Harrison's Reports (1955)

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: 1270 SIXTH AVENUE Published Weekly by tt o*»»„„ tK nn Harrison's Reports, Inc., United States .... $15.00 New York 20, N. Y. Publisher U. S. Insular Possessions. 16.50 ±-uD»sner Canada 16 50 A Motion Picture Reviewing Service P S. HARRISON, Editor Mexico, Cuba, Spain 16.50 Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors Great Britain ............ 17.50 Established July 1, 1919 Australia, New Zealand, India, Europe, Asia 17.50 its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial 35c a Copy Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. circle 7-46ZZ A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XXXVII SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 1955 No. 1 MORE ON THE DISNEY SALES POLICY A prominent Eastern exhibitor, whose name we are not permitted to disclose, has taken exception to this paper's December 4 editorial, "A Policy That Is Not Unreasonable," in which we expressed the opinion that the Walt Disney organization s announced policy to release "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" on only magnetic stereophonic prints for the first ninety days of national release is not an unreasonable one. Taking cognizance of the claim made by E. D. Martin, TOA president, that the Disney policy "will create a new and objectionable system of clearance creating further exhibitor hardships," this paper stated that it was not only Disney's right and privi' lege, but also good business sense, to see that the picture, which is his most ambitious effort to date, is presented in the best possible manner in the key-run theatres, for if it makes a good impression in such showings it is bound to benefit business in the subsequent-run bookings, even where it is shown with optical sound. This paper added that, in all probability, the policy of releasing the picture in the key-runs in stereophonic sound only will create few, if any, hardships, for almost all the theatres enjoying such runs are equipped for stereophonic sound. We added also that, since Disney had indicated in a reply to Martin that the policy would be confined to the first-runs, it should not affect the great majority of exhibitors in the subsequent-runs. In taking exception to this paper's viewpoint, the exhibitor who wrote to us declared that the Disney policy serves to set back "the tremendous effort that exhibition put forth to break the bottleneck of stereophonic sound because of its hardship on the thousands of small exhibitors and the belief that no one should dictate what a theatre owner should do in regards to equipment." "At this point," continues this exhibitor, "I don't believe anyone knows when optical prints will be available to thousands of theatres. In the short market, such as exists today, we cannot be relegated to a secondary position because of equipment. That the first 50-60 runs are in stereophonic, is of no concern. The important thing is when will opticals be available? I have been advised that these first 60 runs are 'pre-releases,' whatever that means, and then the next 2,000 theatres that have stereophonic will be availed, and finally those not equipped with stereo but only optical will be availed, In other words, are we going to have clearance through equipment?" If what this exhibitor has to say is accurate, then Harrison's Reports readily agrees with him that the Disney policy would be unreasonable in that it would follow a practice of clearance by equipment. We repeat that Disney's desire to have the picture shown in key-runs with stereophonic sound so that it will be introduced under the best possible circumstances is not unreasonable and makes good business sense. But the benefits to be gained by the subsequentrun and small-town theatres, as well as by Disney, will go down the drain unless the picture is made available to them in their normal availability pattern within a reasonable time after it is shown in the keyrun deluxe houses. The vast majority of the nation's theatres are not equipped for stereophonic sound, and if Disney withholds the picture from them as outlined in the complaining exhibitor's letter, he would not only upset orderly clearance procedures but also dissipate much of the good that stems from the effective advertising, exploitation and publicity campaigns that usually precede and follow the openings in the key-run theatres. If Disney's policy will in effect be one of clearance through equipment, he will do well to modify it so that the theatres following the key-runs will get the picture, either in optical or stereophonic prints, on regular availability. If his sales policy does not contemplate clearance by equipment, then he or his sales executives should say so in a clear-cut statement that will inform the exhibitors of the pattern to be followed in making prints available to them. * * * Pertinent to this discussion of Disney's sales policies is the following letter that has been sent to him by Leo F. Wolcott, board chairman of the Allied Independent Theatre Owners of Iowa and Nebraska : "For many years the hundreds of sub-runs and small-town theatres in our territory, as well as the thousands of others throughout the United States, have supported you, played your short subjects and features, gone along with you even when your distributor's deals were such that we lost money on them. We felt your productions were of the wholesome family type which did so much to raise the motion picture to its once high estate in public esteem. We feel we were an important factor in your success. "However, during the last year, since you have set up Buena Vista as your distributor, we have generally been unable to deal for your pictures. Your sales representatives are not located in our exchange centers and apparently come in only at intervals to deal with the first-runs and important circuits. When our people have made contact they have been met with pcr (Continutd on bac\ page)