Film and TV Technician (1957)

January 1957 FILM & TV TECHNICIAN seems to consist of a large ruby and several tatters of silk. Concerning the suitability of this Mr. Irving Allen is reputed to have said : " What nature has given, who are Warwick to take away?" A random survey taken in Wardour Street shows a majority opinion for Miss Ekberg in the House of Lords and Lord Lucas in films. inth Bar oo Marx as Sir Isaac Newton . . . FOR our Basic and Countryman Shop the struggle for more intelligent, higher quality films is unending, but their battle against " monster movie " mentality must have suffered an early reverse in 1957, judging by a recent announcement from Warner Brothers. At their Hollywood Studios Warners are making The Story of Mankind. To prove that ambition, at least, is not dead, the period covered in this epic ranges from the Neolithic Age to the present day. Its cast includes Ronald Colman as The Spirit of Man, Edward Everett Horton as Sir Walter Raleigh and, to crown it all, Harpo Marx as Sir Isaac Newton. Peter Lorre and Cesar Romero are also cast but no parts mentioned. An imagination fevered by the foregoing details suggests Gilbert and Sullivan. Wolves ? A statement with which many members will sympathise comes from Miss Barbara Woolworth, one of the fabulous Woolworth family, in an interview with Daily Express critic David Lewin. Miss Woolworth, head of the company which made Silken Affair, said : " I know there are a lot of dragons, or wolves as you call them, around in the film business. But I think I can handle them." Communist Inspired? Says Mr. Mike Todd, producer of Round the World in Eighty Days, of his film's distribution : " I will ban the sale of popcorn ... it will be the first non-popcorn picture in America. I have nothing against popcorn — I am not un American about popcorn. It just isn't a popcorn picture." Location Tip There's always a tough battle to raise the location allowance from the basic five guineas. It's probably an occupational reflex of many producers to cross their hearts and swear that this sum will more than cover members' expenses in this or that country. In this connection an intriguing comment comes from a hotel guide given to me by a member recently back from a West Indies location. The document describes the shuffleboard, aquaplane and water-skiing facilities and has a somewhat vague reference to the Social Hostess who will be glad to make your holiday pleasant and enjoyable. For those at work and on a location allowance the most telling item is " Tips on Tipping ". The suggestions range from 15s. per week for the bedroom maid to 35s. for the waiters. One and ninepence per bag is the appropriate for bellmen. For the rest — "A small token tip is always acceptable " to the Head Waiter and Captains. At this level it seems unlikely that any roughnecks could sneak through the gilded doors, but a severe note is struck to avoid " smaU token this eventuality. " On Thursday and Saturday evenings formal dress is requested for dinner. Men's jackets and ties must be worn after 6 p.m." Ekberg or Bust? Warwick Films have been earning themselves some free and, presumably, welcome publicity in the House of Lords. Protesting at the advertising posters used for Zarak, Lord Lucas referred particularly to a tantalising portrait of Miss Ekberg, in which her costume By Wire . . . Here is some news from Hollywood that may interest our farfrom-overpaid members in Nascreno House. National Screen Service is an associate of a company of the same name in the U.S.A., and negotiations for a two year agreement have just been completed over there. The new agreement gives an additional $1,560 per year to the lowest paid, and $1,040 to those on the maximum. The lowest-paid scriptwriters get $330 a week, the highest $350 — or roughly £125 per week. It is worth noting that quite a few technicians working for N.S.S. here don't even get the rate equivalent to the raise given to the lowest-paid in the U.S. True, straight exchange values don't tell the full story — but it looks to me as if National Screen coffers could be opened on this side of the Atlantic as well. fpc^ RAIN WAS GOOD FOR TRADE Cinema attendances during the third quarter of 1956 totalled 293 million, nearly 2 per cent above the corresponding quarter of 1955, and gross takings were 11 per cent up at £28,576,000, the Board of Trade announced recently. "The bad weather in the summer no doubt contributed to this increase, which reversed the downward trend of attendances for the first time since the similarly poor weather of summer 1954," the report says. Of the 47 cinemas closed during the third quarter most had between 251 and 750 seats. Nearly all regions were affected, the northwestern region most of all.