Castle Films Home Movie Catalog

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Before the VCR was affordable, the super 8 film craze was sweeping the nation. Here you take wonderful, colour, silent home movies of the family to keep forver.

But seeing as millions of families already had a projector, why not use it to show some highlights of Hollywood's finer and schlockier moments?

Castle Films was one of the best known houses for purchasing these short 16mm reels of Hollywood classics, I myself remember visiting birthday parties where the parents had rented shorts from Star Wars, Abbot and Costello and Universal Monster movies for the kids. This commerce would fade away by the end of the 70's but for a brilliant time, this was it and we loved it.

I was invited to more than one birthday party that the entertainment consisted solely of Castle Films shorts (rented from the Library). I can remember laughing at Abbot and Costello and being in awe of about ten silent minutes from Star Wars. I used to collect these, I regret selling out....

Check out the Castle Films Home Movie Catalog here

And to all my Canadian peeps, Happy Thanksgiving!

Other Monsterous Links:

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If you're into Castle Films, also check out this great site for cool images from the Castle Boxes:

For more Fashion Mockery and 70's toy love visit us at Plaid Stallions.com


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[HardyGirl]

Awesome! Gotta love those cheesy horror flicks! The only 2 I have of those is Tarantula and Revenge of the Creature. I have seen the Incredible Shrinking Man, but I'm not sure I have it.

When my nephew (now 30) had his first birthday party, my SIL's cousin brought a Super 8 projector and had movies shorts (w/ sound) like The 3 Robbers, Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves and other kiddie faire.

[Meule]

These are the kind of movies I totally adore. I try to get as many as I can find on DVD

[toys2cool]

those are so cool,my old comic store use to sell them back in the 80's

[vulcan2074]

The Graphics on the Film Boxes are So Wicked. I Love Classic Horror Films.
Sammy

[mego73]

Anyone ever try to explain to your kids...

"Back in my day, we couldn't even bring a whole movie home, just a little film reel of clips, and we liked it ya little whippersnapper. We didn't have videotape, DVD or blu-ray, we had to imagine the rest of the movie. That's the problem with kids today, they get the whole movie with that new fangled surround sound."

(and don't forget to stroke your white beard)

[megoat]

Awesome. I just picked up The Deadly Mantis the other day at a sale!

[HardyGirl]

So...uh...What prompted this ressurection? I mean, I love cheesy home movies, but I thought this was a new topic, til I looked at the date (and saw that I posted!). Did you get to see an old Castle Film, Mike?

[kryptosmaster]

I remember drooling over these in the back of Famous Monsters magazine in the merchandise section. I always wanted them so bad, especially the Planet of the Apes ones but I never got any of them. I never even knew anyone who had them and I never even saw one in person until sometime in the late 80's.
Rich

[Bruce Banner]

Great!

I saw The Mummy's Tomb one at a memorabilia event earlier this year but the dealer was asking a crazy price for it.

[mazinz]

I have a bunch of them here (inc two 16mm sound horror flicks, though not sure if they are castle). I love this stuff.

I also liked (well really disliked) the fact that they would re-edit films and then give them new names. Back before the internet you would really have to search and figure out that a film called "Battles of Ghidrah (this was both silent and sound) was not a real film, but an edited version of the fighting scenes from Ghiderah the 3 headed monster. Of course this was in Famous monsters merchandise section and it was not until many years later did I learn the truth about that particular super 8 feature

Is anyone aware of any other similar situations like the one above with Castle super 8 films?

[The Batman Professor]

I got a Super8 projector and screen for Christmas of 1970 (I think.) By my birthday, two weeks later, I had EARTH vs. THE SPIDER, ABBOTT & COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN, REVENGE OF THE CREATURE, and the entire multi-reel set of BATMAN (1943.)

I've still got them to this day.