meant getting up at 4am (didn’t get back home unttll 11pm) long before the crack of dawn, In fact dawn didn’t crack untill some foggy-hours later, but it was well worth the effort. On addition to all the super film programmes, presented in person by Derek Simmonds, it was a great pleasure to meet and talk with so many readers of this magazine including the enthusiastic Birmingham group and the jolly contingement from Northern Ireland.
Keith Wilton
Blackpool Film Collectors' Convention 