Harrison's Reports (1962)

BhiteMd as se«Ntd-class matter January 4, 1921, at thp post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 18T9. Harrison's Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: Published Weekly by United States $17.00 Harrison's Reports, Inc., U. S. Insular Possessions... 19.00 Carada and Mexico 19.00 A Motion pjcture Reviewing Service 1600 Broadway Otner Countries 19.50 New York 19, N. Y. 45c a Copy Devoted Chiefly to the Interests of the Exhibitors COlumbus 5-4434 Established July I, 1919 Martin Starr. Editor A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XLIV SATURDAY, AUGUST 11, 1962 No. 31 N. J.-N.Y. Allied Meet Big Exhibs to Fight Tv Threat KIAMESHA LAKE, N. Y.— The combined annual convention of the Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey and the Allied Theatre Owners of New York State proved to be a bigger success than either William Infald or Sidney J. Cohen, respective state presidents expected. New York especially, found the exhibitor members coming from the northernmost reaches of the state. It is estimated that more than 400 conventioneers turned out for the joint meeting. The first business session was held on Tuesday, August 7. Though Infald presided, exhibitor-members of both units attended. It proved a heated session with the first statement of Infald to the assemblage: "We of Allied are going to take off the gloves and do some very tough fighting to get not only what we want, but more importantly what we are entitled to.''' He was referring to the kind of treatment the exhibitors were getting from the distributors. Standing almost alone in this battle that will be waged against the distributors is Universal-International Pictures. Infald said : "Universal was there with the prime product this year. Not only was it about the best of them all, Universal gave the exhibitor a chance to make a dollar." Not faring as well in the discussions were most of the other majors and the independents. Following the opening salvo of grievances against the other film companies, the trade press reporters were asked to leave the meeting since the delicate matter of percentages and what to do about them, were up for discussion. I . A.. 20th-Fox9 Universal Saluted Twentieth-Century Fox Film Corp., came in for a salute from the exhibitors. It was moved that a resolution be drawn up and sent to the new president, Darryl F. Zanuck, to the effect that both the Allied exhibitors of New Jersey and New York express their confidence in the new president (Zanuck) . That they know he will use his vast experience and knowledge to get the company back on the road, with the result that more product will be forthcoming from the 20thFox studios. "We of Allied are in back of 20th-Fox," was the unanimous openly expressed vote. Irving Dollinger, chairman of the New Jersey board of directors, praised United Artists for its experiment with "Premiere Showcase." Dollinger pointed out that UA. recognised that the city folk were moving out to the suburbs and the first runs should be moving with them because people like to see first run films. "UA. in recognizing this move is going to make it possible for the whole industry to benefit by it." He (Continued on Page 123) This is the time of pre-new season when the television interests take a page out of the primer of the motion picture industry and make their announcements of things to come. The films have been doing it, with elaborate, costly flourish for years. All that glitters on the coated stock of the agency-conceived campaign brochures don't turn out to be the gold that the inexperienced counted on. But, with each passing year the Tv dispensers get a little more brazen in their approach and bolder in their promises. This season the megacycle merchants are trying to outdo themselves. But, this year it's a little easier for them. They're getting the motion picture trade press to carry the "sell" ball for them, at the same time frightening, just a little, the easily intimidated exhibitor. But, the old hand knows it's the same old eye-wash. Gentlemen, this isn't going to be Tv's biggest programming year yet. Revenue-wise, it isn't for us to (Continued on Bac\ Page) Majors Battle Importers for Pix It's when we were readying our semi-annual "pink" edition three weeks ago, that the prophetic truth of the ever diminishing number of releases loomed worryingly. We dealt in that issue (No. 28) with the increasingly lessening number of films turned out. We are not alone in our deep concern over the future of the industry if the downward trend continues much longer ... To be sure, the majors are grappling with this costly condition. They'd like to send out more films into the market. It is a wellknown fact that the foreign representatives of the distributors are on the prowl in foreign countries ready to pick up suitable (and completed) films. The big companies are ready to give the independents and importers the battle of their business life for some of the more promising foreign-made product . . . For instance, one of the promised Titanus-made plums "The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah" has been acquired by 20th-Fox after some high bidding, guaranteeing the Italian producers more than $ 1 ,000,000 for the United States and Canadian distribution rights. 20th-Fox, like the other majors, is dickering with other foreign producers for enough films to fill in for the releases that didn't materialize for the 1962-63 releasing year. Some of this foreign product will thus be swung away from the art houses.