BBC NEWS
Emerging fungal threat to historical film archives
By Pamela Rutherford Reporter, BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk...onment-11202019
So.......Which idiot stored them in damp conditions?
And even If it wasn`t damp conditions then why has nobody noticed this earlier.
And if they haven`t noticed this earlier ,why not? These precious and rare films should have been pulled out and shown well before now, not locked away for about a hundred years surely?
xx
One of the big problems with the archives is lack of viewing prints.they have a rule,which i think that we must accept,that if they only have one print then that is not to be used .I wanted to view "Underneath The arches" but was unable to do so as they dont have a viewing print.
So the solution is to leave the untouchable "non-viewing" print alone, meaning it will almost certainly be forgotten about/neglected and then crumble into a pile of fungus, so people like us can say "what a shame"!
Barmy!
I think it's disgraceful, it's a travesty that this should happen to such precious material.
Emerging? It's been known about for years.name='julian_craster' timestamp='1284021650' post='472424']
BBC NEWS
Emerging fungal threat to historical film archives
By Pamela Rutherford Reporter, BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk...onment-11202019
See some of the articles on the recent full restoration of The Red Shoes
Steve
name='faginsgirl' timestamp='1284023664' post='472436']
So.......Which idiot stored them in damp conditions?
And even If it wasn`t damp conditions then why has nobody noticed this earlier.
And if they haven`t noticed this earlier ,why not? These precious and rare films should have been pulled out and shown well before now, not locked away for about a hundred years surely?
xx
You have nailed it Faginsgirl.
What is the point of the BFI if nobody gets to see the films?
If these films were being handled and used they would not rot
its as simple as that- just as an empty house decays quicker than one being occupied.
Fungii can grow in dry conditions as wellname='faginsgirl' timestamp='1284023664' post='472436']
So.......Which idiot stored them in damp conditions?
And even If it wasn`t damp conditions then why has nobody noticed this earlier.
And if they haven`t noticed this earlier ,why not? These precious and rare films should have been pulled out and shown well before now, not locked away for about a hundred years surely?
xx
If somebody had opened each can every few months to check on the state of them then that would increase the chances of fungal spores getting in
It's a delicate balance between storing untouched and checking on them
The job of the BFI archive is to store film (as best it can) not to show them. Other people do that. The BFI doesn't have the rights to show many of the films in their archive
Steve
Whatever the reason isn't it sad to see something like this? Another piece of cultural history gone
Who says it's gone? Just because there's a bit of fungus growing on it.name='didi-5' timestamp='1284039481' post='472497']
Whatever the reason isn't it sad to see something like this? Another piece of cultural history gone
There were bits of fungus on the Technicolor negatives of The Red Shoes and look at what a wonderful job they did restoring that
Steve
The article was actually talking about films stored at the North West Film Archive at Manchester Metropolitan University. Not about the BFI archivename='Arfur Teacake' timestamp='1284038594' post='472487']
You have nailed it Faginsgirl.
What is the point of the BFI if nobody gets to see the films?
If these films were being handled and used they would not rot
its as simple as that- just as an empty house decays quicker than one being occupied.
Steve
Hi,
It appears no method is exempt from some sort of decay or whatever. Even DVD's. Part of the battle is won by knowing that. Someone may come up with an answer. It is correct to say that up to a point, what is being said is not new. Even nitrate films, apart from their fire hazard problem, had /have a limited life. One solution is to periodically copy them. There is near me the town of Berkhamsted which has the National Film Archive. They quite often restore films by repair, copying etc. But recent material they have been successful with, I observe have had a cold temeperature element. Mitchell & Kenyon's films were found in a stored cold place. And of course, so was Shackleton's polar exploration. I do not know how much material exists prior to safety film, but they do or did have a special area where these could be handled.
Alan French.
Steve,
Faginsgirl has a very valid point here, whether it's the BFI or the Raymond Rohaeurs of the world doing the preservation of an archive.
A "bit of fungus"? Hello out there! If there's fungus growing on the film it can and will most likely destroy the chemical composition of it and the contents would be lost forever in time. Yes, " The Red Shoes" was restored magnificently but at what cost in terms of money and time? We cannot do this for every title! Surely prevention would be better than cure anyway. Yes, the BFI's remit is to store and not display, but they do also commercially release titles (thank God) , so they have an interest in the market as well.
The risk of opening a can of film to check the contents ? If it is stored properly, surely it should safely be opened to see if the preservation (the whole point of the exercise) is working?
Would you bake a cake, keep it in a tin but never open the tin, so as not to "endanger" the contents?
I imagine the real barrier to effective archiving (and preservation for future audiences) is the prohibitive cost and time that the myriad of films would take up.
I sometimes think you are just a controversialist and enjoy taking the opposite view.
Just to save redundant debate I will agree with you right now that the earth is indeed flat and the moon is made of cheese!
name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1284039669' post='472500']
Who says it's gone? Just because there's a bit of fungus growing on it.
There were bits of fungus on the Technicolor negatives of The Red Shoes and look at what a wonderful job they did restoring that
Steve
Exactly!
Thankyou Edward!
xx
Oh yes.name='Edward G' timestamp='1284045811' post='472529']
Surely prevention would be better than cure anyway.
No it isn'tname='Edward G' timestamp='1284045811' post='472529']
I sometimes think you are just a controversialist and enjoy taking the opposite view.
Just to save redundant debate I will agree with you right now that the earth is indeed flat and the moon is made of cheese!
Steve
Snork!name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1284067079' post='472638']
No it isn't
Steve
name='Steve Crook' timestamp='1284067079' post='472638']
No it isn't
Steve
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