Year book of motion pictures (1932)

Hungary Agitation — There was considerable aRitation on the part of the press to have domestic production of sound films started. Eflfective June 15, 1931, the governmental Film Fund was authorized, by executive decree, to grrant premiums, from its revenue of compulsory fees, to producers of sound films made in Hungary. These premiums granted by the Minister of Commerce and Minister of Interior, vary according to the amount of investment of the producer. The Hun nia Studios, of Budapest, closely connected with the Film Fund, were equipped in the early part of 1931 with a Tobis-Klang sound-film produc ing apparatus. The first Hungarian-made sound film was shown in Budapest in September, 1931. According to Decree No. 3080/1931, effective June 15, 1931, present charges on imported films, in addition to the regular import duty of $50. per 220 pounds, are as follows: "Import Certificate," costing 1,000 pengos (approximately $175) per film for films of over 400 meters in length, and 200 pengos (approximately $^5) for films less than 400 meters in length (silent films require no import certificate); Film Fund charges: 20 fillers ($0,035) per censured meter for silents, and 30 fillers ($0,052) for sounds, and, in addition, a regular censorship fee of 7 fillers ($0,012) per meter for both si'ent and films. Weekly newsreels, educational and scientific films are exempt from all charges, except the import duty. Censorship— 1257 films censored in 1930; 20 definitely rejected, but 12 rejected films later licensed. 637 American, 272 (jerman, 14 French, 6 Italian, 51 English, 25 Austrian, 9, Scandinavian, 243 Hungarian. Competition — 51Ti American. Co:>yright Relations — Spec-ial convention signed October 15, 1912, gives copyright protection. Production — Three feature films, made originally as silent films and later synchronized with music, were produced in 1930 at an average cost of $10,000 each. 11 amusement sound shorts were also produced, and 20 industrial shorts were synchronized. Two studios wired for recoro ing sound. Taxes — Very high. Theaters — On October 1, 1931, there were 520 licensed motion picture theaters in Hungary, of which only approximately 300 were in actual operation. Sound — 101. Budapest. 53 sound-on-film, 16 sound-on-record ; provinces, 50 sound-on-film, 62 sound-on-record. Imports from U. S. A. — 1930 — Pos'tive, sound, 322.676 ft. $6,318 1930 — Positive, silent 198,497 ft. 6,148 1931 — Negative, sound 204 ft. 20 1931 — Negative, silent 1,309 ft. 131 1931 — Positive, sound 991.328 ft. 17,710 1931 — Positive, silent 172,159 ft. 4,341 1930 — Sound Equipment, 376 1931 — Sound Equipment, 10.123 Exports to U. S. A. — 1930 — Positives, 8,000 ft. 204 DISTRIBUTORS AND IMPORTERS Antal filmkolcsonzo, Akacfa u. 4. Artistica Film, Amerikai u. 12, Cito Cinema, Rokk Szilard u. 21. Danubius Film, Akacfa u. 6. Eco Film, Rakoczi ut 14. Fox Film, Rakoczi ut 9. Schuchmann Antal, Gaumont Leon, Rokk Szilard u. 20. Lyra Fi'm, Rakoczi ut 64. Kultur Film, Nepszinhaz u. 21. Iris Film, Nepszinhaz u. 13. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distr. Corp., Fohcrceg Sandor ter 3. Muvesz Film. Rakoczi ut 40. Patria Film, Erzsebet krt. 8. Paramount Film, Rakoczi ut 59. Phobus Film, Erzsebet krt. 8. Projectograph Film. Rakoczi ter 17. Plesz Ferenc, Erzsebet krt. 24. Sascha Film, Rakoczi ut 36. Stylus Film, Erzsebet krt. 4. Super Film, Erzsebet krt. 9-11. Turul Film. Miksa u. 7. Ufa Film, Kolcsey u. 4. Universal Film, Nepsz-nhaz u. 21. Warner Bros., Ehzsebet krt. 9. • India Agitation — There is no agitation against American films at the present time with the exception of occasional criticisms directed against American films by the British press. Censorship — Nothing has been done toward the establishment of a Central Board of Censors for India and censorship is still done by Provincial Boards. Most of the Provinces will accept Bombay or Calcutta censorship. Competition — 80 per cent of imported pictures shown are American. Copyright Relations — See United Kingdom. Production — There are 40 units in India equipped to produce pictures. A number of them have recording apparatus. Taxes — Moderate — same as prevailing in the past few years. Theaters — Total 675 — Calcutta 23, Bombay 26, Madras 16. Rangoon 17, Lahore 13, Karachi 12, Delhi 10, Cawnpore 9, Bangalore 16, and Ahmedabad 9. Balance in other cities. (Out of the total of 675 theaters, 31 may be considered as very unimportant and only giving shows at widely separated inter\'als.) Sound — 87 theaters have been wired for sound. There are, in addition, about 20 portable sound sets in operation. Imports from U. S. A. — 1930 -Negative, silent. 48.900 ft. $1,418 1930 — Positive, sound 1,842,177 ft. 53,841 1930 — Positive, silent 3,135,173 ft. 73,143 1931— -Negative, sound 36,650 ft. 1,759 1931 -Negative, silent 21,052 ft. 1,130 1931 -Positive, sound 2,427.673 ft. 54,537 1931 -Positive, silent 217,599 ft. 18,609 1930 -Sound Equipment, 103,995 1931— -Sound Equipment, 277,608 Exports to U. S. A.— 1930 -Negatives, 7,590 ft. 198 1930 -Positives, 2,610 ft. 154 1931 -Negatives. 4,902 ft. 5,420 DISTRIBUTORS AND IMPORTERS BOMBAY Chammad & Co. Jeena & Co., Esplanade Road. Manchershah Burjoree Bilimoria, Kalladevi Road. 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