Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1951)

6XHIBITORS FORUm Opinions Culled from Organization Bulletins 'SECURITY' PACTS ATO of Indiana Several of the major film companies are selling or plan to sell pictures in groups to some of the smaher situations, it has appeared to us that this method is very practical for many theatres but belore you accept it as all to the good with no disadvantages we call your attention to an exhibitor complaint voiced by a member of Mid-Central Allied. "In these days of print shortages, it is surprising how prints can be located when the purchase of the picture depends upon a date, and it is alarming how prints disappear when the group is all sold, and your name is on the dotted line for a mess of product. Objection No. 2 is even stronger. The old time worn, dog eared "stop-picture" gag has been dusted off and brougnt into play. For example, I quote from letter written by Paramount's booker, which reads as follows: "I will not be able to book "Let's Dance" on March 10-12, as this would be skipping "Sunset Boulevard," "Dark City'" and "Tripoli." In the future, I am going to exercise my right to buy one picture at a time and have it dated when purchased. » » * BUSINESS ETHICS Notwithstanding the fact that boxoffice receipts are still declining, the seven major companies are, in many instances, still demanding extortionate rentals, and we sometimes wonder if the time is not opportune far the Messrs. Schenck, Warner, Balaban, Skouras, Cohn, Blumberg and Depinet to call in their top sales managers and explain to them that the time has now arrived when they should get away from the long standing policy of getting as much as the tariff will bear, which, in most cases, is a little more than the other fellow. Certainly, it's beyond the realm of good and decent business ethics for one division of an industry to increase its profils while the most important division continues to suffer in both gross and net. What do you say, Messrs. Schenck, Warner, Balaban, Skouras, Cohn, Blumberg and Depinet? For each and every response we receive from these gentlemen, the undersigned will personally donate $10 to the Heart Foundation. We can afford to make this offer because the only one to respond will be Mr. Skouras. —P. J. Wood. Secretary, ITO of Ohio RE ROY ROGERS Allied Theatres of Michigan This office recommends that the new Roy Rogers picture "Trail of Robinhood" be given consideration. We feel that this is just the best Roy Rogers ever and those houses that play it have a real thrill in store far them. It is a nice picture all the way through but the thrilling and dramatic finish is a knock-out. In addition to Roy, the cast includes Jack Holt, Rex Allen, Rockv Lane and many other western stars. It is a picture of action and the kids will love it. It offers great selling opportunities, that is the reason for our calling your attention to it. Don't let it be just another Roy Rogers picture. It has the potential — it is up to you. Allied Caravan We think that color is an important ingredient in determining the box office value of a picture and that many exhibi tors paid Republic extra rentals for Roy Rogers pictures because of color. We note that the Salesman's Work Sheet for Republic's 1950-1951 program lists the six Trucolor but that apparently the two first Rogers pictures on the 19501951 deal are in black and white. Exnibitors should be on guard for this when maKmg their aeal. Exhibitors who have made deals based on the Work Sheet specifying Trucolor should have the privilege of renegotiating terms on pictures delivered in black and white. KID SHOW HINTS Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana We are quoting below from a letter received from an ATOI member who has had unusually good luck with Saturday Kid Matinees. 'T have heat-d many exhibitors say that their children s shows are poorly attended and that they do not get support from the parents. Maybe my success with these shows has just 'happened' but I would like to pass on a couple of practices I have because I have received spe cific favorable comment on them. First, I always arrange the program to begin at 1:30 and end at exactly 4:30. The mothers think that 3 hours is all that their children should be in the show and by letting out promptly we never keep parents standing around and waiting for children who are held in the show 15 minutes or a half hour longer than expected. We also always turn up the lights at the end of the show because otherwise the children stay on and their folks get angry and discipline them by not allowing them to come back again for a while. (It also clears our seats for the adults who come later.) We also turn up the lights about in the middle of the program. The parents like this because it gives a good chance for supervision and control. During this intermission we speak from the stage to the youngsters and tell them about the fine program we will have on next Saturday. This sells better than trailers could. It also gives the children a chance to go to the rest rooms. (Usually they stop at the concession stand on the way back to their seats)." PROFITS & RENTALS Allied of E. Pa. While the boxoffice is going down and down and down, the bloated distributors are exerting extreme pressure by every conceivable method to push film rentals up. This campaign is relentless and takes every form — increased flat rentals, higher percentages, wrong allocations, forced preferred playing time, lower split figures, and many other gimmicks. Only the informed exhibitor, armed with information furnished by Allied, is in a position to resist these increasing film rental demands. All authorities appear to agree that there must be increased boxoffice receipts resulting from the general economic conditions. One straw in the wind is the report of the Public Assistance Department of Pennsylvania that there has been a 33% reduction in payments to unemployed, and to those requiring state aid. However, this and other information of a similar character should not lull independent exhibitors with the idea that current film rentals can be paid. Practically everything that the exhibitor buys plus the payroll is going up. Now is the time to re-examine your overhead, make cer tain that all items of expense are includ^ ed, and buy film so that you can make a profit. ALLIED BLESSINGS Iowa-Nebraska Allied Charlie Niles, National Allied Treasurer writing in Caravan Letter: What you have in Allied: I could not help but think what a wonderful organization the Allied members have in that we can pick up the phone and get thei opinion of Abram F. Myers, like we did! on the National Screen matter spoken of in this letter. You members get this information pronto and from a man who can speak with authority in this business, he has been right on every count. Years' ago my father taught me to ignore a competitor, but we can't help but laugh at the mouthings of a certain so-called exhibitor group in recent trade papers — divorcing was all wrong, the good old: days of monopoly were the only thing.' Well, go back a few years ago, you were not using Metro along comes "King Solomon's Mines" that you wanted to play, I you would be forced to buy every pic-, ture Metro had released since talking pictures came in to get "King Solomon's Mines." Take another company, Fox,i can you imagine how you would be taken over the coals in attempting to buy: "Cheaper By The Dozen." Look at all, the good pictures today being made on, a free market that must stand on their' individual feet to be sold, all this a result of the Decision in the Paramount Case. Of course, if I had a large circuit, could force anyone to sell out to me by1 the threat of building a theatre, had' clearance of ninety days over all my competitors, owned a picture company and could steal my pictures and gouge my competitors, perhaps we could go along with this false doctrine but beingi an independent and wishing to remain an, independent and wishing to buy selective-, ly, and not wanting clearance over anyone nor wanting anyone to have clearance over us just because they own 110 popcorn machines to our one, all we can, say is God Bless Allied. * * * DELINQUENT DISTRIBUTORS ATO of New Jersey We just don't understand why distributors continually force percentage pic-! tures upon exhibitors when our business doesn't warrant them. Through thesel percentage arrangements, they control, not only our boxoffice but our playing time and they force us to date the picture; not to the best interest of the theatre. Another serious problem is the failure of the branches in the metropolitan area to obtain a sensible allocation of all pictures prior to availabilities. The exhibitor is forced to play these pictures late because there is either no allocation or, the original home office designation is ridiculous. What sense is there in screen-' ing a picture when allocations are made: of pictures weeks after availability. Every company is guilty of this almost without exception. If a picture is to be sold in the third bracket finallv, what purpose is there to start out asking top terms. The delin-l quency in buying these pictures is not| the fault of the exhibitor but can be laid, directly on the doorstep of the distributor whose judgment is one that puts alii pictures on top, preventing the conclu-l sion of a deal in time. For heaven's sake, stop this nonsense, take a look at a pic«J ture and decide what the picture is worth. 22 FILM BULLETI