We have to go all the way back to 2010. I found a roll of shot film in an old Kodak camera at an antique mall. The film itself was C-22 film, which isn’t compatible with any of the film developing techniques available at the time, so I looked online for anyone who handled boutique camera development.
A name popped up. Rocky Mountain Film Lab in Aurora, Colorado. I contacted them, they quoted me a price ($42 plus shipping). I sent them the film. And never heard from them again.
Apparently I was NOT the only person who went through this.
And when I blogged about what happened … boy did it turn into a tempest.
And in fact … these jokers were still offering development of boutique and unique film EVEN AFTER I BLOGGED ABOUT THEIR CRAPOLA.
Folks, these blogs were written FOURTEEN YEARS AGO.
Heck, in 2019 a Denver television station reported that Rocky Mountain Film Lab was STILL collecting money and film … and keeping the film and doing nothing with it. Heck, they even mentioned my original 2010 blog in the article (although the Denver station referenced “a Florida newspaper,” apparently they got the Florida Times Union mixed up with the Albany Times-Union, so there’s that). 😀
Honestly, Rocky Mountain Film Lab wasn’t even in my thought pattern any more. I figured that the film I sent them is probably in a Colorado landfill or it’s sitting in a box in a storage locker with the words “Don’t ever develop film for this mean-spirited blogger.”
And yesterday … I received this email.
“Hi Chuck, I had just seen your page about RMFL. Looks like I’m 10 -14 yrs behind the news. lol.
“A friend of mine purchased an old movie camera which had a spool of film in it at a garage sale. I know a local photo/jewelry store owner and was asking him about this spool. It is the Kodachorme type. he said he knew of a place which happened to be RMFL. Funny how I just ran across a photo I took of the paperwork I sent in. 4-24-2014. It was one spool and I too sent in the $48.50 to be developed. I have a note written on my sheet that it would take 1.5 to 2 yr wait. I was ok with that. No idea what was on the film. I joked around with the gal that gave the spool to me that maybe it has the “grassy knoll” shooter or maybe “bigfoot” or “Jimmy Hoffa” cement shoe resting spot. lol Worth millions.
“I think I mostly dealt with a Jill. I always make notes when I talk to folks and over time I wrote down what Jill told me. But it was only recently that I finally figured I’ve been taken and threw them notes away. But here’s what I do remember. ‘Oh, we only develop this type of film (Kodachrome) because it’s expensive to get. Oh, so n so will be working on that batch soon.’
“Been hearing that for years. I think it has only been like maybe 2019-20 that I heard from them that he’s working on them and should have it shipped out in 2 weeks. My dates may be wrong for it looks like they filled/closed awhile ago. I’m pretty sure I contacted them during COVID and that may have been one of their excuses of taking so long.
“So, in short that’s my story. Did you or anyone get their films back that you know of? What a racket they had going. wow. Collect $50 plus bucks from folks and tell them it’ll take 1.5-2 yrs or longer to develop. I hope they got busted and are behind bars.
“You have any news on them?
“Thanks Chuck, Don Jaskowiak, Ashland, Wisconsin.”
Thanks, Don. Well .. you made me do something I hadn’t done in ages.
I looked up Rocky Mountain Film Lab.
And they were still operating a working website and taking orders as late as May 2023. A search on archive.org revealed that at some point in time after that, Rocky Mountain Film Lab posted a simple message that they had closed their doors, with no explanation given.
Yep. Officially, Rocky Mountain Film Lab has finally gone the way of all other grifters and swindlers.
But take note. That splash page only appears if you enter rockymountainfilm.com.
If you Google “Rocky Mountain Film Lab,” you can still see ACTIVE LINKS for RMFL’s website that still offers to develop old boutique film, including Kodachrome and Kodacolor C-22.
Which they CANNOT do. They don’t have the chemicals. Nobody has those chemicals. Kodak stopped making Kodachrome chemicals in 2010, and with the exception of a few dedicated hobbyists and experimenters, NO ONE has ever created a Kodachrome homebrew that would allow you to get those nice, bright colors that gives us the greens of summers, and helps you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh, yeah.
So you could actually go right past Rocky Mountain Film Lab’s splash page, land on the ordering forms, and think you’re sending off your family’s treasured images for digitizing or development – only to never see those films or their contents ever again. EVER.
And if the yonk who operated Rocky Mountain Film Lab sees this blog post and wants me to take it down … sure, buddy, I can do that. It’ll only cost you the original $42 I sent in – plus the roll of C-22 film that accompanied my payment (it was shot on tiny 127 film). Oh, and I’ll also need to charge an additional $175 for every year past the original couple of months that Rocky Mountain Film Lab promised my film would get developed and returned. So let’s see … $175 times 14 years … plus the additional $42 … let’s just round up and say $2,500. You pay me $2,500 and I’ll take this blog post down. Heck, for an additional $2,500 I’ll take down every single blog post on this website that mentions Rocky Mountain Film Lab.
Ball’s in your court. . $5,000 and I make your shame go away. At least on my blog.
This offer is only good for a limited time, mind you. I figure if I don’t hear from you by, oh, let’s say June 1, 2024 … then the offer is rescinded and these blog posts will stay active and viewable (and Google searchable) long after I’ve taken my last breath.
I don’t do well with swindlers or scammers or grifters.
And the fact that I had to relive the adventures of Rocky Mountain Film Lab 14 years after I excised them from my existence … that says something in and of itself.
Chuck The Writer 