Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1952)

D N \Jiewpoints DECEMBER 15. I9 5 2 # VOLUME 20, NO. 25 MEN ANIJ MATTERS #>Off V > OH \\ Hut thv Tax For the past several months, a small, valiant contingent of men have been devoting themselves to a monumental task — the campaign for repeal of the Federal 20 percent admissions tax — the outcome of which might very well spell economic life or death for hundreds, or possibly thousands, of theatres in America. It is a fight against great, but not insurmountable odds that has been undertaken by this COMPO committee headed by Col. H. A. Cole and Pat McGee, two men who have put aside their own important selfinterests to handle the job. Despite a discouraging lack of help in some areas from the very people they are fighting for. Cole and McGee and their co-workers have gone right ahead, fired by the realization of what their work means to the entire industry. The chances at this stage of the fight appear to be slightly better than even that repeal will be won, but . . . But it is not yet won, and those experienced in such dealings with politicians and with congressional committees know that there is many a slip twixt cup and lip. This is no time for toasting victory. Constant, persistent, thorough campaigning must be carried on by everyone in the industry who is affected by this prejudicial tax right down to the day the issue is decided by a final vote. It is shocking and appalling to hear from the COMPO tax repeal committee that theatre owners in some sections of the country seem to be completely oblivious to their stake in this struggle. There are a few territories where hardly a finger has been lifted to aid the campaign, where no effort has been made to contact Congressmen and Senators to bring to their attention the plight of our hard-stricken industry and the inequity of the 20 percent levy on movie. tickets. What a pity that so vital and so valiant a fight may be lost by a half dozen congressional votes, because the exhibitor leaders in your territory were too cynical, too lazy, or too stupid to do their share. Of course, if you don't wtmt the 20 percent admissions tax repealed, just do nothing about it! MO WAX Moves Forward Theatre television gingerly took a step forward on Thursday night, December ll. with the presentation of the full three and a half hour Metropolitan Opera production of "Carmen". It was the first offering of a stage pro duction on the large screen theatre TV network — and, while the event can be tated a successful novelty, the future of such attractions must, be termed moot. The flaws found with the presentation in the 31 theatres in 27 cities that showed the opera were those that might have been expected. Deadning or sudden blare-up of sound, fuzziness in the long shots of the stage, dark reception in some sequences, even with special lighting and make-up for the television cameras, was very much in evidence. Audience reaction, generally, was favorable. Many who had never seen an opera were thrilled with this insight into the famed Metropolitan Opera House, and those who had were treated to some of the top talent in the opera world. Spontaneous applause was the response of the theatre audiences to some of the popular arias. For the most part, the movie technique was used by the three T\ cameras, one in the orchestra pit, two along the Diamond Horseshoe. Opera enthusiasts were given close-ups of the artists they could never get from their seats in the Met. Perhaps the most important defect, however, is the lack of color. "Carmen" just cried for it. The sumptuous product put on by the Metropolitan's Herman Bing would have gained immensely in Technicolor, or by means BULLETIN FILM BULLETIN: Motion Picture Trade Paper published every other Monday by Wax Publications, Inc. Mo Wax, Editor and Publisher. PUBLICATION-EDITORIAL OFFICES: 123? Vine Street, Philadelphia 7, Pa., Rlttenhouse 4-7424; Barney Stein, Managing Editor; Leonard Coulter, New York Editorial Representative; Richard N. Newton, Publication Managar; Robert Heath, Circulation Manager. BUSINESS OFFICE: 35 West 53rd Street New York 19, N. Y., Circle 6-9159; HOLLYWOOD OFFICE: 459 Haverford Avenue, Pacific Palisades, Calif., Hillside 8183; Jay Allen, Hollywood Editor. Subscription Rates: ONE YEAR. S3. 00 in the United States; Canada. S4.00; Europe. S5.00. TWO YEARS: $5.00 in the United States; Canada, $7.50; Europe, $9.00. of Spyros Skouras' Eidophor system of theatre color television. Moviegoers, accustomed to the rich hues >uch extravaganzas on film normally employ, will be loath to accept the t;rays. There can be no doubt that theatretelevision took a step forward by this presentation of "C armen". The technical kinks that manifested themselves in la-t Thursday's opera are certainly not insurmountable. It would be interesting, now, to see a Broadway hit musical or dramatic play presented in movie theatres by this medium. The important thing about theatre television at this stage of its development is the tremendous amount of publicity it is bringing to our industry. And, of course, it is fraught with vast possibilities for the future. In the words of one prominent exhibitor executive; "This opens a wide new horizon for the movie house, bringing added attention to our theatres as the focal point of entertainment and cultural activities in the community." Able Shou-men Got II It Chain Since the Warner brothers were required by the consent decree in the anti-trust suit to make a choice between film production-distribution or exhibition, they have wisely chosen to remain with that branch of the business in which their experience and their ambition best suits them. With the same wisdom, they have seen fit to turn over control of their theatre circuit to lespected, veteran showmen. It has been told us by a reliable source that the Warners turned down another offer of one million dollarmore than the $6,000,000 that is to be paid them by S. H. Fabian and Samuel Rosen, because they felt that in the hands of these able theatremen the interests of the industry at large would be best served. The threeWarner brothers value their industry and their own pride that dearly. The acquisition by Fabian Enterprises of 350 theatres at this time certainly attests, as Si Fabian says, to their "complete faith and confidence in the future of the motion picture exhibition industry." We wish them well and happily join them in their faith and confidence. FILM BULLETIN December 15. 1952 Page 5