The Exhibitor (1960)

cover the evening’s festivities as they would any other major sporting event. Some situations may be able to go even farther in their promotion for the film based on athletic prowess. Perhaps a Marathon race can be arranged with a course set up in the area surrounding the theatre. This could be a five mile or longer race with high school and college cross-country athletes as participants. It could be timed to finish near the theatre with newspaper, radio, and TV personnel on hand to greet the winners. It should be spotted prior to playdate with the presentation of prizes to be awarded at the theatre on open¬ ing night. The racing action could be followed by automobiles suitably bannered to provide watchers with formation. Photographs of the action and the winners could be spotted in high school and college newspapers as well as in the daily or weekly press. An interesting and attractive lobby display could also be set up featuring action photos and shots of the winners. There is no end to the ballyhoo for a film of this scope and appeal that will spring from the fertile brain of the real showman. Remember, the more noise you make, the more potential patrons will get the message. If a small ship, similar to the Persian or Greek vessels portrayed in the picture, is available near you, try to get it for a display in front of the theatre. If not, you could make up a display of small replicas of ships from this era, hanging them from the ceiling or mounting them on the walls of your lobbv. You could even hang them over your marquee during the engagement. There are aways a few boat fans who have replicas of medieval vessels. Such persons with special inter¬ ests are natural targets for promotional tieins through their clubs, organizations, etc. BELOW, an appealing contest for the kids is the coloring stunt sketched here. Note the use of sidewalk in front of theatre for scene of action. It also can be used as a newspaper tie-in, particularly in small towns. COMING ... in Ihe issue of June 8 PAUL BAISEr Director of Advertising Walter Reade Theatres, Oakhurst, N.J. tells how he would sell . . . MGM's "THE BELLS ARE RINGING" To further dress up the theatre for the engagement, make a cutout from the 24-sheet of Steve Reeves with Mylene Demongeot clinging to his leg. Mount this on top of the marquee directly above the change panel or on the face of the theatre front. You could also make two of these cutouts and use them on a sound truck in advance of mounting them over the marquee. I have tried to start you thinking along showmanship lines for what promises to be a real showman’s picture. This in effect is all the pressbook can do— start you thinking. Take advantage of all the pressbook offers. Make use of the excel¬ lent TV spots which are loaded with action and can generate a lot of interest in your playdate. Distribute the colorful heralds on the film to schools and through market tieins, etc. Do all these things. Rut never forget that at that point your selling job is just beginning. The real difference between a successful engagement and just another mid-week gross is in the work you are willing to do after the pressbook aids have been exhausted. “THE GIANT OF MARATHON” is an exploiteer’s dream. Start thinking along those lines, and you’ll be amazed at the number and variety of ideas that will occur to you. Exploita¬ tion is not a rich man’s game, either. A relatively small outlay and some hard work may well be all that is needed to launch your engagement with an impact that will be felt all the way from the boxoffice to the bank. June I, I960 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR 17