The Moving Picture Weekly (1917-1918)

The Moving Picture Weekly irmm».m«m«K A ^lAGAZINE FOR MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITORS Published. Weekly by the MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY PUBTcO. 1600 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY Paul Gulick, Editor Joe Bra>-dt, Biis. Mgr. (Copyright 1918, Universal Film Mfg. Co. All Rights Reserved) Vol. 6. MAY 18, 1918. No. 14 Berman Challenges the Trade Welcomes any producer who can show a picture which can match "The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin," as a box office attraction. M. BERMAN, general manager ' of Jewel Productions, Inc., has issued a sweeping challenge to producers and distributors of motion pictures to name a feature that has made as much money for the exhibitor as "The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin." "The number of bookings of a production before it has been shown," said Mr. Berman, "usually only is proof of the efficiency of the sales force. These advance bookings are no criterion in proving the value of a picture from a box-office angle. "There have been numerous pictures that have been booked in thousands of theatres throughout the countrj as a result of circus advertising methods and intensive sales campaigns. The promoters of these pictures with great glee have told the exhibitors through the trade press of the tremendous booking: success of the pictures. Naturally when these productions have failed to make money for the first-run exhibitors the second, third and fourth-iiin exhibitors as a result of this fact have canceled their bookings. Nothing, however, has been said of the cancellations by the producers and distributors who pointed with such pride to the advance bookings. "I now challenge any distributor of motion pictures to open his books, check his film rentals on his most popular production with the receipts of the theatres that presented the production and produce one single instance where a picture has made as much for the exhibitors of the country as has 'The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin.' "The picture had a pre-release showing in Boston on March 15th, where it ran for five weeks at the Globe Tneatre. From March 15th until the present it has been shown constantly all over the country, and I have kept in touch with the box office receipts of every theatre that has presented it. Out of thousands of presentations but one exhibitor failed to make money and that man has acknowledged the failure was his fault and not the fault of the picture. "In making this claim for 'The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin,' I don't even except 'The Birth of a Nation,' which is acknowledged to have played to greater total receipts than any other feature photoplay, even though 'The Birth of a Nation' until very recently was not presented along regular film rental lines. "Present indications lead me to believe that in the near future I may be able to make the statement that 'The Kaiser, the Beast of Berlin' was rebooked for repeat presentations in more motion picture houses than any other production. I do not make this claim, however, at this time because the picture has been released for less than two months, and it is a little early to make such claims, but the requests for repeat bookings are so large that indications are that I will be able to make and prove such a claim." Titles For Illustrations From Animated Weekly No. 23, and Current Events No. 53, on Opposite Page. 1. Colonel Allenby's troops in Palestine building observation tower from sandbags. (Current Events.) 2. King George and Queen Mary offer their sj-mpathy to widow and son of officer killed in action. (Animated Weekly.) 3. As an example to the counjl try. President Wilson has per'j mitted sheep to graze on the I beautiful lawns of the White House. (Animated Weekly.) 4. Miss Charlotte Boj-le wins fifty yards Woman's Championship at Oakland. (Animated Weekly.) 5. Push-ball prescribed for training of United States Jackies. (Animated Weekly.) 6. English women plow fields with coal gas tractors, owing to shortage of gasoline. (Animated Weekly.) 7. King of Italy and French officers review French Alpine Chasseurs, and Italian troops on the Italian front. (Current Events.) HUNNISH \-4^DALISM. O^'E of the outstanding features of the war is the destruction of fam.ed cathedrals by the guns of the Germans. The most striking instance of this Hunnish vandalism is the great cathedral at Reims, France. In Universal Current Events No. 52 exceptionally interesting motion pictures of great French artists and sculptors inspecting the ruins of the cathedral are sho\\"n. Scenes are also presented of workmen removing, repairing and shipping to safety the famous stained glass windows of the ancient structure, and crating and packing the remarkable statuar\ which dates from the eleventh centur>'. Among the other striking scenes contained in Current Events No. 52 are close-up pictures of General Leman, the heroic Belgian, whose gallant defense of Liege in the first week of the war held up the advance of the German hordes until the French and English had a chance to rush troops to the front. General Leman surrendered only when the Hun 42 centimetre guns crashed the walls of the fortress down about him. One of his legs was blown off, and he was taken a prisoner to Germany where he hovered between life and death for more than a year. He was finally exchanged as unfit for further military service. He has just been awarded the ribbon of the Legion of Honor. Several pictures of famous French "Aces of the Air" are also included in this number. The first shown is Aviator Roland Garros, who was second only to the great Guynemer in the number of Hun machines brought down. He recently escaped from a German prison camp and made his way back to France. Pictures of Lieutenant Malin, who has shot down twenty-six German aeroplanes, are presented, as well as a close-up of Adjutant Garaud, who has just bagged his tenth Hun airman. ANIMATED WEEKLY No. 23 also contains a wonderful assortment of war views and interesting topics which have made this single reel the leading news ftature of American theatres.