Canadian Film Weekly (Oct 23, 1957)

Page 4 COMMERCIALISM (Continued from Page 1) up a moneymaker like Love in the Afternoon just because Gary Cooper is a big-scale hustler for a soft drink? Some who used to say no to screen ads, being both practical and philosophical and knowing money could be had, have developed a might-as-well-relax-and-enjoy-it attitude toward this kind of inevitability. These are mainly independents, for Twentieth Century Theatres and Famous Players are among the circuits that still hold out against screen advertising. They made an exception some years ago for a short made by | Associated Screen News for the bankers’ association because $20, 000 was paid to Variety Village, the vocational guidance residence school for handicapped boys, which the Canadian amusement industry supports. Of course, some theatre people | who are snooty about straight © screen advertising and resentful of the put-one-over type projected via features have their own kind of hypocrisy. That consists of playing industrial shorts with theatrical quality. These have one frame — devoted to the sponsor and that’s © all. The exhibitor is happy because | he gets the short for nothing. The | producer and the sponsor are happy too. More producers of busi ness-backed films are beginning to _ describe this or that one of their — films as ‘“‘theatrical’’ in the hope — playoffs. | of getting commercial And they try hard to keep them out of the ‘‘nuts and bolts film” category. Even theatrical distributors are making a buck or two handling this type of film, being paid so much per reel or per print every time they can show that one has been booked theatrically or otherwise. Sovereign Films, Canada’s largest 16 mm. distributor, has a large library of short subjects of this type and they bear such leading commercial names as_ Seagram’s, Dominion Steel and Canadian Pacific. Sovereign is also distributor for Modern Talking Picture Service, a New York educational library. Where a distributor-exhibitor of circuit size undertakes the distribution and exhibition of an industrial film, that film becomes big business. Petrafina’s The Great Essential, counselled by Bill Singleton of Montreal and made by Associated Screen News, is being distributed and exhibited by The Rank Organization in Canada and Europe. The film tells the story of oil. The Rank 16 mm. distribution organization also has some industrial films for home use, along with a complete library of industrial processes, among them demonstrations of the making of steel, optical glass, plastics and liners. It has the largest library of reli CANADIAN FILM WEEKLY EXCLUSIVE CANADIAN DISTRIBUTORS FOR PROJECTION & SOUND EQUIPMENT CENTURY is a name that is solidly established through years of theatre experience —it assures you of the finest quality projection and sound equipment. DSEL stands for service that keeps your box office always open for business. DSEL is also headquarters for Altec Stereophonic Sound—Wide Screen Equipment—Generators and Rectifiers—Screens—All Projection Requirements. DOMINION SOUND Equipments Limited <> DS-57-10 HEAD OFFICE: 4040 St. Catherine Street West, Montreal. BRANCHES AT: St. John's, Nfld., Halifax, Saint John, Quebec, Montreal, OHawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, ‘ North Bay, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver. OUR BUSINESS (Continued from Previous Page) stand, however, that while it is wonderful to slant films at the younger groups it would be foolhardy to limit the theme, scope and boxoffice potential of films in general so as to fail entirely to attract any segment of that vast group of the population in and past their thirties. Many of them still enjoy a good movie and will go frequently if lured by the right attractions. —— a gious films among the commercial concerns. In an age of advertising, when the payola and the plugeroo is commonplace, it is unlikely that the motion picture industry would be completely outside the huckster influence. What with assertions that paysee viewing would avoid commercials, it may be that television, a huckster’s paradise now, would provide the only area of immunity. A strange prospect indeed but there, because of the way the theatre screen is going, you are. Paramount's ‘Maracaibo’ Frances Lederer has been signed by Paramount for a starring role with Cornel Wilde in Maracaibo. HOW 10 ATTRACT (Continued from Page 1) five per cent of the revenue to be used for advertising and publicity. Kershaw asked that this matter be introduced before the coming meeting of the Motion Picture Industry Council of Canada. Douglas Miller, now president, thought it might be better to set up an Alberta committee first and try the idea in Alberta before taking that step. John Ferguson of Famous Players said that exhibitors ought to be glad to see a crowd in the opposition theatre, for it indicated that the public was still theatreconscious. Joe Godfrey of Picture Butte told of his success in filling the house with a Sweethearts’ Night after both a Father’s Night and Mother’s Night had little success. A Crazy Hat contest filled his theatre with teeners and he is using it regularly. Passes in every tenth popcorn box and a birthday registry, which is used to offer admission and a free chocolate bar to youngsters, have been good. Jack Diamond, Calgary drive-in operator, thought such ideas okay only in the country. A. W. Shackleford of Lethbridge said that the Academy Award Sweepstakes was not all that was hoped for in Alberta. October 23, 1957 ODEON MANAGERS (Continued from Page 1) enjoyable events filled out the day. The business session took place all day Monday with the opening remarks by Steve McManus, Ontario District manager, who stressed the informal ‘‘let’s get down to earth’ character of the meeting. Frank Fisher, vice-president and general manager, chaired the session. His opening remarks expressed Odeon’s optimistic and enthusiastic outlook for the future of the motion picture industry. He also expressed satisfaction at the improvement shown in business and called for an all-out effort to maintain the forward momentum. C. R. B. Salmon, executive vicepresident, spoke on various topics, including Telemeter. Each departmental executive spoke briefly on the latest developments affecting his department, then answered questions from the floor. Considerable interest was shown by managers in Odeon’s ‘“‘New Look’”’ administration, which will provide them with a more efficient and simpler system of handling administrative details at the theatre level. Winners of the recent Boxoffice Bonus Booster Contest for showmanship were presented with their trophies by Fisher. Winner was Victor Nowe of the Odeon Carlton, Toronto; runner-up was Paul Hanner of the Odeon Danforth, Toronto and now assistant to Ron Leonard, director of advertising and publicity; and third was Frank Kennedy of the Capitol, Niagara Falls and now at the Odeon, North Bay. Among those present were E. G. Forsyth, assistant general manager; Harvey Hunt, director of film buying and booking; Tom Moran, director of confections sales; Ron Leonard, director of advertising and publicity; Harry Blumson, treasurer; A. J. Pauley, director of engineering and maintenance; Bob Gardner, director of movie clubs and gift ticket sales; Guy Upjohn, head booker; Chuck Sweeney, purchasing agent; and Charles Mason, director of advertising, Rank Film Distributors of Canada Limited. Warners’ 'The Sundowners’ Gary Cooper and Deborah Kerr have been signed to star in Warner Bros.’ The Sundowners, whicn Fred Zinneman will produce and direct in Australia early in 1958. Columbia's 'The Grasshopper’ Carlos Romero, Claudia Bryar, Jack Lord and Barry Atwater have been given the top featured roles in Columbia’s Betsy Palmer starrer, The Grasshopper. UA's 'Hole In The Head’ Frank Sinatra has acquired Arnold Schulman’s hit play, Hole in the Head, in which he will star and which will be produced and directed by Frank Capra for UA release.