Exhibitor's Trade Review (Dec 1923 - Feb 1924)

Page 38 Exhibitors Trade Review TRIED AND PROVED PICTURES You might also arrange with some automobile agency to allow several of their cars to stand in different sections, near the theatre, with signs on them saying merely : "Pawned." Also distribute plenty of literature which plays up the name of the picture. People seeing tht cars will talk about them, and shortly you will find the cars and the literature are being linked together. If there is a pawn shop in your vicinity you can fix up a great hook-up with him on all sorts of displays and advertising stunts. Approach him and see how many suggestions he has to ofTer. A man walking through the streets in his shirt sleeves on these rather chilly days will certainly attract attention. You might arrange with several men (they can be warmly dressed underneath so as not to catch cold) to have THESE PROVEN SUCCESSES Are New to Your Patrons — If You Haven't Played Them PLAY THEM NOW! with Virginia Valli and 1 he !:itOrm House Peters Universal Jewel "Play it. Had full house on bad night." — Paramount Theatre, Star City, Ind. Will make money for any exhibitor." — Indiana Theatre, Bloomington, Ind. "Best box-office value this season I" — Forum Theatre, Hillsboro, O. Directed by Reginald Barker Foolish Wives "Best business this year!" — Gem Theatre, Hobart, Ind. "Biggest box-office receipts of any!" — Dream Theatre, Viborg, S. D. "Smashed every record !" — Liberty Theatre, Long Beach, Calif. Universal Super Jewel Universal Jewel Triflinfi with Honor rt'i\a"st^" "Packed the house !" — Community Theatre David City, Neb. "Fine show. Good crowd." — Strand Theatre Dunsmuir, Calif. ' "Biggest money-getter of the year !"— Broot/vn Theatre, Detroit, Mich. Directed by Harry Pollard Tho FliTt ^''^ ^" 3" star cast 1. lie r liri Untversal Jewel "Grab this. Will make you money " Pauline Theatre, Muscoda, Wise. "We hung up a record !" — Blue Bird Theatre St. Paul, Minn. ' "Business was big!" — Temple Theatre, Bel laire, O. A Hobart Henley Production The Abysmal Brute reginaLd ..A , , „, DENNY A corker! Pleased eterybody."— Town Hall Theatre, Chester, Vt. "Extra good. Pleased 100 per cent."— JVejv Opera House, Dexter, Kans. "B^g attendance !"—5<rand Theatre, Altoona, A Hobart Henley Production The Shock starring LON CHANEY "Picture you can raise price on." — Palm Theatre, Mound City, III. "Very good business." — Belmont Theatre, Philadelphia, Pa. "Broke all past records I" — Empire Theatre, Milwaukee, Wise. Universal Jewel Hunting Big Game in Africa "Amazing results I" — Palace & Orton Theatres, Madison, Wise. "Record-breaking business!" — Auditorium Theatre, Newark, O. "Broke the season record I" — Arcadia Theatre, Savannah, Ga. Advertised in the Sat. Evening Post Universal Pictures Corp., CARL LAEMMLE, President them walk through the neighborhood wearing signs reading : "I pawned my coat to get the price of admission to the Theatre, but it was well worth the price. Go there this evening and you'll find out why; I did it." As an interesting prologue you might arrange for a little pawnshop sketch. Almost any sort of a story could easily be originated a'^d the tie-up with the picture in this way would be very effective. 'Blood and Sand' Spanish Love Released by Paramount BRIEF: A young Spaniard achieves fame as a bullfigliter and marries a girl whom he sincerely loves. His popularity brings him to the notice of a noble lady who sets her cap for him and wins him through flattery. But the experience loses him his wife, who finally comes to him again when h; is wounded in the fight that decides him in quitting the arena. TP HIS picturization of Ibanez's widely read -■ novel not only depends on the popularity of the author but carries along on the strength of its strong cast included in which are Rudolph Valentino, Lila Lee and Nita Naldi. There is no sidestepping the popularity of Valentino and it is natural, therefore, to suppose that the most lucretive avenue of exploitation would be the wide publicity of this star. All sorts of Valentino publicity including his beauty contests and the dancing stunts in which he has been engaging recently will all serve to reawaken interest in the actor and will arouse a renewed desire to see him on the screen. The play is Spanish but it is the story of modern Spain and is not a costume play. However, the costumes worn by the bullfighters will serve you in good stead in staging street ballys and gives you the theme for any number of fine prologues. These might be dance numbers, vocal selections or a small sketch which would be appropriate to the subject. There is big tie-up opportunity with the drug stores and beauty shops handling Mineralava since Valentino recently conducted a beauty contest sponsored by these people which received a phenominal amount of newspaper publicity. There is really no good reason why you should not ring in on this publicity at a time when the subject is still one of popular conversation. Displays of the advertised product together with stills and posters of Valentino will make splendid advertising for you. Go ahead and make the most of a real opportunity. 'The Kingdom Within' Inspiring Love Released by Hodkinson BRIEF: Just at the moment when the poor cripple who has been disowned by his father, who hates him for his deformity, is -being worsted in a physical encounter with the attackers of the g-irl he loves a miracle restores the use of his withered arm and he saves her life. '"PHE locale of the picture being a lumber camp, there is splendid material for merchant tie-ups along this line. You could arrange with the army-navy store for a showing of heavy boots, course gloves, sweaters and all such bits of apparel and link them up with fitting posters showing scenes from the picture. If your theatre happens to be in a mining or lumber town you might solicit the patrons with a personal letter. If you put this in the form of a seemingly personal invitation you will probably touch -their vanity and they will respond. You might even arrange for a special cut rate admission fee for all miners and lumbermen who come to the theater and can show their employment cards. You might also effect a tie-up with the store handling religious books. Their copy could read something like this: "Are you heeding 'The Kingdom Within'? Have you ever stopped to consider how much consolation and peace is contained in religious books. Come in and look over our stock. Also arrange to go to the Theatre and see 'The Kingdom Within.' " Since the hero of the picture is a cripple, you have good basis for enlisting the aid of the charitable organization which interests itself in the care of the cripples. You might arrange with them for a benefit performance which they will get behind and push in every possible way. Of¥er them a large share of the profits from this special performance if they will get behind the sale of tickets not only for this showing but during the entire run of the film. In this way you will get publicity through them which you might not otherwise have been able to secure. 'Experience' Morality Play Released by Paramount BRIEF : Youth leaves home for the city to meet Ew^ri^iice. He encounters pleasure in the city and falls prey to Fashion, Wealth and Intoxication. He descends lower and lower, till he takes to drugs and crime. Then he hears singing in a church, repents and goes back to home and love. THIS morality play which scored such a hit on the legitimate stage and was so warmly received by screen frequenters when it was first released, is the sort of a picture which never loses its popularity and will probably do as much on this repeated run as it did at first. The fact that Richard Barthelmess who is tremendously popular, is the star of the picture, should show its effect at the box-office if you give it plenty of publicity. Supporting him is Marjorie Daw, another drawing card. Play her up big, too. The lavish settings and rich display of clothes that play an important part in the film will make splendid exploitation material in merchant tie-ups. Especially elaborate are the quantities of furs used. These stills will make finei background for a rare fur display. Get the most prominent furrier to go in with you on this idea.. "Experience" has been published in book form and has been widely read. Tie-up with the shop keeper who sells books and get him to feature a revival sale of this popular story. You might do well to have signs printed which you will placard in every possible place. These should read : " 'Experience' has taught me that when I want real movie enjoyment, the place to get it is the ....Theatre." This notice should say nothing else, but near it should be another announcement card proclaiming the coming of "Experience" to your theatre. An original prologue which works right into the film would also be worth trying. It might be a scene showing Youth in his home town before he decided to leave for the city, or it might be an elaboration of some little incident in his early life. Any such thing would be pertinent and worthwhile. WHEN YOUR FEATURE FAILS, WHAT THEN ? ■THE SPICE OF 1 HE PROGRAM"