Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

EXHIBITORS FORUfTl Opinions Culled from Organization Bulletins PERCENTAGEITIS Allied Caravan of la.-Neb. & Mid-Central You can't argue with the facts. The facts are that business is not setting any records despite the exuberance of the ad-writers for the distributors. The facts are that the June and July Excise Tax returns are more than somewhat behind the same months for last year. In the light of this we are getting n dose of percentageitis that is threatening to become a flood. Now, if production had been making such tremendous pictures, such barnburners as they claim, such "seeing is believing" better pictures, such "saying it with pictures— not slogans" better pictures, such "no business like 20th-Fox business" better pictures, wouldn't you think that the excise tax would be on the up-trend instead of constantly getting lower? It looks to us like somebody doesn't have their finger on the public pulse nearly as well as they'd have us believe. There have been but a few really big grossing pictures out for several months. There have been a few with the potential to do outstanding business and it looks like there are a few coming up. It is somewhat more than ironic that the majority of them have all the way from a "must" percentage to a 70 per cent tag placed on them. This leaves the exhibitor the tasty choice of either "taking his own adjustment" or raising his admission prices. Or you could just pass them. BUT, we need good pictures. Distributors know this. They should also know that in order to have a market for their "mid-weakers" they have got to let us make some money on some of their product, or there will be another outbreak of the theatre closings that hit us last spring— OR IS THIS WHAT THE DISTRIBUTORS WANT? Allied has predicted for the past year that the bait takers on these percentage deals in little towns was going to bear an ill fruit. It looks like the predictions are coming true. You can expect nearly everything with the potential of getting some of the big money that you need to make up for some of the losses that you've been taking to have a percentage tag on it or in an unbearably high flat bracket. It's about time Distribution takes some notice of these small towns.— And then they say there is no need to arbitrate film prices. NOT MUCH!— They want to blame it all on a lack of showmanship. We even have a tendency sometimes to place too much of blame there. It is more than that. It is a lot prices. And the most ungodly and unfair are those deals that force percentage up to as high as 70 per cent. It looks to us as though Allied is going to have to get even tougher. FRESH ADS ATO of Iowa-Nebraska While most industries seem to have turned their advertising over to specialists in that game the movie industry stands pat with the same old adjectives, superlatives, lithographs, repeated and repeated and repeated mats, sam old standard "grind-'em-out-like s-uisage" press releases and always toss in a little sex_even on JOHN FELL OFF THE PLOW. Advertising, how much and what kind has always been the bug-a-boo of the small exhibitor. That is each theatre's individual problem. A fresh approach is badly needed in this industry both on a national and local level. The different, the novel, the thing that's out of the ordinary is worth twice as much its cost in standard ads. Notice how QUO VADIS was handled in the state, papers. Just like every other picture. (We're talking about advertising, not selling policy.) There was nothing in the ads other than blown up size to make it look different than any other biggee. And the public has just about been told enough that all pictures are biggees. Look at Kellogg's Corn Flakes ad in the latest issue of LIFE (or is that word taboo) if you want to see a different ad. It's fresh, different and we'll bet a buck you'll look at it for a full minute. This industry, which was the originator of clever advertising, had better sharpen its pencil and get out of the rut. As a horrid example, take Meto's ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD. Here we have a swell comedy, oodles of baseball, a cute title,. The three sheet has a pseudo-suggestive pose by Janet Leigh and a hideously contorted face of Paul Douglas with a small scene of a fight with people in civilian clothes. Where's the suggestion of baseball? Where's the appeal to comedy? In fact, where's the appeal? But, we don't want to blame it all on the press book makers. Advertising on the local level with the right gimmick is still the thing that gets 'em talking. TAXES DOWN, B. 0. TOO Allied of E. Pa. Federal admission tax returns are about two months behind because as you all know the admission tax is paid the end of the month following the period of the tax. Figures for the first six months of this year show that the 1952 figures are still below 1951 even though there are signs of a summer pick up. You are again, reminded of this nation-wide condition of the boxoffice to alert you to the importance of close supervision of your expenses, particularly film rentals. LAUGHS NEEDED Allied of E. Pa. A recent Caravan bulletin bears re-printting— "WE THINK: We agree with the small town exhibitor who writes that 'There is a crying need for laughter in the theatres'. The people are worried. Some have boys in Korea and nearly all boys face military service. The people are being taxed to death and they can't figure out what it is all about. They want to laugh and forget, at least for a little while. Let Hollywood forget sophistication and make pictures with belly laughs. The MA & PA KETTLE pictures were a howling success for the patrons, for Uni-j versal and for the theatres. And Oh foi some of those great comedy teams likJ Marie Dressier and Wallace Beery. Ever Abbott & Costello reissues gross more tharj most of the new product." America wants to laugh. Let Hollywooc do its part in making it laugh — with pictures, not antics! If Caravan members agree, let them "tel the salesman". Maybe the word will hi passed on to the Doleful Darryls who mala the pictures. TIP ON OATERS Allied Caravan of la.-Neb. & Mid-Central Who besides me is getting a little tirecl of seeing some land-lubber star, or star (My God, it just dawned on me there is ncl I feminine word for a woman star) on ;| | stuffed hobby-horse, showing only th<|| arched, rocking back-bone of the critter af the hero or heroine chases the villian oil tames the wiley bronc? They're coming! close out there, to making that rocking Dobbin look like the real McCoy, but they're not foolin' many people yet. Either make the stars learn to ride, or avoid the close ups in the chase. Most of the people jusl' snicker. This tip is offered gratis to all pro 1 ducers who make everything from equiiu operas to super "oatdoor" masterpieces!!' There's a limit to how much you can foo! 'em, Hollywood. OUR COMIC BOOK PUBLIC J Allied Caravan Cinerama is making quite a splash acrosij the pages of both the trade and public pressS Lowell Thomas as Chairman of the Boarcjl of Cinerama is doing a good job getting publicity for it even if it is impractical foijl anyone outside of New York to think about We keep wondering about this guy over it* Indiana who claims he really has 3rd dim mension. Wasn't he supposed to make M showing in November? Personally, for ou$ money, it wouldn't hurt a bit to shoot a fev& more pictures without all those cute, artisti'i photographic effects that puts only thil character who happens to be at the cente of attraction in focus and leaves all thiH backgrounds, or foregrounds, as the cas^ may be, out of focus and "de-emphasized" Know what I mean? I've got Rood lenses but sometimes the artistry of the camaraj man overshadows the scene, story and char acters. How artistic do you need to be John Q. Public knows and cares little abou photographic artistry.. We played a pictunl the other night where everything was ill focus — just like the old box camera set al infinity. It might not have been artistic but we thought for a minute we had 3RT DIMENSION. (There we go telling tech1 nicians how to run their business. Forgiw us please, we just don't appreciate it J guess — besides we are playing to a comi', book, cartoon loving public these days. The;' like it simple.) A helluva way to progr«S|B isn't it. Pag* 22 FILM BULLETIN November 3, 1952