Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1946)

24 Motion Picture Daily Thursday, November 1-1, 194/, Northwest Seen Holding For a Big Business Era Rocky M't'n Area: All's Right Here Salt Lake Ctr% Nov. 13.— Hall Baetz. district manager for National Theatres, states that in Utah, Idaho and Montana attendance is good because most of the territory, once depleted by the movement to larger centers during the war, is experiencing a reverse movement. For example, Montana, prior to the war, had a population of 500,000. It was estimated, unofficially during the war, that there was a civilian population loss that approximated 20 per cent, most of it to coastal war areas. With the ihutdown of war industries on the coast, the population is returning. This is largely a mining and agricultural area, except for larger cities like Salt 1-akc City, Provo and Ogdcn in Utah and Butte in Montana. Prospects for additional taxation do not appear too dark at present. Montana lias, and has had, for some years a gross tax, but at the forthcoming Fusion of the legislature it may be eliminated. Warns Against Taxes Ractz further states most ffnaltcr communities have been faced with rising costs in their own govcriuuental departments ■uid points out this frequently leads to atJfMipts to raise funds by imposing amuscifliit taxes. In this district, however, there ftAucntly has been found a more equitable VBiner of raising such funds by instafiatrai of downtown parking meters. jWe see no prospect of anr further in"crease in admission levels," says Baetz. His company plans no incrtascs in the near future but is introducing "junior admission prices" for children between the ages of 12 and 16 in some plates. The new season's product feoks like the greatest, Baetz declares. Ht also looks forward to comprehensive improvements in theatre remodeling, as soon aj government restriction^ permit. Blueprint! are already completed, as well as many pfcns for alteration and remodeling of exiting theatres. But the whole problem, be stajes, is held in check by restrictions necessary to further facilitate the veteran's housinf program. Sees Attendance Hilding Tracy Barham, vice-president and general manager of Intcrmounttin Theatres, Inc., expects theatre attcndlnce will be maintained at present levels at least for some lime to come. Business, in this locality, he explains, lias been raiier fortunate in getting the Geneva Steel drp plant reopened, the Government hating sold the plant to United States Steel.} Barham. who is on the bard of governors of the local Chamber pi Commerce, was present at a mcctins of United States an"' executive* when the} f>rar"^d RTeat things for the future of this *rea. This should bring in many more skilled workers and better attendance for tbcaties. No labor troubles to speak of are anticipated here, nor any unusual legislation on theatre taxes is anticipated and prices are expected to remain at their present level here, according to Barham. Minneapolis. Nov. 13. — Theatre business is heading for one of its most prosperous periods in history regardless of the trend of other business providing the industry can avoid internal strife, in the opinion of Ben Berger, president of Bcrger Amusement Co. and of the North Central Allied Independent Theatres, Inc. Berger, whose company operates 10 theatres in Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin, believes the present policies of the companies toward the independent operators "have brought about strained relations." "Unless a more intelligent sales policy is. adopted by the producers, whereby they stop discriminatory and unfair percentage policies, the independents will, in self-defense, be compelled to introduce retaliatory measures," Berger states. Such a situation, he ;'dds, undoubtedly would prove harmful to the entire industry and certainly is not one to be desired by the independents, but it is a matter of self preservation. Berger based his views on his belief that entertainment has been established as a necessity for Americans, and present-day films offer the most inexpensive type of entertainment. Enhancing the favorable outlook, Berger pointed out, are the amiable relations existing between the operators and the unions in this area. "There has been no strife for a long time, nor is there prospect of any." But he sees one disturbing sign on the horizon in the coining session of the Minnesota state legislature, in January. A proposal will be placed before the legisla Ties Future To Economics Chicago, Nov. 13. — Admitting the thetre business has for some time now been enjoying a boom, Edwin Silverman, head ■ •I tlie Kssaness Circuit, slates there is no telling exactly how long it might last. "It depends entirely on national and world economic conditions." Silverman thinks "runaway" production costs arc causing trepidation among exhibitors throughout the country. "While we ( exhibitors') can understand what is causing increased costs that does not mean the exhibitors can absorb them. Producers must justify these increases by better product. On the other hand, any thinking ex hihitor realizes he has to support production of good pictures and give their producers the proper encouragement. While Silverman advocates longer runs in first runs he does not view them as feas'blc for neighborhood runs unless "the hor^c and buggy set-up which has been in effect >o many years is accorded intelligent reorientation." He also hits at "bargain prices" that some exhibitors are still featuring. "Because of the increased cost of film, overhead, payroll expenses and general allaround increased costs of doing business today I don't see how any exhibitor todaycan survive by charging former prices." ture, Berger says, that would permit levying of a municipal tax on motion picture houses. "The measure," he avers, "is being promoted by communities in need of additional funds for municipal operations. Theatre owners of the state already are well organized to fight the proposal, but it is still too early to predict that we will be successful." Another thorn in the side of exhibitors in this area is the matter of taxation by Ascap in his view. "We regard it as a form of extortion," Berger states, and we now are waging a court battle against it with the hope of eventually getting relief. It is just an additional operating cost for which there is no excuse." Bcrger declines to predict the .future of admission prices, other than to say they probably "will fluctuate in line wjth general business conditions." He points out the average admission price increase in this territory has been only about 25 per cent in the last five years. He also has a word of praise for the film producers as far as the current run of pictures is concerned. "While we can always stand improvement, it is a fact pictures now are generally superior to those of the past and also are smarter from a business standpoint." Along the line of improvement, he declares theatres of this area now are undergoing considerable remodelling and several new ones are being built, or at least are on the planning boards. Many of these are replacements for antiquated houses, but others are new ones in the field. Finds Scale Tilts Are Modest Albany, N. Y., Nov. 13. — "No other industry has held prices down as the motion picture theatre has." So states Saul J. U11man, who supervises 12 Fabian theatres in the Albany area. Recent increases in admissions were small when compared with the rising costs of house operation, in his opinion. Ullman also Relieves theatre business will continue strong "because of the fine product the studios are turning out" and thinks the new season should compare favorably with last. He is opposed to auction selling as proposed originally by the New York statutory court sitting in the Government case on the ground this portion of the decision "seeks to accomplish, without legislation, a legislative function." Independent subsequent runs have not yet drawn any patronage away from the A houses, but if the current liquidation of war bonds runs its cuurse, this trcml shouKl become noticeable. That's the view of Samuel E. Rosenblatt, who operates three theatres in Watervlet and another in Lake George. "There still is plenty of money around, although take-home pay has decreased from the high level of a year or more ago," states Rosenblatt. Says Prices Cannot Be Undermined San Francisco, Nov. 13. — "Admission scales must remain at the present level and it is essential to keep them so until other costs lessen," declares Roy. Coope"' J the Golden State Circuit. He also thinks this: "Attendance which has taken an almost . radical decline in recent months probably will continue to decline for an indefinite period. It is an inevitable condition resulting from a number of things, chiefly the increased cost of living. Business in neighborhood houses has held up far better than in the downtown theatre. This, however, may be due to traffic congestion in the downtown area. "One thing is certain. Boom times are gone for good. The bubble has burst. The reaction inevitably will result in writing 'finis' to grind houses which sprang up virtually overnight to cash in on the lush boxoffice receipts. It will mean the survival of theatre business operated by intelligent theatremen who look towards the future in building their business and who have catered to the public by endeavoring to adhere to good taste in their programs. Double billing will also continue, at least for the present." Adverse Statutes Nil George Nasser, of Nasser Bros. Theatres and president of California Theatres and Affiliated Industries, Inc., finds North ern California houses fortunate in averting enactment of regulatory legislation sought by labor and government. "Although labor has been both active and vigilant in the furtherance of its legislative programs — with very, very few exceptions the theatres here have enjoyed constructively pleasant relations with labor," he states. "But national extravagance is blunting the public's sense of the red and black sides of the ledger. Mounting costs of state and local government, together with a Federal indebtedness in California, which is three times the assessed valuation of property, is forcing politicans to frantically survey all fields for added revenue. Theatres loom as fertile fields to plow." Oregon Attendance Expected to Hold Portland, Ore., Nov. 13. — M. M. Mesher, assistant manager of HamrickEvergreen Theatres in the Oregon trade, foresees no appreciable drop in attendance. However, many of the current features do not show the strength of releases of former years, to admit oi holding* for second or third week, he thinks. However, as a whole distributors are to be commended for their current product in his opinion. It is believed present war-time admissions will hold. This optimistic report is based upon the continued heavy lumber and agricultural production and lack of strikes in this area.