Boxoffice (Oct-Dec 1962)

FEATURE REVIEWS Story Synopsis; Exploits; Adlines for Newspapers and Programs THE STORY: "Roommates" (Herts-Lion) In a London music school, a group of young students: Leslie Phillips, Sidney James, Paul Massie, Liz Fraser and Jennifer du Jayne, decide to move into a rooming house as "roommates'' ^ Royai in order to shore expenses as well as study together. During their classroom hours, James Robertson Justice, a strict professor, keeps a secret but watchful eye on the group, but doesn't let them know of his sincere interest. In fact, he keeps them puzzled by his hard-hitting manner. In learning that one of the students has become involved in accidentally writirg a pop tune that is about to be published at the risk of his being thrown out of school. Justice carefully gives a class feature, citing a similar example, thus giving the student a way out. Kenneth Williams, another student, is at all times kept out of the tight little group because he is so cocksure of himself and the fact that he will win the annual scholarship. In the end, Liz Fraser wins the prize, not Williams, and a duo-romantic setting ends the school term. EXPLOITIPS: Concentrate campaign on Peter Rogers and his long list of "Carry On" comedies. Also stress that the picture was filmed, in port, at the famed London Academy of Music and Art. Make music store tieins on classical albums. CATCHLINES: "Roommates," the Year's Funniest British Comedy . . . See the Screen's Funniest and Most Unusual Roommates. THE STORY: "Girls! Girls! Girls! (Para) Elvis Presley, a young boat hand, is told by Papa Stavros, who employs him, that he is selling all his boats, including f. . Maj one that Presley's father built before he died, because Mama . Stavros (Lili Valenty) is sick and they must move to the desert. Presley decides he must buy the sail boot, but doesn't hove any money. He confides in his girl friend, Stella Stevens, who sings in a local night club. They end up in a fight as usual, and as Presley is leaving he meets Laurel Goodwin and the two of them strike up a romantic chord. In the meantime, Jeremy Slate has bought all the boats from Papa Stavros. Presley goes to Slate to make a deal whereby he can buy the boat fcr so much a week. Slate ends up hiring him to work on a salmon fishing boat that will help him earn the money. Miss Goodwin tries to help by buying the boat for Presley, but later agrees to let him do it in his own way by working and paying for the boat. Their romance ends 'ulp in complete bliss. EXPLOITIPS: Use a lobby display of the nine-foot standee prepared by Paramount — which is a natural. Make a music store tiein on the current Presley albums; also display them in the lobby. Sponsor a weekly drawing, offering an album or tickets. CATCHLINES: See Elvis Presley Singing His Latest Hit Tunes! . . . Romance, Music, Elvi's Presley and GIRLS! GIRLS! GIRLS! THE STORY: "Warriors Five" (AIP) In wartime Italy in 1943, Jack Palance, an American paratrooper who is dropped behind the Italian lines to sabotage important objects, is captured by the retreating Germans and held in prison. Palance becomes friendly with four cellmates and all escape together when the advancing Americans arrive. When the Italians board a train to rejoin their families they ore thrown in with Jo Anna Ralli and other prostitutes. The train is bombed and as the Italians and the girls again escape they meet Palance, who asks them to help him blow up a bridge. They accomplish this but the Germans retaliate by arresting ten Italians and threatening to execute them. Palance and his Italian pals attack the Germans and. ^morph in the fighting, three are killed, leaving Palance and Jo Anna ^ desolate but willing to carry on until Italy is freed. EXPLOITIPS: Put the campxiign behind Jack Palance, who starred in "Attack" and "Ten Seconds to Hell" before going to Italy, where his most recent hit is "Borabbas," the current two-aday film. Jo Anna Ralli scored in Rossellini's "General della Rovere" under her real name of Giovonna Ralli. CATCHLINES: The Bloody Battleground of Anzio . . . The Seething Passions of Warriors Without Women — This Is the Holocaust of War . . . Dangerous and Devastating, Jack Palance in on ActionPacked Drama of War and Its Perils. THE STORY: "Secrets of the Nazi Criminals" (Trans-Lux) From on idea by Tore Sjoberg, who edited the authentic newsreel footage with Ingemor Ejve and Erik Holm, this details the slow but sure rise to power in Germany of Adolf Hitler and the port played by the Nazis in indoctrinating the German youth and over-running Austria, Yugoslavia, Poland and other European nations, which led to World War II. After showing Goebbels, Goering, Hes's and Hitler's other associates, the footage is devoted to the trials, during which the horrifying pictures of the comcentrdtion camps ore screened in court. The finish gives the reactions of these Nazi leaders to their conviction. , 2.3t ■ N» EXPLOITIPS: Stress that this was made by Tore Sjoberg, who produced the sensational "Mein Kampf," and is a continuation that depicts the Nuremberg trials. Enlargements of photos of Hitler, Goebbels, etc., in the lobby will attract attention. Newspaper morgues should cooperate. Hire a sound truck for downtown promotion. CATCHLINES The Story Behind the Events of World War II and the Nuremberg Trials That Followed the Armistice . . . Startling — and All of It Authentic ... A Shatterihg and Unforgettable Experience . . . Lives of Millions of Innocent People Who Were Brutally Murdered by the Nazis. THE STORY: "The Loves ol Salommbo" (20th-Fox) In ancient Carthage, the mercenaries hired to defend the nation against the invading Romans hove not been paid since the first Punic War and they threaten to revolt until Salammbo (Jeanne Valerie), daughter of General Hamilcar, intervenes and a pact is signed whereby they ore to withdraw until chests full of gold are sent to them. But Edmund Purdom, head of the mercenaries, tricks his men and removes the gold to fill the chests with rocks. The mercenaries, led by Jacques Sernas, march on Carthage and steal a sacred veil from the temple. Salammbo then tries to kill Sernas but, instead, the two fall in love. Purdom then sets a trap for Salammbo, hoping to gain control of Carthage. General Hamilcar arrives in time to save his daughter and slay Purdom. Sernas is then sentenced to be stoned to death, but Salammbo declares her love for him and he is pardoned. EXPLOITIPS: Stress the "cast of thousands" and the swordplay to attract the youngsters. For mature patrons, play up Purdom, who starred in several MGM films, and Jacques Sernas, who played in "Helen of Troy" for Warner Bros, in 1955. .. CATCHLINES Army Against Army; Empire Against Empire! . . . For This Woman — Men Would Commit Every Sin, Every Sacrilege . . . The Mighty Spectacle of Forbidden Love — That Almost Destroyed Carthage. THE STORY: "Horror Hotel" (Trans-Lux) The people of Whitewood, Mass., burn Patricia Jessel as a witch. In her last moments, she makes a pact with the Devil: human sacrifices in return for eternal life. Two and a half centuries later, student Venetia Stevenson arrives in town for research on witchcraft. She checks into the sole hotel in the strange, decaying community, finds the proprietress (also Miss Jes'sel), Prof. Christopher Lee and 13 witches around a cellar altar. Venetia is killed. Bookshop operator Betta St. John, fearful for Venetia's life, drives with Venetia's brother, Dennis Lotis, to Whitewood, and the dying Rev. Norman MaCowon tells them how to destroy the witches. When the ghouls close in, Lotis shouts instructions to get a cross from consecrated ground, the action bringing shadows to fall across the witches' eerie forms. Patricia escapes into a mausoleum, her charred body found behind the inn's desk. A plaque tells of the witch burning in 1692. EXPLOITIPS: Black plastic key chains embossed in red with the film's title can be delivered with the theatre name imprinted. Send an aide with suitcases imprinted, "For an Unforgettable Night rURE — Check In at the Horror Hotel!" through downtown streets. CATCHLINES: / The Most Spine-Chilling Motion Picture in Years! ... Human Blood Keeps Them Alive Forever! . . . This Is Horror Hotel— Just Ring for Doom Service! BOXOFFICE BookinGuide :: Nov. 12, 1962