The Exhibitor (1956)

MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 11 Youthful AIP Trio Maps Future Films The New York Scene ( Continued from page 7) Freeman estimated that the film should gross between right to 10 millions from domestic as well as foreign returns, especially since the public can’t see this type of spectacle on their TV screens at home as yet. As a matter of fact, he reported that Paramount was seeking to design its future product so that it would be radically different from what can be seen on TV. Observed Freeman, more people are attending theatres today to see the bigger pictures that are good. He thought that the trend was to fewer but larger pictures. Small budget films can do well if they can be brought in inexpensively and if their story material is different. His next two films are “The Yellow Moon,” about Formosa, to go in February for a million, and “Little Shepherd Of Kingdom Come,” to start in May for a million four. TIE-UP; New Yorkers were greeted with full page ads in some of their daily newspapers the other day announcing a tie-up between a chain of restaurants known as Colonel Cobb’s and Loew’s Theatres, promising all who would sample Cobb’s dinner wares a free ticket good any time at any Loew house. No strings or tax were attached. What follows is some of the copy in the ad, which we think deserves reproduction. A Night Out. “Son . . . how long has it been since you took your wife out for dinner and movie? ... I mean the good old average-American, spontaneous, light-hearted combination of Food and Film . . . that used to make a big evening out of any night for you and Baby. What happened? You too busy? Too tired? Got Teeveeitis? Or has it become too expensive? You, suh, are in a spot. ‘Tell me true! How long does it take before your wife pops her permanent and makes the welkin ring? I can hear her now: ‘Get Me Out of the House. I’ve GOT to get out of here ONE evening before I simply BUST. If I have another pot to wash I’ll dry it on your hair; the next smirking female that yodels how easy it is to do house¬ work, this ashtray goes right through that picture tube. Maybe you can appreciate those musclebound kewpies clamping toeholds on each other; I’d rather watch Tony Lancaster threw a neck-lock on Gina Lollapalooza; it might even give you ideas. GET out of that chair; we’re going out, o-u-t, I say . . . OUT’.” The ad continues on until it comes to the following: “Y’all come to dinner and be my guest at the movies . . . your evening at the movies is on me. Yessuh, each time you indulge yourself and the little woman in one of my meals we fork over one gen-you-uine movie admission ticket paid for by us . . . you don’t even have to pay tax ... it is non -restricted ... go any time of any day or night (including New Year’s Eve) from here to eternity. Use it the day you get it or save them up for the kids. The formula is one dinner — one ticket . . . just as simple as that. You can get these tickets every day from now until Jan. 31.” We will be very interested to await the results as it seems a deal few will be able to resist, especially since the full dinners cost less than two dollars. THE METROPOLITAN SCENE: The world premiere at the Roxy of “Anastasia” was scheduled to get the full glamour and publicity treatment with an additional feature of having celebrities being transported to the theatre in a fleet of 1957 automobiles as a result of an agreement with the National Automobile Show at the Coliseum. There was unusual globe coverage because of it being produced abroad and because of the return of Ingrid Bergman to American screens. ... A unique seminar-preview of PA’s “The Wild Party” was held at the World recently with a discussion on progressive jazz, juvenile delinquency, etc. The film, too, came in for its share of wild, wild comment. . . . MGM has arranged for 8,000 calendars to be mailed from Japan to exhibitors and newspaper people all over the world. Scenes from “Tea¬ house Of The August Moon” are quite prominent throughout. . . . Season’s greetings in early from the Nick Matsoukas mishpawcha, Ed Lachman from Gay Paree, Mort Natahanson, Burt Sloane, Charles Einfeld, Leo Samuels. . . . Okay pressbooks out on “Dance With Me Harry,” “Nightfall,” “Anastasia,” “Death Of A Scoundrel,” “Okla¬ homa!” (CinemaScope version), “The Silent Night,” “Everything But The Truth,” “Rumble On The Docks,” “Four Girls In Town.” . . . SEASON’S GREETINGS! Greyhound Sells Cinerama Chicago — Under a plan announced re¬ cently, more than 8,500 Greyhound ter¬ minals and agents throughout the U.S. will become boxoffices for the 21 Cinerama theatres from coast to coast. Residents in areas with a Greyhound terminal or authorized agent need simply go to the ticket window, specify the date, location, and price they wish to pay to receive their seat for the Cinerama showing in any one of the 21 Cinerama theatres, wherever the attraction is be¬ ing shown. There is no requirement to purchase Greyhound transportation, but it is ex¬ pected that many persons will pay the fares to the community where they plan to see the Cinerama showing. Surveys have demonstrated that Cin¬ erama theatres draw many patrons from areas as far as 250 miles. Two of the most beautiful girls in the world, Miss Universe beauty pagent runners-up, Marina (Miss Germany) Orschel, and Ingrid (Miss Swe¬ den) Goude, now under contract to U-l, recently discussed their film debuts in U-I's "The Tattered Dress" with producer Albert Sutsmith and direc¬ tor Jack Arnold. New York — A trio of youthful film¬ makers, who aim their pictures at youth¬ ful filmgoers, was in to broaden their dis¬ tribution outlets and to announce a schedule of 16 features on which they will start production in the new year. The three, who average 33 years of age, are the drive behind American Interna¬ tional Pictures, whose 12 films of the past year are described by Hollywood as medium-budget productions. They cost a minimum of $100,000 each, which is noth¬ ing at all in the film center. But presi¬ dent James H. Nicholson, vice-president Samuel Z. Arkoff, and national sales man¬ ager Leon Blender indicated that the rubber-band is coming off the bankroll for the 16 upcoming films. They will cost from $175,000 to $300,000 each. Titles of the new films include “Jet Squadron,” “Rockin’ Rebel,” “The Nth Man,” “Cat Girl,” “I Was A Teenage Werewolf,” “Hell Raiders,” “Drag Strip Girl,” “Girl From Two Million A.D.,” “Wolf Girl,” and seven others. Indie Drive-In Plan Reported Philadelphia — According to reports current on Film Row last week Sam Shapiro, pioneer area exhibitor, who operates a group of motion picture the¬ atres with his sons, Merton and Ben, in¬ cluding the Arcadia, Merben, Liberty, and Dell, plans opening a drive-in division to be headed by John Turner, former district manager, United Artists, and Lester Krieger, former assistant zone manager here for Stanley Warner Theatres. Shapiro is said to have purchased the Starlight Drive-In, Camden, N. J., and the Keystone Drive-In, Harrisburg, Pa., for $325,000 as a nucleus for contem¬ plated drive-in operations, which call for the building of a possible 20 spots in such locations as Ocean City, N. J., Brigatine Beach, N. J., Willow Grove, Pa., Bristol, Pa., a site on the Main Line, and one on West Chester Pike. None of the people said to be involved in the new undertaking were available for comment at press time. Kelly Winds Up “Happy Road" New York — Gene Kelly returned from France last fortnight and held a press in¬ terview at the office of Dan Terrell, MGM exploitation manager. Kelly was enthused over “The Happy Road,” first film for his own company, Kelly Productions, which he made there with Barbara Lange and two 10-year-olds, Brigitte Fossey, of France, and Bobby Clark, of the U.S. With no music and no dancing, Kelly said the film tells a simple story of school children as runaways. It was made in France, he said, because that was its set¬ ting, but he gave it enough English to carry it along. It is, he said, a picture about children and for children. MGM releases the film, MGM financed him, and profits are 50-50, Kelly said. Rank Obtains N. Y. Office New York — The J. Arthur Rank Or¬ ganization, Ltd., last fortnight contracted for the rental of an entire floor of office space at 729 Seventh Avenue for the newly-formed Rank Film Distributors of America, for occupancy early in 1957. December 19, 1956