Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

ursday, October 22, 1959 Motion Picture Daily roduct Talks ( Continued from page 1 ) th them in setting up this phase of session, Kerasotes said. Smith is arranging the recordings the 10 showmen, who will come im the Northwest, California, Mounn States, Midwest, North Central, uthwest, South, Southeast, East and Jirtheast sections of the country. A ge map of the nation, with each :tion illuminated by an electrical cuit, will serve as a stage backnind. As Smith calls on each section, it portion of the map will light up, d the showman's taped message will played. Selig Lists Topics Selig said the topics to be discussed ;lude: "The Art of Selling Art Pieces," "Institutionalizing Our TheaII," "Adverse Criticism and Rejected jlvertising," "Patron Motivation .irough Giveaways," "Premieres I ithout Stars," "Regional-Exhibitor Ipt Campaigning," "Maintenance " d Patron Services," "Regional 'Point 'I Sale' National Advertising Placefnt," "Specific, Successful Show|lling," and "Salvaging Yesteryear's 3ioduct." The latter subject will cover m putting together of old product ailable through branch exchange of 1 es. 1 Selig said he, Orear and Smith are ''oosing representative theatre own% and theatre managers in each secm of the country who have made a ecialty of one of the topics, to speak that subject. The entire package, said, will literally be exhibition's tline of showmanship. Mrs. Twyman to Speak On the same program, as guest eakers, will also be Mrs. Margaret vyman, director of community retains of the Motion Picture Associain of America; Joseph Levine, present of Embassy Films; and Max E. mngstein, vice-president and advering-exploitation publicity chief for nited Artists. TOA's five-day convention will open mday, Nov. 8, and conclude Thursy evening, Nov. 12. The National isociation of Concessionaires is conIning concurrently at the Sherman |h TOA. uneral Services Today or Will Whitmore, 57 Funeral services for William Whitare, 57, manager of the advertising, les promotion and public relations apartment of American Telephone & jjlegraph Co. here, will be held at e Fairchild Funeral Chapel in Manisset, L. I., at 3:30 P.M. today, j'hitmore, who in 1927 had been on |e editorial staff of the old Exhibit's Herald, predecessor of Motion "fiture Herald, died Tuesday in St. I ike's Hospital here, following a agthy illness. Burial will be in the mily plot in Lockhart, Texas. Surviving are the widow, Mrs. Alne Lloyd Whitmore, and two uughters, Jane and Jean. REVIEW: Sign of the Gladiator American-International Put the "Sign Of The Gladiator" on the marquee and its a sure bet you'll have to put up the S.R.O. sign in your box office. It is loaded with eyeappealing action in color and as an added box-office attraction, beautiful, buxom Anita Ekberg in the lead role of Zenobia, voluptuous Queen of Palmyra, whose barbaric leadership of her Syrian army almost overthrew the might of Rome during the reign of Aurelian. It is spectacular in its use of people. The screen is filled at times with thousands of soldiers and horses in thrilling combat; scenes featuring Roman catapults of blazing rocks and spears which might be compared with today's use of missiles. In addition to Miss Ekberg, the film can boast the talents of two other beauties, Lorrella De Luca, who plays the part of Bathsheba, and Chelo Alonso, as a sensuous slave dancer, confidante and amour of Folco Lulli, Miss Ekberg's Prime Minister. George Marshal, Jacques Sernas and Alberto Farnese, enacting the roles of loyal Roman soldiers, round out the leads of the international cast assembled for the film epic. James Nicholson and Samuel Arkoff lift American-International Pictures to a new plateau with their presentation of this multi-million dollar spectacle which was produced by Guido Brignone, and developed as an Italian-French-German co-production by executive producer Enzo Merolle. The dubbing, done by Titra Sound Studios of New York is a masterful job of lip-synchronization. The spectacle has copious opportunities for showmanship with all the exploitation angles embodied in the film, which runs the gamut from wardrobe and hairstyling to a special recording of "Zenobia," which Nicholson and Arkoff adapted to sell the film via the disc jockey route. Ottavio Scotti's art direction is especially noteworthy. Vittorio Musy Glori's direction captures the excitement of spectacular scenes, touching lightly but sufficiently on the romantic associations of the principals involved in the original story and screenplay credited to F. Thellung, F. De Feo, S. Leone, G. Mangione and G. Brignone. The story deals with Marshal's ability to carry out a plan of having himself captured and later gaining the favor of the Queen in order to mastermind the defeat of her troops by the Romans. He exposes her Prime Minister as a traitor to her cause, but despite the love that develops between the Queen and himself, he considers his loyalty as a Roman soldier above his love. Marshal's plan pays off as the Syrian Queen's army is captured; and he nearly loses his life as the Queen, angered by his betrayal, wounds him with a spear. The Roman Emperor Aurelian and his senate grant Miss Ekberg her freedom as Marshal pleads his love for her. Running time, 84 minutes. General classification. Release, in October. Samlel D. Berns 'Colorado9 Short Opens '4-D' Opens in South Tied in with Colorado's Centennial Celebration, UniversalInternational's 10-minute CinemaScope and color featurette, "Hi! Colorado," is opening throughout the state of Colorado this week following its world premiere at the Denver Theatre in Denver on Saturday. It will be shown to President and Mrs. Eisenhower in the White House this week, according to Centennial officials. "4-D Man," the new Fairview Production being released by UniversalInternational, opened at the Melba Theatre in Birmingham and the Ritz Theatre in Anniston yesterday to be followed by openings at the Paramount in Atlanta and in seven other Georgia and Alabama cities today as part of a Southern territorial saturation launching of the picture. 70mm. for Terre Haute TERRE HAUTE, Ind., Oct. 21. Alliance Amusement Co., Chicago, has purchased for installation at its Grand Theatre here Victoria X 70/ 35mm projection-sound equipment. The units were obtained from Cinematograph International, a division of Joe Hornstein, Inc., New York. C&G Offers Conversions A new and faster laboratory method of printing conventional 35mm and 16mm positives from CinemaScope films has been perfected by C. & G. Film Effects, Inc. Martin Gottlieb and Hugo Casolaro, owners of the company, have completed a number of contracts for major distributors. PEOPLE Charles S. Chaplin, United Artists Canadian district manager, will be guest speaker at the annual convention of the Saskatchewan Motion Picture Exhibitors Association in Saskatoon, Canada, on Monday. He will discuss the company's distribution plans for the next six months. □ William Brandt, president of Brandt Theatres, was guest of honor at a surprise testimonial dinner tendered him yesterday by the Beth Abraham Home in the Bronx. He was honored for his efforts to provide recreation and entertainment programs for the 531 patients of the home. □ Fess Parker, touring star of Paramount's "The Jayhawkers," will be guest of the Hartford press at a luncheon to be held there tomorrow at the Statler Hilton Hotel. □ Jack Borgenicht, formerly with the Trans-Lux Theatre, New York, has been named manager of the circuit's Trans-Lux in Philadelphia. Julian Harris has been named assistant manager at the latter house. Johnston Lauds ( Continued from page 1 ) gain the United States Government ever had." Addressing the Western Region convention of the American Association of Advertising Agencies, Johnston said the fact that the IMG program requires that the information media be sold in the countries to which they are exported immediately give them a value in the eyes of the recipients which materials contributed without cost do no have. Points to 10 Per Cent Cost "In its first decade," he said, "IMG made possible the export into 18 countries of American books, periodicals and films valued at about $150 millions at a cost of approximately $16 millions. At a cost of 10 per cent, where could America find a better bargain in carrying out its foreign policy objectives through private enterprise? "Today, IMG is operating a limited program on very limited funds— only $2% millions a year. Don't you agree that it should be doubled or quadrupled?" he asked. 'Football Highlights' Set Universal-International is preparing a new one-reel special to be titled "Football Highlights of 1959," featuring the highlights of the current football season, it was announced by F. J. A. McCarthy, assistant general sales manager. The film will be ready for theatres early in December and special promotional material is being prepared to help exhibitors take advantage of the selling angles.