A Fan of film history in Genral

[FilmBuff8]

I happen to be a Fan of national and international film history .Silents through talkies.Both reflecting good history and bad history. I am a fan of the German classic cinema silents Early talkies 33 and 45 up until the sixties as well as Soviet cinema silents through the 30 to 60's.Mind you I don't condone the political dictatorships that were going on nor the filmmaker and actors support or apathy toward the dictatorship both countries.so Iam not promoting hate.About two and a half year ago.i had ordered up grade print of Trouble in Damaskus 1940 and Robert and Bertram 1939, from reichskino 1939 .I still have not got it yet .For too years the person I know ,who work there, told me he was negotiating with the archive and the government.Finally after nagging him I got a message that he's been abroad,Germany ,I guess,and he would probably send the movies in two weeks .this was May 30's.Since then I've e been sending nagging letters.Now last week I discoverer that the website was disabled,.I panicked what going on? Now I lost my money.14.95 a piece.I finally found our why it was disabled.I clicked on their cache and it read that their on line service was closed for a maintenance.I recently send more letter to his email,It went through,to ask what going on and when is he going to be back and send me those tapes .No response although I got the 87 minute veriosn of Robert and Bertram from i.h.f.this is an 87 minute version.The veriosn I'm waiting for is 98 minutes.The party sequence was edited.when I notice and jump cut.I am so curious about the unedited version of that sequence.I don't know what do I have not heard form him yet.He wont contact me.Should I give it up and consider it a loss? I've done good business with him before.I bought a digital print from him of Kitty and the world conference 1939.This was professional.I don't know what to do .I have been waiting too long .I'm still hoping ,but he's taking his time and the website is down at the moment.Are they telling the truth about it being closed for maintenance? Or did some political censorship group hack them?they are located in San Francisco.I am fearful I'm dealing with a dead horse.But I would like to give this person a benefit of a doubt.it's just been over two years

[pookybear]

First welcome to the forum.

Second, it does seem to me that you have been strung along more than long enough. I would try to recover any
funds you can and find new people to do business with in the future.

Pookybear

[earlytalkie]

Two years is too long. There are many dishonest vendors out there. I have avoided them by looking at customer satisfaction ratings when I have ordered rare stuff from ioffer. I have been very lucky, with 100% satisfaction on 6 purchases over a 3 year period, but I realize I could have been taken as well.

[Spiny Norman]

What was the website, by the way?

[FilmBuff8]

It was http://www.reichkino.com" target="_blank. Back in 4/2 /11 I order German classic of gluchs kinder 1934,Immensse 1943, and ophergang 1944,plus alleged up grade version of Robert and Bertram 1939 and alleged up grade version of Aufugur un Damskas 1940.Well i got the others except r and aud .One of the workers ,a David white,Stating between that date and no that they were making negotiations with the government and the archives in Germany.Then he send me a message month and month alter that they turned him down cause they think he's' going to exploit it for hate.Which was not true,then he negotiated with the government and they wanted 3000 euros for it,I gave in to the version that international historical films were selling Of Robert and Bertram,even though he claimed that it was an edited veriosn that was released on vhs in Germany digitized for d.v.d.the version i was waiting for was the original 90 something minute but without subtitles.Well the i.hf veriosn seemed to look like it was from a film element than VHS digital .although the party scene was shorter like terrible bad print I had already,A scene jumped quickly to the next like something was cut out.Both 87 minutes .David said i could have two free videos since I'm patiently .Well last year i got a message they they were on there way.Near the end of 1st year.i kept ganging him and finally in May i got a letter that hes been on vacation ,his country Germany, I found out he went to college at Heidelberg from face book,And he has the stuff with him and he's probably send it in two weeks .Well jun came and I did send him a letter no response July nor response and august .Then I've discovered recently that the whole website was disabled mysteriously, from an old cache the message stated that the website was closed for maintenance at the moment come visit us soon,I'm wondering its true .I send him another nagging letter and it did not bounce back,but he did not answer it .If he's taking a long vacation shouldn't he be sending the stuff back to the company to process it and send my copies a mystery .i t still under maintenance allegedly

[pookybear]

It seems that you might be out of luck. but you never know.

Here is a picture of last know listing of the page on June 3rd on wayback machine.

http://web.archive.org/web/201209031409 ... skino.com/ with a posted email of
[email protected]" target="_blank" target="_blank

Seems like he had a pretty good catalog and kept the site up for some 2 years. I do wonder what has happened.

Pookybear

[FilmBuff8]

I think he ,might be in some lengthy vacation,cause of the stress of David whites work,May be,could come back and bring my stuff.On the other hand competitors http://www.germanwarfilm.com.,which" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank included silents during and after the war,Heimat Rubble as recent as 1980,as well as classic from England Egypt and turkey and are own, might have taken their business away.They charge by quality,they might include the German news,even if it Don't fit the time the movie was made ,they also include rare German shorts , as a surprise.A horrid washed out print will cost you 9.95.A digital print goes up to 13 to 16 dollars.They also have time magazine in a rapper dating back to the fifties and forties.They some time replace bad print whit good print also they have replaced non sub title films with subtitles films.I f the print they send you was in bad shape or out of sync in sound .If they can fix the master track they will send you a new one and you don't have to send them the print back.If they can't fix it they will return your money back.Their service is fast ,unlike Reich kino and something weird video.They also have a news letter and for while the included clip from the movie s Many of the best print German sells have yet to be sold in the German video Market too.So this company could have taken reichs kinos business way . May be

[Marr&Colton]

I learned long ago the following:

ALWAYS use PAYPAL funded through your credit card when dealing with overseas sellers, so you have recourse for refund.

Anything else is taking a chance you may or may not get what you pay for!