Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER Editorial Board: Stephen Ackroyd, Donald Alexander, Max Anderson, Edcar Anstey, Geoflrcy Bell, Ken Cameron, Paul Flatcbar, Sinclail Road, Onlume Tharp, Bad WligM Editor: Davide Boultini S|l>" »nJ Account*: I'.KKy HuKhis "NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 1947 VOL 6 NO 60 PUBLISHED BY FILM CENTRE 34 SOHO SQUARE LONDON WI 149 QUESTIONS TO THE KRS 150 NOTES OF THE MONTH 151 EXTRACT FROM GRIERSON 152-154 EDINBURGH IN REVIEW 155 BOUQUETS DEPARTMENT 156 SIR STAFFORD CRIPPS AT THE ASFP 157 PRODUCTION OF A COI FILM 158 JEAK— A DOCUMENTARY CLOSE-UP 159 NEW DOCUMENTARY FILMS 160 CORRESPONDENCE 161 THE DEATH OF MAJOR DOCUMENTARIES? 162 THE EDINBURGH FILM GUILD 163-164 FILM REVIEWS— DANISH Annual subscription 6s. (published six times a year) Bulk orders up to SO copies for schools and Film Societies QUESTIONS TO THE KRS at the September Council Meeting of the Kinematograph Renters' Society the Film Society movement was condemned as a 'breeding ground for the leaders of anti-film attacks'. It would be interesting to know the exact meaning of the statement, but it's not difficult to understand this sudden feeling of antagonism on the part of the KRS towards the Film Societies. Since the arrival of the import tax, re-issues have suddenly become important — important to the renters. Up till now, the Film Societies have been big customers of re-issues and, therefore, the KRS feels a cool breeze and develops a stiff neck in that direction. But has the KRS ever stopped seriously to think about Film Societies and about the films they show? We wonder just what the KRS knows about the matter; maybe it will not be out of order if we give here a short resume of the development and activities of Film Societies. It might even reach the eyes of the KRS and convince them that they are conceivably looking through the wrong end of the telescope. The Film Society movement began in England with the formation of the London Film Society in 1925. The aims were 'to show a group of films which are in a degree interesting and which represent work that has been done, or is being done, experimentally in various parts of the world'. Before the war there were 40 Societies in England but during 1939 this number dropped to 23. In 1945 an English and Welsh Federation of Film Societies was set up with the thirty members. There are now about 75 General Societies and 50 Scientific Film Societies, the latter represented by the SFA. A rough membership estimate of both ordinary and scientific groups works out at a total of about 65,000. The Societies have had to fight their way along. Local authorities with a few exceptions (notably the London County Council) have been unco-operative. Watch Committees have been active in setting themselves up as censors over the films which the Societies wish to show. But never before have the Film Societies also had to stand out against the renters. It is worth considering the type of programmes planned. In early days, documentary had a big place — it was through these shows that the early work of the documentary film producers became more widely known. Russian films banned by the censors such as Battleship Potemkin could only be seen by members this particular film has never had theatrical distribution in England. Modern programmes are heavily overloaded in the direction of French feature films; Danish, Czech, Italian and Russian work is included. Documentaries from all countries are shown as well as the best English features. Naturally Hollywood has a place also in the programme — 'Classics' such as the Grapes of Wrath, Of Mice and Men and the Chaplin films appear time and time again. But, in looking over all available programmes for the last year it would seem that there are very few occasions where any Film Society bills a film which has been a big box-office draw all over the country. On the other hand, many of the films shown to members and receiving the most enthusiastic receptions are ones which either have never had full theatrical distribution or have proved disappointing in terms of box-office receipts. The average weekly attendance at the cinemas is in the neighbourhood of 20,000,000 at the worst. We have said that Film Society membership is about 65,000. Is it possible that an annual membership of 65,000 can have any effect on a weekly attendance of over 20,000,000? On the other hand, 10 million adults do not go to the cinema at all — it is reasonable to suppose that some of these people are Film Society members. We must also remember that most groups do not hold shows all the year round the most usual arrangement appears to be fortnightly throughout the winter months. In ouher words, anj effect which Film Society membership might have on attendance at general cinemas is very, %erv small and, on the whole, the members go to their Society shows to sec films which they cannot sec at the 'local' In other words may we respectfully pose two questions to the KRS on behalf of the Film Societies? I hese .: ic) What is meant by saying that the Film Societ) movement is a 'breeding ground tor leaders of anti-film attacks' ' (6) Do the renters feci that their interest! a: e being threatened by the existence of Film Societies ' I: ■