Canadian Film Digest (Jun 1973)

The Canadian Film Digest June 1973 Ontario censor board releases annual report Almost momentarily before the seizure of Last Tango in Manitoba, Mr. O.J. Silverthorn, the head of the Ontario Censor Board, released his annual report. What follows is the report inits entirety, except for one list which states the various film exchanges. Responses to the report in the press has been almost nil. The Toronto Globe and Mail commented, saying that itis time to make the Board defend its actions in public; the Board is now responsible only to the government minister. For our view, see the editorial on page 4 of this issue. “There was a slight decrease in feature films examined during the year. Nevertheless we are still running well ahead of the peak years of the late 1930’s and 1940’s. The Board viewed 711 films of which 218 were RESTRICTED, 280 RECOMMENDED AS _ ADULT ENTERTAINMENT and 195 approved for GENERAL EXHIBITION. Eleven features were NOT APPROVED and eliminations were requested in 100, Twelve films are presently UNDER CONSIDERATION. The number of films NOT APPROVED is the highest in several years. To some extent, these were films portraying sick sensuality and undue violence. Approval of these films would have been consummate arrogance on our part and a complete disregard for the feelings of the people in this Province. Films originated from the following countries: Africa Arabia Brazil Canada China Czechoslovakia _ HOOWONUNHHE RNHEH ARAN WHET SHOR Germany Great Britain Greece Holland India Israel Italy Mexico Pakistan Poland Portugal Phillipines Spain Sweden Uruguay U.S.A. Canadian-produced feature films gained ground in 1972. Twenty-two features were submitted. Thirteen of these were RESTRICTED, eight RECOMMENDED FOR ADULT ENTERTAINMENT and one approved for GENERAL EXHIBITION. As a matter of interest, these are the films referred to: Apres Ski; August and July; Come on Children; Ever After All; Fanny Hill Meets Lady Chatterly; Heads or Tails; Journey; La: Mort D’un Bucheron; L’Apparition; Les Colombes; Les Males; Les Smattes; Le Temps D’une Chasse; Pleasure Palace; Proud Rider; Rainbow Boys; Satan’s Sabbath; Slipstream; Tien Toi Bien Apres Les Oreilles; True Nature of Bernadette; Two Women in Gold; Wedding in White. Out of 14,602 items of advertising examined, 14,188 were approved, 230 not approved. Approval was given to 184 items which had been treated to our satisfaction. We try to be fair in the examination of advertising and attempt to exercise restraints which are reasonable and within the law. Unfortunately, some exhibitors become overzealous and show a complete disregard for good taste. Other exhibitors adopt a cavalier attitude as to the size of the classification symbols in their newspaper advertisements. In many instances, symbols are reduced to minuscule and illegible proportions. Apart from the legal responsibility, such behaviour is certainly an evasion of the moral responsibility to provide honest information to the public. Most newspapers in the U.S.A. publish ex_ planatory information on movie classifications. This service is entirely voluntary and given as a public service. With the notable exception of the Hamilton Spectator, the big dailies in Ontario are reluctant to provide this worthwhile information to their readers. z Canada, produced by Christopher Chapman for BP Canada Limited, was awarded first prize in the travel film contest sponsored by the Travel Industry Association of Canada. It received the Maple Leaf Award at the TIAC convention in Toronto on May 8th. The second prize Canuck Award went to Island Eden, produced by the film and photographic branch for the British Columbia Department of Travel Industry. This film is an exciting presentation of recreational possibilities on Vancouver Island. Chapman travel film wins award During the year, 1,317 projectionists’ licenses were issued and 404 theatre licenses. Included in the theatre figure are 104 drive-ins, accounting for almost 25 per cent of the total. Theatre construction continues apace. New theatres were opened in Toronto, Burlington, Hamilton, Ottawa and Cambridge. Four of these are dual auditoriums and one a triple. The overall new seating capacity is 4,180. Several existing theatres were altered extensively and changed to the dual auditorium type. Much innovative reconstruction is contemplated and under way. One alteration is the conversion of Canada’s largest theatre (the Imperial in Toronto) into six cinemas with a total seating capacity of 3,090. Other openings are expected soon in Bramalea (3 auditoriums) and Mississauga (4 auditoriums). A prime concern of the Inspection Branch is to ensure the safety of movie patrons. In our opinion the best way to achieve this is by constant inspections of theatres. In this regard 1,709 visits were conducted plus over 100 special calls during children’s matinees. Co-operation from managers and projectionists has been excellent and certainly has contributed to the enviable safety record of the industry in Ontario. From time to time we receive complaints that restricted movies at drive-in theatres are visible to outsiders. Now we have information that a new screen is being developed in the U.S. whereby the image will be confined to patrons within the drive-in. Apparently the screen will be a mirror-like structure designed to direct the light only to the auto ramp area. We await further information on this with great interest. Statistics published in the Motion Picture Association of America booklet ‘‘1972—A Review of the World of Movies” indicate that: Teenagers are the most frequent movie-goers; The age group 12—29 accounts for 73% of total theatre admissions; Two-thirds of those with at least some college education are moviegoers. We have long recognized the need for interaction between the Board and young academics. Therefore it was our pleasure to send a representative to discuss films and our operation at 20 seminars, and to talk with more than 50 students at the office. This has been a particularly difficult year for the Board. We have been publicly castigated for our permissiveness. At the other extreme, we have also been criticized for our lack of liberality. The Board’s attitude to the frankness of many films now being exhibited reflects the community’s attitude. A few years ago theatregoers would not have supported such movies. Nor, for that matter, would they have permitted the kinds of product advertising displayed in many publications. In a society whose standards are constantly changing, an institution such as our Board needs to be extremely flexible. It takes a great deal of experience and skill to balance the tightrope between extremes and at the same time protect the rights of all shades of opinion in between. Few give any consideration to the importance of the task imposed on the Board members and the delicate decisions they must make in an attempt to reflect, but not direct public taste. I feel sure that many times our Board members sigh with Gilbert and Sullivan ‘“*A censor’s lot is not a happy one’’. Please be assured that Iam satisfied with my Board’s honest and diligent approach to the multitude of problems inherent in their work, and on behalf of the staff, we warmly welcome you as our new Minister and wish to express our appreciation for your support and cooperation at all times.’ Honorable mentions were awarded to the Newfoundland Department of Tourism for Come Paint and Photograph Us, Canadian National Railways for The Goldie Rush and In The Streets of Old Quebec, the Quebec Department of Tourism, Fish and Game for Les Images de Ja Gaspeésie. The Travel Industry Association of Canada conducts this annual competition to encourage the production of more and better films on travel and recreation in Canada. It is hoped that such films will create the desire to explore Canada. By HARRIS KIRSHENBAUM “The Picture Palace’’, Canada’s largest movie theatre, re-opens this month in its new form. The Imperial, flagship of the Famous Players chain, has been renovated and emerges as six new theatres all under the same roof. The multi-theatre concept has been proven successful at the Uptown, and Toronto now has two complexes where viewers can almost see a different film for each night of the week. —+t = tat cint #8 >< The MARLONBRANDO i 3 Hit i Godfather ‘on TECHNICOLOR The Imperial Theatre as it looked before the outside renovations were begun. When it closed last October, the Imperial had 3,206 seats, and had been unchanged, except for minor renovations and paint jobs, since it opened as a vaudeville theatre. At the industry preview of the new facilities on June 21, there ‘will be six theatres, seating a total of 3,224. The ‘‘Midship’’ Cinema One is located in what used to be mid-air, suspended between the front of the balcony and the proscenium arch, seating 600. . Cinema Two is the old Balcony and Loge sections, up to the roof, seating 840. Cinema Three is on the stage with Cinema Four directly above it, in what used to be the fly-space and organ loft. Each seats 300. The Fifth and Sixth are in the orchestra section, seating 526 and 658 respectively. The grand opening is slated for June 28, when the Variety Club will operate a benefit performance of the new film The Neptune Factor, a made in Canada film, and stars Ben Gazzara and Walter Pidgeon will be present. Architect Mandel Sprachman, who also designed the modifications for the Uptown theatre, is most pleased with the new project. While working on the old building, he turned up many pieces of decorative work that had been either painted over or hidden during the years. Enthusiastic draftsmen worked on their own time to design moulds to replace and repair original plaster work. Much of the original decor in terms of stairways and ornamentation has been retained, with a modern air added. Page7 Imperial open June 29 The Yonge Street entrance is indented from the street and rises to the full height of the building. The facade is done in Aluminum, and features 18 colour television sets which will be showing trailers of the six films playing in the theatres, promos for coming attractions, and whatever else the promotion staff dreams up. Mr. Sprachman says that this is the first time that theatres have used television for this kind of in-theatre promotion. He feels that the front of the new complex will fit into the moving, bright mood of Yonge Street, and with its colour and lighting will probably be one of its ultimate attractions. Another first for the new Imperial is a triple projection suite that functions for three theatres. These are the two in the orchestra and the midship above them. Although triple booths have been used before, they have all been on one level. Dual box offices on Yonge Street and one on Victoria Street will all sell tickets for all six theatres. new triple house Famous Players’ latest addition to its chain of theatres opened Good Friday on the outskirts of Toronto. Called the Cinemas Three, house has capacity of 436 in Cinema 1, 343 in Cinema 2, and 257 in Cinema 3. Total for three houses is 1,036. Entrance to Cinemas, located in the new covered Shopping Centre of Bramalea City Square, is through the Cinema mall. An upper level parking deck extends over the entire theatre building and beyond and a staircase leads down from the deck to the main mall level near the cinema entrance. The theatre entrance features a floating island open box office ahead of a Staircase which leads to the foyer, 100-foot long and 25foot wide, painted in shades of red and blue, and complemented by a modern confection bar. Specially designed carpeting, blue and green in random design, is featured. Colour coded doors lead into each auditorium and clearly define each one. All seats are cushion-upholstered in blue with black metal trim. Carpeting in all 3 cinemas is of the specially designed blue and green random motif. The house and running lights, on dimmers, consist of ceiling hung pendant fixtures, 12 to each wall of all three auditoriums. In a unique development the screens are not draped; instead intermission screen presentation trailers have been produced which feature a montage of past movie reviews forming an abstract, historical kaleidoscope of . Famous Players’ role in entertainment for 51 years. Colour scheme for Cinema 1 is scarlet on the walls, pink on the ceiling and a standee wall of off-white vinyl burlap. Cinema 2 is vivid blue walls, black raspberry ceiling with a standee wall of ‘‘putty”’ shade. Cinema 3 colour scheme is olive mustard walls, olive green ceiling anda straw burlap standee wall. Architect for the project was Mandell Sprachman; construction and supervision of furnishings, etc., was supervised by Richard Kressin of Famous Players’ Construction and Purchasing Department. One of the films set to open the new multiple house Imperial Theatre at the end of June, Astral’s Dillinger. Also announced is Fox's The Neptune Factor. AM Am ARIA