Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1940)

8 MOTION PICTURE HERALD November 16, 1940 This Week in the News 'Fantasound9 and 'Vitasound9 THE Radio Corporation Tuesday night in New York closed the switch for the first public hearing of what it calls "a new revolutionary sound," which it demonstrated to the Broadway press in advance of its world premiere, Wednesday, in conjunction with the first public showing of Walt Disney's new "Fantasia" at the Broadway theatre at 53rd Street, reports on which appear on pages 21 and 40. "Fantasia" is described by its sponsors as requiring a special RCA mechanism to reproduce "Fantasound" and it is admitted that only a few reproducers can be made available within the period of normal motion picture circulation. A few hours before the Broadway press gathered in New York Tuesday for its first hearing of "Fantasound," Warner Brothers in Hollywood announced it had "Vitasound" — described by Warners as "a completely faithful reproduction of original sound without violent and expensive changes in theatre and studio equipment." The Warners intimated "five years of secretly conducted research" for "Vitasound," crediting Major Nathan Levinson, its Burbank studio sound head, with supervision. "Vitasound" will first be heard at the opening of Warners' "Santa Fe Trail" December 14th, at the first theatre installation in the New York Strand and Warner theatres in Hollywood and Los Angeles; other key Warner houses are to be equipped subsequently. "Vitasound," it is claimed, utilizes two sound tracks and, says Warners, requires the installation of a $40 attachment to film printing machines and theatre equipment additions costing about $1,500. It was said that a film prepared for "Vitasound" could be exhibited normally on a projector not equipped with "Vitasound" apparatus. Stage-Film Truce AMENDMENTS to the basic agreement between the League of New York Theatres and the Dramatists Guild which opens the way for purchase of film rights to Broadway plays by film companies prior to their opening, were unanimously approved, on Tuesday, at the annual meeting of the Guild in the Music Box Theatre, New York. The amendments go into effect on Friday, this week, for an experimental period of one year. The new changes place a limit of $200,000 upon the amount to be paid to the author and manager out of the gross of a film REMAPPINS the industry under the consent decree; how arbitration machinery will work Pages 12, 13 EXHIBITION continues last ditch opposition to consent decree as Government, distributors and AAA approve supervision structure Page 14 TAX INCREASE instead of lower exemption on admissions predicted Page 20 "FANTASIA" and "Fantasound" have world premiere in New York Page 21 SERVICE DEPA Asides and Interludes Hollywood Scene Managers' Round Table backed play, further payments to be made out of profits, and based on the play's run. They also give a film company an opportunity to cancel its purchase by abandoning its first payments ; permit the film companies to use a manager from its own employ if two regular Broadway managers refuse to produce a play in which the company is interested. Box Office 'Needle9 INCREASED competition from other amusement and sports fields, has caused members of Northwest Allied, an exhibitors' organization with headquarters in Minneapolis, to start a "back to the box-office movement." The exhibitors have launched a campaign with trailers on the screens of all member theatres, stressing "Go to Movies." Valances and special banners on individual films and newspaper campaigns, Postal cards and other media will be employed. There will also be campaigns directed at special groups which might be interested in certain films. Citing the fact that "the keenest kind of competition has come into the industry," Fred Strom, Allied's executive secretary, said that competing for the public's "entertainment dollar," are night clubs, taverns, bowling alleys, basketball, night baseball and football, hockey and ice shows, carnivals, festivals, better radio programs, industrial shows, etc., etc. Outstanding pictures will be booked for extended runs to encourage production of better product. Notwithstanding, said Mr. Strom, the exhibitors would continue their campaign for lower rentals. DIRECTORY advertising campaign replacing direct mail found success Page 25 LOCATION PREMIERES: "Arizona" in Tucson, "Wind" to Atlanta Page 26 PARAMOUNT partners meet on coast to discuss production, policy and consent decree Page 27 STORY trend is to originals, five-year survey of studio purchases shows Page 33 FRENCH CANADIANS turn to U. S. for product as result of war Page 34 Page 62 Page 40 Page 49 Eastman 9s Bonus DIRECTORS of Eastman Kodak, Wednesday, in Kodak Park, Rochester, voted for employees a 1941 wage bonus-dividend of $2,625,000, payable March 24. The sum represents a $262,669 increase over 1940. A quarterly dividend of $1.50 a share on common stock also was declared, along with the regular one and one-half per cent dividend on the preferred stock, amounting also to $1.50 per share. Kodak employes in U. S. Military Service will participate in the new bonus, even though they are not at work on the date of payment, provided they are otherwise eligible. The dividend was the 29th since the plan was inaugurated in 1912. It will bring the total Kodak wage-dividend payments since that time to some $48,275,000. Plays Into Films FOR the first time on the record a complete Broadway production, "Journey to Jerusalem," has been filmed, in its stage version. Direct shooting was at the Fox-Movietone studios in New York, in a few hours, comparatively. The Playwrights Producing Company play recently closed on Broadway after a brief engagement. Joseph Pollock, former executive of National Screen Service, who retired in 1930, produced the film. He declared Tuesday that he had not decided on the manner or method or field of distribution, although in all likelihood the film and others will be distributed through regular 16mm. channels, of churches, schools, institutions and elsewhere, in 16mm. width. RTM ENTS Page 32 Release Chart Page 39 Reviews Page 53 What the Picture Did for Me