Harrison's Reports (1956)

December 1, 1956 HARRISON'S REPORTS 191 "Secrets of Life" (Buena Vista, l<[ovemher 15; time, 75 min.) "Secrets of Life" has the same fascinating quality and appeal of the other True-Life Adventure pic tures presented by Walt Disney and should give thorough satisfaction to those who enjoyed the pre vious efforts. Photographed in color with prints by Technicolor, the film is at once an enchanting and informative entertainment as the camera, through use of magnifying lenses and so-called "time-lapse" photography, vividly inspects the magic of a great variety of plant life, the wondrous world of insects, and the odd assortment of fish and other creatures that live in the sea. In training the cameras on these small but mighty things of land and sea, the film's central theme deals with a problem common to all — that of reproduction and survival. And just how this is done is nothing short of amazing. Through the technique of the time-lapse photography, one is shown how plants bud and flower, the incredible manner in which pollenization is accomplished, and the strange ways in which nature plants her seeds, some of which burrow into the ground like insects. Particularly absorbing are the scenes that reveal in minute detail the life and activities of bees. Included are shots of how queen bees are created, how the bees gather and store pollen, how they build their city of wax and how they protect it against a forest fire. Equally revealing and absorbing are the shots of the ants, showing their talent for tunneling, their food-gathering activities and their battles with their enemies. Highly interesting, too, are the scenes dealing with many odd forms of marine life, including, among many others, shots of microscopic life inside a drop of water; the mating ritual of the stickleback fish; an amazing underwater air-bubble castle built by a diving spider; and the fabulous markmanship of the archer fish. Like the previous True-Life pictures, this one is enhanced by superb background music, first-rate editing and fine narration. It was produced by Ben Sharpsteen and written and directed by James Algar. Excellent for the entire family. WISE WORDS FROM INDIANA Under the heading "It Is Not a Hopeless Fight," the November 21 issue of Theatre Facts, service bulletin of the Allied Theatre Owners of Indiana, had these words of sound advice for its membership : "Perhaps exhibitors have listened so much to talk about why they are in a near impossible bargaining position in dealing for film that they have lost all courage to resist any inequitable deal. But it is not a hopeless fight and any exhibitor still has some pretty good punches left if he has the heart to use them. "He is told that Indiana is a 2% territory and that if every theatre owner in the State passed the picture the film company would still secure 98% of their normal revenue. Not so for two reasons. First, it is unreasonable to believe that exhibitors in any other exchange area are going down the line for such a deal. The distributor is undoubtedly losing a proportionate amount of liquidation in all territories. Second, Indianapolis may only account for 2% return in the mind of the company stockholders but it is a higher percentage for the division manager and it is 100% for the branch manager. A man who has the total responsibility for this exchange area is going to find little satisfaction that his sales failure is of so little consequence in the overall picture. He would prefer to have his 2% completely sold and have the other 98% come up short than viceversa. He is told that with the shortage of product every exhibitor needs every good picture released. Not quite so. More and more exhibitors are finding that by resourceful booking they are coming up with combinations of older pictures or cheaper pictures that, sold right, outgross the 'big ones'. " The comments made in Theatre Facts on "The Benefit of a 'No Review' Policy" also should be of interest to all exhibitors. This is what the article had to say: "Every ill wind is supposed to blow some good, and we are not so sure that this adage is not also true in regard to Metro's 'no look' policy. For years this bulletin has urged members to make greater effort to secure the right 'going in' deal and not depend on 'coming out' terms. One reason for this was that on the review the exhibitor was dependent for a reasonable profit — or any profit at all — upon the benevolence of the film company. And it never seemed a very satisfactory circumstances for any exhibitor to have the prosperity of his business and the protection of his investment dependent upon the tolerance and philantrophy of a film company — even a friendly one. "But, most important, the adjustment policy seemed a scheme to secure ever higher and higher rentals. Beyond a certain point even the film companies must have felt that it was ridiculous to ask for higher percentages and so they changed their strategy to no adjustments. The refusal to alter contracts after playdate is a plan to consolidate the gains made in rental terms. After this has been accomplished the next step will be new highs with a promise to review, then secure the 'paper' gains by refusing to review, then advance to further unprecedented high terms. "Adjustments and side agreements have also been a divide and conquer technique in the battle for a bigger share of the boxoffice dollar. The most stubborn or the most powerful exhibitors were encouraged to go along on 'policy' deals by a promise of later contract alteration. These contracts then became the lever to secure comparable contract terms in smaller situations but some place down the line the adjustments would neither be promised nor made. Working from the bottom up, as more and more exhibitors became resigned to these high percentage deals the door on adjustments became closed to still other exhibitors. Now the biggest revenue situations are being denied review on some product. "It is late in the battle to turn the tide, but if every exhibitor would begin to sign high percentage deals only on pictures that he felt reasonably sure he could come out on at contract terms, then 40 % and 50% pictures would no longer be commonplace. "If the no-review policy on a few pictures has made enough exhibitors determined to buy right to begin with we may see a reversal in the tide to higher and higher percentages — and that will be the great good blown up by this ill wind of no adjustment after playdate."