Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1956)

EXPLOITATION PICTURE Happy Combo of Sex, Stunts, Drama, is Showman's Ticnic' If the phrase is obvious, it's only because it is so apt: Columbia has a "Picnic" for showmen! Viewed from a half dozen angles, it comes out a happy combination of exploitables that can be tailored to any type of audience. And to round out the showmanship approach is a superlative pressbook spelling out the selling aids and angles in meaty ads, art, displays and stunts loaded for boxoffice. Let's take the assets individually: THE STARS: William Holden is one of the hottest names on the marquee today and he gets a choice role as the drifter who creates havoc in a town picnic — among the women, particularly. Kim Novak, champ of the cover girls, gets the plum of her zooming career as the town beauty whose emotions are fanned to flaming passion by the stranger. Rosalind Russell, lured back to the screen by one of the gem character parts of her career; Susan Strasberg, young Broadway star with talent that has earned her huge breaks in Life and other top mass publications, as the teen-ager who grows up in the eventful picnic day. And among the stars, we can include director Josh Logan, whose name has come to mean a hallmark of entertainment excellence to the discriminating. THE STORY: A Pulitzer Prize winner as a Broadway and road stage play, it has just about every popular element one could wish in a screen entertainment. The excitement of a community picnic with its throbbing fun and unbridled emotions forms the pulsating background for laughs, drama, conflict and sex. And speaking of the lastnamed, the scenes between Holden and Miss Novak reputedly stand firmly among the most memorable every filmed. There is tension, too, as the stranger arouses the female principles, from the young Susan to the frustrated spinster Rosalind. And thrills, as the audience experiences the vicarious excitement of the three-legged race, the hay-hunt, the pie-eating contest, the balloon blow and all the other hectic events that permit the average person to let their hair down. THE ADS: Columbia's boxoffkers have focused their sights on the dramatic and passionate romance between the principals. The art is provocative, eye-stopping, meaningful, indicating a rawness of emotions, both in the man-woman relationship and among the players generally. Catchlines are even more intense — "From the Moment He Hit Town , . . She Knew It Was Just a Matter of Time!" or "A town ... a stranger . . . and the things he does to its people, especially its women!" THE DISPLAYS: The Holden-Novak bare-chested art makes superb material for the sign shop. Blowups are ideal for cut-out standees or marquee top. The showman can make these himself from the variety of art stills offered by Columbia, or can get them ready-made from art similar to that shown on the opposite page. The popular picnic flavor can be swelled with some 10 stills picturing the roaring contests, races, etc., sure to evoke smiles and a special little surge of Rosalind ...hchh*010" "osalind Russell Cin^maScopE The peaceful scene is a deceptive preludi to the turbulence that engulfs the eight peoph who are part of a community picnic. Fron left, Betty Field, Cliff Robertson, Verna Felton Kim Novak, William Holden, Rosalind Russell Arthur O'Connell and Susan Strasberg. excitement as it hits the patron in the lobb) or in a newspaper feature. THE STUNTS: Here the pressbook is £ glowing beacon for the showman with a hug< variety of stunts and gimmicks that are i natural with the picnic theme. Among them Stage your own community picnic, eithei at the theatre or outdoors, working in with the opening of "Picnic". Working with cooperation of newspaper and radio-TV stations, perhaps with a local charity to benefit, get the whole town or naborhood in on it. A complete run-down of various angles is detailed in the campaign manual — parade tc the theatre opening day with open, horsedrawn wagons bringing local biggies, a "Picnic Queen", balloons with guest tickets, imprinted napkins for restaurants and a slew of others. Send a handsome young couple through the downtown areas carrying a huge picnic basket between them, the boy's back bannered, "We're Going to 'Picnic' at the Blank Theatre", the girl's with picture and playdate. And for an added gimmick, a bespectacled young girl also carrying a picnic basket with her sign simply: "Me, too". Get merchants and distributors of foods and candies for store giveaways of their product in baskets labeled with "Picnic" copy. A few strategically distributed passes and lobby credits will help. Where there is a theatre balcony, hang cardboard arch outfitted with leaves and flowers over steps leading up with arrow sign: "To Lover's Lane for 'Picnic-Goers". Clinch art of Holden & Novak in a 40x60 will stimulate added interest. That's just an idea of the sock batch of stunts suggested. The others are all well worth the showman's attention, too. Don't overlook the "Pulitzer Prize" angle to gain added appeal for the discriminating moviegoer. It gets a big play in many of the ads and may mean the difference between getting the occasional moviegoer in and losing him. Here's one with which the showman can really have a "Picnic"! ♦ The newspaper ads hang the spotlight on strong sex angles, dramatic impact. They carry a sense of conflict of emotions and personalities that captures the essence of the film. Page 30 Film BULLETIN February 20, 1954