The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE DRIVE-IN EVILS GROW (No. 3) VIOST CERTAINLY IN THE GIMMICK CLASS, l)Ut possiMv not as (lanjierous to tlie future as “(lollar-a-car” ni<i;hts, and “dusk-to-dawn” shows, are the many variations of tlie “FKEE-adinission” offer. They aren’t as dan<ierous because the very fact of giving something away for FREE seems to carry a connotation tliat tlie perpetrator will not he in husiness verv long. But all “FREE-admission” offers are had for this husiness in one wav or another. And all put us in the ridiculous position of criticizing free TV, hut providing free theatre. In the early days of drive-ins, when old and reissue douhle features were suffieient to attract husiness, the admission of “children-under-12” completely free and witl'iout a charge of any kind was a stimulant or gim¬ mick that wasn’t too ohjectionahle. All of the films were pretty well played out, and children-under-12 were not normal evening patrons at any theatre, either roofed or drive-in. Also, sitting in their parent’s car, they weren’t using any seating capacity, and they were eontrihuting mightily to the consumption of soft drinks and popcorn. But things are different now. Drive-ins in many instances jilay first-run product, either in advance of, or day-anddate with, their first-run roofed competitors. After the drive-ins have finished their runs, many small town and neighhorhood theatres that must depend on children’s matinees for a good part of their income, must })lay the very same pictures and sell tickets to “children-under-12.” It is very possible that this single drive-in theatre policy, even more than the much talked about free TV, is responsible for the many small town and neighhorhood theatres that have closed. The obvious solution is the same as that for “dollar-aear” nights. Eilm distributors can’t dictate an admission juice, hut they can insist that an admission jirice must he paid to see their products. And to protect themselves against the lost revenue from children’s admissions be¬ hind the drive-in’s run they certainly seem in hounds to increase their drive-in pricing terms wherever the policy remains “children-under-12 FREE.” But, there is another EREE gimmick that is far worse. Vi e have before us the newspajier ad of an important large drive-in in an eastern state that apparently j)lays a sjilit week (three and four day) policy. On Sunday Monday, and Tuesday, July 8, 9, and 10, its advertised show is “JUBAL,” the current Technicolor western from Columbia, and “ROSE OE CIMMARON” a Techni¬ color “oldie” from 20th Century-Eox. After its stock lines such as: “All Children under 12 are always ad¬ mitted FREE,” “Pony Rides every Eri., Sat., and Sun.,” and “Large Eree Playground,” comes the following: ^‘HERE'S NEWS! THE FIRST 100 CARS W ITH SIX OR MORE ADULTS in them will be ADMITTED FREE this coming Sunday, Monday, Tuesday. SO PACK THEM IN AND GET READY TO COME OUT SUN., MON., or TLF.S.” That’s news alright! That’s news that an inniortanl |ucture like “JLIBAL” can he forgotten as a possible hoxoffice attraction in a big segment of an entire state! If a minimum of 600 a«lults are to he “ADMITTED EREE” on any one of three different nights, then who in the world is going to he silly enough to jiay admission anywhere and at any later date? One possible ex|>lanation is that some drive-ins have decided they can exist on confection and food sales even if there are no admission charges. If so, we feel they should forget the theatre business and go into the restau¬ rant husiness. In any event, the industry has the same solution avail¬ able. If we are an industry depending for our existence on admission charges, let’s insist that there he admission charges. Let’s not try to exist half charge and half free! Nobody can fix a price, hut it would seem that j)roducer-distrihutors can insist that you don’t hold their best efforts up to ridicule, by renting them for a night or two and giving them away “for FREE.” ■}; -a * This eonehides our thoughts on drive-in evils. We don’t feel that we have been all-inclusive. W e don’t feel that this is a complete study. W e do welcome suhseriher comment. And we promise that such eomment will he carefully read and studied. Ojierating two drive-ins cur¬ rently, our criticisms can’t he considered unfriendly. "\S A PUZZLEMENTr' W K MUST ADMIRE the idealism and courage of Alex Harrison, general sales manager of 20th Century-Fox, when he announces his company’s new policy of making “CINEMASCOPE trailers only” on all future produc¬ tions starting with “TLIE KING AND 1.” There is no (juestioning the fact that it would require a large screen CinemaScope trailer to adeijuatcly describe, or sample. a coming CinemaScoj)e show. But there is always the ju'ohlem of fitting any such policy to the day-in and day-out operation of the nation’s theatres. The ideal is everyone’s desire, hut it is often limited hv facilities and by practical considerations. W e can see that Mr. Harrison’s jiolicy is very possible to accomplish in the large first-runs where two or more