The Exhibitor (1966)

iiiiiiiimiiiiiiimiimnmii^ LONDON Observations N.J. Theatremen Form One Unified Association By Jock MacGregor AT FIRST, IT WAS ‘TOP SECRET.” AFTER SPOTTING AN ENORMOUS STEEL frame arising on the Pinewood Studios back lot during a Sunday afternoon drive back in the summer, I asked if a new stage block was being built. There was hush, if not plain embar¬ rassment, and some muttering about “couldn't anything be done without my finding out?” I was told in confidence that it was the beginning of THE SET — the biggest, most complex and expensive ever to be built in Europe. It was to be designer Ken Adams’ most ingenious “toy” ever for James Bond and was for Harry Saltzman-Cubby Broccoli's “You Only Live Twice.” Rumors began to circulate about it. Hardened film men spoke of it with awe in bated breath, for while pressmen might be asked not to mention it, it was impossible to hide it. Indeed, it could be seen from the London to Wales truck road miles away. Slowly, TFIE SET took on a personality and started to receive the star treatment. A press preview was even fixed, when the 250 Rank studio workers completed their task after working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, for five months. Unable to attend, I visited later. At the gate, the commissionaire greeted me, “Ah, you’ve come to see THE SET.” Stars were forgotten! It is enormous all right — 250,000 square yards of canvas alone are needed to encase it. Costing $1,000,000, it provides the interior of Japan's largest inactive volcano, Mt. Shinmoe, the exterior of which was shot during the recent location trip. Here, the SPECTRE crime syndicate has its secret headquarters, com¬ plete with monorail system, Cape Kennedy style launching pad, 66 ft. Atlas rocket, control room with many tv screens linked to hidden cameras, and countless imaginative gadgets. It was a wonderland which captivated the heart even in second childhood. Lewis Gilbert and his cast — even 007 Sean Connery himself — seemed overshadowed by it all. He claims no director ever had so much to film in one place before and is determined not to miss a thing. It was action all the way, and no less than three Panavision cameras were placed around the vast cavern to record the scene, the like of which I cannot recall in 30 years of studio visits in many countries. A helicopter platform had to swing across the rocket launching pad, the mouth of the crater 120 It. above open, and the chopper take off, fly menacingly over the artists, and out through the opening into the evening sky to cut into a scene shot in Japan. On the ground, cars sped along the monorail, and jeeps and tractors went on their business. As we waited for the light to match, I was told that 200 miles of tubular steel, 700 tons of structural steel, 200 tons of plaster, and Lord knows what else went into making the set. When Oscar winning cameraman Freddie Young was satisfied, Lewis called for action. Thanks to superb planning, this complicated and dangerous sequence was completed in one take, and the pilot given the thumbs up to fly back to base. The scene was shot without the use of wires or any faking. Organization has indeed been a strong point on this, the fifth Sean Connery-James Bond, which will be completed by the end of the month. The producers are so relaxed that Cubby had flown off that morning to Hollywood to discuss his next pic¬ ture, “Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang,” and Harry was lunching with the production staff for his next “Harry Palmer” adventure with Michael Caine, “Million Dollar Brain.” They fear no imitators and will have this “biggest Bond of all” ready for UA release by late spring. THE SET must become Britain’s spy HQ. WITH VISITS TO PINEWOOD, IT IS ALWAYS BEST TO WRITE OFF THE DAY, and this proved no exception. After shooting, many gather in the club bar and chew over movies for hours. Conversation turned to the Monopoly report on Films, and suggestions followed that the Commission should investigate artists’ agents. Producers are sick of pack¬ age deals whereby to get a star, director, scriptwriter, feature players, and a lot of others have to be taken — to say nothing of a whole project possibly being taken over. JAY EMANUEL'S LEADER ON UNDER-REPORTING (MPE: NOV. 2) RAISED eyebrows here. It is long since a case received publicity. British exhibitors have to make regular returns to the government showing their Eady money payments, and if an offense were established, not only the distributor concerned but, without anti-trust laws, all Kinema Rent¬ ers Society members would stop trading. Other exhibitors would support them — a punish¬ ment to fit the crime. As one distributor said, with so well-knit an industry exhibitors should have no difficulty in contacting head office in tricky cases and getting realistic adjustments. KRS inspectors regularly visit circuit and independent houses and rarely catch anyone beyond a few fiddling attendants. The KRS also maintains a restricted credit list for slow payers whose programs are only delivered when earlier commitments have been settled I VISITED THE TRADE’S TOP INVALID IN KING EDWARD’S HOSPITAL FOR Officers on Sunday morning and was happy to find Jim Carreras progressing well after his knee operation. I was greeted with “You’ll find the medicine in the cupboard — the tonic’s in the fridge.” He was overwhelmed with the gifts and get well messages that made his room appear a cross between a florist, a fruitier, and a library. Pride of place went to a mink lined bedpan which AIP’s Jim Nicholson sent to “the patient who has everything.” Jim confessed, with private line to his bed, he is more up to date with his production and Variety work than ever as his secretary and others call daily. He was thrilled with the trade’s reaction to his “One Million Years B. C.” which has Raquel Welch for the dads, John Richardson for the mums, and Ray Harryhausen’s fantastic prehistoric monsters for the kids. I suspect that when he has to go to sleep at 10pm he counts anticipated returns instead of sheep. After the plaster is changed, he will spend a few weeks at his country home, but promises to be fighting fit for Christmas. THE BFPA’S SIR CHARLES EVANS WILL VISIT MPA EXECUTIVES IN WASHington, D.C., on his return from Acapulco Film Festival on Nov. 24. . . . Hartford Davis and Peter Brook will attend Broadway opening of “Walking Happy” with Norman Wisdom who stars in their color comedy, “Pressed for Time,” on Nov. 26, en route to Hollywood for production talks with Jules Bricken. . . . Peter Rogers insists I mention the new hair-do which has taken years off an executive’s age. KENILWORTH, N.J. — New Jersey Asso¬ ciation of Theatre Owners has been chosen as the name of the new state-wide exhibitors organization. Howard Herman, president of Allied The¬ atre Owners of New Jersey, is chairman of this interim committee to form a unified state group representing the interests of all theatre owners in the state. In attendance besides Herman were Maury Miller, president of the New Jersey chapter of TOA; George Gold, executive director of the New Jersey Federation of Theatre Owners; John Balmer, representing Walter Reade The¬ atres; Edward Sniderman, RKO; Philip Plarling and Henry Burger, Stanley Warner The¬ atres; and Harold Graff, Loew’s. Allied Theatre Owners of New Jersey was represented by its chairman of the board, Irving Dollinger, vice-president Sam Engelman, and treasurer Louis Baurer. Sub-committees on nomination, finance, membership, and constitution are being formed to work out the details. The next meeting of the full committee will be held at the West¬ mont Country Club, West Paterson, on Dec. 6. The new organization that is being formed expresses the views of NATO president Sher¬ rill C. Corwin that one unified group repre¬ sent each state. A membership drive will be launched soon to have every theatre owner and circuit join the new organization. Yablans To Sigma III NEW YORK — Frank Yablans has joined the Sigma III Corporation as midwestern division manager, it was announced by Leon¬ ard Gruenberg, president. Yablans will head Sigma Ill’s midwestern operation from the Strand Building in Mil¬ waukee, and will assume responsibility for the Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Mil¬ waukee, St. Louis, Des Moines, and Omaha areas. ABC Declares Dividend NEW ^ ORK — Leonard H. Goldenson, president of American Broadcasting Com¬ panies, Inc., announced that the board of directors declared the fourth quarterly divi¬ dend of 40 cents per share on the outstanding common stock of the corporation, payable Dec. 15 to holders of record on Nov. 25. New Orleans Consul General of France Pierre Matinvet and Dominique La Pierre, co-author of "Is Paris Burning?," met at the consulate during the latter's visit to New Orleans on behalf of the Paramount film. La Pierre's father was once New Orleans Con¬ sul General. 1 4 MOTION PICTURE EXHIBITOR November 23, 1966