Motion Picture Daily (Oct-Dec 1959)

4 Motion Picture Daily 'Life' Survey Scans Theatre Attendance has the boxoffice touch ! Yule Grosses (Continued from page 1) and casting, in addition to the usual holiday bonanza, were responsible for the downtown rush of theatre-goers. Cold but clement weather was the prediction and, anticipating the same through New Year's Day, theatre managers observed that the 1959-60 weekend could be the biggest of them all. Neighborhood theatres, too, felt that holiday business could represent the beginning of a boom for next year. Capacity business was reported at many downtown houses. Long lines, some stretching for several blocks, were the story at the Music Hall which is showing Univeral's "Operation Petticoat" and the theatre's annual Christmas stage show. The Music Hall was in for a "bangup" weekend, providing weather was not unfavorable, and the house expected to equal or exceed last year's Christmas week gross provided by "Auntie Mame," which did more than $225,000 for the corresponding week. 'Abner' Strong at Roxy Indications at the Roxy were that Paramount's "L'il Abner" and the stage show would top 1958's Christmas record-breaking business, when "Seventh Voyage of Sinbad" was featured. A Christmas day gross exceeding "Sinbad's" $35,000 was anticipated. At Loew's State, M-G-M's "BenHur" continued its amazing way, soldout through the weekend. With extra shows and advanced holiday prices, it was estimated that the spectacle would "easily insure a holiday record." The theatre's anticipated gross for the week ending this coming Wednesday is $61,804, with $32,318 indicated for the Christmas weekend. All 11 reserved-seat engagements of "Ben-Hur" were doing extremely well around the country. Ten have already opened to all-time advance sale records, and an 11th recordbreaker was indicated Christmas Day in Atlanta, when the "blockbuster" opened at the Roxy in that city. 'Solomon' Popular "Solomon and Sheba," which opened Saturday at the Capitol, also did turn-away business over the weekend. The Edward Small production, which helped to introduce audiences to the newly-redecorated theatre, was a most popular draw on the weekend film card. One of the hottest Times Square ( Continued from page 1 ) the Life report are unexpected or novel, they still should command the interest of members of all branches of the industry. In brief, these were the findings resulting from 652 long telephone interviews with persons in Atlanta, Chicago, Hartford, Los Angeles and Queens and Westchester Counties, N.Y. 1. There are two distinct groups, "frequent and infrequent" moviegoers, with different tastes and motivations that influence attendance. 2. Admission price is a minor factor, except among some of the frequent moviegoers. 3. Children have a significant influence in the selection of pictures which are attended by the family. 4. "A certain amount of social stigma appears to be attached to moviegoing, especially among the higher education groups. Moviegoing is often associated with some embarrassment and guilt." (This assertion would seem to be in conflict with the finding that attendance is greater as you go up the educational scale.) 5. Frequent moviegoers taste runs towards comedy and action, book adaptations and more provocative, adult themes. Infrequent moviegoers dislike violence in films and incline towards musicals, films appealing to children and religious subjects. 6. Major drive for censorship comes from those who criticize casual treatment of immorality and sex. Infrequent moviegoers are more likely to be advocating censorship than those who attend regularly. 7. "Missionary" films should be made to attract the infrequent moviegoers. It would seem this would be more practicable financially with low budget films. It may be something of a shock to exhibitors to know that those who made the Life study considered a frequent moviegoer one who attends an average of twice a month or oftener; a moderate moviegoer, one who goes from three to twelve times a year and an infrequent moviegoer one who goes no more than twice a year. The old standard of weekly attendance seems to be gone. It was report holiday entries was Twentieth Century-Fox's "Journey to the Center of the Earth," at the Paramount, reportedly the biggest grosser at that theatre since "The Young Lions." 'Journey' in Third Week Now in its third week, "Journey" showed strong possibilities of breaking prior house records for a Christmas weekend. The film was also doing "sensational" business in Cleveland, Chicago, Louisville, Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati, having earlier broken first-week records in Denver and Salt Lake City, 20th-Fox reported. The Paramount has scheduled extra holiday performances of "Journey" and plans to saturate specific television stations in advance of future key situations. "Suddenly, Last Summer," at the Criterion and Sutton, was also doing well, following average first day receipts at both theatres "The Gene Krupa Story," another Columbia production, opened Friday at the Forum and was well on its way toward a house record. In-person appearances by Krupa and Sal Mineo, who plays the drummer in the film, in four key situations were largely responsible for the heavy draws. Extra Showings for 'Porgy' The Warner Theatre scheduled extra weekend showings for "Porgy and Bess" which entered its 27th week at the theatre on Christmas Eve. Matinees are being given every day between Dec. 25 and Jan. 3. A weekend gross of $25,000 was expected, with receipts for the week ending next Wednesady a hoped-for $55,000. United Artists' "On The Beach," at the Astor was heading toward an excellent $60,000 for the week, possibly a record. Long lines were reported all weekend at the Astor. "Happy Anniversary," at the Victoria, was doing only fairly well as Crescent Princess to Be Road-Show Theatre Special to THE DAILY NASHVILLE, Dec. 27.-The Crescent Circuit's Princess Theatre here, dark since December 9 for a complete remodeling at a cost of about $50,000, reopened Christmas Day under a new name, the Crescent Downtown Theatre. Known for some years as a double feature house, the theatre from now on will concentrate on road show and top quality pictures in 70-mm. and stereophonic sound. Its initial attraction is "The Big Fisherman," and others planned for the future include "Solomon and Sheba," "Can Can," "Ben-Hur," "The Alamo" and re-runs in the original 70-mm. versions of "South Pacific," "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Oklahoma." New Projection and Screen Robert E. Hosse, Crescent Circuit vice president, said the theatre has been completely repainted and recarpeted, rest rooms re-done and concession stand remodelled. He said new Century projection equipment to handle the 70-mm. films cost $35,000. A 45-foot screen has been installed, covering the entire end of the theatre. it moved into the holiday, but business increased noticeably over the weekend. "Behind the Great Wall," in AromaRama, was expected to do business totaling $22,000 for the week, indicating a notable increase of patrons at the theatre. Extra holiday performances were scheduled for the first motion picture with scent, at the De Mille. A total of 47 showings were set from Dec. 26 through Jan. 3, 22 showings over the normal schedule. ed that only 28 per cent of those ii terviewed were classed as freque^ moviegoers with 50 per cent as mor erate moviegoers and 22 per cent i| frequent moviegoers. On the characteristics of the movit goers it was noted that the frequef' moviegoers are proportionately grea est in the age group of those und^ 30, with attendance particularly nurfi ? erous until the birth of the first bal (and resulting "baby sitter" problen and costs ) . It is also asserted that pe sons in households of five or mof1 persons are more likely to be infrf quent moviegoers than those in smt households and that those who ref apartments are better movie goef than those who own or rent houses. ( TV Viewing Estimated It might be of interest to note thf1 according to the study, all threi groups of moviegoers, frequent, moe erate and infrequent, see televisic programs for about 14/2 hours p: week. One encouraging factor is thi; it was reported that 49 per cent sa! they felt that picture quality had ia proved as compared with ten yeait ago. Of the frequent moviegoers nea ly 75 per cent assigned various tecj nical reasons as to why pictures a better and less than one quarter those interviewed cited more matu or adult treatments. Apparently abo an equal number each recommends more serious — presumably "moj adult"— pictures and a de-emphasis sex and violence. On the matter of price two-thire of those interviewed said that redul tion in admission prices would ni increase frequency of attendance, i Views Expressed on Censorship I On censorship 37 per cent we;j said to want more, 44 per cent th same and 17 per cent less. The Life research as well as simik1 studies in the past demonstrates thi1 there is no longer a "movie marke but many different markets, dependir1 on the appeal of each picture, present there are not enough frequei moviegoers to sustain the industry Successful pictures must satisfy tl important segment embracing tr!1 regular patrons and also have an ajf peal to those who are moderate <f infrequent moviegoers. That is a tas order and the reason why film prd duction involves such great risks. has the boxoffice touch !