The Exhibitor (1965)

Cincinnati Papers Adopt Ad Code; "Stupid" Draws New Public Protest CINCINNATI— “Kiss Me, Stupid,” currently playing the Albee, has provided the incentive to clear up an atmosphere in this city of muddled protestations that have been voiced for many months against certain books, mag¬ azines, stage plays, and films. The climax came when a group called “Students Committee To Upgrade Movies” advertised its intention to picket the Albee during the run of “Stupid.” It is presumed that the committee was under the impression that a picket line would deter the film’s patronage. A small group of teenagers picketed the Albee opening day, the line dwindling down to several pickets the second day, and then stopped. It could be the teenagers were pro¬ testing because they were not allowed to see the film rather than on moral issues. There have been letters to the newspaper editors and to the movie critics, both pro and con, for some time past. “Stupid” just brought the controversy out into the open. The Post and Times-Star published Feb. 4 a code by which it hopes to control what it believes to be lewd advertising in the enter¬ tainment field. In a bulletin to potential ad¬ vertisers, the paper sent out a list of words and subjects which must be avoided if ads are to be acceptable. “It is our intention to keep our advertising in good taste,” the bulletin says. “We also believe that moral and social values have not deteriorated as portrayed in some ad¬ vertisements. “The 25 words to be avoided include per¬ vert, lust, naked, sexpot, sexsational, play girls, and terms such as flesh-a-scope. “Subjects to avoid include bust measure¬ ments, comprising positions, double meanings, excessive cleavage, high state of violence or sadism, nude figures or silhouettes, perversion, promotional use of the word ‘sin,’ suggestive dress or undress, suggestive use of drugs, and violation of normal moral standards.” The code applies, of course, to advertise¬ ments for all types of entertainment and is not necessarily intended only for film adver¬ tisements. There has been an understanding between mass media and advertisers for films for some years back, and in most instances, ads have conformed to accepted good taste. E. B. Radcliffe, movie critic for the En¬ quirer, in a feature on his movie page, Feb. 4, headlined “A Kick for Stupidity,” wrote: “The protests against the picture or pic¬ tures of its type have been upcoming for a long time. I’m sure they will have beneficial effect on producers of future Hollywood pic¬ tures. “So . . . O.K. . . . What I’m going all around the barn about before making a point is this: “There are three rights to be remembered about public protests against theatrical at¬ tractions on screen or stage. “(1) The right of the objectors to protest. (2) The right of those who disagree with the objectors to see what all the protesting is about. (3) The right of the stage producer or motion picture makers to put what he will on stage or screen, and accept the risks in¬ volved, if his taste or speculative tendencies run to vulgarity, depravity and ‘obscenity’ (the most obscurely defined word in American courts today) . “In the instance of entertainment for which During a recent visit to Philadelphia in connection with International Classics "Zorba The Greek," producer-director-writer Michael Cacoyannis, second from right, met with critics, from left, Ernie Schier, Bulletin; Henry Murdock, Inquirer; and Jerry Gaghan, Daily News, at a luncheon conference. admission is charged, the work of the pro¬ ducer of smut and vulgarity can be countered effectively by public protest. “The public protest labels the stage or screen product for its degraded standards in popular judgment and esteem. “And exposure to the junk is a matter of individual decision and payment of a price of admission. “No cne holds a gun to anyone’s head com¬ pelling him to enter a theatre and look upon diversion he considers debasing. “And, while we are on the subject of junk entertainment as against that of substance and quality, we might as well face the fact that the basics of taste change with times — ■ although in the long run, common standards of decency prevail. “Gaffer that I am, I can remember when it was immodest for a man not to wear a sort of top to his bathing suit. Now the world accepts the fact that members of both sexes can gaze upon a nude upper half of the male torso without one and all going into an in¬ stant frenzy of world-consuming debauchery. “In standards of what is acceptable for adult movie audiences, we today approve what he disapproved yesterday. “Time was when ‘pregnancy’ and ‘birth’ were tabooed in dialogue. It was ‘suggestive’ to hint that a world of hundreds of millions of individuals had emerged from anywhere save from beneath cabbage leaves, where all good babies came from. “Standards now in process of change will bring movies made for special segments of the general audience from seven to 70. “There will be movies for adults only; movies for mature teeners and adults; movies for children, movies for all the family. Public buying habits at the ticket offices have deter¬ mined the pattern. “I’m sure that common sense and good taste of the majority will make certain that indecencies and vulgarities on the screen, are in the minority. “Public protests will help if things get too raw and gamey. That’s the way things have gone in the past, and I feel they’ll hold that way for present and future. “And P.S.: Local authorities are not without power to put the clamp on salacious ma Fox Sets Exhib Meetings For “Magnificent Men” NEW YORK— A 28-city series of exhibitor conferences on 20th Century-Fox’s “Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, or: How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours and. 11 Minutes,” was launched in Boston, last week, it was announced by Jo¬ seph M. Sugar, the company’s vice-president in charge of domestic sales. The meetings, being conducted by 20th-Fox division managers throughout the United States, and Canada, emphasize the character and scope of the advertising, publicity and promotion campaign for the Todd-AO-DeLuxe Color production. The meetings feature a special 10-minute color film prepared especially for exhibitors. The film presents hilarious scenes from the picture, emphasizing the star values and characterizations, scope and color of the pro¬ duction, the antique planes, and the authentic backgrounds. A slide presentation on the ad¬ vertising, publicity, and promotion plans for the film also will be shown to exhibitors at the meetings. Conferences were conducted in Dallas on Feb. 10; Philadelphia, Feb. 11; Memphis, Feb. 11; Chicago, Feb. 16; Atlanta, Feb. 16; Wash¬ ington, D. C., Feb. 16; and are set for Mil¬ waukee, Feb. 17; Cleveland, Feb. 18; Jack¬ sonville, Feb. 18; Minneapolis, Feb. 18; Des Moines, Feb. 19; Pittsburgh, Feb. 23; New Orleans, Feb. 23; San Francisco, Feb. 24; Charlotte, Feb. 25; Buffalo, Feb. 25; Denver, Feb. 26; Cincinnati, March 3; Seattle, March 4; Toronto, March 4; Louisville, March 4; In¬ dianapolis, March 5; Detroit, March 8; Salt Lake City, March 9; St. Louis, March 9; Kansas City, March 11; and Los Angeles, March 16. Conducting the meetings are Sam E. Di¬ amond, eastern division manager; W. C. Gehring, southern division manager; T. O. McCleaster, western division manager; and P. S. Myers, Canadian division manager. Albarino Joins Columbia NEW YORK — Richard Albarino has joined Columbia as news writer and trade press contact, it has been announced by Robert S. Ferguson, Columbia vice-president in charge of advertising and publicity. Albarino, who fills the vacancy created by the promotion of Joe Wolfe to national radio and television contact for Columbia, will re¬ port directly to Bud Rosenthal, national pub¬ licity manager. terial.” There has also been agitation for some time back for the screening of more family films. In most instances, when this type of film plays, the exhibitor loses money be¬ cause of poor patronage. Dale Stevens, in his column in the Post and Times-Star on Feb. 4, headlined his feature, “A Boy Ten Feet Tall — Great Family Picture.” He wrote: “If all the people who say they want family movies went to the good ones, there would certainly be a lot more of them around than there are now. “So here’s one more chance to prove you mean it. Go see ‘A Boy Ten Feet Tall.’ It is the kind of entertainment the masses cry for, the kind critics must say good things about. “It is up to you now to prove you mean it.” ] February 17, 1965 8 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR