Showmen's Trade Review (Jul-Sep 1944)

68 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW August 12, 1944 Emergency Salvage Method for Flood-Soaked Reels Reveals Practical Way to Handle Film As a result of recurring floods throughout the country, several film delivery companies who have been forced to operate under emergency conditions have conducted experiments in the field of film salvage, and A. S. Dickinson, of the MPPDA, has collected the data on the findings and is enthusiastic about the results obtained. During last year's flood in the central Kansas area, E. E. Jameson, president of the Exhibitors Film Delivery and Service Co. of Kansas City, found one of his trucks unable to move on a blocked highway. Before aid could be summoned the flood water washed out the road. About 300 reels were aboard and after nine hours of submersion every can was found to contain mud and water. Water was emptied from the containers as quickly as possible, but thirty hours had elapsed before the truck and its cargo was brought to the Kansas City headquarters. Some of the film was rushed to a local Trailer Service lab where the wet film was placed on driers. This lab could only handle a minimum of stock and Mr. Jameson and his staff had to improvise drying methods for the balance. It was found that reels wound very tightly were in the best condition with a minimum of moisture having penetrated the outer edges. This film was run several times through screening room projectors and the heat from the lamps did the trick of drying. Other reels found to be very wet were rewound very slowly while a battery of electric fans played on the film. By repeating this process the film was satisfactorily dried. The only visible damage to the film was a watermark condition which is not visible on the screen. Only 200 feet of the film was lost and that as a result of a helper trying to pull wet film through a cloth to dry it. Some further points brought out by Mr. Jameson were that wet film should never be pulled or tightened on a reel as it is likely to stick and smear the emulsion. It was also observed that Technicolor emulsion slips much more easily than black and white stock, thus requiring more careful handling, Dickinson does not know whether any new prints were included in the salvage job but it is presumed by authorities on the handling of film that new stock, lacking the film of oil which accumulates on prints as they are used would be much more liable to water absorption and thus more likely to stick and smear. Dickinson also reports that David Rosen of Clark Film Distributors, Inc., Philadelphia, has conducted specific experiments in the salvaging of wet film. This firm has been confronted with numerous floods in Northeastern Pennsylvania and took the initiative as a preparedness measure. Rosen placed two 1000 foot reels in a tub of water leaving it submerged for 17 hours. One reel was standard 35mm inflammable and the other was 35mm non-flam. When the film was removed as much water was shaken off as possible and the reels placed on a rewind and allowed to stand with a fan blowing air at room temperature on either side of the reels for 30 minutes. The reels were removed and the film unwound carefully by hand into steel junk barrels lined with paper. The barrels were placed on their side and a fan was played upon the film from a three foot distance for three hours. Then the film was rewound and inspected by an experienced inspectress. It was ascertained that, while heavily watermarked, the film was otherv-iffse in better condition than before the submersion as it had been softened and was less liable to cracking from brittleness. The watermarks did not show in screening, thus a 100 per cent salvage result was accomplished. This was only true of the inflammable standard positive. The non-flam film dried with bubbles in the emulsion and was a total loss. The principal point discovered was that heat should not be used to dry film as it will expand the film and cause it to become brittle. Film cannot be dried by cloth. It should not be rewound while wet as the emulsion will stick and smear. In these days when raw stock is a scarce commodity, this information is of value. Glass Fireproof Fabrics Now Can Be Dyed and Printed Elimination of a serious fire hazard in places of public assembly has been made possible by development of processes for dyeing and printing decorative fabrics woven of incombustible glass fibers, Leon Chastel, manager of Thortel Fireproof Fabrics, New York, said Thursday at the Institute on Textiles and Clothing at Michigan State College, East Lansing, Mich. "In weight most of these Fiberglas materials compare with damask or heavy satin," Chastel continued. "They fall into attractive folds, but do not retain wrinkles. All of them can be dry-cleaned, and the whites can be laundered and ironed. Because they are made of glass they are mothproof. For the same reason, they will not rot or disintegrate under the severest climatic conditions ; nor will they stretch or sag under changes in humidity. The colors are fast to sunlight and cleaning." Postwar Theatre for Denton Samuel Mellits of Denton, Md., will build S theatre in Greensboro, Md., after the war. Mi^llits, who operates theatres in Denton, RidgeKiy and Greensboro, purchased the site for his postwar theatre from T. Clayton Horsey and Mrs. John C. Brown. The property consists of a plot which now contains a store building and ar adjoining lot. Work Continues on Pasco House Construction work started several months ag: and interrupted for some time has been resumed by the Midstate Amusement Co., on a theatrt in Pasco, Wash. The Midstate company operate/ a chain of houses in southeastern Washingtoi' For Hot Weather COOLING For Cold Weather HEATING Brand New BLOWERS PRE-WAR QUALITY • PRE-WAR PRICES Order now while we still have a lew. They will definitely be higher priced after the war. An unusual opportunity to replace your womout, obsolete or broken-down fans or blowers. Of pre-war heavy gauge steel, complete with drives. Will pleasantly cool and ventilate the theatre with 100% fresh air every 2'/2 to 3 minutes when proper size is installed. Can also be used for heating purposes during cold weather. Orders filled in rotation as received, direct from factory. To avoid urmecessary delay, mark your order "AA5 MHO CMP5." Theatres may issue this priority for maintenance, repair or operation. Standard discharge is bottom horizontal. with approx. CFM rebuilt less shpg. output * motor motor weiglit 5,500. . . $106.50. . . $75.00. . .300 8,500. . . .143.50, . . .99.75. .375 11,000. . . .190.75. . .119.00. ..425 13,500 230.00. . . 149.50. . .500 22,500 290.00. . .199.50. . . .575 27,500. . ...342.00.. . .234.50. . . .700 *All motors in perfect working condition — guaranteed 1 year. Write for Special .4ir Conditioning Folder Same amount popped corn fills four % # bags . . . or 5 of our cartons at 5c extra profit. Write for prices. Also worjd's finest seasoning, popping oil,, solt. AMERICAN POP CORN CO. SIOUX CITY, IOWA Will Buy 8min Movie Projector f.2 LENSE & 500 W. LAMP KODASCOPE 8-33 OR EQUIVALENT NEW OR GUARANTEED USED PRIORITY IF REQUIRED BOX No, 500, SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW 1501 BROADWAY, NEW YORK 18, N. Y.