The Exhibitor (1953)

IIIIIVE-IN THEATRES Seen is the wide screen recently installed at the Sundown Auto Theatre, Westfield, Mass. It is 70 feet wide and 36 feet high, and is said to be the largest outdoor screen in the country. It will be interesting to see if more outdoor theatres follow the example this coming season. At the start of this new year it will be interesting to see if the drive-in will con¬ tinue to grow and prosper as it has in the past few years. The Drive-In Committee of the Theatre Owners of America re¬ cently issued a report which is a fine summary of the. year 1953, and offers some hints and suggestions about the future of the outdoor theatre in 1954. Here is that report: 1953 has marked another year of changes and uncertainties in the drive-in theatre business, just as it has in the mdoors. Owners have been undecided as to what is the best policy to follow on large screens, 3-D, and other develop¬ ments. Looking at the overall picture, we find that more people attended driveins during the 1953 season than in any other year. 3-D In Drive-Ins Most reports are that when the novelty of 3-D wears off, usually after two pic¬ tures, business falls to below average. We have not yet seen a completed screen which did not cause streaks after being painted silver. It is especially noted in regular pictures, and we know of cases where this has hurt overall business for the drive-in theatres. To those in drive-ins who have not tried 3-D, it would be the recommendation that they hold back at this time until screen surface developments, that are now being tried, have been perfected. (Despite the cautious attitude expressed by the com¬ mittee the current revival of interest in 3-D films, plus a better caliber of prod¬ uct, makes this method of film presen¬ tation well worth the interest of outdoor operators. It also seems clear that most of the problems inherent in the projec¬ tion of 3-D films have been or will be solved before the 1954 outdoor season gets underway. — ^Ed.) Wide Screen Some new theatres have tried the new dimensions and as far as light is con¬ cerned, the’ results have been favorable with screens up to 110 feet in width. How¬ ever, as there are not yet enough pictures filmed for the new ratios, comments have been heard about cutting off part of the picture in some cases. (The recent pro¬ duction schedules announced by most of the major film companies for the coming season indicates that this objection will not be valid much longer. — Ed.) Continued Growth, and Greater Competition Seems to be the Drive-In Picture This Year The question arises as to whether drive-in screens can become so large that cars will have to sit about four ramps back in order to see it completely. At the present size many drive-ins are so built that only people in the front seat of a car can take in the entire picture from the first two ramps. We believe that as for CinemaScope, only the larger drive-ins can afford it at the present time. And as to stereophonic sound, we all know that this is an un¬ solved problem. Concessions Again all drive-ins seem to be improv¬ ing their concession set up, and sales per person increases each season with the addition of better services and new items. Special Programming With more competition, one of the dangers we are confronted with is the advent of policies that will earn a “quick buck” tonight, and cost many times that much to drive-in operators in weeks to come. One such policy is the “Dusk to Dawn” shows which are putting back the bad label drive-ins have fought to get rid of. In addition, this has brought to drive-ins unfavorable publicity in the way of raids, the public going to authori¬ ties to have restrictive laws put on driveins, and many other complaints. We can¬ not feel that one or two nights of a tem¬ porary jump in the gross is worth such an aftermath. We feel that every drive-in operator should think carefully of the consequences in the long run in any policy he installs. Manpower During the past year this committee has conducted management schools in conjunction with several TOA unit con¬ ventions. It was our idea to encourage the attendance of young men at these con¬ ventions, and give theatre owners an opportunity for these young men to learn the ABC’s of theatre operation — the small details — from men outside their own company. We feel that there are at least 75 to 100 theatres within a 50-mile radius of any local convention, and young men could be brought in for one day of “schooling” at each convention. Local units could select a “faculty” from top showmen in their territory who could conduct these classes. We can work to cure all of the ills of our business, but all of it will be to no avail if we have no trained young man¬ power to carry on our business. No mat¬ ter where we have traveled we are always approached with the question, “Where can I get a good manager? It is a national problem. They just won’t pop out of the ground — we have to cultivate them — and the young men’s manager’s schools are just a small step in that direction. »08 ANY lAMP. IN ANY $l2f IMIATM AND »N ANT $121 IHIATRI AND pKIWi iN PROJECT THE BRIGHTEST LIGHT POSSIBLE MORE ECONOMICALLY FROM “LOW” to HIGHEST “HIGH” CARBONS, INC., BOONTON, N. J. January 6, 1954 PHYSICAL THEATRE DEPARTMENT of EXHIBITOR PT-15