The Bioscope (Jul-Sep 1931)

August 26, 1931 MODERN CINEMA TECHNIQUE Variations on the House Organ Putting Programmes Before Patrons In my monthly budget of theatre organs, the publications issued to interest patrons in forthcoming attractions, is a wide variety of styles. Though there is not a consistent high standard in all of them, it is, nevertheless, a pleasure to notice something of driving force and inspiration behind them all, thus proving they are not merely slung together and thrown at patrons. As they lie on my desk, the magazine of the Elite, Nottingham, is at the top. This one, edited by Nancy Bradbury, lace town’s bright publicity earner, always bubbles with enthusiasm and is put together in a bright and snappy style. A cut of Greta Garbo in " Inspiration ” decorates the cover of the August issue, which is further emboldened by two red vertical strips and a heavy blue dot at the bottom ; the space left bare gives this front a good balance. Two Pages of Gossip The interior is full of fireworks, starting with a breezy letter from the Editor to patrons, and then proceeding to discuss each week’s attraction in detail. There is a uniformity in these pages, in that the title of the film appears in a panel at the top of each page, the cast of the picture appearing in a second over-running panel. A double " spread " of gossip appears on the centre pages, while a later page discusses the attractions of the Elite cafe. A standing competition in this magazine takes the form of abstracting letters from all of the advertisements and piecing them together to form a slogan relating to the Elite. The magazine carries a wealth of illustrations, though there appears to be just a tendency to use blocks of too coarse a screen. A further criticism — if criticise I may — concerns the printing of the cover possibly due to the fact that the paper, a rough indistinguished grey, is not sufficiently clean. Why Different Colours? Then there is the Savoy Herald, emanating from the Savoy, Leyton, where Maurice Cheepen holds sway. This little brochure has taken on a new form lately, and now breathes a freshness by virtue of its modern type faces and the use of thick and thin rules, dots and other printer’s aids in the best traditions of to-day. Measuring 8} by in., the " Herald ” is a handy-sized job, and is enclosed in an extra heavy cream cover. The cover of the August issue is embellished with a striking cut of Wallace Beery, the title of the publication being worked into it. The interior runs to 16 pages, half of them artistic displays of weekly presentations, the other half advertisements. That the advertisements are printed in blue, while house matter is in black, is, I feel, the one thing that detracts from the “ finish " of this brochure, and I must confess that I cannot overcome a prejudice against this practice. Otherwise, there can be nothing but praise for this effort, which is, incidentally, published by Cook’s Publicity Service. Quite by the way, one of the advertisements in this issue deserves, I consider, top marks for originality. Containing the announcement of a firm styled A. Griffiths & Sons, it reads : " A Griffiths Production — Now Showing — The Perfect Ironmonger — featuring Garden Tools, Paints and Varnish.” How’s that for a showman's effort ? By “CHAR” L. Freeman, of the Plaza, Crouch End, labels his house magazine •" What’s On ? ” and gives it a cover showing encircled a drawing of the theatre front, the general background being salmon pink. The publication is printed in brown throughout, which for reading purposes does not give the best results. It is a mistake, I think, to crowd the first of the monthly attractions on to the front page, below the Editorial chat, and another thing I should like to suggest is that outside advertisers should be kept in their place, rather than allowed key positions. These matters apart, however, there is sparkle about this organ, and some of the slogans applying to the theatre are bright and original. The Magnet Advertising Co. are to be credited with its publication. CURRENT EDITIONS UNDER EXAMINATION The Beaufort Magazine is the shop window for Frederick Studd’s house at Washwood Heath, Birmingham. Another 16-page issue, it also makes capital out of the theatre front on its cover ; as the Beaufort has that very attractive Tudor front, this is very 'Broa&umy bulletin QbeKicston 8upoc Cinema “forceful and neat’’ THE BIOSCOPE ix good publicity. Surrounding the illustration of the title is a vivid green background, a pleasant contrast to the reds and browns that seem so popular for publications in this field. Fred doesn’t get away with it altogether, for, though his editorial treatment is gay and amusing, he has allowed the journal to become overcrowded with advertisements. Of course, that’s very good from the point of Wones’ Publicity, who run the magazine, but it is doubtful whether the theatre’s publicity gets any advantage from it. Besides, this is another magazine that discriminates in colour between theatre editorial and advertisers’ displays. " Backchat,” which is F. S.’s title for his managerial comment, is, however, very good. “ Mass Production Complex ” The organs of the Hippodrome, Nottingham, and the Broadway, Stratford (both P.C.T.-G.B. houses), are not distinguished. They suffer from the " mass production complex,” and consequently lack personality and individuality. Both are inclined to carry an overweight of advertisements. Now we come to the " Broadway Bulletin,” which, I believe, has already been eulogised in these pages It is, indeed, a model for the exploiteer whose organ is not essentially a commercial and money-making proposition. Containing in eight pages a " double spread ” listing the month's attractions, a foretaste of what the future holds, a delightful character study, notes on stars and a page of first-rate managerial chat by Kenneth M. Dunn, it is a concise and essentially dignified piece of work, which should help keep up the stock of the Broadway, Shettleston, Glasgow, in whose interests it is published. Advertisements are relegated to the covers and to strips across the bottoms of the pages. An Arresting Cover The cover of the Broadway Bulletin is a stiff linen cream paper, and it is so forceful and neat that I make no excuse for showing an illustration of it. The print is blue, with the exception of the cut of the theatre, this standing out in a bold orange. The monthly magazine of the New Palace, Bristol — -another G.B. house — suffers from the same defects as those of the Nottingham Hippodrome and the Stratford Broadway, though its cover is certainly more attractive. I would like to suggest that some other form of printing should be adopted on the manager’s page, instead of the imitation typewriter face used at present. Uniformity of Treatment One of the larger sized house organs is " The Davis Standard,” published in the interests of the Davis Theatre, Croydon. Its cover is sufficiently large to carry a still 7-in. square each month, either showing a star or a scene from one of the theatre’s forthcoming productions. The interior carries a page devoted to managerial talks on policy and so forth by Capt. Alfred Davis, while each subsequent page carries either announcements of films or advertisements. There is a uniformity of treatment about the pages that makes them easily acceptable. At the top appears the title of the film for the week, together with play dates, and below is a general description of the film, together with a synopsis of its story and illustrations of the principals. The cast is also given in detail in respect of every film. The whole journal is printed in blue with a second colour— yellow — to pick out the title block on the cover. In design and treatment, the Davis Standard can rant among the most " tuneful ” of house organs..