Example of warping in 16mm film caused by Vinegar Syndrome

The 16mm film being projected here is suffering from the so-called VS or Vinegar Syndrome, a chemical breakdown of the film base that produces a strong vinegar smell. This problem is often caused by incorrect storage. VS eventually distorts the film, causing a warping effect and a visible twisting of the film when projected on a film projector. This first reel copy from Cleopatra (1963) shows what that looks like, even though the film itself still projects fairly well, mainly because the perforations have not yet been affected too much.

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