Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

34 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 16, 1922 American Releasing Distributes Absorbing Bible Series Scenes in Lands Where Religious History Began Will Be Published at Rate of One Reel a Week AN ABSORBING series of fifty-two reels of motion pictures of the Bible, produced by Geographic Films Company, Inc., of Cincinnati, has been obtained under a long term exclusive distribution contract by American Releasing Corporation. The series will be published at the rate of one reel a week for a period of twelve months. FOR many months an expedition sponsored by the Cincinnati organization of which Albert Krippendorf is president and J. E. Holley, treasurer and general manager, was lost to civilization in the depths of the Arabian desert, beyond the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the traditional places of the creation of mankind. Mr. Holley who had made two extended trips in previous study and preparation led the Geographic expedition and was instructed to "get everything to be had." This he did. * *■ ■ * Every city, every hill, every river, every sea, every place having mention in the Bible was filmed: Damascus, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Hebme, Bersheba, Gazu, Joppa, Caeserea, Tyre, Samaria. Shiloh, Jericho. Every mountain and valley, in all more than 1,500 places having connection with any part of the Bible in the old or new testament, were photographed and it was done with a purpose: To prove that an educational film may be made having tremendous magnetic entertainment values. This series taken by Mr. Holley's expedition is called basically "The Voice of the Land." It is embellished throughout in Prizma natural-color photography. This is not a sectarian series of productions, it is said, but a vast, cumulative history of the very cradle of civilization's foundation period or era. It is said to be a picture for the people of all faiths. Since the advent of motion pictures, schools and churches have sensed this industrial art as a great medium for the extension of their interests. Because of the inability to gain possession of the connection link to hold these potential aud'ences motion pictures have held but a mild interest for a large element of the national population. * * * The series of fifty-two pictures, comprising an entire year's program of entertainment, is offered at this particular time, according to American Releasing, to bring to the motion picture theatres in every city, town and hamlet in America the support of the millions of persons of all faiths who have awaited the presence of some particular and fixed feature in the programs of theatres everywhere to indicate that the professional and commercial picture industry really wanted to work with 100 per cent of the nation's people instead of with a limited audience seeking only the fictional dramas, scenics and news reels. To dispel the idea that this huge work is designed for religious or sectarian distribution, announcement is made by American Releasing Corporation that the churches and organizations of America with a first interest in the series have not only preferred but insisted that the series shall be sold to and shown in the regular picture theatres first ahead of showing anywhere else and American also announces that no individual one reel production out of the series can be shown in or be offered to any nontheatrical channel of presentation for four months from the publication date of each individual unit of the program thereby giving the commercial motion picture theatres a long period of protection or clearance against any competitive form of showing. First publication of the first subject in the series will be made in October. Sumatra Likes Spirit Of American Pictures (Washington Bureau, Exhibitors Herald) WASHINGTON, D. C, Sept. 5.— In Sumatra American motion pictures are admired for their spirit, their spectacular effects, the minute care taken in their production, and their beauty, says Consul Spamer, Medam, in a report to the Department of Commerce. "For the European population, high class pictures of society life with a touch of clean comedy are preferred. Children's plays are also popular. Cowboy reels are declining in popularity among Europeans and among the Chinese of the better class. To meet the demands of the Chinese and the native element which comprise the bulk of the theatre goers, cpmics, western drama and wild beast films are in favor. Five and six ree! subjects and serial pictures of thirty and thirty-six reels are in demand. More than 2,000,000 feet of film are imported annually into the Medam consular district in Sumatrn and 75 per cent of this is American. Get Important Post At Universal' s Plant (Special to Exhibitors Herald) LOS ANGELES, Sept. 5.— W. L. Rubert, for several years an official in UniversaPs Kansas City exchange, has been made assistant business manager of Universal City, one of the most responsible positions at the studio. He will ait' Julius Bernheim in the commercial administration of the studio. Rubert has been in the employ of Universal for many years. Wins Promotion With United Artists Corp. (Special to Exhibitors Herald) KANSAS CITY, MO., Sept. 5. — T. Y. Henry, United Artists branch manager in this city, has been promoted to assistant general sales manager and returned to New York on September 1. His successor has not yet been named. Paramount Executives Returning from Trips To Foreign Countries (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 5.— Following six weeks devoted to investigating trade conditions in European countries, E. E. Shatter, director of foreign department of Famous Players-Lasky Corporation will sail for America on the steamer Majestic, September 6. Mr. Shauer has visited Spain, England, France and Germany, and has been in conference with John Cecil Graham, the company's general foreign representative. Joseph H. Seidleman, special representative of the foreign department has just returned from a six weeks' trip to Argentina and Brazil. Mr. Seidleman spent a number of days at the Paramount office in Rio de Janeiro. Blumenthal Returning To America With New Film Acquired Abroad (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 5.— Ben Blumenthal, president of Export "& Import Film Company and Hamilton Theatrical Corporation, is returning to America after a four-month stay in Europe, bringing with him a print of a new production he has acquired. Advices from Mr. Blumenthal do not state title or nature of the film although his reports proclaim it as the greatest continental picture of the last three years. Pola Negri, famous Polish actress, who is coming to America to star in Paramount pictures, will be on the same boat. Janitor Admits Theft Of Films at Exchange (Special to Exhibitors Herald) KANSAS CITY, MO., Sept. 5.— Films valued at more than f.10,000, stolen from the Kansas City Pathe branch during the last year, have resulted in two arrests, with more expected to follow. Although the office has not been burglarized, films, mostly old ones, constantly have been disappearing, much to the mystification of Harry Graham, branch manager. Investigation revealed that Roy Ballinger, a motion picture theatre operator of Independence, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City, had been selling films to a film broker. Upon arrest Ballinger testified that he had purchased the films from Luthur Lawton, a negro janitor in the Pathe office. Lawton, after being crossexamined by the police, admitted he had been stealing the prints and selling them for small sums. Edward Laemmle Taken III at German Capital (Special to Exhibitors Herald) NEW YORK, Sept. 5. — Edward Laemmle, Universal director, is undergoing hospital treatment in Berlin from illness brought about by overwork and a nervous strain, according to word brought back by Harry Myers, film star, Laemmle, accompanied by Myers and a unit had gone to Europe for the production of "Castle of Craneycrow."