Canadian Film Weekly (Sep 29, 1943)

September 29, 1948 Canadian FILM WEEKLY Social Significance) Theatre Television Okay With Critics}; Ready for Post-War America’s legion of professional film commentators—those who review motion pictures for the daily press and magazines and those whose views are presented over the air—believe that Hollywood should employ the entertainment screen to deal with controversial social and political issues of the day, writes Chester Bahn, editor of Film Daily. This verdict was returned by an impressive jury participating in the Film Daily’s Critics’ Forum, an annual film industry stock-taking event which provides Hollywood with not only an accurate cross section of journalistic opinion but with many constructive suggestion and idea. The question of the desirability —and the propriety—of the entertainment screen’s use for the presentation of issues, political and social, on which public opinion is sharply divided is of itself highly debatable, both within and without the industry. With the American presidential campaign nearing, that debate may be expected to increase rather than diminish. In placing the issue before American critics, through the medium of the 1948 Forum, the motivating desire was to provide a sounding board for the journalistic and radio mentors of the screen's mass audience. Forum experience through the years has well established that the critics both lead and reflect a considerable segment of USA public opinion. Sixty-two per cent of those participating in the latest round table conference by mail voted affirmatively on the question. “In your opinion should the entertainment screen deal with issues of the day, social or political, which are controversial In character?” negative votes accounting for the balance of 38 per cent. A number of critics, however, noted one or more of the following qualifications: Both sides of a question should be presented; practice should be restricted so as not to interfere with the flow of simonpure entertainment pictures; social problems are proper screen ma-~ terial, but Hollywood should avoid political matters; controversial issues should be confined to the field of short subjects. Woman Manager in Odeon Chain Mra, Irene McGeachie, formerly cashier at the McCarthy Theatre, Belleville, Ontario, is hack at that house as relief manager during the absence of W. Fawcett, manager, who is away on vacation. Perfected large screen television for motion picture theatres, homes, schools and churches, both in black-and-white and natural color, will be available commercially soon after hostilities cease as a result of basic patents issued last week by the Patent Office in Washington to Scophony Corporation of America, it was announced by Arthur Levey, President of SCA. The company is associated with Television Productions, Inc., a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures, and General Precision Equipment Corporation, which in turn is associated with Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation. The basic USA Patents were issued as part of the group of patents covering the Skiatron system, a new television projection apparatus expanding Scophony’s basic television methods. It was described by Mr. Levey as having characteristic features in common with cinematography by which for the first time it will be possible to project a large-screen television picture up to full-sized theatre screens 20 feet in width or more, with brilliance equal to motion picture standards. Mr. Levey’s announcement said: “This new and revolutionary in vention, which is the work of Dr. | A. H. Rosenthal, Director of Research and Development of SCA, will answer the need of the entertainment world, as well as the home, the church, and the school, for high definition television pictures in any desired size, in black sant CONTRACT SALES OFFICE PHOHE TR.I257 G6™" FLOOR 8 ge Tt | According to Jatest | eS an and-white as well as natural color. “The existence of alternate methods dissipates the menace of monopoly in the television field. “Scophony’s original basic large screen methods, Supersonic and Skiatron, will undoubtedly profoundly influence the future of television. They hold vast significance to the motion picture and radio industries. “The Skiatron is conceded tc offer a solution to the problem of projecting full size color television pictures based on the efficient subtractive three-color method which is utilized in all successful processes of color cinematography such as Technicolor and Kodachrome. In practice the system is very similar to motion picture projection technique. A theatre projectionist can learn to operate the Scophony projector in a few hours. Actually the home user will find no more difficulty in operating his set than a modern home user will find no more difficulty in operating his set than a modern home radio receiver. The economy of the apparatus, its simplicity and compactness will be a boon to the motion picture theatre operator and home user.” | | 20th Century-Fox Has '2,372 in the Service records of 20th Century-Fox Film Corporation, 2,372 employees of the company and its subsidiaries are now in the armed forces of Uncle Sam. Only one other company in the motion picture industry has a Jarger representation. In the past month more than 160 employees were drafted into the various services. More than 1,600 employees are seeing overseas duty at the moment. Westdale, Hamilton Held Up for $528 The Westdale Theatre, Hamil / ton, was the victim of a stick-up last week when a thief entered the office shortly before midnight, held Mrs. Marie Rosefield at the point of a gun and escaped with $528 in cash. Mrs, Rosefield, who is managing the theatre during the absence of her husband, Louis Rosefield, was slone when the robber entered the theatre. Closed for Repairs The Avon Theatre, Stratford, Ontario, was closed for a few days last week for repairs to the electrical equipment after a lightning bolt hit the transformer during a | storm, Page 11 OF CANADA LTD. 277 Victoria St. Toronto FRANK FAY (Currently starring on Broadway in “Laugh Time’’) and BILLY GILBERT in SPOTLIGHT SCANDALS A Comedy with Music opening at the TIVOLI TORONTO October 14th Bonnie Baker in songs Henry King and Herb Miller and thelr bands Motion Picture Dairy says: “dl new team of comics ... they stack up in their first much as Bud Abbott and Lou Costello stacked up in their first.” COMING SOON: Unknown Guest Motion PierureE Dairy says of it: “It does for its audtence tn its 65 minutes what the more nameful creations of Alfred Hlichcack do for theirs in 90 and 100,” * Tho fastest-growing company in the industry MONOGRAM PICTURES Toronto, Montreal, St. John Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver LE eee