The Exhibitor (1959)

year provided the exhibitor, producers, and distributors work together toward getting the patron out of the house and into the theatre. Modernization Means Profits W. J. TURNBULL, president. National Theatre Supply The year 1959 will go into the records as the “turn-around” year as far as sales of motion picture theatre equipment are concerned. After four consecutive years of steadily declining demand, the current year at last saw a definite reversal of the theatre equipment sales curve from DOWN to UP. New equipment and furnishings installa¬ tions naturally tie in closely with the trend of boxoffice grosses. The fairly sharp increase in such sales during the latter half of 1959 provides a reliable indication of the spirit of renewed confidence and faith in the industry’s future on the part of theatre owners everywhere. It appears that a new era of increased public interest in the movies has begun. A number of exhibitors have already completely renovated and modernized their theatres to take full advantage of this long-awaited development. Without exception those who have completed the job already know that their investment was a wise one. Greater boxoffice grosses and bigger profits invariably result from moderniza¬ tion. 1959 has witnessed a definite revival of activity in freshen¬ ing up America’s motion picture theatres. This is particularly true in those areas of the theatre which the public sees. Bril¬ liant carpeting, modem luxurious seating and attractive stage draperies have been in demand. Installations of 70/35mm projection systems have proceeded at an orderly pace. Mod¬ ernization of marquees to attract patrons is the order of the day in many situations. Now is the time for every progressive exhibitor to get set for the promising new era in motion pictures. If financing of the necessary improvements is a requirement, most reputable dealers stand ready to offer liberal terms on major equipment purchases enabling the exhibitor to make payment from in¬ creased boxoffice returns. Better product appears on the way for 1960. If it can be presented in better, more attractive, more comfortable the¬ atres equipped with modern sound and projection equipment, then the new era will indeed be well on its way to permanency. Seeking A Free Screen MICHAEL F. MAYER, executive director, IFIDA Whatever its other deficiencies, the mo¬ tion picture industry has suffered from no lack of organizations. The major producer — distributors have long since united to protect their mutual interests. Exhibitors, though divided, have conducted numerous organized struggles in behalf of their com¬ petitive position. There is even a potent and effective organization of organizations — COMPO— built for the purpose of jointly representing all interests of its members. For what purpose one might reason¬ ably ask, do we need one more organization— IFIDA— the In¬ dependent Film Importers and Distributors of America, Inc.? The answer is relatively simple. The independent importer and distributor must have a voice because he has a unique role and because he has an important message that must be heard. He can only really be heard through a unified medium. IFIDA seeks to act as that medium. For what do we search and why are we different? We seek firstly a free screen and we are embarked on an all out struggle to achieve it. While we welcome many of our new¬ found friends in this battle, we cannot forget that it is the independent distributors who have led the fight while others dragged their feet. Just check the names in the famous cases on screen censorship. The landmark captions bear the titles, BURSTYN, KINGSLEY, TIMES FILMS and other independ¬ ents. At a time of strife and trouble the entire industry needs leadership from the front line fighters in the censorship battle. And we are prepared to give it. We seek the broadened acceptance by the American public of foreign films. At a time when international communica¬ tion and understanding were never more necessary, we note with gratification the increased interest and appeal here of films from all over the world. We submit that the rest of the world has much to tell us and that we have much to learn from them. For the benefit of the cynic I speak here not only of the Bardot films which tell us a thing or two about sex appeal, but of the magnificent recent works from Scandi¬ navia of Ingmar Bergman, the exciting French pictures from the new group of young directors, and the revealing frank¬ ness of England’s angry young men. We want to broaden the opportunities for the American people to see these pic¬ tures and many others. In the open market of public opinion their box office results will be the ultimate argument for their acceptance and we have no doubt of the final result. But the opportunity for acceptance must and will be granted. So far I’ve talked only of our relations with the public which are, of course, primary. But within the industry the foreign distributors face a host of problems that must be met. For example, we are opposed to some American award selec¬ tion systems which do not relate their foreign film awards to those films that the American people can see and judge for themselves. We will continue sponsorship of the Burstyn Award which does not suffer from this clear deficiency. We submit in equity and justice that foreign film licenses granted abroad should to some extent reflect business done for those foreign countries in the United States. We object to monster form contracts that certain producers impose leaving no room for individual negotiation and individual initiative. We seek to clarify certain festival awards and activites for the benefit of all and not a limited few. Numerous other trade practices that block and thwart the development of free and fair com¬ petition in the foreign film market trouble our members. Through our committees and officers we intend to meet these problems, and many others for the benefit of all. The foreign film is here to stay. So is the foreign film dis¬ tributor. At this writing, 21 distributors, representing a sub¬ stantial majority of those in the industry, have banded to¬ gether in IFIDA to promote their common aims. We want as many more as there may be. We are confident that IFIDA will prove to be an effective voice to an important component of the motion picture industry. And rest assured— that voice will be heard. More Color Coming WILLIAM J. GERMAN My observations concerning the year 1959 in retrospect, include a belief that the downward trend in the volume of pioture production is halted, and further thought in this direction would lead one to believe that the coming year will see a gradual and well-ordered rate of increase in the number of releases which will be effectively in force by the latter part of the new year. 56 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR December 23, 1959