The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE /MEM bT?V VJDIT \ Rureau > Circulations JUNE 13, VOLUME 56 1956 NUMBER 7 THAT ONE A VALUED SLTBSCRIBER, from flown Virginia way, has been good enough to furnish us with the June 1 editorial page from the Richmond Times-Dispatch, one of our more respected newspapers, in which a letter from a reader criticizes them for editorially attacking the sales of pornographic literature, drawings, etc., while their own amusement page (of May 28) “shows excellent pornographic-artistic ability,” and that: “There are sev¬ eral drawings (perhaps even photographs) which would give even a. cloistered saint an emotional ‘charge’.” The reader sums up with a recitation of typical wording, such as: “Shocking,” “Daring,” “Definitely not for junior,” “The story of a girl unahle to control her emotions,” and “Adults only”; and goes on to say: “What youngster or adult could possibly stay away when the ads are so sexually shocking?” It would he most easy, and prohahly most actual, to answer: “Any youngster or adult with either brains, morals, or both!” But we procured a copy of the amusement page in BAD APPLE question, just for a look-see. As we suspected, all but one of these lines, and all of the “drawings” were used by a local drive-in to adver¬ tise a smelly little item titled “TEMPEST IN THE FLESH.” And the line about “Junior” was used by another drive-in to advertise “THE BED.” By contrast, on that same amusement page, some 25 theatres, both roofed and drive-in, advertised a total of 31 other pictures. Even the drive-in advertising “THE BED” had shown restraint and good judgment, and the “Junior” reference was a four word quote from a New York daily. But there had to he that one theatreman who, in reaching for the fast buck, dirties up the rest of the business, and gives the reformers and detractors the am¬ munition they need in order to launch their attacks. Maybe if the “fast-buck” guys would canvass their neighboring theatres, the latter would he glad to pass a hat and retire them from this business. It would be a cheap investment ! MR. SINDLINGER REPORTS From the Comments Section of Sindlinger’s weekly Audience Action Index, for the week ending May 19, we learn that there are 981) less operating theatres (18,220) than there were at the start of January (19,200). Maybe this one fact can account for a good part of the fall off in national grosses and in national attendance sales. After all, this does represent slightly more than a five per cent loss in theatres. Closed theatres sell no tickets, and pay no film rentals! And there is an interesting slant in the fact that out of a U. S. net theatre gross business of $19,227,300 for this week ending May 19, only $5,776,000 (or 30 per cent) came from the 1,705 first-run theatres, while $8,737,500 (or 46 per cent) came from the 12,804 sub¬ runs and neighborhood roofed theatres, and $4,713,800 (or 24 per cent) came from the 4,431 drive-in theatres. Some of the glib “specialists” of distribution, who roll off the absurdities like “85 per cent of the gross comes from 10 per cent of the total theatres,” etc., should he handed the dunce cap and made to stand in the corner. And another cap, and another corner, should he saved for trade papers that go along with, and try to sell such thinking to outside manufacturers to justify their own claims of complete coverage. When Mr. Sindlinger sticks to statistics, he lias been proven by tax and census figures to be amazingly close to actuality. If knowledge is power, maybe such statis¬ tical knowledge will give this business the power to operate like a business, and rebuild its edifice that has been nearly wrecked by “status quo,” superstitions, and “sacred cows.” A BOW TO A GOOD PRESS BOOK If you want to get the feeling that somebody has been using his noggin, and that you are looking at a generous supply of new and switchy pressbook ads that aren’t reminiscent of something you’ve seen a dozen times before, get hold of the very interesting little pressbook on Allied Artists’ “CRIME IN THE STREETS.” Not only is the copy fresh and bright, but the direc¬ tional forms of the illustrations, and the composition generally, are away from the usual movie style. We don’t know who should accept t lie how, or whether it belongs on the east or west coast. But whoever it is, we tip our hat to you, hub! Jay Emanuel A JAY EMANUEL PUBLICATION. Founded in 1918. Published weekly by Jay Emanuel Publications, Incorporated. Publishing office: 246-248 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania. New York: 229 West 42nd Street, New York 36. West Coast: Paul Manning, 8141 Blackburn Avenue, Los Angeles 48, Cal. Jay Emanuel, publisher; Paul J. Greenhalgh, general manager; Albert Erlick, editor; George Frees Nonamaker, feature editor; Mel Konecoff, New York editor; Arnold Farber, Physical Theatre and Extra Profits departmental editor; William Haddock, associate editor; Albert J. Martin, advertising manager; Max Cades, business manager; Leo Maestripieri, circulation manager. Subscriptions: $2 per year (52 issues); and outside of the United States, Canada, and Pan-American countries, $5 per year (52 issues). Special rates for two and three years on application. Entered as second class matter at the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, post office. Address letters to 246-48 North Clarion Street, Philadelphia 7, Pennsylvania.