Interview with Bruce Grenville.

[inyotef]

Not sure how the mail in Middle Earth is delivered. But (rumours say), there are loud clankings and bumps as the mornings begin, and presto! -- there is your mailbox full (admittedly, its mostly junkmail from orc thieving corporations.)

So maybe it is trained (or untrained?) dragons. Or maybe hobbits on bikes?

re the letter to FBA. Leave it a few months then write something, as my advert should be in the next issue, and then your letter could be in the following one.

I'm still hoping folks on this forum can suggest questions I can ask Bruce Johnstone in Wellington, in June. (That's the guy who originally rescued "The Lion" and many other films from the landfill dump.)

[Brian Wilson]

Bruce,

Thanks so much for offering to ask Bruce Johnstone some questions about the the landfill dumps.

This is a golden opportunity for members of this forum to communicate with the man who originally rescued THE LION. Bruce Johnstone is a vital link to the past and could potentially provide useful information that could help us focus our energies in specific regions of New Zealand. He may also be able to provide names or put us in contact with other people from the time.

Any information Bruce can provide, no matter how insignificant it may first appear, could ultimately be extremely useful and lead us to a missing episode.

Like yourself, I believe there is every chance that further missing episodes may exist in New Zealand.

Though we have chatted a few times, "The Lion" has never come up as a topic, mainly as I wasn't sure what to say to him about it.

Considering the publicity given to the discovery of The Lion, I am quite surprised that it has never come up in conversation between yourself and Bruce.

What else can you tell us about Bruce Johnstone?

What age would he be now?

[inyotef]

He would be maybe aged mid-50s, and seems rather eccentric.

(In saying that, I am aware that I have frequently been described in the same manner, e.g. the "Sunday Star Times" article earlier in this thread.) And given that all film buffs are slightly eccentric anyway, to describe him as eccentric means he is VERY eccentric. In fact, he is probably a fan.

But it just seemed an awkward topic to bring up, when I had no specific questions to toss him. I guess he similarly felt awkward.

So if anyone can suggest questions, I will be glad to ask him.

Bruce.

[jpreddle]

inyotef said:

So if anyone can suggest questions, I will be glad to ask him.

Bruce.

Hi Bruce

Questions for Bruce Johnston:

1) when exactly was the film dumping/recovery? (the exact date that this took place has never been disclosed)

2) where was it? (the location of the tip has never been disclosed)

3) who else was there?

4) how many films were dumped, and how many did he himself end up taking home?

5) how long were they there for? (eg how long did the recovery take - hours or minutes?)

6) does he still have any of them, or has he sold them, given them away?

7) try and get him to describe step by step, exactly what happened that day leading up to the recovery, the recovery itself and the aftermath

cheers

Jon

[inyotef]

Thanks Jon, good questions. I'll see what I can do.

Like to come along as well? An exciting filmish weekend in Welly.

cheers, Bruce.

[douglaswulf]

jpreddle said:

inyotef said:

So if anyone can suggest questions, I will be glad to ask him.

Bruce.

Hi Bruce

Questions for Bruce Johnston:

1) when exactly was the film dumping/recovery? (the exact date that this took place has never been disclosed)

2) where was it? (the location of the tip has never been disclosed)

3) who else was there?

4) how many films were dumped, and how many did he himself end up taking home?

5) how long were they there for? (eg how long did the recovery take - hours or minutes?)

6) does he still have any of them, or has he sold them, given them away?

7) try and get him to describe step by step, exactly what happened that day leading up to the recovery, the recovery itself and the aftermath

cheers

Jon

Excellent questions!

Unless these facts are already known, how about...?

8) Were many films left behind at the tip, or were all or almost all the films dumped there removed by him and/or others at that time?

9) Does he have names of any other film collectors who may have carted off films from that dumping or from any other similar dumping of films?

10) How did he learn of this dumping of films? I have read only that "film collectors got wind of this dumping." Was there perhaps someone at the archives who let people know? If so, such an individual would be interesting to contact.

[inyotef]

Indeed, great questions!

I look fwd to asking BJ about these matters.

Actually, its not June, just got my latest zine from FBA, and our Wellington convention is 4th to 6th May 2007. So hopefully I can enlighten you soon after those dates.

Bruce.

[Brian Wilson]

LETTER FROM DAVID LASCELLES - 27 JANUARY 1999

[jpreddle]

Please note, David Lascelles' letter does contain a number of mistruths.

The dumping may actually have been earlier, circa 1973 (the exact date has yet to be ascertained).

The 17 page list was *not* produced by the NZBC, but was typed by Johnston, and merely records the 322 films *he* ended up saving.

There were several thousand films dumped that day, taken by several trucks to a number of different rubbish dump sites.

So there could very well have been a number of Doctor Who eps dumped that day...

Jon Preddle

[inyotef]

I suggested earlier that all you fans should become 16mm collectors, and study this medium and master it fully. That way, when lost episodes turn up, you will be the local expert people will take them to!

A forum has recently opened for 16mm, and includes advice & discussion, as well as offers to sell stuff, and wants. Check it out and sign on if you are so inclined.

reelsoffilm.proboards80.com//index.cgi

And in the process of hunting out lost episodes, you can sell your unwanted reels there too. Or you could try Ebay.

[douglaswulf]

inyotef said:

I suggested earlier that all you fans should become 16mm collectors, and study this medium and master it fully. That way, when lost episodes turn up, you will be the local expert people will take them to!

A forum has recently opened for 16mm, and includes advice & discussion, as well as offers to sell stuff, and wants. Check it out and sign on if you are so inclined.

reelsoffilm.proboards80.com//index.cgi

And in the process of hunting out lost episodes, you can sell your unwanted reels there too. Or you could try Ebay.

Bruce:

Thanks for posting this! Getting involved in this way is a great strategy to search for missing episodes and it seems like a fun hobby besides.

Doug

[inyotef]

Hi guys, just back from the Wellington Film Buffs Convention, a fab time! I am now many 16mm films richer, and many $$$ poorer. But I spent a lot of time with BJ so here are the responses to the questions:

1) When exactly was the film dumping/recovery?

1974 in the Spring.

2) Where was it?

Karori Landfill, a suburb of Wellington. It is now a public park.

3) Who else was there?

Just him and the bulldozer driver.

4) how many films were dumped, and how many did he himself end up taking home?

He drove his van there. There was a huge number of films, so he totally filled up his van, right to the roof, and left all the others for lack of space. (I understand this problem exactly, having been in the situation a few happy times!) 16mm films are surprisingly space-demanding.

5) how long were they there for? (eg how long did the recovery take - hours or minutes?)

Can't remember. He loaded them fairly quickly though, then departed.

6) does he still have any of them, or has he sold them, given them away?

He showed me the notorious "17 page list" that was mentioned in David Lascelles' letter earlier in this thread, and also commented on by Jon. This is a printed list, as Johnstone was working as a monotype compositor at the Wellington metro newspaper "The Dominion" at the time, so he composed it up during working hours (when the boss wasn't looking), and printed off about a dozen copies, before melting the type down for re-use.

He says he kept the "cream" of the collection, and still has such items as "Man from UNCLE", an episode of "The Flintstones", and "The Protector". He has sold quite a few, & even had a few up for auction at this convention!!! - several of which I bought, quite cheaply too.

A close friend of Johnstone at this time was a fellow film buff named Cyril Miller, who either bought a lot from him, or was given many. He is now deceased, and his film collection was mostly bought by a bigtime film buff in Wellington, John Bell. Bell was also at the convention, but as he was a busy boy running this event, we only briefly exchanged words about Cyril Miller. I will have to get back to him on this. BJ suggests that Bell may have an episode of Dr Who in his library also: we need to follow this up delicately.

7) try and get him to describe step by step, exactly what happened that day leading up to the recovery, the recovery itself and the aftermath

see #10.

Excellent questions!

Unless these facts are already known, how about...?

8) Were many films left behind at the tip, or were all or almost all the films dumped there removed by him and/or others at that time?

He filled his van, so many were left behind.

9) Does he have names of any other film collectors who may have carted off films from that dumping or from any other similar dumping of films?

He thinks the bulldozer driver in charge of the landfill may have grabbed some, but has no details.

10) How did he learn of this dumping of films? I have read only that "film collectors got wind of this dumping." Was there perhaps someone at the archives who let people know? If so, such an individual would be interesting to contact.

The bulldozer driver was a personal friend of BJ and told him. Sorry, name not available. But this means that there could be other films lurking around, possibly even episodes 2 & 4 of "The Crusade"!

[inyotef]

admin said:

Considering the publicity given to the discovery of The Lion, I am quite surprised that it has never come up in conversation between yourself and Bruce.

Yes, I have been reluctant to raise the issue with him before now, thinking he would be angry at having lost such a treasure and I may be the victim of his wrath. But such worries proved groundless (like most imagined worries in life!)

What else can you tell us about Bruce Johnstone?

What age would he be now?

He was born in 1948. Recently involved in a car crash, so is now invalided out of the workforce, and only has vision in one eye. But still seems bright and chirpy, and very vocal, esp. at the film buffs convention. He was happy to reminisce about the good old days of dump archaeology, and rumaged through his home archives to locate his rather well-thumbed copy of the "17 page list". (Sounds like the stature of the Tibet "17 point agreement" with the invading Chinese!)

[jpreddle]

Hi Bruce

This is great information. It's nice to have the date of the junking narrowed down to Spring 1974 (which places this to be September, October or November!)

Incidentally, the Karori tip is now the site of Ian Galloway Park, a sports and recreational field.

Jon

[inyotef]

All Doctor Who fans should have a celebratory game of soccer on it sometime!