I don’t know why I started on the voyage of discovery that took me on an adventure through movies made on VHS tape and Video8 and Super 8 film recorders of the 1980s and 1990s, I only know that I enjoyed the trip.
Professor Pompanickel Goes Terminal – 1992
I first found this short movie on the Internet Archive where I learnt that “Professor Pompanickel calls Gareth over to view his latest invention – a method to traverse the Universal Data Sphere allowing Specialised Security to access data from anywhere, simply and easily.” In some ways this film made me think of that classic work of Canadian film production, Overdrawn at the Memory Bank; computers, virtual interfacing doohickeys, etc. Note the opening part of this film also features a walk through Portsmouth’s Guildhall Square.
Beat The System – 1993
The writer, producer, and director of the previous movie led me to this more-polished production made by members of Bournemouth University in 1993. The theme of computers and people interfacing with them – hacking, if you will – carries through but now there’s an Orwellian gameshow element to the film too. Looking for similarities in the big world of big budget productions there’s a hint of The Running Man in this one.
Die 6 Astronauten (a Super 8 film by Dagie Brundert, 1992)
Every adventure needs a moment of excitement and that comes in this one courtesy of a complete change of pace and something completely unrelated to the first two amateur films. Die 6 Astronauten is a short, stop-motion, art movie featuring six astronauts (you probably guessed) and (you probably guessed this part too) it was filmed on Super 8 stock in 1992 by Dagie Brundert. It’s a wonderful little movie which follows the tiny characters of Hili, Pävonen, Ngoum, Pirx, Nelson, and Dupont as they explore our world and the treasures that can be found within its open refrigerators.
23 Barbiepuppen kippen um / 23 Barbie Dolls Collapse (1988)
From the same art movie maker although a lot earlier in her chosen profession is this oddly mesmerising movie with a series of dolls falling over in different ways. That’s all there is to it. And yet you’ll want to watch it. You’ll want to guess how the next doll will tumble. Fall to the side? Fall on her face? Land on another doll? Compelling stuff.
The Afterlife (1984)
Something else shot on Super 8, but this time it’s from Ohio native actor and director Damon Packard who produced this short film – not of great quality but that’s half the appeal with these amateur movies – called The Afterlife. It’s described as “an unfinished Mad Max like SF short based on a comic series by Paul Trainor” but I don’t think any elements of Mad Max really came through in it; I don’t think a black leather coat counts. Still very enjoyable for what it is and there’s a follow-up video on YouTube called Amazing Stories which is a vignette of short sketches; more watchable although less cohesive.
The Hitman – a Super 8 action film filmed in Liverpool in 1988
Here’s something that’s pretty well-produced overall and has a decent storyline too. Not only that but it’s set in and around Liverpool just a few years before I went to university there so it’s great to see some of the familiar sights once more and to keep a count going of those famous Scouse moustaches.
Don’t Go In The Attic! (1985)
Everyone likes a spoof and here’s one from Ian White who describes it thusly: “Get set for Halloween with this ‘Bates Motel’ meets ‘Dawn of the Dead’, 1985 Horror Spoof filmed on Super 8. A young couple spend the night in a Gothic Style boarding house run by the eccentric Norman Eclair. What is Norman hiding in the attic and why has he so much Paxo in his kitchen? Find out by watching this low budget short movie shot in Horsforth near Leeds, England.” Ian’s quite the fan of spoof movies as some of his other exploits show, such as Star Trek: The Wrath of Whan
I keep looking at old film or tape cameras on eBay, thinking I have to get one. I’d like to think I could produce better movies than those above but the truth is I probably couldn’t. And would I even want to?
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