Cinema News and Property Gazette Technical Supplement (1924-1925, 1943, 1946)

October 2, 1924. Supplement to THE CINEMA NEWS AND PROPERTY GAZETTE. MOUNTAIN AND THE MOUSE. A contemporary announces a wonderful new idea. Why should not the big exhibitors pass on their used film booming matter to their smaller confreres for a correspondingly small consideration? Why not, indeed ; seeing that they have been doing it for years ! Ever heard of poster exchanges, my dear colleague? The " big " exhibitor finds, possibly, that demands upon his time preclude the possibility of his going round hawking his discarded publicity stuff; and so in a spirit of quite praiseworthy generosity he allows some less affluent subordinate, the assistant operator or the day man, perchance, claim it as a perquisite. In that way it gets to the poster exchange, where the more " careful " showman picks it up for a very reasonable price. Occasionally an exhibitor or manager sends the stuff to the exchange himself, and pockets the " bunce " — but that man is not too popular with his staff. 'Cos why ? THB NEW "UNIONISM." Forest Gate is a go-ahead place, and as might well be expected in such case it is in a Forest Gate cinema that the latest labour idea, " ever) man his own union," has been born. Alexander Bentley is a sort of local public benefactor, for he blows sweet music for the benefit of patrons of the Queen's Cinema there. But he, not unnaturally, no doubt, does not care to " blow all night." His wife might object anyhow. THE " STRIKE " EFFECTIVE. Does he go to his union and demand a strike? Not he ! He is a veritable union unto himself, and arranges his own " strike," which, in this case, took the form of striking his leader on the top of the " crumpet " with his own violin. The strike was evidently effective, for the fiddle collapsed forthwith. Even if it had not, it is quite safe to predict that Mr. Leader would have been too busily engaged in massaging his suffering poll to trouble about the harmony of the occasion. Magistrates are proverbially unsympathetic to new ideas, and the force of Alexander's argument left him as cold as it might conceivably have left Mr. Leader, particularly if the wind instrument had been employed for the demonstration instead of the fiddle. Neither did the plea that it was done in a fit of temper touch the tender chords of the magistrate's heart. Whether Alexander will consider the amount of blowing he will have to do to earn the fifteen quid he has to pay as " wind well spent," I know not. Pioneers seldom grow rich. VELL ! An amusing yarn is told anent a well-known and, withal, popular member of the renting fraternity. He was trying to persuade a colleague that there was money in it, with a view to fixing an investment. " My cousin, I key," he declared, " made ^"20,000 in Manchester last year." " Veil ! I don't believe it," said his companion. Spotting the arrival of a relative, the persuasive one said, " I'll prove it. Sammy, come here. Didn't my cousin [key make ,£.'20,000 in Manchester last year? " " Veil," said Sammy, with all the caution of his creed, " in the first place it vasn't Manchester, it vas Liverpool. In the second place it vasn't _£.20,ooo, it vas ^2,000 ; and in the third place it vasn't brovii it vas loss. " ABSENT— WHAT ? Wild horses ; neither the tortures of the Star Chamber shall drag from me the name of the absent-minded exhibitor who on Sunday morning spent a couple of hours " by the roadside " in rural Wardour Street taking to pieces his carburettor with a view to finding out why " she wouldn't start." His language, when he discovered that the real trouble was a bone-dry petrol tank — well, it was " orful." WALTUHDAW REVIVAL. It is with the greatest satisfaction that I learn that the old-established and much-respected house of Walturdaw has succeeded in weathering the storm that overtook it in the early part of the year, and is shortly to recommence its renting activities with a very attractive programme. Walturdaws have deserved well of the exhibitors ; clean, honourable, and sympathetic treatment has marked their dealings always, so that it is good to know that the exhibitors have shown appreciation by standing by them and helping them to stem the tide that threatened every section of the trade. F. G. DONNE. Friend Turner has put up a hard fight to keep the old ship afloat, and none will rejoice more than I that he has succeeded. He has an able and experienced lieutenant in F. G. Donne, who is, I understand, to be responsible for the film side, while young Sturgeon, whose popularity on the machinery, furnishing, and accessories end is, to my personal knowledge, based upon ability and sound practical experience, allied to an energetic capacity for taking pains and ever-readiness to " see his customers right," deserves every possible support. Here's to Walturdaw's success in the more prosperous days which, I am confident, are before the industry. PLENTY OF PICTUBES. We hear all sorts of stories about the closing down of film studios all over the producing world, combined with pessimistic hints of a great film shortage. The return of certificates issued by the British Board of Film Censors shows 115 films passed, including comedies, and of this number 88 are noted for " U " certificate and 27 for " A " grading. There were no serials certified during the month, which fact gives some colour to the view held in some quarters that this class of film is much less popular than it used to be.