Film Weekly 1956-57 year book : Canadian motion picture industry (1956)

FACTS ABOUT EXHIBITION FRENCH-LANGUAGE HOUSES: Quebec theatres showing only French films in 1955 numbered 154, four less than in 1954, 34 more than in 1953 and 122 more than in 1952. Those playing motion pictures in both English and French stayed the same at 170, which was 47 more than in 1953. Thea¬ tres using English-language films exclu¬ sively increased from 88 in 1954 to 92 in 1955 and this was 102 less than in 1953. Several importing companies offer exhib¬ itors films produced in France and other exchanges provide dubbed versions of Hol¬ lywood films. Of the 21 feature films pro¬ duced in Canada since 1945, 13 were in French and these obtained almost 100 per cent of their Canadian grosses from exhi¬ bition in the Province of Quebec. ATTENDANCE: An Unesco survey pub¬ lished early in 1956 says that the average Canadian attends movies 17.5 times a year, placing him third among the countries. While this is an increase of only .5 times a year since the 1952 Unesco survey, Can¬ ada’s position among the countries went up four notches from seventh, reflecting the dropping movie attendance in the former leading countries of the world. Great Britain, first in 1956 with 25, could only place third in 1952, when it had an average attendance of 29. New Zealand moved into second spot in 1956 with 18.1, although that was only an increase of .1 over 1952, when it was sixth. The United States, with attendance dropping from 22 to 16.4, nevertheless moved up from fifth to fourth. Following the USA were Italy (16), Ireland (15.5), Australia (15.3), Hong Kong (15.1), Malta and Gozo (15), Saar (14.2) and Israel (13.6). In 1952 Israel led all countries with 38. MOVIE HABITS (CANADA): In a survey conducted by the Canadian Institute of Public Opinion (Gallup Poll) in July, 1955, it was found that 14 per cent of the Cana¬ dian public do not attend movies, showing very little variation from the 17 per cent of non-moviegoers in a survey in April, 1948. Of 1955’s 14 per cent who don’t go to the movies only five per cent came from 20-year-olds, this figure rising sharply to 27 per cent for those past 50 years of age. In selecting a movie to see, the poll show¬ ed, 44 per cent made their choice by what was in the film, 20 per cent by who was in it, and 22 per cent by both equally. Musicals were the favorites of 35 per cent and then came Adventure, Comedy, Ro¬ mance, Western, Crime and Other Types. Women were more interested in Musicals and Romance than were men. THEATRE CLOSINGS: In the 41-month period from April, 1953 to August, 1956, 303 35 mm. auditorium theatres have closed in Canada, according to figures is¬ sued by the Canadian Motion Picture Dis¬ tributors Association. These do not in¬ clude drive-ins or houses replaced by newer ones. In the same period, the CMPDA says, 118 standard-type theatres were opened and gives the number operat¬ ing as of August 30, 1956 as 1,752, of which 235 were drive-ins. The closings, by terri¬ tories, were: Vancouver 29, Calgary 24, Winnipeg 58, Toronto 92, Montreal 81 and Maritimes 19. Openings were: Vancouver 5, Calgary 30, Winnipeg 19, Toronto 8, Montreal 46 and Maritimes 10. COMMUNITY SHOWS: In 1954, 152 35 mm. and 493 16 mm. theatres were oper¬ ated as non-profit enterprises in churches and halls by religious, service and fra¬ ternal organizations, as well as Boards of Trade. The majority of the community enterprises are situated in Quebec and Saskatchewan. Most of the halls used 16 mm. projection equipment but the 152 halls where 35 mm. equipment was used ac¬ counted for 57 per cent of the receipts and 55.2 per cent of the total admissions. Only Manitoba and Prince Edward Island had more halls using 35 mm. equipment than 16 mm. PER CAPITA EXPENDITURE: The per capita expenditure for theatregoing in Canada in 1954 was $7.80, which compares with $8.30 in 1953, $8.21 in 1952, $7.72 in 1951, $7.12 in 1950, $6.89 in 1949, $6.50 in 1948, $5.77 in 1945 and $5.01 in 1942. Alberta led the provinces with a per capita ex¬ penditure of $10.39, then came British Co¬ lumbia with $10.13, Ontario with $8.85, Manitoba with $7.81, Saskatchewan with 29