The Exhibitor (1966)

'Movies And You" Award Winners Feted On Visit To Film Capital NEW YORK — A five-day trip to Hollywood for the winners of the first Movies and You Awards competition was arranged by Mar¬ garet G. T wyman, director of community re¬ lations, Motion Picture Association of America, and Clarke H. Wales, Association of Motion Picture and Television Producers, Inc. The winners, Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Randle, Jacksonville, Fla., and a special guest, Mrs. Thomas R. Houde, communications chairman, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, were accompanied by Mrs. Twyman. Activities for the group began with a trol¬ ley car tour of Universal Studios and a visit to a set, followed by luncheon at the studio commmissary. Other points of interest included a call at the Disney Studio and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre for the premiere of 20th Century-Fox’s “Fantastic Voyage.” This pattern of studio visits was followed, interspersed with a meet¬ ing and a luncheon hosted by Sherrill Corwin, president of California-based Metropolitan Theatres Corporation, and president-elect of the National Association of Theatre Owners; a conference with Charles Boren, executive vice-president of the AMPTP; a meeting with Sam Brown, assistant director, Academy of REA Express-7 Arts Sets NEW YORK — Air-India has completed an agreement with REA Express-Seven Arts Transvision, Inc., which pending the outcome of the initial trial period on one aircraft con¬ templates the installation of a complete sys¬ tem of air-borne direct-screen motion picture and audio entertainment aboard the airline’s fleet of Boeing 707 jets. The agreement was announced by AirIndia’s management and Robert C. Hendon, president of REA Express-Seven Arts Trans¬ vision, Inc. The initial aircraft installation is currently underway at Air-India’s fleet head¬ quarters in Bombay and is scheduled for com¬ pletion by Aug. 22. The agreement with Air-India marks the entry of the Transvision system into the major carrier field. Transvision has developed a unique semi-automatic direct screen projection Motion Picture Arts and Sciences; a press conference at the AMPTP offices; a visit to Disneyland, including dinner at the Tahitian Terrace; a cocktail party at the Beverly Hills Hotel, honoring Mr. and Mrs. Randle; and a screening at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Movies and You Awards competition is part of a nationwide film information pro¬ gram conducted by the community relations department of the MPAA in cooperation with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs, de¬ signed to encourage the members to become more aware of the importance of motion pic¬ tures in today’s community life. Mrs. Randle is chairman of the Southside Junior Woman’s Club of Jacksonville. The national competition was held in coop¬ eration with the 15,500 clubs in the General Federation. The Southside Junior Woman’s Club received a cash award of $500 for the excellence of its project. Their outstanding program was carried out with the coopera¬ tion of Florida State Theatres, Inc., recipient of a plaque, plus registration fees for two at the 1966 National Association of Theatre Owners Convention, in recognition of their assistance. Transvision With Air-India system which will enable Air-India to show its passengers two separate features during its flights between New York and Bombay. The Transvision system also will feature a complete program of stereo-audio entertain¬ ment, according travelers a selection of classi¬ cal, jazz, popular and music from Broadway shows. The audio portion of the Transvision system is being installed by United Control Corporation. In addition, Air-India personnel will gauge passenger reaction to the new entertainment system on its aircraft and will also survey pas¬ senger opinions about the IATA-imposed sur¬ charge on all international movie flights. REA Express-Seven Arts Transvision is a joint venture of REA Express and Seven Arts Production, Ltd., the motion picture and tele¬ vision producers and distributors. Two-Plane-Focus Lens Provides New Effects HOLLYWOOD— “The 25th Hour” will be the first English-language film to employ the recently developed Bonnette two-plane-focus lens to increase the dramatic impact of cer¬ tain scenes by keeping the foreground and background action in equally sharp focus when wanted by director Henri Verneuil. In one scene of the Carlo Ponti-MGM color film, chief cinematographer Andreas Winding employs the Bonnette lens to film a large close-up of Anthony Quinn and important background action taking place simultaneously some 30 feet behind him with equal clarity. The French-developed lens is mounted in a slide frame in front of the camera’s ordinary optical equipment and can be moved to cover any area of the frame so desired. Thus, with the regular camera lens focussed on the de¬ sired background, the Bonnette lens can be positioned to sharply etch a head close-up of an actor in the framing of the scene. Only problem faced by the cameraman is that of avoiding any disparity of background which might point up the split-screen camera¬ work. Genit To Europe For UA PARIS — Irwin Marks, United Artists con¬ tinental manager, has announced the appoint¬ ment of Ivan Genit to the position of assistant to the continental manager. Genit was previ¬ ously 20th Century-Fox’s managing director for Japan and, before that, supervisor of tele¬ vision sales for the same company in Latin America. Peruvian by birth but an American citizen, Genit is married and the father of three young children. He recently toured Germany and Italy with Marks, with whom he is presently visiting the Scandinavian countries. Genit will make his headquarters in Paris. Tent 35 To The Races NEW YORK — Irving Dollinger, chief barker, New York Variety Club, Tent 35, announced that this year’s “A Nite at Yonk¬ ers Raceway” will be held on Tuesday eve¬ ning, Sept. 20. Dollinger named Ed Finneran chairman, David Sanders co-chairman, and Herman Schleier in charge of arrangements. EDITORIAL ( Continued from page 3) one . . . should expect to attend the theatre and find there only what is palatable, that which cozily reflects one’s own view of life. ... If there is a new breed of Catholic, surely it is the person who seeks to participate fully in the mainstream of con¬ temporary life rather than to seek a safer, less turbulent sidestream, where all flows at an agreeable pace, without disturb¬ ance or controversy. In the world of the theatre, as in life, we should not love or deal with only that which we deem suitable .” Almost ditto movies! The theatre obviously caters to a more sophisticated audience. But this is where an audience suitability classification that is so helpful to conscientious moviegoers comes in. This is, after all, the function of the National Cath¬ olic Office for Motion Pictures — it is not a censorship body. Replying to critics of NCOMP’S unobjectionable for adults classification of movies like “ Zorba ” and ‘‘Darling/’ who argue that adolescents will go to see them, Msgr. Thomas F. Little, executive secretary of NCOMP, says: “The Legion’s proper function is to guide the conscience of the individual and not to preempt the role of parents. The argument is also unfair, be¬ cause it expects the Church to discourage serious film-making and to deprive mature viewers of legitimate fare. . . . “The second Vatican Council’s decree On the Media of Social Communication leaves little doubt what the authentic Catholic attitude on this matter ( the portrayal of evil in motion pictures) should be: “The narration, description or portrayal of moral evil, even through the media of social communication, can indeed serve to bring about a deeper knowledge and study of humanity and, with the aid of appropriate heightened dramatic effects, can reveal and glorify the grand dimensions of truth and goodness .” 10 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR August 24, 1966