Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

Record Details:

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Monday, October 10, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 3 Asks FCC Probe Programs ( Continued Connecticut Theatres, Manchester Drive-in Theatre Corp., and Outdoor Theatres Corp. The theatres want FCC to make it clear that it "(1) Will consider the nature of the program to be presented by the applicant; "(2) Will consider and determine the effect of the applicants subscription television operations upon the programs now available in the Hartford area; "(3) Will consider the selection and procurement practices and policies to be followed by the applicant in formulating its program content; and "(4) Will determine whether its proposed program will serve the public interest, convenience, and necessity." The theatres argue that the commission must determine and consider programming in order to find out if public interest, convenience, and necessity are served. They note that content was "extensively argued" in earlier proceedings that led up to the present one. In its third report FCC has made it clear, say the theatres, that applicants for pay tv must sup from page 1 ) ply full information and it "implied, although it did not state explicity, that applicants would have the burden of proving that their programming would serve the public interest." Moreover, the petition continues, Hartford Phonevision "has apparently recognized" its obligation. But "in the 300 pages which make up that exhibit only the most general type of information is submitted with respect to the programs which will be presented, the criteria for selection thereof, and the arrangements for procurement of the programs." In addition, Hartford gives no information as to whether the conduct of the trial subscription television operation would deprive viewers of other television program services. The purpose of the petition is to make sure that there will be a "full inquiry" of programming. Even though it is possibly included within the present issues, "nevertheless, if for any reason it be determined that the present issues do not encompass all such inquiries," then the theatres request that the issues be enlarged to include all aspects of programming. Third British Co. Enters Pay-TV By WILLIAM PAY j LONDON, Oct. 9. Pressure mounted here at the weekend for a favorable decision on whether Brit i ain should have pay-television from the Government committee named for that purpose as announcement J was made of the formation of a new company which will seek a toll-tv license. Name of the new firm is British Home Entertainment, Ltd., capitalized at a quarter of a million pounds ($700,000). It will make application for a pay-tv license if and when the government committee decides a nationwide third channel will be permitted for a toll system. Both Telemeter and the Rank Organisation have announced tentative plans for pay television networks. Forming the new company are three film producers, Lord John Bra I bourne, Daniel Angel, and Anthony Havelock Allan. They are on the board along with influential representatives of the financial, publishing, music, and theatrical circles. Lord | Slim will be chairman. j At a press conference Friday, Lord Slim and "there is a strong feeling growing among the public that any third channel should be granted to a body entirely independent of the BBC, ITA and other groups." He said his new independent company was formed to fill this need and will submit to the government committee investigating broadcasting the full reasons why it feels so. Can 'Choose Best' i Lord Slim said his company is not connected with any pay-tv system now and is in a position to choose the i best available. He hopes they will be ■ "British and preferably a system I transmitted over the air." "Huge profits in line with those being earned by commercial tv con 1 tractors are not our aim," Lord Slim said. "Rather, we hope to improve the standard of tv entertainment and at the same time capture the lost cinema audience." He also said he hopes exhibitors will be far-sighted in taking advan 1 tage of the developments in toll-tv 1 and "not stick their heads in the sand opposing its introduction as in ! America." 1 150 Openings of '8' Set for November ' Metro-Goldwwyn-Mayer has set a series of staggered openings for "But i terfield 8" between Nov. 2 and 24. which will bring the total number of Thanksgiving playdates to more than 150, it was announced by Robert Mochrie, general sales manager. Approximately 15 will open early between the 2nd and the 10th of November with the rest of these key dates spaced out between then and the holiday. Concerned ( Continued from page 1 ) tour of America and Canada, exhibitor Louis Mannix stated American exhibitors thought Telemeter did not affect the box-office adversely but their activities suggested there was considerable skepticism. Canadian exhibitors buried their heads in the sand believing the experiment would fail, he said. "There have been revolutionary changes in the business in the past," he continued, "but in every case they needed the co-operation of the exhibitor to sell them to the paying public. This time the exhibitor is cut out— apart from those who have the power or the good luck to get in on a franchise basis. But, obviously, they will be few." 'Deep Foreboding' Explaining the operation of the Etobicoke experiment where there is a potential of 40,000 installations of which rather more than 5,000 had been completed, Mannix said: "As a man with a technical twist of mind I was naturally intrigued and fascinated by everything I saw, but as an exhibitor I was filled with a deep foreboding for the future of the cinema business as we know it." 'Dream Come True' "Surely," he added, "this must be a dream come true for the film producer to be able to reach the cash customer direct and to get an immediate return on their investment in pictures, cutting out the in-between exhibitor altogether." "Possibly the apathetic attitude of exhibitors in Canada was encouraged by the enormous distances which sep arated them from their fellows. They clung to the hope that people will not pay to see films (on toll-tv) when they could see them on free-tv anyway. But will they?" asked Mannix. Much Competition "Those people whom I asked about this all expressed willingness to pay for up-to-date movies. Interest in films is not dead: it only appears to be. Why don't they go OUT to the cinema? Parking problems and the expense thereof. The difficulty of finding baby-sitters. TV fills the gap, of course, but it is not the only reason why the cinema-going habit has been broken. There are countless distractions such as the growing habit of alfesco barbeques in the back garden, the cottage by the lake to which one rushes from Friday afternoon until Monday morning, the bowlingalley, the ice-rink, the floodlit ball games, the evening race-tracks, stock car racing, and now go-karts. The Canadian's life is very full— of fun!" One Atlantis Combo Ready; Second Due Atlantis Films, Inc., has announced the release of a new combo, "Prisoners of the Congo," in Eastman color, and "The Amazing Mr. Callaghan," according to Harold L. Spero, general sales manager of the company. Atlantis will handle the U.S. distribution on the combo, while Laurent Film Corp. will be responsible for all foreign distribution and sales on same. Being readied for release soon is another Atlantis combo, "Anna's Sin," a drama with an inter-racial theme, and "Three Brides for Three Beaux," a comedy with a foreign locale. Bronston ( Continued from page 1 ) Broidy, president of Allied Artists. "Independent production requires independent distribution," said the AA head in announcing jointly with Samuel Bronston, president of Samuel Bronston Productions, that Allied Artists has formally concluded a deal to release "El Cid," starring Charlton Heston, in the western hemisphere in cooperation with the Bronston Distribution Co. Announcement was made at a press luncheon at "21" Club here Friday. Most Expensive " 'El Cid' will be the most expensive and biggest grossing film ever to be handled by Allied Artists," declared Broidy. He thanked M-G-M, which will release Bronston's nearly completed "King of Kings," for its cooperation in "not making it impossible for Allied Artists to get 'El Cid'." The picture will be released on a hard-ticket basis in October, 1961, Broidy said. The production, which is based on an original Spanish poem, will go before the cameras in Spain in late October and is budgeted at from $5,500,000 to $6,000,000. It will be filmed in Super Technirama 70 and Technicolor. Anthony Mann will direct from a screenplay by Philip Yordan. Will Do Real Job' "We are set to do a real job on this picture," the Allied Artists president said, "and hope that we will set new standards in the industry. This is not intended as any reflection on any other company or picture. We at Allied Artists are endowed with a plethora of resources in ideas, ideas encompassed in showmanship. Mr. Bronston's recognition of our ability is most gratifying to us." During a question and answer period, Bronston said the picture will be financed 100 per cent by his production company, with money to be supplied by his "usual bankers." Formal deals have been concluded for the financing of the picture in four of the six countries participating in the financing arrangements for the production, he said. Prefers Filming Abroad Bronston said he prefers filming abroad because it assures the film of an international market.. It gives it the "stamp of foreign nationality," and is thus more readily sold abroad. In discussing the multiple-country participation in "El Cid," Broidy said that each area will have its own representative on hand during the film's shooting. In this way there is a custom-tailored approach to the selling of the film, aimed at getting maximum returns in each distribution area over the world. "At least," said Broidy, "that is the theory. While it still remains to be proven whether or not this is the right way to handle it, we feel we are one thousand per cent right with 'El Cid'."