The Independent Film Journal (1954)

Bell & Howell Heightens Sales Drive On Anamorphic Lenses Chicago. — Following through on a sales campaign launched in late spring, the Bell & Howell Co. is continuing in its offer of a set of two 35mm. CinemaScope lenses at a list price of $1,165. For the past two months the company has been engaging in an “allout” CinemaScope promotion, according to A. H. Bolt, director of professional sales. The Bell & Howell anamorphic lenses have six elements, which the company claims pro¬ vides extreme picture sharpness and defini¬ tion to the edge of the screen. Twelve glass surfaces, accurately matched to master test plates, are said to give high resolving power. A hard coating of magnesium fluoride on all six “air to glass” surfaces allegedly pro¬ vides for the transmission of brilliant light to the screen. Color “banding and fringing” are eliminated by the lens, which is color corrected so that it produces each color in the spectrum faithfully, according to com¬ pany claims. The lenses are available in mount sizes to fit all existing projection equipment. Bell & Howell manufactures twm types: one to be used with projection lenses from 4% to seven inches focal length with f/1.8 or f/1.9 aper¬ tures in standard four inch barrel mounts; the other to be used with three inch to 4% inch focal lengths in standard 2.781 inch barrel mounts. The lens was developed by Bell & Howell with the assistance of 20th Century-Fox engineers and is based on the original ana¬ morphic principle developed by Professor Altec Lansing Corp. is now offering two newly designed low-priced models of their “Voice of the Theatre” loudspeaker systems, especially recommended for theatres with up to 1,000 seats, the company reports. The new loudspeaker systems, coded A-6 and A-7, are priced at $425 and $260, respectively. The units replace the Model 800 that was previouslv made for small theatres and brings to nine the total number of systems offered by Altec. The two-fold reason for the development of these new systems in¬ cludes the higher quality requirements of stereophonic sound and the increased need for lower priced sound systems in small theatres, according to Altec engineers. Available Immediately The new design provides not only ex¬ tended bass and high frequency reproduc¬ tion, but a smoother overall frequency re¬ sponse, the company claims. It adds that the lower prices cun save exhibitors hundreds of dollars. Both new speaker systems are immediately available through regular “Voice of the Theatre” dealers. The A-7 speaker is the smallest of its type manufactured bv Altec. It consists of one low frequency speaker in a carefully engineered enclosure and a high frequency driver unit with a newly designed horn. The A-6 contains two low frequency speakers and a single high frequency horn. Henri Chretien, creator of CinemaScope. Development of the lens marked B&H’s entry into the theatre supply field, although it has been manufacturing studio equipment for 46 years. The company first received its license from 20th-Fox to enter CinemaScope lens produc¬ tion because of the belief by Spyros P. Skouras, film company president, that “com¬ petition between several leading optical man¬ ufacturers will stimulate the sale of lenses and more rapidly equip theatres to show CinemaScope productions.” The decision to launch a vigorous sales campaign on behalf of the B&H Cinemascope lenses wras stimulated by the belief that “in¬ creased orders for standard cylindrical type CinemaScope lenses indicate renewed enthu¬ siasm on the part of theatre owners to install CinemaScope immediately,” according to Bolt. In addition to the 35mm. CinemaScope lenses for use in regular theatres, the com¬ pany has developed a 16mm. CinemaScopetype system that it has named FilmoRama. The new wide screen system for 16 mm. films has been created for amateur, industrial and educational films, the company stated. Patterned after 20th-Fox’s 35mm. Cinema¬ Scope, the new technique uses a single ana¬ morphic lens attachment for both shooting and projecting the films. The company has suggested that FilmoRama could be used in foreign movie houses, especially those which show 16mm. theatrical films only. The Filmo¬ Rama lens attachment retails for $596. New model A-7 "Voice of the Theatre” speaker system manufactured by Altec Lansing Corp. is the smallest of its kind produced by the company. Priced at $260, the unit has been expressly de¬ signed for theatres with 1,000 seats or less. It consists of one low-frequency speaker and a highfrequency driver unit with a newly designed horn. The system replaces discontinued Model 800. New Warner Invention Enlarges CS Height Burbank, Calif. — CinemaScope pictures | may now be projected to the maximum I height as well as maximum width of the thea¬ tre stage through the installation of a new aperture device perfected by Warner Bros., according to Jack L. Warner, company’s production chief. The device is adaptable to any size thea¬ tre and any size screen and allows the ex¬ hibitor to obtain the largest image possible,” Warner declared. He added that “with this device the screen will have no more unused space. Every foot will be utilized.” Developed in the film company’s research department, the attachment was first used for the world premiere showing of “King Rich¬ ard and the Crusaders” at the Egyptian The¬ atre, Hollywood. The screen image was in¬ creased in height from 16 to 19 feet, while the full 42-foot width was retained. The resulting aspect ratio wras 2.2:1, War¬ ner stated. The apertures are inexpensive to install, he declared. Versatility, Low Cost Claimed For SuperScope Units The claim that “the exhibitor equipped with SuperScope is a man prepared for the future” is the one made by the manufacturers of SuperScope, Inc. Since the Gotham trade demonstration of the variable anamorphic lens system at the RKO 86th St. Theatre in March, both exhibitors and the major studios have accepted the invention, company offi¬ cials declare. Advantages claimed for this lens, which sells at a list price of $700 a pair, is its ver¬ satility and the fact that it is the cheapest of all anamorphic lenses. Company executives insist that no matter whether standardization does or does not take place in the coming months, the exhibitor is prepared for any¬ thing with this system. SuperScope is said to be easily installed, adapting without drilling, tapping or special mounts to present lens barrells. The only ad¬ justment necessary is the tightening of one screw, according to the report. There is never any need to shift the position of the projec¬ tion machine because the lens is adjustable. The lens can project a picture from any anamorphic print up to a 3 :1 ratio, the com¬ pany claims. Exhibitors using SuperScope can change from anamorphic to standard film on a double bill with only a twist of the dial, provided that the anamorphic and standard prints are being fed to the machine. The lenses, invented by Joseph and Irving Tushinsky, are of the double prism type, with four glass surfaces. It mounts directly on the projection lens with a clamp. The outer prism surface is readily accessible for cleaning and the other surfaces can be cleaned by the re¬ moving of several screws. The company cites the statement by Par¬ amount that the film company’s new inven¬ tion Vista Vision could be satisfactorily handeld with the Tushinsky lens. It also claims the support of Trueman Rembusch, quoting him as saying that “conclusions are that the Tushinsky lens is far superior in every way to any of the other lenses tested.” New Low Priced Altec Speaker Systems Replace Former Model 30 THE INDEPENDENT FILM JOURNAL— July 24, 1954