The film daily year book of motion pictures (1938)

Censors, as of November 18, 1937, is on file in the Bureau ot Foreign and Domestic Commerce. \o censorship committee exists in tlie Panama ( anal Zone. Pictures that are i>erniitted to he exhibited in the I'nited States may be shown in in any of the theaters in the Canal Zone (which is under the jurisdiction of the I'nited States Covernment) although the Government-operated theaters usually provide in tlieir ct)ntracts witli distributors that i)arts of any film may be eliminated if it should be deemed advisable. Competition — No domestic motion picture production exists so that exhibitions depend upon imported tilms. American-made films in the English language are by far the most popular that are shown on the isthmus and account for the bulk of all exhibitions. The Canal Zone, it must be remembered, represents about 50 percent of the Isthmian market and only English-speaking films are shown there. Occasionally a "short" with Spanish titles or a musical number in Spanish is shown. Recent pictures made in and imported from Mexico have proven quite popular. They have been given extensive notices and advertising upon their aiipearance. A Mexican-made picture in color was very well received by the Spanishspeaking audiences in the Republic of Panama and if the quality of the Mexican productions continues to improve such films could become more than a casual competitive factor here. The number of reels imported into Panama from ^lexico during the calendar year 1936 was 9^. wluveas during the first five months of 1937 No idl were brought in and during the second halt of the year the number will probably show an increase over the first half, according to the opinion of local exhibitors. An occasional picture from Argentina, from Spain, and from France is shown. Copyright Relations — All copyrights are paid for in the Cnittd States before entering Panama. Law 70 of December 19, 1928 puts into force the Buenos Aires Conference of August 11, 1910. Production — Alotion pictures are not produced in the Republic of Panama by any local producing company. American films •"dubbed"' in Spanisli for exhibtion m the Republic are decidedij' unpopular. The average Panamanian audience is bi-lingual and Englisn-speakmg pictures are preferred to those "dubbed" in Spanish, although the popularity of good all-Spanish-speaking pictures should be noted. Pictures shown in the Republic in any other language than Spanish must have superimposed titles in Spanish or pay a double tax. Taxes — The only federal tax on motion pictures within the Republic of Panama is assessed against tickets. Tickets that cost up to 20c each pay a tax of K'C; from 21c to 40c, the tax is Ic; from 41c to 6Uc, the tax is 2c. Tickets costing in excess of 60c pay a tax of 4c each. Motion pictures produced in a foreign language and not having superimposed titles in Spanish pay double the rate quoted above. Motion picture theaters pay municipal license taxes that vary according to the city, classification of theater, gross income, etc. In Panama City, for example, the municipal tax is divided as follows : First class houses are taxed per month — $175.00 Second " ' " " 150.00 Third " " " " " " 100.00 Fourth " " 50.00 Fifth 40.00 Sixth 30.00 Distributors are not subject to a tax as such; those established in the Republic are subject to the same taxation as any other business. Motion picture films are imported free of duty and are subject to the consular fee assessed against duty-free goods. Beginning with December 20, 1937, the consular fee on non-dutiable goods will be S per cent ad valorem in accordance with Executive Decree No. Ill dated September 15, 1937, Motion picture films are considered to have a value of $10.00 per reel for the purpose of computing the consular fee. Theaters — The Republic of Panama at the present time has twenty-four motion picture theaters in operation with a total seating capacity of approximately 13,700. The National Theater was let out under cf)ntract an«l equippe<l as a motion jiicture theater during the year, thus adding 1,1 4(i to the total number of seats available in the KeI)ublic. Two ailditional motion picture theaterare un«ler construction, <ine in Col<»n with a I)lannetl seating capacity of 1,400 and one in the suburbs of Panama City with a proimsed seating capacity of 600. W hen the two theaters under construction are completed and in operation about the end of the year, the number of theaters in the Republic will be twenty-six with a total seating cai)acity of approximately 15,700. The Panama Canal Zone has twenty-five motion picture theaters divided as follows: Panama Canal Bureau of Clubs and Playgrounds H I'nited States Army 10 L'nited States Xavy 2 V.M.C.A 2 The combined total seating capacity of the theaters in the Canal Zone is about ll.OStJ. During the year 1937 two completely new theaters were constructed and another one was built as a replacement bj' the Panama Canal Bureau of Clubs and I'laygrounds. The United States Army constructed one theater during the year as a replacement and two new theaters under C(jnstruction are expected to be completed in the Spring of 1938. The total seating capacity of all motion picture theaters on the Isthmus at present is approximately 24,780. Ajiproximately five performances a day are given in the more popular theaters in the Republic of Panama and two performances daily in the theaters in the Canal Zone, except that the V.M.C.A. theaters give only one regular performance (on Sundays) and extra performances when transports are in dock. The customary complete daily motion picture program is made up of ten reels consisting ol one feature, a news snort, and one or two comedy shorts. The price ol admission varies considerably throughout the entire territory. At the Army theaters the charge for admission is 10c and 15c for Army personnel, and 25c and 40c lor civilian Government employees. At the Canal Zone theaters, operated by the Bureau of Ciubs and i'laygrounds, the price of admission is 30c for ordinary-run pictures and 40c for first-run features. In the first-run houses in Panama City and in Colon the price of admission is 30c for matinees and 40c for evening performances. In general, the charge to children is everywhere 10c and 15c. with a maximum of 20c tor tlie evening showings of first-run pictures. Programs as a rule are changed four times a week in the Republic of Panama and from four to six times a week in the Canal Zone. The Panama and Canal Zone theater public have a ilistinct liking for musicals and like any picture that has been iK)pular in the I'nited States. A uni<|ue characteristic of the Canal Zone audience is the special interest in news reels which can be viewed here seven days alter being release»l in New York. Since the large numher of Americans resi^ling on the Istlimus are keen to keep up with conditions in tlie l'nitc<l States the news reels are particularly popular. The interior represents such a small part of the market fur films that it is hardly worth while lor American distributors to undertake any special elYort to cater to that section. Very little English is siM)ken or understood in the Interior and few of the laboring people can read or write so that films jirovided with superimi»setl titles in Spanish are not intelligible to them. Spanish language pictures are about the only type that these people enjoy. Sound — All 51 theaters in this area are wired for sound and are provided with .\merican-made projection equipment. Imports from the United States — \0M> Positive Sound 9,814,771 ft. $122,985 Negative Sound 9,204 ft. 141 1937--( First 11 months) Positive Sound 9.276.612 ft. $117,365 Negative Sound 2,038 ft. 35 1251