The Exhibitor (1966)

New England Film Business Soars From Cape Cod To The Mountains BOSTON — From Cape Cod to the moun¬ tains, New England neighborhood and resort area theatres are reporting the biggest season in their history. This year tourists have come into the six-state area by the millions, sparking the film business in the tourist areas to new heights. Business will run directly and in¬ directly into billions of dollars in 1966. Boston first runs are up 50 per cent over last summer. Highest volume business in history is re¬ ported by drive-ins in the six-state region and also by resort area hardtop film houses, which abound throughout towns and villages skirting the resort sections. Several reasons for the big business from out of state visitors is advanced by the Massachusetts State Commerce Divi¬ sion, which rates tourism as its biggest busi¬ ness; the Boston Chamber of Commerce; and in Cape Cod chambers. These include higher incomes, better traveling facilities, new and modern concepts in theatres, hotels, motels, luxury accommodations, etc., but the main factor, all are agreed, is the weather. Motion picture theatres in the resort areas, most of which are running first run and showcase, re¬ port over a 50 per cent increase in business over last year. This summer has been the hottest, with few rainy days, in over a decade, the Boston Weather Bureau reported. Not since the sum¬ mer of 1954 has there been such a tremendous outdoor season with day after day of tempera¬ tures in the high 80’s and 90’s. The long awaited warm weather started early in May, and looks to continue through September into October. The visiting tourists are flocking to the film houses at night. In most of the resort areas there is little to do at night, and the films are drawing as more families are vacationing together this year, tourist chiefs report. Tourist traffic on Martha’s Vineyard alone is expected to reach 225,000 this year, including occupants of 8,000 cruis¬ ing boats. Massachusetts summer areas have been thronged with more than 100,000 reported at Revere Beach and another 100,000 at Nan¬ tucket in a single day, July 3. One of the few complaints from tourist chiefs is that the Free¬ dom Trail Foundation in Boston is suffering from “too much business.” Directors of the Old South Meeting House and the Old North Church have complained they can’t keep up with the traffic. The floors need polishing daily. Nearly 700,000 sightseers are expected to hit the Freedom Trail this year. Northern states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont report heavy influx of tourists, NEW ORLEANS — Three persons were ar¬ rested here in connection with the showing in a downtown theatre of what police described as an obscene film. While the picture, titled “The Sensualists,” was in the course of its initial run at the Paris Cinema, three undercover officers of the police vice squad with two representatives of the district attorney’s office, sat in the audience after having purchased tickets. Before the end of the showing, officers ordered the picture stopped, confiscated the film, and arrested Linda Ruth Brown, 22, theatre manager; especially a big jump in families, and thereby leads to one of the reasons for bigger film business, according to tourist experts. “There are more family groups than ever this year, and family groups like to go to films,” a spokes¬ man said. In New Hampshire, the information booths at Pinkham Notch and East Lempster report twice as many inquiries as last year. Chambers of Commerce in Berlin, Groveton, Hampton Beach, and Center Harbor-Moultonboro and Laconia-Weirs, N. H. Beach, all report busi¬ ness increases of 50 per cent over last year. Indian Head Resort Colony at Franconia Notch, N. H., reports 50 per cent increase, and Strawberry Banke Colonial Restoration Proj¬ ect in Portsmouth, N. H., says business has tripled. That there’s gold in “them thar” New En¬ gland hills is shown by the report that traffic in the White Mountain National Forest, oper¬ ated by the U. S. Forest Service, is up 10 to 12 per cent. Glen House at the foot of Mt. Washington reports, “It’s the best summer we have had since the year we opened in 1952.” At Weirs, N. H., Peter Makris, operator of amusement spots, said business has been “tre¬ mendous” with a big influx of young people and families. The Deputy Commissioner of Economic De¬ velopment in Maine, Phil Macey, said the state’s July 4 week-end broke all existing rec¬ ords for travel on the turnpike. In Rockland, Me., site of the famous “lobster festival,” Samoset manager reported, “We’ve been swamped all summer.” Arthur Hanson, New England superintendent for Vallee’s, said, “This is Maine’s best year — the people seem to be in a spending mood.” The Maine Publicity Bureau in Kittery re¬ ported an increase in business with inquiries reaching more than 5,000 per week. In Ver¬ mont, Cordon Hall of the State Development Department said registrations at the 28 official booths throughout the state are up 25 per cent from last year, which was a record. He also noted an increase in the number of Canadian visitors and a big jump in campers, all re¬ ported film fans. In Rhode Island, business along the Narragansett beaches is at an all time peak. A mo¬ tion picture theatre manager attributed the heavy crowds to increase in family travel, “and families like to attend the films together when they are on vacation,” he pointed out. In Boston, the Chamber of Commerce re¬ ports that more tourists have been clocked in than in any other summer in history. Clyde Robert Coombs, 24, projectionist; and Allen Berger Staton, 23, ticket taker. The three were booked under the state statute for displaying an obscene film. After the film was stopped, members of the audience filed out of the theatre. Lt. Frederick Soule, vice squad commander, said it was the opinion of his men and those from the district attorney’s office that the film is obscene. The owner of the theatre, not identified by officers, was out of the city, they reported. Soule said he will request the district attorney to file a charge against him. "Romeo And Juliet" Ballet Levine's First Roadshow NEW YORK— “Romeo and Juliet,” Joseph E. Levine’s presentation of Britain’s Royal Ballet with Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in a new film version of Prokofiev’s clas¬ sic ballet, will be released nationally as a roadshow attraction this year, it was an¬ nounced by Levine, president of Embassy Pic¬ tures. The Paul Czinner Production will premiere in New York in October and play a minimum of 30 other roadshow dates throughout the country during the fall, Levine reported. A minimum of 10 performances a week will be presented in each theatre selected. In commenting on the decision to present the first reserved-seat attraction in Embassy history, Levine said: “While we expected a fine production from artists of the magnitude of the Royal Ballet company, we were completely overwhelmed when we viewed the final version of this bril¬ liantly-produced film, and convinced that this great attraction must be a roadshow. We be¬ lieve that ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is the finest ballet film ever made and one of the major enter¬ tainment events of recent industry history. “The cultural renaissance around the world and particularly in this country provides the perfect climate for the presentation of a mo¬ tion picture starring Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev with the Royal Ballet in what is probably the world’s best-known love story.” Promising a comprehensive advertisingpublicity campaign in the best Embassy tradi¬ tion, Levine predicted that “Romeo and Juliet” will be a “major success throughout the United States.” This color version of one of the Royal Ballet’s most popular productions was filmed this year at Pinewood studios in London under the direction of Paul Czinner. The film re¬ tains Kenneth Macmillan’s critically-acclaimed choreography and the scenery and costumes by Nicholas Georgiadis. David Blair, Desmond Doyle, Julia Farron, and Michael Somes star with Miss Fonteyn and Nureyev in the film. John Lanchbery conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Harris To New Para. Post1 NEW YORK — Warren G. Harris has been named manager of creative services for Para¬ mount Pictures, it is announced by Joseph Friedman, vice-president and director of ad¬ vertising and public relations. Harris will handle special creative and re¬ search assignments in all areas of Paramount’s merchandising and marketing activities, and will work closely with Friedman and the lat¬ ter’s executive assistants, Meyer Hutner, Hy Hollinger, and Mort Hock. William Werneth is replacing Harris as Paramount’s trade press representative. Wer¬ neth previously held the same post at United Artists Corp. Evans To Para. Studio HOLLYWOOD — Robert Evans, newlyelected vice-president in charge of European production for Paramount Pictures, arrived in Hollywood from New York for conferences with Howard W. Koch, vice-president and stu¬ dio and production head, and Bernard Donnenfeld, associate studio head, prior to leaving for London, where he will make his head¬ quarters. Obscenity Charge Against New Orleans Theatre 8 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 24, 1966