Independent Exhibitors Film Bulletin (1960)

Viewpoints (Continued from Page 7) tion, but definite actions designed to bring a measure of relief have been set afoot. ACE is responsible. It now is well on its way to organization of ACE Productions, from which, it is hoped, will issue a number of pictures to fill the gap in the supply. To that end, Mr. Fabian, as chairman of the committee on ways and means to increase motion picture production, now is dedicating his skills and energies. Meanwhile, the task of guiding the multifarious functions of the Congress of Exhibitors falls on the slim but sturdy shoulders of Sol Schwartz, a worthy successor to the indefatigable Mr. Fabian. Every bott y 9s An Ail 3€un9 Pari II Out of a meeting of representatives of the Screen Producers Guild, the advertising-publicity directors committee of the MPAA and the Theatre Owners of America has come the creation of a tripartite group that will undertake a long-range study of all phases of movie advertising. Such a study, if conducted objectively and with earnest, should prove of value to all the participants. The new committee is the outgrowth of the joint SPG-TOA statement at last September's TOA convention that the industry's entire advertising program is in need of an overhauling. To the credit of the advertising-publicity group, they promptly asked that spades be called spades in a three-way conference. As already noted in Film BULLETIN (Everybody's an Ad Man, October 17 issue), it would be wise for the producers and the theatremen — if they have not yet done so — to try to comprehend fully the difficult job facing the movie ad man. Under the intense light of reality, improvements in movie advertising may not be so readily accessible, but once discovered, they will prove more practicable and, in the long run, more lasting. on i men t... JOSEPH VOGEL: Today is the first anniversary of its world premiere in New York City, and 'Ben-Hur' is well established on a level of maximum profit return. Theatre for theatre, 'Ben-Hur' is continuing to roll up the biggest boxoffice grosses and set the longest runs of any production in the history of the motion picture business. Consequently, revenue to the company is of record proportions." * * * A. SCHNEIDER "(Telemeter and Phonevision tests) will be studied most carefully before we commit our company to active participation in this new medium. It would be foolhardy, however, not to recognize the early experimentation in this area and to evaluate most carefully its future potential." * * * JOSEPH LEVINE (on receiving Pioneer of (be Year award ): "The spirit of the pioneers in any industry is to look to the future. However, at this particular moment I can't help but look back at the near past and reflect that it was here, at the Waldorf, only 20 months ago, that Embassy Pictures held its first international meeting, a luncheon for exhibitors and opinion makers, in the Grand Ballroom on the third floor. We have come a long way since then, gentlemen! We are now on the 19th floor. Embassy Pictures has risen 16 floors in 20 months . . . Let me say that in accepting your award, I accept it in behalf of the Pioneers of 1985 — young men of today whom all of us will train to meet the challenges in the many tomorrows that we pray will follow." * * * LAURENCE TISCH: (on payTV): "I'm worried about it, but it won't be here for another eight or ten years." * * * DORE SCHARY (on classification): "Setting an age limit invites children to put on false moustaches." * * * COMPO: "The Production Code never was intended to replace parents. It w as intended to make every film appropriate for a junior matinee. It was —and is — intended to assure that motion pictures of many kinds, made for many audiences, are kept within reasonable moral bounds. That is what it does. It leaves bringing up children to parents — which seems to be what parents are for. We think this is right. We hope that in this country parents are here to stay." * * * LEGION OF DECENCY: -Films for the past year have shown an alarming departure from previously accepted and respected (moral) standards. The astounding figure of 24.33 per cent of this year's Hollywood production was objectionable." * * * ARTHUR HORNBLOW, JR. (representing Screen Producers Guild a! meeting on film ads): "The SPG looks forward to a new era of cooperation with the film company advertising staffs, and exhibitors throughout the United States relating to an improvement in the advertising and exploitation of films." * * * WILLIAM CASTLE: "Ever since I started producing my own films, I've been limited by short budgets. Now I think I'm ready to move into the Hitchcock field. If I can evidence half the artistry that he has, I'll be happy . . . (but) my aim is not to put on a tuxedo and go up to collect a gold statuette at the Academy. I want to keep theatres open and doing business." * * * TOA BULLETIN: "From Canada comes a most illuminating report. The Elliott-Haynes Ltd., rating firm of Toronto, has released the following results of a study of Telemeter for three days last month . . . 44.1% of Telemeter families viewed only one show in the previous week. 19.1% viewed two shows. 2.5% viewed three shows. 34.3% did not see a single Telemeter attraction during the week. Only one family in seven watched a Telemeter program during the average weekday evening. The average expenditure was SI. 22 per week." Film BULLETIN November 28. I960 Page 13