Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1934)

26 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 10, 1934 LONDON FILM STUDIO TO COVER 97 ACRES British Hollywood to Employ 1,000 When Completed; Film Institute Finishes First Year By BRUCE ALLAN London Correspondent Preliminary details are now available as to the studio which London Film Productions is erecting at Elstree, in the close neighborhood of the British International Pictures and British and Dominions plants. Elstree's claim to be the British Hollywood, and a serious rival to its American original, will be powerfully reinforced when this ambitious plan is in active operation. The plans show that Jack Okey, architect of the First National Burbank plant, intends to provide London with a studio of comparable size and even more uptodate equipment. Ninety-seven acres of land will be occupied, with a frontage of three-quarters of a mile on a new bypass road, and such natural features as woods, lakes and farm buildings will be retained. The main studio building, which has a striking frontage, will house the executive offices and, behind, three sound stages immediately will be complete and fully equipped. Carpenters' and plasterers' shops and property rooms adjoin these floors and there is full provision for erection and transportation of sets -without interruption. Special plans have been made for "crowds," including separate entrances to costume and makeup departments and an off-set retiring room which will abolish waiting on the set itself. Apart from small theatres for the viewing of "rushes" there will be a fully equipped preview theatre with armchair seats for 150 and spacious anterooms and refreshment rooms. Air-Conditioning Against Fogs An air-conditioning plant will not only provide against the possibility of fogs, but, in combination with new ventilation methods, will prevent overheating. When London's plans are completed it is expected that close upon 1,000 will be employed at the studio and its accessory laboratory and other departments. The studio will be vi^ired by Western Electric. It should be ready for completion early in the spring of 1935. John Barrymore, Charles Laughton, Fredric March and Maurice Chevalier will be among the first artists to face the camera at the new plant. V Institute's First Year Proceeding without ajiy fuss, and in face of a certain amount of trade indifTerence, the British Film Institute has completed a useful first year's work, which, as its just published Report shows, has covered an extraordinarily wide field. The Institute, founded in October of 1933, was the sequel to the investigations of an unofficial Commission on Educational and Cultural Films which represented more than a hun dred educational, scientific and social organizations. The Commission's report, "The Film in National Life," is already a historic document. One of its main recommendations was the establishment of a central body to coordinate the efforts of all those concerned in advancement of the film. The British Film Institute is the answer. With a semi-official status, it is financed by a grant of iS.OOO a year from the Cinematograph Fund created by a levy on Sunday cinema receipts. Its aims are to increase the quality of films as entertainment and to extend their use in non-entertainment fields. One of the valuable things it already has done has been, by means of sectional panels, to enlist the active aid of many pulalic workers whose attitude to the cinema was previously highly critical. There are panels on education, entertainment, international relations, medicine, social service and scientific research, among other things. The Institute also has supported the establishment of film societies throughout the country. Establishment of a central library of educational films is a probable future activity of the BFI. V Production News Rowland Brown is expected to sign to direct a film for British International Pictures. * * * Franz Planer's camera work is likely to be a feature of Toeplitz's first production, "The Dictator." Andre Andreiev, art director, has provided some magnificent sets. * * * Irving Asher gave a seven year Warner-First National studio contract to Errol Flynn after his first day's work for "Murder at Monte Carlo," in which Paul Graetz is starring at Teddington. * * * Maurice Sigler, Al Hoffman and Albert Goodheart, authors of "Little Man, You've Had a Busy Day," are coming to the GaumontBritish studio to write special numbers for Les Allen, British broadcasting crooner, who features in "The Code." * * * Raymond Massey, British stage and screen celebrity, is to play the lead in "Abdul Hamid," for B. I. P. ; neither Charles Farrell nor John Loder, previously announced, is now in the cast. * * * Gaumont-British has shot the Battle of Waterloo sequences, completing "The Iron Duke" at Edinburgh, using the Scot's Greys regiment and their famous horses. Korda, Marks on Board Of Colorgravure, Ltd. Alexander Korda, managing director of London Films, and Montagu Marks, director, have joined the board of directors of Colorgravure, Ltd., London, and Harry George, secretary of London Films, has become secretary of Colorgravure. Mr. Korda plans use of the Hillman three-color process controlled by Colorgravure on a feature to be made on completion of the new London Films studio in the spring. London Films has been associated with Colorgravure, a subsidiary of Gerrard Industries, Ltd., for some time. An exchange of stock has been arranged. Newspapers Laud IVarner's Plan To Class ify Films Commenting on the Warner plan to designate all pictures shown in houses of the circuit in the Philadelphia territory, as adult or family entertainment, and employing "A" or "F" for the designation, the Philadelphia Evening Public Ledger declared last week: "Warner Brothers' new system of classifying photoplays, which goes into effect tomorrow in all their neighborhood theatres here, is a decided forward step in the delicate matter of public relationship between cinema and its customers. . . . "One reasonable fear of the sponsors of the idea is that the audience may get the opinion that because a picture is labeled with an "F" it is a childish or juvenile offering. I only hope that the fear is not justified. ..." Commenting editorially in the same connection, the Philadelphia Bulletin said : "The plan of the Warner motion picture management to make a limited classification of their presentations at the neighborhood houses ... is in the nature of an experiment. It remains to be seen whether the motion picture patrons have been waiting to be told and want to be told which of the varied offerings they may accept most ald/Vantageously. . . . "But it is in a degree a recognition of the present problem of motion picture appeal and influence and the responsibility on the part of the exhibiting management for cooperation with the various efforts that are being made by individuals and organizations to solve that problem. . . . "The new plan does not go very far. . . . But it is worth trying. And, perhaps, its most encouraging significance is its open assumption of responsibility on the part of an important producing and exhibiting interest of a more careful examination of its offerings warranting an open mark of judgment in classification. ..." The Warner plan is meeting with somewhat varied comment from the field. In Baltimore three exhibitors queried, J. Harry Gruver, Meyer Leventhal and J. Louis Rome, were agreed that the plan would not work satisfactorily. It is pointed out thai the M. A. Lightman theatres in Memphis have long made a practice of designating films as to classification. In Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Iowa a similar plan was launched by Fox Midwest last August, and beneficial results havc been reported. Chicago circuit operators were not enthusiastic, while in Milwaukee the reaction was favorable. Adolph Barr Dies Adolph Barr, head of a combine controlling four theatres in Bay Ridge, L. I., and one in Brooklyn, died at the home of a niece in Lorain, Ohio, Sunday. He was 60. John E. Nash Dead John E. Nash, the original "Orphan Boy" of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta, "The Pirates of Penzance," died in Los Angeles Monday at the age of 70.