Page 18 - RD_2022-09

9.5mm - THE FILMS
Mike Trickett
The 9.5mm film gauge provides a wide scope Pathé’s 9.5mm Sound Films
for film collectors, not only the equipment, but
the films themselves provide a range of Nine point five millimetre sound films are of
interesting subjects and even a few ‘lost’ film the same format as 35mm professional films,
titles. the sound track being printed on the near (to
the operator) side of the film when threaded,
However, Pathé also were the source of much unlike 16mm which has the sound track on
frustration for collectors. Many of their films the opposite side of the film.
were released with a minimum of leader
length, titles were reduced in length, scenes Pathé didn’t appear to have any preference for
cut out of the film to keep a running time to using variable density or variable area sound
what would fit onto a reel, all in the interests of tracks.
saving a few feet of film.
In both cases, Pathé
There are a number of films that exist today, appeared to have a
only because Pathé released them on their problem with the
9.5mm gauge (and in some cases 17.5mm), the processing of the sound
original 35mm negatives and prints having track. The image at right
been lost or destroyed. Unfortunately, because is an enlargement of a
of Pathé’s tendency to abridge many of their Pathé sound film, and is
releases, the shortened version is all that exists. typical. Note the greyness
of the sound track in
With the introduction comparison to the black
of the Pathé Baby frame bars. The lightness
projector in 1922, a of the sound track results
wide range of films in poor sound level, and a
eventually became higher degree of noise.
available. These were (Poor signal to noise
mostly reduction prints ratio). In the case of
from the vast Pathé variable density tracks, it
film library. In some can also cause distorted
cases, these little 30 ft sound. Note also the
extracts are the only almost square image.
remaining copies, the
35mm originals having Above: Frames from a On some films, Pathé
succumb to vinegar 9.5mm Pathecolor film. used a poorly designed (or
syndrome or otherwise adjusted) noise reduction
been destroyed. system when printing
their films. When there
In Pathé's “silent years” of the 1920s and early was no sound or a very
1930s, they released a very large range of quiet section in the film, a
films. Predominantly European in origin, they shutter would the
ranged from documentaries to classic dramas dark area would be moved
and comedies. The main exception to this was across to cover all or most
the deal with Paramount to release Betty Boop of the sound track
and Popeye cartoons. They even released a areas, resulting in less
handful of shorts in Pathécolor. back-ground noise in the

18 REEL DEALS December 2022