Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1953)

The two versions of this scene from "The Robe" illustrate the operations of the CinemaScope lenses. Above is shown how the camera lens compresses the wide scene into the width of 35 mm film, while to the right is seen the same scene after the projector lens corrects the image by expanding it to natural proportions. The players in the scene are Richard Burton and Betta St. John. Opened fa Jjhdiatrij Cxc/uMe rMn. BULLETIN Statute By JAY ALLEN A broad, bright new vista opened last eek before the excited eyes of several undred theatremen, studio executives and lembers of the press, as 20th Century-Fox nveiled CinemaScope, the wide-screen film rocess. The enthusiasm of those who witnessed le series of invitational showings throughut the week was summed up most eloquenti by two of the prominent film executives ho got their first glimpse of the panoramic inemaScope screen giving vast new scope ) the cinema art. "The greatest advancement in the history f motion pictures since sound!" This from erry Wald, executive producer for Columia Pictures. And, from William Goetz, prouction head of Universal-International: "I link CinemaScope is wonderful and that it 'ill be a great shot in the arm to our inustry and to the motion picture public." Fox presented some of the daily rushes torn "The Robe" and "How To Marry A I illionaire", along with panoramic scenes f tin New York skyline, an auto race, and n airplane flying over mountains and lakes. Almost without exception, the reaction CinemaScope Is on lis Way was: "This is it!" The opinion was general that this new cinematic process which Spyros P. Skouras and his associates at 20thFox are sponsoring will bring about a revolutionary change in our industry. While it may be exaggeration to compare the impact of CinemaScope to the introduction of sound on film, hardly a soul present at the demonstrations doubted that the expanded type of filming and projection made possible by Professor Henri Chretien's wide-screen lenses will result in a resurgence of public interest in motion pictures and a great era of prosperity for the industry at large. And to heighten the guests' enthusiasm was the announcement, on the very day of their arrival, that MGM had signed a contract with Fox to utilize the CinemaScope process in forthcoming Metro product. Al Lichtman advised that camera lenses would be made available to Metro before the end of this month, and the first M-G-M CinemaScope feature would go into production soon thereafter. This was the first step toward standardization by the industry — a hopeful sign for theatermcn, since the problem of finding one uniform system has been one of the greatest bugaboos in converting for three-dimensional or wide-screen product. CinemaScope offers many advantages over the other systems thus far demonstrated — in addition to the basic advantage is that it does not require the use of glasses, and employs only one camera and one projector. Its panoramic curved screen creates the illusion of making the actors become almost one with the audience and lends great force to the action scenes. Off-screen players sound as though they speak from the wings, while waiting to come on stage. To say, however, that CinemaScope creates the full illusion of true depth-dimension is an overstatement. Objects on the screen do not give the effect of moving out to touch the viewer. Rather, the feeling is more one of being in the same room with them, but separated by realistic distances. As such, CinemaScope does not lend itself to the gimmick treatment which lias been so generally employed in polarized 3D films. However, some of the industry's keenest observers are of the opinion that this may be an advantage, rather than a draw-back. Once (Continued on Page 23) FILM BULLETIN March 23. 1953 Page 5