Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1961)

New 'Dimension System Arc 120, to Be Marketed Russian Three-Panel Films to Be Offered NEW YORK — American rights to the Soviet film industry’s Kino-Panorama three-panel pictures and the projection equipment have been acquired by MJP Enterprises, Inc., under the auspices of the Cultural Exchange program. J. Jay Frankel, head of MJP, said the Kino-Panorama equipment was fully compatible with the Cinerama and Cinemiracle processes and included 12-channel stereophonic sound. The first of four films produced in the process will be released in this country early in 1962 and will open simultaneously in five major cities. The first, “This Is Russia,” has the Russian circuit, the Troika races, a race of the Cossacks, the Moiseyev Dancers and the Bolshoi Ballet among its attractions. Frankel said he expected delivery of 20 sets of the newly designed projection equipment in February. In exchange for Kino-Panorama being shown in this country, the Russians have agreed to show an undisclosed number of American films of mutual choice in Russia, Frankel said. A. N. Davydov, president of Soviet Export Films, said that the Russians were planning three multimillion dollar international features with international stars to be produced in the process by licensees, among them being Dino De Laurentiis of Italy, a French company and Frankel in the United States. Except for earlier experimental versions, “This Is Russia” will be the first picture in Kino-Panorama to be shown in this country. New developments, however, have improved the process which has no similarity to the original version, Frankel said. Frankel concluded negotiations with the Russians during their visit to Los Angeles as guests of Eric Johnston, president of the Motion Picture Ass’n of America. He now is negotiating with theatres in American cities for showings. Levine's Embassy Acquires Two Early Bergman Films NEW YORK — Joseph E. Levine’s Embassy Pictures has acquired two early pictures made by Sweden’s Ingmar Bergman, “Prison” and “Music in the Dark,” for United States distribution. All of Bergman’s recent pictures, including ‘“rhe Virgin Spring” and his latest, “The Devil’s Eye,” are being distributed in the U. S. by Janus Films. Distribution rights to “Prison,” written and directed by Bergman with Birger Malmsten and Doris Svedlund featured, and “Music in the Dark,” directed by Bergman from a novel by Dagmar Edqvist, with Mai Zetterling and Malmsten starred, were acquired from Archer King, who imported them to the U. S. Both will have English titles and will be nationally released early in 1962. Embassy’s lineup of foreign releases now includes “No Love for Johnnie,” British film starring Peter Finch, and three Italian-made pictures, “Two Women,” currently in release, “II Bell’ Antonio” and the upcoming “Boccaccio 70,” the De Sica-FelliniVisconti production starring Sophia Loren, Anita Ekberg and Romy Schneider. AMPA AWARD TO SKOURAS— Spyros P. Skouras, right, 2Cth Century-Fox president, is shown accepting an award for “outstanding service to the motion picture industry,” during the recent awards luncheon of the Associated Motion Picture Advertisers in New York, from Arthur L. Mayer, independent film distributor, who served as toastmaster. Looking on is Albert Floersheimer, Ampa president. Schneider Sees Healthy Quarter for Columbia NEW YORK — Preliminary unaudited figures indicate a “substantial” profit for Columbia Pictures for the first quarter of the new fiscal year ended September 30, according to A. Schneider, president, who said the favorable trend would be continued through the second quarter ending December 30. For the year ended July 1, 1961, consolidated earnings amounted to $212,000, compared with $2,107,000 the previous year. Schneider said his optimism for the first quarter and for the second quarter was based on the results reflected from the release of “The Guns of Navarone” and other pictures, as well as favorable results from its interest in Screen Gems, its television subsidiary. The results for the year ended July 1 included a profit of $1,617,000 from the sale of undeveloped land on the west coast not used for production purposes. There was a similar profit of $202,000 for the year ended June 25, 1960. Schneider said that for the year ended last July 1, the company had reduced its inventory and thereby reduced earnings by $3,000,000 to conform values to current market conditions. A similar reduction in earnings in the amount of $1,000,000 was made the previous year. Form New Company NEW YORK — A new company, under the name of Take Seven Productions, has been formed here for the production of lowbudget pictures. The first will be “Beginning Now.” NEW YORK — Described as a “new dimension in motion pictures,” a system known as Arc 120 will be placed on the market shortly and, it was learned, a feature will be shot in the process, although the necessary lens can be attached to any 35mm projector. A demonstration of the process was offered at the Bellevue Theatre in Montclair, N. J., recently on a 50-foot screen with a 12-foot curve, giving the effect of a Cinerama, Cinemiracle or Todd-AO presentation. According to the backers of the system. Arc 120 can project pictures filmed by one camera and employing standard techniques, or in the above processes plus Technirama and VistaVision, after a print of the original negative has been made into the Arc 120 process. The cost of this conversion is said to be approximately the same as that of printing a standard 35mm print. Abe Margolies, one of the financial backers and an owner of the New Yorker Hotel here, told Boxoffice that his group and a film company contemplated a coproduction of a picture in the process, although he did not identify the possible associates. Closely associated with him in Arc 120 is William Morris jr., son of the late founder of the talent agency bearing his name. The lens, one on each projector, projects the film perpendicularly, the joining point of the film remaining invisible. The intensity of the light where the images meet is reduced by an electronic choke, with the result that there is absolute illumination, no distortion and a feeling of audience participation, according to the sponsors. The total cost of installation, including two lenses and a deep-curved screen, is said to be less than $5,000. It is claimed that the complete installation can be accomplished in less than six hours. The lenses are made in different focallengths to fill any size screen at any distance of projection and are manufactured by Zeiss Ikon. According to Margolies, a producer can shoot a 35mm picture on the lowest of budgets and have the advantage of showing it in a widescreen medium. Arc 120 has been tested in Blackpool, England; the International Film Festival, Argentina: Metropolitan Theatre, Buenos Aires, and the Academy Theatre and Grauman’s Chinese in Hollywood. A special award was bestowed on the Arc 120 at the Argentina festival for its “outstanding contribution to the film industry.” Moses on 'West Side Story' NEW YORK — Charles A. “Chuck” Moses, who has been working as publicity director for Frank Sinatra’s Essex productions, “Sergeants 3” and “X-15” at the Rogers & Cowan office, has been named southwest publicity coordinator by Mirisch Pictures for roadshow engagements of “West Side Story.” He will work with United Artists field I’epresentatives in the promotion of the musical drama for its two-a-day runs. BOXOFFICE : ; November 6. 1961 13