Why was VITAFILM taken off the market in the mid 1980’s?
VITAFILM stopped being manufactured because the owners of the formula moved on to other business interests. Around that time the problem of Vinegar Syndrome was just beginning to be noticed by the film community. No one yet realized that VITAFILM would become the ultimate answer to the growing epidemic.
Is it true VITAFILM was invented in 1927? If so, what did they use it for back then?

The story goes that VITAFILM was invented by a chemical engineer who worked for the Goodyear Rubber Company. His hobby was shooting 35mm home movies, but his wife feared the flammability of nitrate film. After a nearly disastrous fire in the family living room, she banned his film collection from the house. To keep peace in the family, he concocted a liquid that he used on fresh nitrate film to significantly reduce its flammability. This formula became VITAFILM. As yet, we have not been able to duplicate this aspect of his invention. The key could be that it works only on “fresh” nitrate film. And, since the “freshest” nitrate is now over 50 years old, we may never know if this story is really true. Nevertheless, the proven capabilities of VITAFILM make it the foremost product available in the ongoing effort to restore and maintain our precious film heritage before it is too late.
VITAFILM stops the clock.

FAQ

Vitafilm FAQ