In recent years, we’ve seen a steady revival in physical media— 4Ks, Blu-Rays, and DVDs (WELCOME TO THE PARTY!). But before DVDs and digital, how did collectors enjoy movies at home?
There’s VHS, Betamax, CED, and Laserdisc for sure, but one of the most overlooked and obsolete home-viewing formats is 8mm/Super 8 film. Often labeled as “home movies”, this format was the earliest (and reportedly first) way people could own and watch a movie in their homes, long before the era of magnetic tapes and discs.
First gaining popularity in the 1960s, the format lasted until the late 1970s, with some reports saying it fully fizzled out by 1981.
It’s important to note that these were not full-length features. What you got were digest versions, cutting straight to the action–often silent, with subtitles offering just enough context before skipping ahead to the next moment.
Ken Films
When it came to monsters on 8mm, Ken Films was the standout name. Based out of Fort Lee, New Jersey, Ken Films was one of the few U.S.-based companies to license and release these, often licensed from studios like:
- American International Pictures (AIP)
- 20th Century Fox
- Republic Pictures
- Paramount
- United Artists
These were often advertised in genre magazines like Famous Monsters of Filmland, reaching monster sci-fi fans directly through mail-order.
8mm vs. Super 8: What’s the difference?
The difference lies in the film frame size and quality; standard 8mm has a smaller frame size, while Super 8 features a 50% larger frame, giving a slightly clearer image. It also lies within reel sizes! There are 2 sizes: 50-foot reels ran about 3-4 minutes, and 200-foot reels lasted around 14 minutes.
Each title would typically have four different versions:
- 8mm – 50ft
- 8mm – 200ft
- Super 8 – 50ft
- Super 8 – 200ft
Super 8 reels had a large “SUPER 8” sticker on the front of the box, with their catalog numbers also helping distinguish reel size. Numbers starting with 5 are 50-foot reels, and numbers starting with 2 are 200-foot reels.
Ken Films and Giant Monsters
Let’s take a look at these very few releases!
#229 / #529 – Rodan The Flying Monster (1964-65)
- Lengths: 200-foot (229), 50-foot (529)
- Formats: 8mm and Super 8
- Initially released with sticker labels, this digest was reprinted in the mid-1970s when Super 8 became the dominant format, with 8mm & 50-foot reels fully phased out. The newer boxes ditched the sticker and featured a new bold red “SUPER 8” logo printed on the top of the box
Patrick Vidro has gone out of their way to properly scan the 50-foot reel of Rodan! Check it out here!
Here’s another video, recorded by NobodysTapes, it’s recorded from the Super 8 release. The full 10 minutes!
BONUS!
Here’s an interesting box that I found while scouring for photos. This particular version appears to be an import, most likely distributed in the United Kingdom, based on the details of the listing (also the fact the box states “Original film productions produced in the U.S.A.”
While the contents of the reel are identical to the standard U.S. release, the box itself is different. This one features a flip-top style box, a different side, and a back.
#236 / #536 – Varan the Unbelievable (1965)
- Lengths: 200-foot (236), 50-foot (536)
- Formats 8mm and Super 8
#242 / #542 – Mighty Joe Young (1960s)
- Length: 200-foot (242), 50-foot (542)
- Formats: 8mm and Super 8
Watch the 50-foot version here!
#247 / #547 – (The) Son of Kong (1960s)
- Lengths 200-foot (247), 50-foot (547)
- Formats: 8mm and Super 8
#249 / #549 – The Giant Behemoth (1960s)
- Lengths: 200-foot (249), 50-foot (549)
- Formats: 8mm and Super 8
#261 / #561 – Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster: Monster of All Monsters (1973)
- Lengths: 200-foot (261), 50-foot (561)
- Format: 8mm and Super 8
- Interesting choice of the box art to showcase Ghidorah as a wingless creature!
BONUS #2! Here’s another import!
#262 / #562 – Godzilla vs. The Thing (1973)
- Lengths: 200-foot (262), 50-foot (562)
- Formats: 8mm and Super 8
- This reel later received a Super 8 reprint with updated packaging similar to Rodan
This reel got uploaded by AZDigitalTransfers! Watch it here!
#263 / #562 – Ghidrah, The Three-Headed Monster Battles Godzilla, Mothra, and Rodan for the World! (1973)
- Lengths: 200-foot (263), 50-foot (563)
- Formats: 8mm and Super 8
- A separate digest from the original Ghidrah release with all-new scenes. This cover includes all four monsters!
Gorlic Vlad Furgosi took it upon himself to combine both “Ghidrah” and “Ghidrah Battles” into one giant 24-minute video! Watch it here!.
#276 – Konga (1975)
- Length: 200-foot
- Format: Black and White with sound
- No reports of a silent or color edition. One of the few British Kaiju-style features in this lineup
#277 – Destroy All Monsters (1975)
- Length: 200-foot
- Formats: Super 8 Only
- This digest was released in three editions
- Black and White, Silent
- Black and White with sound (mono)
- Color with sound (mono)
- This was also available on the 2011 recalled Tokyo Shock DVD of DAM! A nice little easter egg when you’re on the special features menu and click on the poster title!
#278 – Frankenstein Conquers the World (1975)
- Length: 200-foot
- Formats:
- Black and White, Silent
- Black and White with Sound (Mono)
- There are no confirmed listings of a Color with Sound version
#283 – Reptilicus (1970s)
- Length: 200-foot
- Formats:
- Black and White, Silent
- Black and White with sound (Mono)
- Color with Sound (Mono)
#287 Monster from a Prehistoric Planet (1970s)
- Black and White, Silent
- Black and White with Sound (Mono)
- Color with Sound (Mono)
Watch the B&W with Sound Version here!
#289 – Yongary, Monster From the Deep (1970s)
- Length: 200-foot
- Formats:
- Black and White, Silent
- Black and White with sound (mono)
- Color with sound (mono)
Watch the B&W version here in this beautiful ASMR showcase
That was a pretty deep dive into one of the most niche corners of Tokusatsu collecting and Physical Media collecting in general. Would I recommend this for frequent viewing? Honestly, not really. Given how sensitive the equipment has become over time, it’s better suited as a one-time watch or as a collector’s piece. Most releases today go for $20-$50 on eBay and even on Etsy! Just make sure to check which version you’re getting (format and footage length)!
I’ve snagged two, as you saw in the Varan and Ghidrah sections! I’ll be sharing them soon in an upcoming Instagram and YouTube video, so stay tuned!
I had the privilege of attending this wonderful panel called “Attack of the 8mm Monsters” during G-Fest 2023. Hearing that projector flicker, the grain, the various releases (some foreign!)
Watch clips of the panel here! (Filmed by KaijuFanatic2001):
Here are some photos from that panel:
A massive thank you to Snakeandboris blogspot, whose work is the gold standard for showcasing vintage Godzilla memorabilia! His articles and guides are incredible and were a tremendous help for this article. Check out his work here!
The Sphinx GODZILLA GUIDES (Volumes 1-5)
Additional Resources:
MyKaiju (Super 8 Godzilla vs. The Thing)
More to come soon. Thank you for being here. Bye-bye!
