Year book of motion pictures (1925)

GREECE By Consul W. L. Lowrie, Athens There are about twelve motion-picture theaters in Athens, eight of which give high-class performances, and the other four specialize in popular serial films. The capacity of these theaters is anywhere from 650 to 900 seats. American motion pictures predominate, but there is also a con siderable showing of Italian, French, and German pictures. Films are bought either outright byimporters or rented at a lump sum varying with the size and the subject of the film. . Most of them are secured through Constantinople, Smyra, or Alexandria, the importers reserving for them selves exlusive rights not only for Greece but for all the Balkan States. It should be noted that the season during which pictures are shown is ordy from October to May, there being not enough demand during the summer months to warrant the showing of pictures. — Jan. 28, 1924. GUATEMALA By Consul Augustus Ostertag, Guatemala City A new moving picture theater named the"Teatro Real" is being erected in Guatemala City. The materials used for the construction work are all of domestic origin. The cost of remodeling will he approximately $17,000 to $20,000, and an additional $10,000 will be spent for chairs and furnishings. This theater will have a capacity of 1,750 first-class and 800 gallery seat.— July 28, 1924. Reference No. 136772. ICELAND The New York World reported in June from Washington that the new Icelandic law prohibits the importation of motion pictures for a period of two years. INDIA The Bengal Association has found the exhibition of motion pictures concerned with the cultivation of cotton and other basic products so successful that it is planning a complete program for exhibiting motion pictures giving details of manufacturing processes. This decision was the result of a persistent demand for rendering as much assistance as possible to young engineers in India who have not had opportunities to observe foreign manufacturing methods. — Feb. 25, 1924. By Consul Chas. J. Pisar, Rangoon, Burma The American consulate at Rangoon. Burma, would 'ike to receive catalogs and descriptive literature from American Manufacturers of molion-picture equipment such as peep-hole film testing machines, cameras and accessories — including three color cameras — laboratory equipment, i. e., printing machines, developing tanks, cleaning machine; studio equipment, such as wind, rain and dust-producing machines, portable generators, night lights for taking motion pictures when no electric lights are available, and technical books bearing on the motion-picture industry. Price lists should accompany the catalogs which should be transmitted in duplicate — October 6, 1924. ITALY By the American Clerk, American Consulate, Messina The City of Messina, with a population of 177.000. at present possesses six moving picture theaters, as follows: Cinema Trinacria. with a seating capacity of 1,000 Cinema Parisien, with a seating capacity of.. 500 Cinema Centrale, with a seating capacity of.. 500 Cinema Giostra, with a seating capacity of. . 300 Cinema Piemonte, with a seating capacity of. . 260 2,960 The price of seats in most of the cinemas is as follows: Balcony seats (considered the best) lire 4.05, ($0.18) ; Orchestra seats, in rear of the house, lire 2.60 ($0.12); orchestra seates, near screen, lire 1.30 ($0.06); the dollar exchanges today for lire 22.50) A government luxury tax of 30% on theater tickets is included in the above mentioned prices. Films are changed, generally, three times a week, but feature films of unusual interest may be shown for an entire week. The moving picture theaters in Messina are open continuously from 2 P. M. and 11 P. M. and the number of shows during that period varies from four to six according to the length of the film shown. Generally a show consists of only one long film of from 1,500 to 2.000 meters in length and short films are seldom shown. Types of Films Preferred Films of love and romance, broad farces and historical films are most in demand. Films of adventure, depicting life among the cowboys in the Wild West, as interpreted by American moving picture actors are quite popular, but American dramas are not well understood or received. Films manufactured in Italy are naturally preferred to foreign films, but there is a small steady demand for Amreican films. The proportion of films of various origin exhibited in Messina may be seen from the following table : Italian films 50% German films 20% American films 25% French films 5% Italian Motion Pictures There are three kinds of projecting machines in use here, one manufactured by the Ernomann Company of Dresden. Germany, one by the Pathe Freres Co., of Paris, France, and the third by the firm of Pio Pion of Milan, Italy. This latter machine is known as the "Eureka."' Kind of Screen As a general rule, films are projected on to a whitewashed cement wall, and only occasiona'ly is a white cotton screen used. Dimensions of the screen are 12 x 18 feet. Trade Methods Films are seldom purchased outright but are rented, generally from distributing agencies in Rome, Naples and Palermo. The rentals range from 400 to 600 lire ($17.77 to $26.66), a film, for a period of two or three days. Occasionally, some of the very best Italian films are shown and for these 1,000 to 2,000 lires ($44.44 and $88.89) may be asked for the period stated. Such a high price, however, is the result of competition between motion picture houses in Messina. Contracts are usually made for a stipulated number of films per annum and payment is made at the end of each month. American film companies should approach this market through film distributors in Rome. Naples and Palermo, but they may also communicate directly with the cinemas named above which may undertake the distribution of films in this region after a showing in Messina. Since cheapness is a desirable factor here, it may he possible to dispose of second-hand films in good condition. Film titles must always be in Italian as well as all advertising literature accompanying films Ample lithographic posters of good color effect and clear photographs for billboard display should be furnished. United States Shipping Board vessels frequently touch at Messina from the United States. Custom Duties on Moving Picture Films Not exposed and not sensitized, lire 330 a quin tal (100 kilos). ($49.08). Not exposed but sensitized, lire 660 a quintal I 100 kilos), ($98.16). Exposed, lire 22 for every 100 meters, $3.27. These duties are collected in gold lire. At today's rate 100 gold lire equal 335 paper lire. — May 21, 1924. Palermo By Consul Edward I. Nathan, Palermo, Italy The city of Palermo, Sicily, with a population of about 450.000, has only 14 motion picture houses, of which three of the more important ones were opened during the past year. As they are all well patronized, their success will doubt less induce others to be opened. There are also a number of motion picture houses in the various towns in the interior of the district. 655