The Exhibitor (1954)

10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR The International Scene Can jkIw ' Theatre Receipts Rise, But Attendance Falls Toronto— More money is being spent by the average Canadian on movies than ever before, according to the full report of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics recently is¬ sued. The report, a statistical study of the motion picture industry, covers 1953. It is stated that Mr. Average Canadian spent $8.30 on movies as compared with $5.61 in 1943. The highest spenders on films in Canada live in British Columbia where the per capita expenditure was $10.56. The next highest was Ontario where $9.67 was spent. Low spender was Newfoundland, $4.03. A logical explana¬ tion for this is found in the spread out nature of the province combined with the fact that there are few theatres. Receipts for Canada’s 1,906 theatres, ex¬ cluding taxes, was $100,889,361 or two per cent above the previous year, but the number of paid admissions decreased by nearly three per cent from the year pre¬ vious. Amusement taxes of $12,760,235 were paid while 241,182,726 persons passed through the turnstiles. The film exchanges in Canada however, handled a volume of business amounting to $35,446,293 which represented a 4.3 per cent increase over the $33,979,599 handled in 1952. There was an increase in film rentals from $32,911,042 in 1952 to $34,436,609. Of the total film rental receipts of $39,436,609, 83.8 per cent or $28,871,729 represented 35mm. films for theatrical use. The value of 16mm. rentals for theatrical use was $2,022,112. No indication is made in the report of how much of this money was remitted to the U. S. Of course, not all of this would go directly to the producers, some moneys being taken off for overhead in Canada. All moneys taken in Canada are allowed to be remitted to the producer, less 10 per cent representing a portion of the in¬ come tax taken by the government. New films of all types released during 1953 numbered 3,521, of which 2,983 were for theatrical use on a commercial bas’s. The bulk of the films came from the U.S., followed by France, then Great Britain, Canada and Italy. U. S. exported 779 films to this country, while France sent over 290, Great Britain 147, Italy 41, and Can¬ ada itself put two film titles on its screens. Other countries sent 30 films. These in¬ volved such widely-separated geograph¬ ical locations as Hungary, USSR, Ger¬ many, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Spain, Australia, and India. Of the total new features released in this country, 981 were in black and white while 308 were pro¬ duced in color. There were 33 film companies operating in Canada in 1953, employing a total of 1232 persons in 124 exchange offices pay¬ ing a total of $3,540,676 in salaries and wages. CINE CHATTER: Jack Labow, RKO Canadian general manager, and his Tor Prominent notables were among the record crowds that recently turned out for the European premiere of Warners' "A Star Is Born" at the Film-Buhne Wien in Berlin. onto, Montreal, and Saint John branch managers attended an RKO regional sales meeting in New York, while other of his managers sat in at meetings held in Chi¬ cago, the coast and New Orleans. . . . Can¬ adians spent $28,405,648 on TV sets in the month of September, according to Domin¬ ion Bureau of Statistics’ figures for radio and TV sales in that month. September was the best month yet recorded by DBS for TV sales in Canada. It tops the pre¬ vious record established in August by 28,548. . . . First place in its group was captured by UA’s Calgary branch. Bob Radis is manager. . . . An $8,000,000 shop¬ ping centre to include a neighborhood theatre seating 1,030 is planned in Regina by Nipawin Theatres, Ltd. Two acres of land has been bought at a cost of $12,000, and the development is to be undertaken within two years. Leonard B. Reinhom, Regina, is president, Nipawin Theatres, Ltd., and Isador Reinhorn is general man¬ ager of the company. The company now operates the Nortwon, Regina; Roxy, Nip¬ awin; and Skyview Drive-In, Nipawin. The new house would be one of the larg¬ est in the city. . . . Lincoln, St. Catha¬ rines, cancelled all its matinee perform¬ ances for two weeks before Christmas. The temporary policy was in effect for “the shopping season.” . . . J. J. Fitzgib Seen at the recent premiere of Columbia's "On The Waterfront" at the Paris Opera, France, for the benefit of a memorial to war victims, were, left to right, Morris Goodman, Columbia Euro¬ pean sales manager; Mrs. Goodman; Paul Laza¬ rus, vice-president, Columbia; Mrs. Lazarus; Nick Pery, vice-president, Columbia International; Marc Spiegel, MPEA European manager; and Roger Schwartz, president, French Columbia. bons, chairman. Board of Governors, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, was named vice-chairman for the hospital’s first fund drive, scheduled for January, the objec¬ tive being $5,105,000. . . . Manager Vic Nowe, Toronto Odeon, had a big Christ¬ mas tree in the lobby of his theatre in¬ viting patrons to place children’s gifts there for distribution at Toronto orphan — Harry Allen, Jr. England In London, the British Film Production Fund last week reported that in the year ending July 31, 1954, exhibitors paid into the fund under the Eady levy 2,750,518 pounds, compared for 2,732,726 in the previous year. At the present rate of exchange, one Pound equals $2.80. A total of 2,498,187 Pounds has been disbursed to producer-distributors. Of this, 2,231,880 Pounds has been paid to 55 recipients in respect to 679 films of 3,000 feet, and 266,307 Pounds to 91 recipients in respect to 725 films of 3,000 feet or less. There remains 111,147 Pounds to be distributed. Principal payments ware made as follows: Exclusive Films, 884,437 Pounds; General Film Distributors, 746,346 Pounds; British Lion, 409,235 Pounds; Associated BritishPathe, 230,747 Pounds; Independent Film Distributors, 152,971 Pounds; and Eros Films, 120,818 Pounds. Eight subsidiaries of the major American film companies share a total distribution of 187,407 Pounds; with United Artists at the top with 42,205 Pounds; next comes MGM with 35,780 Pounds; and Republic, 32,981 Pounds. Japan “This Is Cinerama” had its gala pre¬ miere at the Tokyo Imperial, following a preview performance attended by gov¬ ernment officials and cabinet members. Japan is the fourth overseas nation to show the multi-dimensional film medium. Toho Company is presenting the film in Japan by arrangement with Robin Inter¬ national, Inc., which has international dis¬ tribution rights from Stanley Warner Corporation. Special commentary was recorded in Japanese. Imperial schedules three showings daily and four on Sunday and was sold out through January. Re¬ sponse is enthusiastic as indicated by lines of over a thousand at the box office from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. The first theatre de¬ signed especially for Cinerama showings has been erected in Osaka, where “This Is Cinerama” opened on Jan. 15, under the same theatre policy. Mexico In Mexico City, Eduardo Garduno, head, Mexican Film Industry Bank, predicts that more and better production in 1955 will result "from improved organization for placing pictures at home and abroad and better financial help due to the organiza¬ tion of the trade’s own bank. Both government and trade want in¬ creased prestige for Mexican films abroad, according to the banker, so exceptional pictures are the aim. In 1954, an average Mexican picture cost between $64,000 and $72,000. but this year a production must cost $160,000, according to Garduno, to insure quality. January 19, 1955