Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1960)

Monday, October 17, 1960 Motion Picture Daily 5 Find National, Trade Ads Factor in 'U' Growth , Reviewing Universal Picture's recent improvement in earnings, the .current Value Line Investment Survey attributes it in part to intensive promotional campaigns, in "national magazines as well as trade publications." I Value Line also says, "The effectiveness of the company's promotional [efforts is underscored by the fact that, notwithstanding unfavorable [notices by press reviewers in a few cases, every major picture released by Universal in the past 18 months has been a money producer." Hollywood's Future Brightens: Value Line r| The ability of MGM and DeccaUniversal Pictures to score wide improvement in operating earnings "has phased away much of the gloom surrounding Hollywood's future," the \^alue Line Investment Survey says (in a current report on entertainment undustry stocks. 0 In singling out MGM and Decca, iithe survey declares these issues "have ,|lone admirably." It notes that, in a generally declining market, Decca nas advanced 21 per cent from 29 to ,15 and MGM 23 per cent from 31 ro 38. j "Unlike many glamour stocks," it ■ontinues, "Decca and MGM have acquired their investment popularity mot because of public hopes for arge profits several years hence, but Decause of sharp earnings improvement currently underway." •I Value Line interprets the current j uccess of the two companies as proof ]hat the earning power of motion picure makers can be restored throueh )i reduction in the number of reeases, careful upgrading of the quality and drawing power of new feaures, revamped distribution and pricing policies, and tighter control if costs all along the line. Says Others Follow Suit 1 Taking the cue from those two -itudios, other motion picture producers, the Value Line Investment ilurvey continues, are now placing iividening emphasis on making films lased on best sellers and Broadway 'uccesses. They are also distributing n increasing number of their more : mportant productions in the reserved eat premium price pattern. Better iromotional campaigns include tietins with records and paperback books, treamlining the mechanics of both •reduction and distribution activities <] as become a key goal of all Holly/ood managements. Although the audience for films is mailer than it was 10 or 15 years go, the Value Line Investment Surey concludes that the potential for rofit is still there if the motion pic. Jre producers adjust to the requirelents of today's market. Earnings f movie makers will continue to 'Lawrence 9 ( Continued from page 1 ) Columbia Pictures has assigned him an "unlimited budget." It will be the most expensive picture Spiegel has ever made, and the heaviest costing picture ever to be released by Columbia, the producer revealed at a press conference Friday at the Columbia home office here. Spiegel claimed that "Lawrence of Arabia," which will begin production Jan. 2, with most of the location shooting to be in Jordan, will be "the most appealing picture ever made," both on an "intellectual and a spectacle level." He called it "an international 'Gone with the Wind'," insofar as its appeal is concerned. With "increasingly more people in the world able to understand the picture" and with more theatres being built in the newer countries, there is no reason why a goal of $100,000,000 world-wide cannot be realized on a single motion picture, Spiegel declared. He guessed that the film, which will be directed by David Lean, director of Spiegel's "The Bridge on the River Kwai," also for Columbia release, will cost between $7,500,000 and $9,000,000. He said that "Bridge" cost $2,700,000 and grossed $30,000,000. Spiegel said that negotiations are under way with Cary Grant, Kirk Douglas, Jack Hawkins and Horst Buchholz among others to surround an unknown British actor who is to be signed to portray Lawrence. British actor Albert Finney, currently starring on the London stage in "Billy Liar," is expected to be signed for the title role in the film. " 'Lawrence' will make a star of an actor," said Spiegel. He added, it is Munclstuk and Wall {Continued from page 1) branch manager, will fill the post held by Herbert J. Bennin before his elevation to the sales executive staff at the home office. A veteran of nearly 30 years with MGM, Mundstuk has held posts in Indianapolis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo. He became Buffalo branch manager in April, 1945. Wall, who moves up to Mundstuk's former post in Buffalo, originally joined MGM in 1935. His most recent post was salesman, New York branch. 'Epitaph9 Opens Big CHICAGO, Oct. 16. "Let No Man Write My Epitaph," a Boris D. Kaplan production for Columbia release, opened its world premiere run at the State Lake Theatere here, grossing $4,716 in the first day— one of the top figures for that theatre all year. fluctuate with their success ratio in terms of individual pictures, but the fluctuations in the 1960's will probably be at a higher level than in the 1950's. ANNOUNCING plans for "Lawrence of Arabia": Producer Sam Spiegel, (seated) and Jonas Rosenfield, Jr., Columbia executive in charge of advertising, publicity and exploitation. expected that "Lawrence" will be ready to open in two or three situations in the United States about Christmas, 1961. Picture, which will run about three-and-a-half hours, will be roadshown, with time out for an intermission. Spiegel said he hoped it will be roadshown in countries over the world for several years before being released in the conventional pattern. The picture will be shot in Eastman color and in one of the 70mm processes. Spiegel returned to London yesterday to rejoin the production headquarters which is supervising the construction of location sites selected in the Near East as well as in North Africa. New Bradenton, Fla. Theatre Opens Wed. The Cinema at Bradenton, the second new theatre in Florida under the operation of the Smith Management Company of Boston, is scheduled to open Wednesday. Like the first at Pompano Beach, also called the Cinema, it is located in a shopping center, Bayshore Gardens, and the capacity is about the same, a little under 1200. Both theatres have Century HH projectors, Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps, and RCA four-channel amplification and speaker systems, supplied by the Capitol Motion Picture Supply Corporation of New York, and installed under the supervision of Harry Perse. 'Alamo9 Canada Benefit TORONTO, Oct. 16. J o h n Wayne's "The Alamo" will have its Canadian premiere on Nov. 10 at the Tivoli Theatre here, sponsored by the Variety Club of Toronto. The benefit premiere is receiving the full backing of the local Variety Club organization, which has already raised more than 825,000 in advance sales. British Dubbing Company Expands By WILLIAM PAY LONDON, Oct. 16.-With the widening world market for foreign language films and his dubbing technique now firmly established in practically all European, Middle and Far East countries, Major William De Lane Lea, managing director of De Lane Lea Processes, announces a drive to interest American producers and distributors in his work. Most of the major companies (they include M-G-M, 20th Century-Fox, Paramount, United Artists) have already used his dubbing facilities in London for the American market but De Lane Lea now feels the time is ripe for further expansion in this territory. "From any language to any language. That's our maxim," he states. "Russian, Italian, Arabic and, of course, French, German and Italian, are just a few of the languages we have tackled. Contrariwise, we have dubbed English language films into French, German, Spanish and Chinese," he points out. 'Nothing But Praise' "We have had nothing but praise for our techniques," he continues, "and there's no doubt about the growing acceptance of the dubbed film. We have broken down the barrier and because of the general product shortage the prospects for foreign language films have never been better. No longer are these films being given only restricted releases but now get comparable releases with British and American features." Less than two years ago De Lane Lea opened a new studio in London's West End with a range of specialized equipment which set 'a high standard in hp synchronization and quality clubbing. It permits the complete dubbing of a full-length feature in something like two months with the quality retained and at competitive prices. Now, with a big program lined up for the future and an ever-increasing amount of television work, De Lane Leo has plans for a further expansion of his studio facilities. Israel Press Supports German Co-Production A complete reversal on the part of the Israeli press is the latest development in the controversy being waged over "Blazing Sand," the first German-Israeli co-production ever attempted, Munio Podhorzer, president of Cerman Film Interprises, Inc. and American representative of Raphael Nussbaum, director, has disclosed. According to Podhorzer, the Israeli press has now voiced approval of showing the picture which at first it claimed was anti-Israeli and might possibly cause a rebirth of a formal fatal "fad" of some Israeli youths to try to sneak across the Jordan border for the sake of adventure.