20th Century-Fox Dynamo (April 18, 1953)

Scope attractions starting next fall Mr. Skouras and William [Goetz (right) head of production for Universal-International, are pictured leaving a Cinema- Scope demonstration for top- notchers from other studios Earl I. Sponable (left), director of technical research, answers a technical question asked by A1 Lichtman per- taining to CinemaScope con- version by a large-city first- run deluxe theatre. Mr. Sponable is welcomed on one of "The Robe” sets by the latter’s producer, Frank Ross (right), "The Robe” is ideal for CinemaScoping and merits being the first filmed by that process. Back from the optical manufacturing plant in Rochester, N.Y., President Spyros P. Skouras (right) informs Director of Distribution A1 Lichtman he succeeded in negotiations for a considerable step-up in the manufacture of CinemaScope lens. Meantime, Mr. Lichtman announced a significantly increasing daily re- ceipt of applications from exhibitors for equip - ment. There may be indecision among some producers, but not where this company is concerned in the mat- ter of future dimensions and technological advance- ments of its attractions. This is the only major pro- ducing company that has announced, and detailed, a comprehensive program of wide-screen attractions. In fact, it not only has Cinema- Scope attractions in produc- tion, but it has announced, to the satisfaction of hundreds of theatre operators who have personally seen and appraised all of the new processes, that start- ing in October it will release wide-screen color attractions exclusively. So, it is not surprising to find such important exhibitors as Russell V. Down- ing of New York’s famed Radio City Music Hall, Charles Skouras of New York’s Roxy and National Theatres, Louis Schine, Si Fabian and hundreds of others ordering equipment to regularly present Cinema- Darryl F. Zanuck (right) is the only major studio head whose future plans are complete and definite, for ours is the sole plant with a comprehensive pro- gram to fill exhibitors’ wide-screen needs. Above, Mr. Zai\uck is pictured chatting with Mr. Skouras prior to the latter’s departure forNewYork. Incidentally, the manufacture of CinemaScope lenses has tremendously increased here and in France. HOLL D EXHIBITORS ENVISION HORIZON Revolutionary as the CinemaScope process acknowledgedly is, it is the first of a series of advancements from your company that will un- questionably make 1953-54 the most historic year in the annals of motion pictures. Your company is positively on the threshold of in- itiating advancements that will tremendously heighten the stature of the motion pictire thea- tre in every com nun ity—and certainly promote a corresponsingly increase in box office receipts that will relegate the past and present to ob- livion, comparatively. Steps for installation of CinemaScope equip- ment in domestic motion picture theatres are currently being taken. Director of Distribution Al Lichtman has personally heard from virtually every important motion picture theatre operator in the United States and Canada. He has also been approached by foremost producers, direc- tors, etc. These conversations have stressed one fact: CinemaScope is it! CinemaScope is the future of the motion picture. Mr. Lichtman shortly will return to the Coast to complete ne- gotiations for use of CinemaScope process of filming by other producers. But, tremendous as has been the impact of CinemaScope on the industry, it will spear- head a series of successively important ad- vancements that will further exalt this industry. Look to 1954 to bring Eidophor. Much has been said and published about this great theatre large-screen TV innovation. General Electric has this year been engineering Eidophor and has advanced its adaptability to motion pictures to the point where its engineers hope to soon have it in condition that all an operator has to do is "press a button” and theatre patrons will behold a TV-in-color show that will dwarf anything now available in entertainment. But, that is not all that 1953-54 will bring! Quietly, without any blasting of trumpets or publicity of any kind, your company’s research experts have been perfecting a color process that will amaze the industry and public. Appli- cation of this color process will definitely doom black-and-white movies! But, more about this later. More details concerning conversion of thea- tres for the exhibition of CinemaScope attrac- tions consist of (l) a CinemaScope screen of the proper size and type; (2) expanding Cinema- Scope lens to be adapted to present projectors, and (3) an adaptor to the present sound pro- jectors or a new sound projector to pickup the three CinemaScope sound channels, together with two or three amplifiers and associated speaker assemblies, depending upon the suit- ability of the present amplifier and speaker as- sembly. Provision will be also be made in the adap- tation or in the new sound head for pickup of the present conventional sound track, permitting the theatre to continue the exhibition of standard 35MM films upon the foreshortened convex screen. Many deluxe theatres will wish to in- stall additional sound channels with speakers more widely dispersed about the auditorium, in which case additional pickup equipment (to- gether with associated amplifier and speaker assemblies) will be available for such contem- plated installations. Without question, there will also be required in all theatres some structural changes as well as necessary elec- trical alterations. Bert Friedlob is the first independent pro- ducer to an no nice a CinemaScope production. He will make "Katie Called Katje,” based on Helen Moray’s novel, “Untamed.” Filming, in color, will start in October in South Africa. Page 7