Business screen magazine (1946)

picture parade REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS OF NEW VISUALS Occidental's "Green Sahara" Shows Birth of Vital New Agricultural Area For the second years in a row, Los Angeles based Occidental Petroleum Corporation contacted Sandler Institutional Films to produce a half-hour film for their anannual shareholders meeting. Those who found the first film a sort of hum-drum presentation of oil drilling in the Libyan Sahara, could not have been bored by this year's offering. Green Sahara. It contained all the important elements absent in the first film and cannot be ignored. Occidental, primarily concerned in overseas oil exploration, rather plainly told the story of their success in oil drilling ventures in the desert in the first film. It appears that in the intervening year, the company learned a lot about people, public relations and films. The Green Sahara tells a story somewhat removed from oil. Drilling more than 2000 feet beneath sand (whose nutrient value was likened to "ground-up soda pop bottles"), Occidental searches for water in this film and upon finding it transforms thousands of barren acres into vital food producing green, growing agricultural land via irrigation. The film is a tribute to the accomplishment itself. The film is in part the story of people, in part of the story of Occidental's role, and in part the story of the effect their accomplishment may have on the future of a hungry world. Narrated masterfully by globe trotter Lowell Thomas, The Green Sahara tells a contemporary story in terms that command attention. Sandler's David Bransby wrote the solid script and special credit must go to Tom Warner for photography and direction. The film is both moving and startling. No one can remain impassive when he sees strong, green alfalfa growing amidst a desert Recording the narration of "Green Sahara," Lowell Thomas (left) reviews script with Bill Loudon and David Bransby of Sandler Institutional Films. wasteland . . . especially in light of a narration that cites future famine as a major problem facing mankind, adding that it helps the Libyan economy now. Rightfully, the film was not limited to just the annual Occidental shareholders meeting. It is available on free loan from Audience Planners, 208 S. LaSalle, Chicago, III. 60604. — LBG Playoff Film Could Be Shot in Arm for NBA Still struggling for that important attendance and public attention, the National Basketball Association plans half-hour TV films this year (see BUSINESS SCREEN, September, 1970) to help grow. Meanwhile, a half-hour film. The NBA 1970 Championship Playoffs. currently available, could help a lot. Producers — Sponsors If you would like to submit prints of your new films for review in Business Screen in the future, please write Picture Parade Editor, Business Screen, 402 W. Liberty Dr., Wheaton, III. 60187 for information and shipping instructions. Taking the best from the past season's emotional and hotly contested playoffs, the film shows dramatically that there is a lot of action in basketball for the spectator. It's fast-paced, action packed and includes a lot of the color interjected by promoters to gain audiences. Produced by Winik Films and directed by Leslie Winik, it emphatically shows the physical and emotional demands of the game . . . including some very good action scenes of the game's super-stars as they vied for the 1970 championship. Typical of Winik sports coverage, nothing is missed in bringing the action and excitement of the game to the screen. Prints of the film are available from Soortlite Films, 20 N. Wacker Dr., Chicago, 111. —LBG The American Trail Beckons — Get Into the Great Outdoors Tlie American Trail is not a trail at all, but a happy, colorful tour through much of America's public park land that has been set aside just for human enjoyment. In this film for Humble Oil, producer Larry Madison conveys the message with just the right touch. From Central Park to the Pacific Redwoods, this excitingly colorful film shows the majesty of the American outdoors in all of its splendor in various seasons of the year. The American Trail suggests a relaxing respite from the choking, stifling routine of our cities. Through the use of sharp photography and good editing. The American Trait literally beckons the city dweller into the woods, forests and parks of America. It thanks conservationists, condemns those who would usurp these needed lands and charges all of the public with the responsibility of keeping these most enjoyable, relaxmg places clean and free from impending pollution. Prints are available on a free loan basis from Modern Talking Picture Service — NMO Continued on next page 50 BUSINESS SCREEN