Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1960)

What Tkey'te hiking About □ □ □ In the Movie Business □ □ □ TOLL SHOWDOWN. More and more observers of toll-TV developments are becoming convinced that the real showdown on the pay system will come in Hartford, rather than in Etobicoke. The belief is growing that Paramount's "noble" experiment in the Canadian suburb, despite efforts to make it appear a success, has put the quietus on wired toll-TV. Etobicoke is proving, they say, the impracticability of bringing the pay system to millions of homes via cable. The costs encountered by Trans-Canada Telemeter to wire some 6000-minus homes in Etobicoke are said to be uneconomic, having exceeded by far the original estimates and giving considerable pause to those harboring the grandiose scheme to wire big metropolitan cities. By contrast, over-the-air transmission entails a fraction of the investment and much more flexibility of operation. That's why all eyes are turning toward Hartford, where RKO General plans its test run of the Zenith Phonevision system, if and when approval is granted by the FCC. 0 DECISION ON 'THE ALAMO'. United Artists and producer John Wayne have come to the decision that "The Alamo" has a far greater potential in general release than on a hard-ticket basis, and word is expected momentarily that the roadshow policy will not be pursued beyond those engagements already opened. The Batjac production has been set for regular release in Pittsburgh, Dec. 23, and the Boston opening will be on a reserved performance (but not reserved seat) policy. Meanwhile, Wayne has l)een editing the film to cut approximately 30 minutes from the present running time. o FILM STOCK SPLURGE. Wall Streeters were a-buzz over the dizzy rise of most movie stocks during Thanksgiving Week. From November 18 thru the 25th, M-G-M was up close to $6 per share; United Artists almost 5; 20thFox 4%; Warner Bros, over 3; Columbia 2V2. Only Paramount, among the majors, showed a decline in the period. No one seemed to have a firm notion or specific explanation for the sudden buyer interest in film stocks, although several familiar reasons were advanced: ( 1 ) anticipation of more liberal government spending under the Kennedy administration; (2) impending sales of post'48 libraries to TV; (3) the popular conception of earnings potential via toll-TV. 0 'ALASKA' HOT. One of the surprise hits of the 1 Fall season is 20th-Fox's "North To Alaska". After a rather slow start in some metropolitan first-runs, the John Wayne starrer began to show signs of startling boxoffice vitality in medium and smaller size cities, where grosses have besn t pretty close to sensational, bettering the return: ; on such solid hits as "Peyton Place", "Journey To the Center of the Earth" and "From the Terrace". Fox is confident "Alaska 's,: performance will follow this pattern in the big cities after the deluxe engagements. 0 COLUMBIA'S POST-48's. Reports in televisior circles had it late last week that a deal is on the verge between Columbia Pictures and one o, the networks. Details were not available, but involved was said to be a substantial portion of the film company's post1948 feature librarj: which will be sold to the network for exclusive showing on its affiliate stations. The deal will include some of Columbia's biggest moneymakers, o DISNEY LOSS. For the first time since it became a publicly owned company. Walt Disney Productions is expected to show a red ink financial report for the fiscal year ended last month. "Pollyanna", which was counted on to overcome several weaker entries during the yean failed to lift the company into the black. Film BULI ETIN November 28, 1940