Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

o Disel' is movie clambake too IVENS S!EVIVAL "Carousel", which has been garnering a host of magazine breaks, copped a lulu when "Life" immortalized the first CinemaScope 55 film, and particularly its star, Shirley Jones, with a layout that spread over four pages in both color and black and white, and a big full color splash of the bright new star on the cover, Feb. 6. Of particular importance to the film's marquee draw is the big boost "Life" gives to the heretofore unknown Miss Jones (". . . a show business phenomen . . . hired for Carousel' before 'Oklahoma!' came out and found herself thrown into the leads of $ 1 0 million worth of movies before one paying moviegoer heard her sing a note.") The "Life" break means that millions of paying moviegoers will be introduced to Shirley before the picture opens. \Jiewpotnt Try A "Da-It-Yourself" Premiere In this day of "Do-It-Yourself", it's about time the small town and neigh>orhood exhibitor got into the "premiere" act. Any showman worth his salt vill find he has a full kit right at his elbow. The movie premiere is a great gimmick to stimulate public interest. For he most part, however, this important promotional tool has been confined to leluxe houses in the big cities. True, there has been a trend in recent years to pot a premiere in a hinterland occasionally but it is usually staged by the disributor and the house involved derives practically all the benefit. What it amounts to is that one of the industry's most potent promotional weapons is being used by a platoon instead of by an army. Speaking practically and seriously there is no reason why a theatreman in ny town or key naborhood cannot run an occasional "premiere" of his own for n outstanding film. Obviously, he can't depend on star names to lend their lamour to the proceedings, but there is very little else that the theatre shownan is lacking in his premiere "Do-ItYourself" kit. He knows his community eaders, his newspaper editors, his club-women, his school authorities, his merhants. He has a free hand to extemporize and expand his promotion to focus ttention on his theatre as a local institution. Such an event affords him the opportunity to invite, as guests of the theare, prominent citizens, opinion makers, local celebrities, many who may not be egular moviegoers. A section of the house should be reserved for these guests, who must feel honored. Possibly, a portion of the premiere receipts could go to worthy local charity, guaranteeing a double blessing — in public relations and n assuring wide cooperation publicitywise. Three or four local premieres a yeai, with the pictures carefully selected for heir quality and aptitude to the occasion, will throw a bright spotlight on the heatre that should reflect in everyday operations. The theatre gains an aura 3f importance, the community leaders look forward eagerly to the event. In a mall town or naborhood situations, this latter factor is even more significant (than in the bip downtown houses where patronage is transient and less regular. And we also have a sneaking suspicion that where a theatreman shows his idesire to stape a premiere of his own, he will get more than passing cooperation from the film companies, perhaps even have 'em vyinp; for his choice. [More SHOWMEN on Page 32] MERCHANDISING & EXPLOITATION DEPARTMENT 'Carousel' Promotion Boils With Furious February Action Whirlpools of exploitactivity, with multiple vortices engulfing many times the population of the nation, are stirring furiously this month to promote 20th Century-Fox's first CinemaScope 55 film, "Carousel". In New York, a world premiere at the Roxy stood the Big Town on its ear with a galaxy of stars and hoop-la last Thursday, Feb. 16. Headed by stars Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Robert Rounseville and Claramae Turner, the guest list was a who's who of show business, politics, diplomatic ranks and the social world. Governors from three states were among those captured by the half-hour live telecast from the theatre front and the CBS and Mutual interview taped for rebroadcast. Earlier, Maine Gov. Edmund S. Muskie played host to 200 press and entertainment biggies at a midnight clambake as a prelude to the festive occasion. The gigantic TV-radio campaign reached a record 500 million listener impressions, enroute to a goal of a billion who will hear and see plugs during a 4-month build-up in which the stars have made scores of guest appearances, plus dozens of program salutes representing the top rated shows on the airwaves. The sensational star build-up of Shirley Jones, was stepped up during the month with a visit by Edward R. Murrow on his "Person-to-Person" CBS-TV show following the young star's big break in "Life" (see above). Tie-ups linking millions more to the saturation campaign were set up. A fashion coop with the Independent Retailers Syndicate featuring a "Cotton Carousel" promotion directly linked to theatre playdates, spelled out a pair of free trips to Hollywood for girls judged to have characters most closely resembling those portrayed by Miss Jones and Barbara Ruick in the film. The Snow's Seafood Co. of Maine kicked off a national and point-of-sales promotion featuring national magazine, local co-op newspaper and TV-radio advertising timed (Continued on Page 32) Film BULLETIN February 20, 1954 Page 2?