Harrison's Reports (1954)

76 HARRISON’S REPORTS May 1954 “Also by the same token you have rendered a disservice to several thousand exhibitors, particularly those operating small theatres and dnve-ins, by not permitting them to show CinemaScope pictures without stereophonic sound. “In spite of all the attacks made upon you, if you would relax in this respect and permit those theatres and drive-ins that want to, to show CinemaScope pictures on a single track, they would forgive you for holding out up to this point. Not only that, but more importantly, you would bring an additional 18 to 20 million people back into the theatres.” Mr. Marcus, who attended the meeting, was thanked by Mr. Lichtman for “his earnest and forthright manner in which he put the problem of the small exhibitor to us.” The meeting itself proved to be a well conducted forum in which every exhibitor present was given an opportunity to have his say, while the 20th-Fox executives, headed by Mr. Skouras, listened to their arguments and opinions with a completely open mind. A somewhat surprising development was that many of the exhibitors got up on the floor and urged the 20th-Fox executives to stick to their policy of not permitting the showing of their CinemaScope pictures without stereophonic sound. Limited space does not permit a full account of the arguments presented in favor of continuing the old policy but the gist of these exhibitors’ remarks was that their own experience with stereophonic sound was not only profitable but also brought much favorable comment from their patrons. A number of these exhibitors argued that to permit the showing of CinemaScope pictures without stereophonic sound is to retard the progress that is being made in the improvement of motion picture presentation. Several went so far as to express concern that CinemaScope, without stereophonic sound, may fade away and die in much the same manner as 3-D. One exhibitor who had installed full stereophonic equipment in some nine theatres wanted to know what “protection” Fox would give him and others like him if competing theatres would be permitted to play CinemaScope pictures without stereophonic sound. Mr. Lichtman replied that 20th-Fox will give him all the protection the law allows, based on good business judgment. This exhibitor was answered also by Ben Marcus who pointed out that he had spent considerable money to equip his theatres but was not asb'ng for protection. “Let’s forget the law on protection,” he declared, “and consider only the general good.” He added that we must bear in mind that some 15,000 theatres and drive-ins are not equipped for CinemaScope but would probably do so under the new Fox policy, which he called laudable. “We need the product,” he said, “and let’s not worry about competitors and about getting advantages.” Still another exhibitor asked for special consideration for those who went along with 20th-Fox’s stereophonic demands from the start because he did not think it right for late-comers to get the benefits now. He was effectively answered by Nate Yamins, the New England Allied leader, who pointed out that he, too, was among the first to install CinemaScope and that he did not think it right to request special consideration because of it. A number of exhibitors who favored stereophonic sound and who had installed the equipment in their own theatres urged the 20th-Fox officials to recognize that many exhibitors could not afford the installations, and that others, who might be in a position to afford it, were not convinced that it is necessary. Accordingly, they urged that 20th-Fox should make the use of stereophonic soimd optional. They pointed out also that, if an exhibitor chooses to use stereophonic sound and as a result succeeds in drawing more patrons than his competitor, the competitor, to keep abreast of the times, will have no alternative but to install the necessary equipment. In short, they argued that it should be left to the public to influence an exhibitor’s decision as to whether or not he should equip his theatre for stereophonic sound. Several other exhibitors argued that they had installed stereophonic sound equipment and that its box-office value did not justify the cost. In connection with drive-in theatres, most every one who spoke was of the opinion that the cost of installing stereophonic equipment who prohibitive^ and that it was of little practical value in that type of operation. It should be noted that practically every one who spoke acknowledged the superiority of magnetic sound over optical sound. J. Robert Hoff, who owns a drive-in theatre in addition to being a top executive of The Ballantyne Company, the equipment manufacturers, admitted that his effort to use stereophonic sound in his operation was not successful enough to justify the cost. He expressed the opinion that one-track magnetic sound is very good for driveins, and he suggested that it be used also by the indoor theatres as a start toward eventual three-track magnetic sound. Mr. Lichtman heartily agreed with Mr. Hoff’s views and offered to recommend to his company that it extend additional credit to exhibitors who wish to install one-track magnetic so that the industry will progress. Invariably, the different speakers — small exhibitors, big circuit executives and exhibitor leaders, had nothing but praise for the CinemaScope method of motion picture presentation, regardless of how they felt about stereophonic sound. And most of them paid hi^ tribute to Mr. Skouras for his courage and vision in developing and fostering the process. The decision by both MGM and 20th-Fox to make their CinemaScope pictures available with or without stereophonic sound is indeed laudable and should prove to be a shot in the arm for the industry in general and the exhibitors in particular. As has been statd in these columns many times, CinemaScope is the only one of the new processes developed that is of practical use to all exhibitors and it is the only one that seems to answer the demand for a real and satisfying change in motion picture presentation. With the restrictions on stereophonic sound lifted, all exhibitors now will be in a position to benefit from this new and exciting medium. Moreover, the fine pictures now available in the process and those that are forthcoming should help considerably to alleviate the product pinch felt by those who could not play these pictures heretofore. It is appropriate to point out that, though many exhibitors did not agree with Mr. Skouras adamant stand on stereophonic sound, there can be no question that it was predicated on a sincere desire to safeguard the CinemaScope medium and to present it to the public at its best. By the gracious manner in which he has agreed to modify his policy at the behest of the esdiibitors he has once again proved himself to be a true and responsible leader.