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Author Topic: An abandoned place in Western MA. called Filmtech Matthew Bailey Master Film Handler Posts: 461 From: Port Arthur,TX Registered: Sep 2000 posted 03-11-2004 08:26 PM                     I just happened to comeupon this abandoned building site in Western Massachusetts called filmtech-not to be confused with this webpage.Apparently from looking at the photos it's a film processing facility. http://edun.org/index.php?album=%2Ffilmtech&  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 03-11-2004 09:37 PM                        Indeed. We here at Film-Tech sued them back in the eighties and they were forced to close and evacuate. Thousands of people lost their jobs, but that's the way we like it. That'll sure teach 'em. The film was left on the shelves for decades to warn others who might be considering the same name and the fate they would meet if they did. Obviously the photographer who got all of the pics didn't find the dozen or so rotting corpses we also left as a warning.  |  IP: Logged Emma Tomiak Expert Film Handler Posts: 238 From: Carrollton, TX, USA Registered: Aug 2003 posted 03-11-2004 10:34 PM                        Hey, check out some of the other photos on this guy's site. In the Norwhich State Hospital section, there are some photos of the old theatres, and the projectors are still there...Super Simplex, if I can make it out correctly. Norwhich State Hospital Theatres  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 03-11-2004 10:49 PM                        Super Simplexes indeed! They are in way better shape than the ones at Madstone tamarac 6.  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 03-12-2004 01:37 AM                        The pictures of the abandoned asylum scare me in a "Shining" sort of way. I mean -- the photos are intriguing in the way photos of an abandoned theatre intrigue me... but with one difference: Old theatre = happy fun times! Old asylum = scary freaky bad juju!!!  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-12-2004 10:17 AM                       Yeah, Supers, Brenkert Enarcs, SH-1000's, and XL penthouses. Not terrible for its day.  |  IP: Logged Jeff Taylor Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 601 From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-12-2004 11:00 AM                     I assume they're ready for the next showing of "The Snake Pit", or perhaps "Three Faces of Eve"?  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 03-12-2004 12:42 PM                     I want to go into that Film-Tech place and look at some of that film. Maybe it's secret government stuff... or better yet, porn. Could the "stench" the photographer was talking about be Vinegar Syndrome? Or worse, nitrate fumes? I would hate to light a match in that building with all those unmarked chemicals everywhere... Strange how film was still loaded into the developers or sitting on a rewind bench. Makes it look like whoever left had to leave in a hurry. Is there evidence of a fire in the building? There's an abandoned mental hospital somewhere around Orlando. I talked to this "goth" friend of mine who said they went as far as the first floor and were way too creeped out. Afraid they were going to open a door to one of the rooms and find bodies. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-12-2004 01:39 PM                        It all looks like 16mm film. So likely triacetate or ESTAR base. Suspect most of the smell was just the mustyness from all the water and moisture over the years. They seem to have left in a hurry. Surprised a bankruptcy court didn't step in and disperse the assets to the creditors, and the films in storage back to their owners. Now vandals and nature seem to have trashed the place beyond recovery.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 03-12-2004 02:55 PM                        It's the film itself I'm worried about. Given that this place is a lab the remaining film there must consist largely of original elements, I'd have thought. I hope a nearby archive might be able to look the place over and determine what is worth rescuing.  |  IP: Logged Peter Eaves Film Handler Posts: 8 From: Burbank, California, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-12-2004 05:53 PM                     This lab was in, or near to, Westfield, Mass. It was a 16mm lab that developed and printed reversal and negative/positive mostly for independent and industrial filmmakers. I believe that they also did Super 8mm developing. They were still a viable business into the '80's. I have no idea when they closed or why they left the lab in this shape. Such a shame that all that film is sitting there.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 03-12-2004 09:21 PM                  It really breaks my heart when I see something like that. All the abuse and abandonment of those films and equipment. How sad. >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Zach McQuaid Film Handler Posts: 37 From: Erie, Pennsylvania, USA Registered: Sep 2000 posted 04-18-2004 02:28 AM                     Well who actually owns the property? Someone (or someTHING) is paying on that land, and I doubt it's the city. This should be fun! Can I have it? pretty please?  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 04-18-2004 06:48 AM                        There was a thread on the AMIA listserve about this too: if I remember correctly, the place was eventually repossessed by the State authorities because of unpaid taxes.  |  IP: Logged Daniel Fuentz Expert Film Handler Posts: 230 From: Fresno, CA, USA Registered: Apr 2003 posted 04-18-2004 07:27 PM                     It looks like most of that film is trashed, judging by all the rust on the cans. Too bad nobody came to save all that stuff, but I'm sure this isn't the first time a large amount of film has been left like that.  |  IP: Logged

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