The Film Daily (1932)

Sunday, April 17, 1932 fjg^ DAILY Latest News From London, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Melbourne and Other Foreign Centers FOREIGN MARKETS Happenings in Other Lands of Interest to Producers, Di?tribuiMrs and Others in the U. b 'By L. H. MITCHELL FRENCH RAW fILM MAKERS DEMANDINGACONTINGENT Paris — The Association of French raw film manufacturers is reported to have applied to the government for restrictive measures against the importation of foreign material in view of the fact that Germany. America and Belgium have increased their sales greatly in France during the past two or three years. The association suggests that imports be restricted to the average figure of 1927, 1928 and 1929— about 15,000,000 feet. Imports for 1931 were 28,000,000 feet. Production in Vienna Is Getting Under Way Vienna ■ — Negotiations between German and Austrian producers of films are reported to have reached a successful conclusion. The Berliner Pokjektograph will soon start a production at the Sascha studios, in association with the Viennese company, Wiener Leighfirma Kopplemann. The Sascha studio has been leased for several months. Lamac-Ondra started filming a comedy there early in April, cooperating with the Viennese firm, Hugo Engel. The Wiener Mondial announces two productions, one to be a super. Kiba is renovating the Vita studios and expects to begin production there by June. Improvements are under way at the Schoenbrunn studios. AUSTRIAN CONTINGENT Vienna — The Austrian government has decided to allot one contingent for every ten prints ordered with Austrian printing establishments, _ it is reported here, with a view to inducing importers of foreign manufactured films to have their prints made in Austria. For every foreign film "dubbed" in Austria five contingents will be allowed, provided the dubbing costs 100,000 shillings ($12,500) or more. B. & D. INSTALLS W. E. London — British & Dominions studios has installed Western Electric's latest type of film-cutting and editing machine. Approve French Tax Cut Proposals Paris— The Finance Committee ot the French Chambre has approved M. Locquin's proposals for an amusement tax cut. The proposals provide for reduction of the cinema tax to 3 per cent for theaters with monthly takings of up to 15,000 francs, to 8 per cent where the monthly takings are between 15,000 and 30,000 francs, and 14 per cent for theaters that take in between 30,000 and 50,000 francs per month. The reductions would apply only to picture houses owned by French citizens. Weltfilm to Handle Narrow-Gauge Films Berlin — Weltfilm Co. is reported to have made an agreement with the Soviet Trade Commission to distribute Russian films reprinted on narrow-gauge stock. It is planned to start with 20 productions which have aroused favorable comment in various foreign countries — "Potemkin," "Blue Express," "Storm Over Asia," etc. The agreement is said to cover exclusive picture distribution rights in all important European territories. Weltfilm has a registered capital of 20,000 Reichmarks, and is a small concern of private individuals cooperating with German communist and social-democratic parties to spread socialistic ideas. HITCHCOCK B.I.P. SUPERVISOR London — John Maxwell, chairman of Bi'itish International Pictures, has made Alfred Hitchcock, former director, production chief. He will have supervision over all B.I.P. production during the next 12 months. NEW SOUND-ON-FILM DEVICE Paris — Rene Nublat has filed patents here and in all countries for a new system of sound-on-film recording using entirely new apparatus. Reproduction is said to be excellent and the cost very little. Swiss Exhibs to Form A Chambre Syndicale Basel — At a recent meeting of the Cinematograph Ass'n of French Switzerland first steps were taken towards the formation of a Chambre Syndicale Suisee de la Cinematograph. An agreement was reached between distributors and exhibitors intended to assure protection for the exhibitors and to obtain advantages which an organization can demand but which would be refused to individual theater owners. NEW BELGIAN FILM DUTIES Brussels — New customs tariffs on motion picture films imported into Belgium are now in effect. The duties are: positive film, 0.52 francs per meter; negative film, 0.34 francs per meter; positive raw stock, 0.17 francs per meter; negative raw stock, 0.34 francs per meter. The transmission tax has been increased from 2 per cent to 2.2 per cent. 3,000-SEATER FOR ZLIN Prague — Czechoslovakia's largest cinema, a 3,000-seat house in the basement of Bata's new 11 story hotel, will be opened at Zlin some time during the spring. The hotel itself is now nearing completion. LONDON BOOKS 4 MORE "U's" London — S. F. Ditcham, managing director of Univei'sal Pictures, announces that four more of "U's" features have been booked for early showing in London West End theaters — "Steady Company," "The Samaritan," "The Impatient Maiden" and "The Local Bad Man." Bankrupt by Censorship Beckenhim, Eng — The Pavilion cinema here has been closed and thrown into bankruptcy as a result of the local censorship coming on top of the loss of its Sunday license and the increase in taxation. "We should certainly have we-thered the finsnciil slump," said Manager H. C Tookey, "had it not been for the Council's ill-advised action." NEW HOUSES FOR ULSTER Londonderry — By next October, three and possibly four new picture theaters will be opened in Ulster, with plans under way for several more. Londonderry will have one of the new houses and a rival syndicate may build another. NEW DARLINGTON HOUSE Darlington, England. — Alderman T. Crooks of the Darlington Licensing Benf^h has indicated that the Bench will license the 1,605-seat theater to be built in Bondgate. A feature of the plans is provision for waiting room accommodations for 70 per cent of the seating capacity. FRENCH STAR IN "PERGOLESI" Rome — Simone Vaudry, popular French star of stage and screen, has arrived in Rome to act the role of Maria in Cines Pittaluga's production of "Pergolesi." MARCUS COOPER RESIGNS London — Marcus Cooper has resigned as chief of the sound section of the Ealing Studio. Cooper was formerly with British Lion Studio and is the designer of several devices being used in sound recording, among them the "organ," a central control panel. BIG SUNDAY BUSINESS Burnley, England — More than 2,000 patrons were turned away from the five houses which recently gave Sunday performances, proceeds of which went to the Victoria Hospital debt. The mayor gave special permission to exhibitors to operate on Sunday. YUGOSLAVIA BANS "YORCK" Berlin — The new Ufa production, "Yorck," it is reported here, has h'^en banned throughout Yugoslavia. NEW CZECH riLM QUOTA IS BEINGWORKED OUT Prague — It is understood here that American producers will make an effort to overcome the restrictions which at present bar American-made motion pictures from Czecho-Slovakia. George R. Canty, American Trade Commissioner for Films with headquarters in Berlin, is undertaking the negotiations. It is reported that the Czecho-Slovakian Minister of Commerce is proposing a new quota system by which America, and probably other countries, would be allowed to import five films for every one that is made in Czecho-Slovakia. New Film Regulations Are Issued in Algeria Algiers — The Governor-General of Algeria, by decree of Feb. 2, 1932, has ruled that no motion picture other than those recording facts of topical events may be shown in Algeria without the producer having made a preliminary declaration to the prefect of the department in which it is to be shown. The country has been divided into three departments for this purpose, with the prefects having headquarters at Orab, Algier and Constantine. Declaration must contain name, domicile and nationality of the producers, a summary of the story, mention of the language spoken in the film or in case of silents of the titles, the places in which the film is to bo shown and the dates. B. & D.-McLAGLEN DEAL OFF London — The deal by which Victor McLaglen was to have made a picture for British & Dominions has fallen through. McLaglen wanted his own scenario writer, co-director and certain changes in the script, to which Herbert Wilcox would not agree. SPLIT IN FRENCH CHAMBRE Paris — The long threatened rift in the French Chambre Syndicale between the exhibitors and the distributors has come about. The distributors have withdrawn from the general film society and formed theiv own organization under the name of Syndicat Francais de Distributors des Films. Joint Tobis-RKO Film Paris — The first scenes of the initial joint productions of Tobis and RKO have been shot at the Epinat studios in France and at the Tobis |ofa studios in Germany. Title of the picture is "Hallo Paris-Hier Berlin." julien Duvivier, who wrote the scenario, is also directing.