Harrison's Reports (1951)

120 HARRISON’S REPORTS July 28, 1951 industry affairs. Its success, however, will depend on how wisely we use our vast store of accumulated knowledge and experience in the fields of advertising, publicity and exploitation. Although it is all-important that we put the spotlight on the merits and accomplishments of the motion picture industry in times of peace and war, and that we focus attention on the importance of the motion picture theatre in the community’s social and economic life, the success of the drive will depend mainly on the quality and entertainment values of the pictures that will be ex' ploited during the campaign. As Depinet has pointed out, there are a number of exceptionally fine pictures that are either now enter' ing release or will be released during the coming months, and these are deserving of extraordinary publicity and exploitation methods to bring them to the attention of the public, for they are bound to leave the customers satisfied. But there are also some expensive duds that have been produced lately, and if any attempt is made to play them up to the public as being among the wonderful pictures in store for them, the campaign will fail of its purpose. We all know that it is possible to attract the public to a mediocre picture by the use of sensational bally' hoo methods that play up the picture for much more than it is worth. But experience has taught us that such pictures afford little satisfaction to the movie' goers who, after paying an admission price, have not been entertained. As a result, they resent the high' powered exploitation methods that induced them to come to the theatre, and rather than chance the risk of being fooled again they pass up the theatre in search of entertainment elsewhere. Judging from past performances, some of the pro' ducer-distributors, by virtue of the financial aid they will give to the jubilee this fall, may insist that one or more of their mediocre features be included in the list of pictures that will be plugged as exceptional. Nothing could be more disastrous to the campaign, and it is to be hoped that Bob O'Donnell, great showman that he is, will stand firm in rejecting any such attempt, and that he will insist that the list of exceptional pictures be selected on the basis of merit and not for the appeasement of any producer'distributor who places his own selfish interests above those of the motion picture industry as a whole. 20th CENTURY-FOX TO BRING COLOR TO THEATRE TELEVISION Spyros P. Skouras, president of 20th Century 'Fox, has announced that his company has acquired the right to use the CBS color television process in its Eidophor large screen theatre television system, and that with the acquisition of this right the company will produce equipment to bring color television to the theatre screens of America. The Eidophor system was acquired recently by 20th Century'Fox after its development at the Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich, Switzerland, and will soon be made available to theatres throughout the United States. It is expected that the first demonstration of the Eidophor'CBS theatre color television will be presented in the early Fall. In making the announcement Mr. Skouras said: “This joins two of the strongest forces of communica tions and public service in a common effort to bring the latest miracle of entertainment in color to Ameri' can motion picture audiences.” He added that, with the completion of these arrangements, it will now be possible to bring “Broadway to Wichita,” and present on the theatre screen the finest offered on the stage, opera, ballet, and by the great symphony orchestras, as well as the world’s most important sporting and civic events. He further stated that live entertain' ment, hitherto unavailable to the country at large and at prices many times higher than the cost of motion picture admissions, will now come to Ameri' can movie audiences in their own local communities. The foresight shown by Spyros Skouras and his company in bringing color to large screen theatre television is indeed commendable. It is without a doubt a most important development, one that may prove to be the greatest box 'office stimulant our in' dustry has had since the advent of sound. THE FORTHCOMING ALLIED CONVENTION In his July 20 bulletin to his members, Abram F. Myers, National Allied’s general counsel, had this to say about the organization’s forthcoming convention : “On the surface it would seem that that ‘theoretical tactical statement’ in Korea has its counterpart in the motion picture industry. All the fine gestures toward the harmonious solution of important problems seem to have faded away. There is, however, no cause for despair. Experienced negotiators all know the value of a ‘cooling time.’ Mid-summer may not seem an appropriate time for such a period, but it is serving very well, and we predict that before long there will be a renewal of interest and a resumption of activity. “The industry staggered for a brief period under the impact of the box-office recession but the numbness is wearing off and there are unmistakable signs of a determination in many quarters to pitch in and solve industry problems and to resume the march along the road of progress. “So confident of this are Allied leaders that they are planning to make Allied’s 1951 National Convention, to be held at the Biltmore Hotel, New York City, October 30, 31 and November 1, the greatest constructive meeting the motion picture industry has ever held. It will be a forward -looking convention with never a backward glance, save in appreciation of the great accomplishments of the past. They are planning a convention that will lead to a better understanding and a higher degree of cooperation throughout the industry. They believe that all attending this convention will be fired with a determination to fight for recognition of motion pictures as the finest entertainment to be had and to restore the business to its rightful position as the most profitable of them all. “At the same time provision will be made for the discussion and solution of exhibitor problems by exhibitors at the clinics which will be held every morning. It is in the Allied tradition that no exhibitor has ever been denied the right to express his views on any relevant topic at any Allied meeting. That policy will be continued. But this year we plan to make the convention a forum at which momentous decisions will be made and policies adopted for the welfare and prosperity of the entire industry.”