New York Clipper (Aug 1915)

2.4 .THE. , NEW -Y-QRK- CLJPRE-R '.AiMguat.Zl MOTION PIOtn^E PEPARTPHT BABKT ENinS, UOflDIT' PICTVRB KDTTOB. FILMS POPUL AR IR FO RHGH LARDS. CONSULS DESCRIBE METHODS OF DIBTHl. BUTION AJKO VAaVING TASTES OF CON- SUMERS. A recent 'IssQC of Commerce Reports ■ coTiXa\jM some lilebly InterestlDg Infonnatlon regarOIng tbe . dlntrlbunon and riblbltlon of motion pictures In. coantrles where tbe U. S. malntJ&lns consular. ser- vice, llie' following v/Ul serve to show tbe vary- iDg tasces of consumer nnd ezhlbttor In several inoelf separated localities. CANADA. fCOKSDL HENRY P. STARRBTT, FO&T WILLIAM, ONTAJRIO.) • Vbe snccrs.s a ad steady development of. the motion picture tbpatro In Canada' baa' been, com- paratively fpeaklug, as phenomenal as In- the United State?. Tbe methods of the business, both In tbe operation of tbe bouses and In the', dis- tribution of films, have b«en - placed -on a - highly efficient basis. Existing theatres have been re- modeled, and the tendency In - new construction Is for more and mere elaborate theatres and the very best equipment. A.*- elsewhere, tbe encroachment of the picture tbeatrc upon tbe field of the "legiti- mate" stage has become a serlons menace to tbe <niccc?9tBl operation of the latter.' Gt^oerally speaking, the-plcture honse baB with- stood the abode of war much better than ' the vaudeville and regular playhouses. In'many of tho smaller and to some extent In tbe larger cities vaudeville and drama have definitely given way to motion pictures. 'Wliile It Is - true that some picture theatres have suffered keenly, from present day economic conditions and nrany have been forced tu cloee their doors for lack of patronage, those that have survived the strain nave been ' well rewarded by tbe larger attendanre resulting from the reduction In the nnmber of operating bouse?. Naturally these houses are competing very actively fo^ the business—some by offering addi- tional reels, and a few by catting, admission prices. Where a monopoly le enjoyed by one the- atre, or where an understanding exists between the several bouses, the reverse Is true, for they, have invariably advanced their admission charge to fifteen cents and. eliminated aU extra-film fea-. ture« and vaudeville acta. REASONS FOR DE:TEL0PBIENT IN WESTERN CANADA. In middle and Western Canada. parUeularly. the gre.it distances 'between important dtles have always constituted a serious obstacle to the suc- cessful operation of "legitimate" and Taode'vlllc houses. Prlnctpally for this reason, but also be- cause of tbe picture theatre's appeal to the person of small means, the dncmatognph business In Wostem Canada has developed to a wonderful degree, as Is amply demonstrated by the elaborate houses constructed and the high order of films shown. Tbe people are literally hungry for some sort of entertainment, and the photoplay aeems to fill the need admirably. The short Sammer srasoc also' contributes materially to the financial success of the picture theatre, for even In the hot months the houses are surprisingly well patronized. It has been estimated that-during normal times there were approximately 2,2CK> motion picture theatres In active operation In Canada, these hav- ing & dally attendance of about SOO.OOO people. It Is very doubtful, however, in - view <>f-present day condftlons, whether the number of such thea- tres now In op<>ratlon will.reach more tban-1,500. and It U certHln that the attendance has fallen off considerably. As ^<itatlaUcs on-these natters are practically Impossible to obtain, any statement of this nature Is largely a matter of gues-swork.. ■ FILM DIBTRimCTION : AND LEASING PRICES. As to the methods of operation of these the- atres it can be stated that practically all films are leased from di.<strlbutlng agencies located' at St. John (New"BruDKWlck), Montreal. > Toronto, Winni- peg, Keglna, Calgary and 'Vancouver, shipmontn bom;? made by. express dally or seml-weeKly, as r.e<Ml(>d. Bach agency usually provides .a. folrcted r.st of reels, four of' these constitiitlncr a "scfr- vlro;" L e., fOur different reels per day per week. Tbp usual most of n •'service" Is $40 to fno por wi'pfc. but for "serials" and certain "feature" r^s or for drstt option on new. reels on releasing dates In compottng cities as high as $350 per w«>c<< jier '°si<rvlc<>" has been charged. Most of the hnslnrss, however, Is done by -the regular agencies and for rcjiiilar Hcrvlco.":. "- " There are a few speeolators who Import "rainy" (wornout) European films at bargain prlc<>a, and those occasionally - find tbelr wov to many Cana- dian circuits: A few good Bnttsb and ' Kbropean films arc reenlorly imported, bat nsualiy tbe films from the Continent ore those that have beoome "ex- hausted" and are shipped to the Amerlca.o dnd other Moctrles in which they have not prevlonsly appeared. rrobably 95 per cent, of tbe fUms shown In Can> ode come from the Dnlted States. [Canada's im- ports of films from tbe tJnlted States-as- revealed oy official Amerlcnn statistics, ynn given lu Cam- merrc Jlrporta for April 3. Iftl.l, p. ."US.! There Is no regular productlan of films In the DomlniCHi at the present tlme^ KICENSES AND OPERATING HETHtfDS. '. A board .of censors In, the-capital of each-prov- ince pasKos upon all film's-abown,' and' Inspertonv ore emplo.ved to sec that-the rollngs. of' the hoa'n*.' nrp carried out. In Ontario the provincial llcensn fee for picture theatres Is $130 per aniium,'and If one or-'toore vandevUIe acts are shown an addi- tional'$100 Is charged.' Tbe municipal license fe« ranges-from $50 per annum'ln-the towns to ap- proximately $300 in- the larger cities. Theatres are open In the .large cities from 10 A. M.'to 11 p. u., the sho'W-conBlstlng-of-four reels and the adnilssloii being ten cents.' In the smaller cities the hours are from 2 to 11 P. -M.^ four to six recia being shown for tjen cents. .Reels are chanced dally,-on alternate days, or semi-weekly, according . to' the.' location end character .of' the., theatre... - In towns and small oitlee where-competition is not k>>en . tb'e. theatres, are open, only .at'.nigbt and Saturday^afternoons, the admission - being fifteen cents. . Whcneyed vandevlUe acts are given with the picture program- the admission'charges are higher.and range' In' accordance' 'With the number and quality of the acts. Picture booses are In- variably.' closed'on' Sundaya: ' KIND . OF FILMS. IN DEMAND. Canadian' audiences.are .-much, like "those in- the United. States. In. their, tastes .and. preferences for pictures. - They do-not like "costume" plays, nor .are tb'^ .enthuslaatlc .over ' "edncattonals''. except In certain centres, (suburban or family theatres), but exciting dramas and goo.d. comedies are very popular. . 'Ine "serials" 'Which have become so numerous' during the past year were 'well recelvt-d at first, but.at present'ifie increasing number of snch reels-has - led'managers' to request their sup- plying, agiencles'to .restrict cemlttanees to not. more than one per -week. - - Thosfe houses that-enjoy a family patronage or are sltnated In the towns, sitDI find a continued interest In these'"aerials,' and contlnD9'to'use'tli.em'..'. . ' GENOA, ITALY. (CONSDL GENERAL J. E. JONES, GENOA, ITALY.). Tthe Italians'ore-great supportersof mot\on pic- ture, shows, and the. business, is developing rapidly in all -parts of the kingdom.- This Is remarkable because of the high - prices which prevail, tickets ranging from ten cents for third class to eighteen cents for first class, with extra prices. for expen-. slve flima .The.city of G,enoak boasts npwoird of fifty cine- matographs, and while-the large-majority of - these are. housed in small rooms, or halls,, there Is a.ten- dency - toward --more pretentious establishments, and: a picture theatre .has'just been'.erected'at a cost of nearly - $100,000. - Most of the motion pic- ture bouses'aTe otr Twentieth of September Street, which Is the-principal-thonraghfare of Genoa ana the- popular promenadr.- Itallan love for adventure and all emotional Impulses finds expresiuo'n in the-demand-for.films of this character. A film of Intense tragedy with a short'comic-reel Is tbe best program toat could be presented. ADVERTISING METHODS. The cinematographs are well advertised. The newspapers. carry regular notices for the more Important theatres, and- billposters are also ex- tensively employed. These are carefully' attached to billboards by means of tacks, for posters are expensive and economy suggests conuhued use. Uniformed criers - or "barkers" are stationed be- fore the Important picture honses and outllne-the -thrills 'Which, accompany-the-presentation of the A large iUiimlnated sign on the'prlnclpal square of 'the"city flashes,- at internals or a minute, the advertisements of-many of the larger bouses.< Tills advertising'is augmented, as tci tbi United State's, by .statements .of: coming attractions thrown, on the' thea tre ^screen's during intermissions. >'Since'-the- war. began, some, of the' more.'enter- prlslng managers-show-the-U^y positions of the Tarpons armies by the aid of a'map and tiny flag?. To-this is-added a-short bulletin of the' Important events of-the; day.--'rbls. njftbod .of ndvertlsln;; attracts many people to. tbe motion picture house.<:. Another method-of advertlsin;t"*s the issuance of ci>upons with every first class'ticket sold, which, 'When- presented oiil certain days, entitle the holder to'.a. discount of Oilrty per cent.. ttl^TENUE-STAMPS ON TICKGTB-^HCSIC A - - . _ ."FKATURK. ■ . . , . ' ' '' Thf . &nccean of the-clnematograpb was ntllized ditrlitg' the early.days .of the' -war as a method! of tax collectlon. and. since Nov. 12, 1911, nil tickets ta matron picture' houses most bear a revenue stamp I'pf one cent gold. Recently there has beeii a-pripo&al-to Increase this tax In accnrdan>-e with the value, of the ticket, but the matter has been postponed nntll the end of June. 1910. One of the good features of the picture theatre.-i of Italy Is the case of egress. In selecting a lo- cation preference Is given to property on <-ornerB of. streets or alleys, and -the doors- are thrown open during Intermlssrons 'with the result tbat the ue- atre Is qolckly omptle<l. Great att^tlon Is pa1() to l^glene.'a'nd some of tbe bouses advertise the pnnflcatloa-of tbe alr by germicidal preparations. are .entitled to. donble. pay).; itnd.a'firemen's tax, -an eqaal- number of -firemen being also on dnty at ' tbe' theatres and receiving the same pay as the 'The price of admission ranges BHveen'nlnc and twenty-one cents. On . working days there. are tltree sections - lasting about on hour and a hair each, and on Sundays and holidays-five. The best places have falfly good orchestras, which pl.iy ac- ceptable music .during the Intermissions and.some- times in the course of the performance. ' The the-' atres are. quite. small as. compared with' the .large halts in -other cities, and rents-are exceedingly . high. . , . . FILMS OBTAINED IN PARIS OR' BARCELONA. .There are- two ' firm.<i' [names' obtainable,' upon reqncst,' from the'Bureau of Foreign and Domost'c - commerce or its branch-offices, which'will also fur- nish a ' list of the Lisbon' clnematograpiis] tb,it 'Supply the different theatres wlm flhns;' Tbcs,' companlea secure their' films in Paris and Barc- lona—chiefly In the hitter city, where the l.irgc ' continental film houses have agendea. The amount of the rental,' depends,- of course,' OS 'ttae 'natiu'e end lenirth of the-fltm; ■ - - French, Italian,- German. Danish, Austrian aud American films ■ nre' ' exhibited.' but prtndpnll.v 'French -and Italian. The - French "Pathe" and "HJa'tmont" Alms nnd 'the 'Italian "Clnes," "Pns- quall," ".<mbroslo." "Aqull" and "MUlano" se<'in to-be-the most popular.' The Amerlcsm'"Srttg" nnd "Transatlantic" are occasionally seen. Films 'if scientific or -geocraplilcal- Interest are' snown nt the Portugnese Qeographlcal Society, Lisbon. Tbe tariff dn^ -on -films is fifteen per cent, ud valorenh AZORES. <Oeif«tlI. WALTER H. SOHI7LZ. ST. MICHAELS). The posBlbUltles Offered'by-the Azores to Anier:- can'fllm nianufactnrera arc not of a .Terr cncourn;:- Ing nature. -Tbe number of motlno picture tbr- atrea and performances is extremely limited, buc tbls-ln-a measure can tie acccuotcd for by the hlg:i price of' admission. If a' Ave cent show couid li^^ produced-In - the Islands, tbe cinematograph Indus- try.-Would, probably prosper. . It would be well fo? American exporters to-hear this in mloj^ nnd In their corresjioDdefice with local' lqtcrest!ii(nnpha<'lr.e the success of this class of fl:m in tbe ITnlt'-d States. The earning capacity of . tbe people Is Iciv. Int'the large Po'rtugue3e-.\merlcan eleDinnt In t:i'! Wlwnrts adds so little Interest to the possibilities ot the market. POPULATION OF ISLAND TOT^NS— ATTENDANCE. Of 'the nine Islands of this archipelago, three liave motion picture theatres. Ponta Delgada, the largest city on the Island of St. Micli.nplfi, Iiom three'theatres, .and, there are small one's in four other towns of this Island.. There is one thentri> at Angra,'the' capital'of Tercelra Island, and one at Horta, the capital of FayaL A second theatre Is under' constmctlon at norta. FILMS RENTED FROM LISBON DISTRIBUTORS. Tbe filths used by all these theatres are rented .from two Lisbon-manufacturers and distributor.t. Leaders and Inserts are in Portuguese or Spanish. In 1914 the Theatro Ulchaelense used oOO.OUO'feot of film, the Salao Avenlda, 328,000, and the Salao Electrlco, ise.000 feet. Ordinary 1,000 feet reels of photoplays,. comlrs. etc., are imted to-the Island theatres for fifteen days at a rental of $1 for the period. The talgb«r grade photoplays, colored films, etc., pay. a rentiil of 'five cents a. foot for the. fifteen days. On the .longer series fllms-tbls amounts to. SE> or $0 a day. L«al theatre Mid $7 a day-.for "The ;I.ast Days of Pompeii," j'CIeopatpa," nTeinpest" and ''Queen iiarcot, ■ • and $5 a dav , for "Companions In Si- lence," "Knight-of the Bed House" and "Vultures of Paris." PORTUGAL . (COHBVIi GBNBRAL' W. U LO'WRIB, LISBON.) -'□iCSiotlbn. plctnre. theatre' has not. reached. In Lisbon as yet-tne-popularity that It enjoys-ln most large'cities.'of Europe, and America. .This is due partly-to tlie-hlgh admission prices made necessary by the taxei-which'thene places are compelled to- pa.v. -These-lnclode-a municipal tax of-$4O-tO'$G0 a.ipontl(.'c'd^m>ndlng.on~the site of hall.:, a.police. t»s^ (our,or dvo polIcemei>.being on duty at eaclr theatre ' in the evening and receiving fifty - cents each (If.tbe-performance lasts over midnight they DANIEL FROHHAN pNUBis ; The Aitiflta BeantlfDl HAZEL DAWN S IN - THE HEART OF JENNIFER - By EDITU BARNARD DELANO A Drama ot aacrince In 9 Farta, . Oelen'setl Aug, 30 ProdacedbytUe FAHOiJS PLAYEBS FlLl iCO. ADOLPH 20E0R, Preit. - DAKIEL PaoaMAH, Uansgbif Director EDWlM 8. POKTER, Treas. Foen. Mgr. ExecaUv60fflces:2l3Js^ W.zethSL.N.Y. Canadian dlstzlbators; Famous.'Playeis Film Service, Ltd; ^a'> , CALOABT—UpNTBEAL-^TORiONTO