Canadian Film Weekly (Feb 25, 1948)

February 25, 1948 Flames, Explosion Damage Film Lab (Continued from Page 1) electric light fixture broke and ignited film but the cause nas not been determined. Nitric gas entered cir conditioning ducts, causing damege outside the assembly room, which is protected strongly to limit effect of an explosion. Heavy damage was done te the roof and it is expected that all repairs can be cornpleted within a month. Provincial and local fire chiefs investigated the fire to determine its exact cause in the interests of devising additional protection. It was found that the company had met all regulations and had installed extra safeguards not required by the specifications. These special measures, making Audio one of the safest film plants on the contincnt, were responsible for the comparatively minor damage. Between the time of the fire and the explosion about 30 employees vacated the plant. Those in the 160m where the fire occurred and the others in the building followed fire drill instructions immediately and were soon safe. While the area of important damage was limited, the explosion blew out windows in that part of the building. Plaster was loosened in the general cffice and the heating and water equipment affected for a few days. Fire reels from the vicinity were on hand in a few minutes, since the sprinkler system is connected with the alarm boards. Not @ single foot of negative film was lost, although there are about 10 million feet stored. Distribution heads found that there was nothing to worry about so far as negatives were concerned. Films awaiting processing are not needed for months to come and any delay which might result will not affect bookings. About half of the prints used in Canadian theatres are printed in Film Laboratories of Canada, which occupies part of the plant. Lucknow Manager Dies In Storm Rex Ostrander, manager of the Lucknow, Ontario, theatre, a 16 mm. operation, was killed in an automobile accident recently. His car skidded off the road during one of the worst storms experienced in Ontario in years and crashed into a snowbank. When discovered, Ostrander was lying beside his car and died o: a broken neck and internal] irjuries in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Canadian FILM WEEKLY Page 3 Ottawa And Industry [ax Opposed By Agree In Principle (Continued from Page 1) from the industry in return for permitting the industry to take Canadian dollars across the line.” The subject of movies came up when H. W. Herridge, Independent from Kootenay West, asked why certain necessary goods were being banned from Canada while Hollywood movies were being allowed in. Minister of Finance Douglas Abbott said the government wanted to interfere as little as possible with established industries on which a great many people depended. The entertainment industry, he added, employed a great many people and was “certainly not patronized only by the upper ten.” It would not be wise nor even desirable to cut it off in any way. He didn’t believe that anyone would want to prohibit American movies. Any measures by the movie industry to help Canada’s dollarsaving program will be temporary, it is expected, and not severe when compared with the British action. In a recent report of the United States Department of Commerce, Nathan D. Golden, motion picture consultant, admitted money restrictions would not be unexpected. “Canadian film distributors and exhibitors feel there is extremely little likelihood,’ says his survey, “that Canada will copy Great Britain by imposing high taxes on U.S. films, or that Canada will greatly increase customs duties on U.S. films to help the Canadian (and perhaps British) foreign exchange positions. They consider that U.S. films are an essential Canadian Winnipeg Pioneers Stage Big Dance The Winnipeg district branch of the Canadian Picture Pioneers has a great ball scheduled for Tuesday, February 24th. The entire eighth floor of the Murlorough Hotel will be occupied, while two dance bands wil! make music. The benevolent fund will benefit. There were 1,400 az the recent dance of the Vancouver district branch. import, the curtailment of which would result in dislocation and widespread dissatisfaction because British and other producers could not meet the demand either in quality or in quantity. ‘It is acknowledged, however, that Canada may possibly feel forced to withhold temporarily all or a part of the monies payable to companies in the U.S. for the use of their films. “In 1946, there were 799 feature films, 327 cartoons, 390 newsreels and 1,269 short subjects released for exhibition in Canada. Of the 799 feature films released, 638 were U.S. productions, 24 were British pictures, and 137 were from other countries. Films valued at $2,391,000 were imported during 1946 and proportionately a greater amount, $644,000, during the first quarter of 1947.” Golden also commented on Canada’s growing interest in theatrical motion picture production. SUMAN LS Return Your Ballots For the Annual BOXOFFICE POLL of the HSMILAIATUU LEILA UAHA UTS Canadian Film Weekly UNA HNN TR SU ICHOMAIIIOILC ATLA al Vol. 18, No. 8 Feb. 25, 1948 a a a a ee a ate ‘HYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor eS Address all communications—The Managing Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada. Entered as Second Class Matter, Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., 25 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Phone ADelaide 4317. Price 5 cents cach or $2.00 per year, Labor Unions (Continued from Page 1) Saunders of Toronto, speaking to Drew for the Ontario Association of Mayors and Reeves, asked for the right to reimpose the tax or that the Province do it and allocate the returns for hospitals and relief. The importance with which the possible reimposition of the tax is regarded by the Federation, which speaks for the main body of working people, is shown by the fact that it was included in a brief along with housing, occu pational hazards, mothers’ allowances, Dominion Provincial relations, education, forestry, hydro, police, beer taxes, intimidation of unions, milk subsidies, old age pensions and other matters. A number of Ontario newspapers have come out against any tax, while others favor it but say it ought to be reduced from the present 20 per cent. Support is growing for the contention of the National Committee of Motion Picture Exhibitors Associations of Canada that the tax for hospitals and relief, if imposed, should also go on many articles sold across the counter. In this way it would be borne equally by all sections of the population. Among the many papers against the tax are the London Free Press and the Regina Leader Post. Opposed to a Provincial or municipal tax is Mayor Garfield Anderson of Fort William, Ontario, an executive of the mayor's association. THEATRE REQUIRE: MENTS CONTRACT SALES OFFICE