Old Chaplin Film reel, need ID help

November 1, 2008 2:58 PM

I have an old film reel of a chaplin silent movie, but need help getting an id on the type of film, millimeter measurement and the name of the movie...

I have some film from an old charlie chaplin film. A 19' section and a 14.5' section. The title doesn't show up on it, so the section i have is not from the beginning of the film. Anyway, i'm trying to ID this film, and wonder how one goes about measuring the millimeter size of film. Is it millimeters all the way across (this measures 34 mm across) or a measure across the image on the film (24.5 mm across). Film is marked Eastman Kodak Safety Film with a small circle and a triangle (very tiny). Anyone know anything about this film? Here are a few frames, maybe you can ID the movie?

one frame

a section of film

posted by Salvatorparadise to Media & Arts (5 answers total)

It's a 35mm film print for sure - you can tell by how many sprocket holes are in the side (4 per frame on each side) as well as the fact that it is 34mm across (are you sure it's not 35?). You can look here to identify the year based on that circle and triangle (also called "edge code"). It looks like the print could have been made in 1923 or 1943.. can't identify the film though, sorry.
posted by ethel at 3:22 PM on November 1, 2008

sources on preservation and identification of old movie film
National Film Preservation Foundation - another starting place
posted by LobsterMitten at 3:26 PM on November 1, 2008

It looks like the movie itself is The Floorwalker, 1916. Here's a still shot with that water fountain visible, and the correct lintels for the balcony railing at the top of the frame. IMDB for Floorwalker.
posted by LobsterMitten at 4:14 PM on November 1, 2008

Response by poster: thanks!
posted by Salvatorparadise at 11:27 PM on November 1, 2008

If your film is from 1923 or 1943 (and not 1963, also a possibility), then there is a good chance that the film base is nitrate. Nitrate film, particularly if not stored properly, is extremely flammable and, once ignited, cannot be extinguished. Most US states and other countries have very strict laws about the storage of nitrate film.

If the film says "NITRATE" or "SAFETY" anywhere on it, you'll know for sure whether it is nitrate or not, otherwise it can be hard to figure out. This book mentions some ways to test for nitrate - unfortunately the most conclusive (though not 100% accurate) test, the flame test, requires you to sacrifice a frame, which you may not want to do. Note that it is generally recommended that any film that might be nitrate should be treated as if it were nitrate.

If it is nitrate, you might want to see if a film archive like UCLA or the George Eastman House woud want to take it off your hands. If no one will take it and you really want to keep it, please keep it in a very cool, dry environment. Even the small amount that you have could be incredibly dangerous.
posted by Awkward Philip at 10:15 AM on November 2, 2008