Motion Picture Herald (Jul-Aug 1944)

Exhibitors tell what war has done at the box office War-rich patrons are spending their money at first run motion picture theatres, at the expense of subsequent run houses; new audiences have been won, and the war boom has reached or passed its peak. Those are the conclusions an array of first rank showmen reached in a discussion of what war has done to exhibition and about trends of the day. The discussion, begun last week, continues here. JOHN Q. ADAMS Interstate Circuit Dallas, Tex. [New Customers] "We believe that the motion picture theatres are acquiring new customers. We believe that motion picture theatre-going is an easily acquired habit, when people attend theatres that are comfortable, cool, pleasant and where they are treated courteously and with consideration. [Patronage Shift] "We do not believe there is any clear cut indication that customers of today prefer first run to subsequent run out of proportion to previous experience. [War Boom] "There does not seem to be any evidence that the war boom has passed its peak. I would say that the peak has been reached and that at least for the time being that peak is being maintained. [Longer Features] "The question of the length of pictures has not been discussed in our office. I personally like long pictures, especially when they are of superior quality. As you know we are single feature territory." J. H. HARRISON Wilby-Kincey Atlanta, Ga. [New Customers] "I do not think the big grosses of today indicate that we have unearthed new customers upon whom we can depend to stay with us after the war. There is nothing to particularly indicate that they are new customers, but rather more to indicate that they are people who have more money than ever before with fewer places to spend it — and we are getting a huge chunk of it. "My impression of getting a new customer is to sell him a bill of goods. Certainly the impression the 'new' fellow would get of a theatre today isn't the impression we would want to give some one. in order to sell him— standing in line to buy a ticket; service that cannot conceivably be what it was before the shortage in quantity and quality of manpower, taking the only seat available instead of what he or she wants. "In other words, one of the prime reasons for the success of this business, in my opinion, has been the ease with which entertainment could be acquired. Even in those theatres which make a fetish of courtesy and service people are being herded to some extent, and the feeling on the part of a "new" customer could not be that of actually wanting to come back. Instead of all new business, we are getting a lot of repeaters who simply don't have anything else to do. "Recently I have heard numerous people criticize pictures. Generally they state : 'There are no good pictures made now'. In every instance I have made it a point to. ask how frequently they attend theatres. The frequency is amazing — just nothing else to do and they are getting fed up. [Patronage Shift] "I do not think the increase of downtown business indicates any change in the tastes of the public for their entertainment earlier. Not one single thing that has happened has been for the improvement of the neighborhood houses. All of the factors that made them successful have boomeranged: money, transportation, and ease of attending. "Take money. Price has always been a prime consideration in the success of the subsequent. That certainly is no factor now when practically all have more money than they need or can spend. Take transportation. All transportation lines run to and from town — not across it, and it is a lot easier to make a downtown show than a neighborhood house. Take rationing and the servant problem. The increase in restaurant business, the single trip to town on account of gas rationing, staying in for dinner and catching a show hasn't reacted to the benefit of the neighborhood houses. [War Boom] "About the war boom passing. The boom in our business is absolutely and solely a financial one. Where soldiers have gone from camps and the number of men in any locality has decreased, business will be down. Likewise, in towns where huge construction programs, employing thousands more than the number required to operate a given plant are completed, the peak has passed, but business continues at abnormal paces. As long as there is money our business will boom. A big picture will get bigger grosses now. [Longer Features] "About 'A' pictures getting longer. I have discussed this with distributors who say they want a good picture, regardless of length. But with a very large percentage of gross coming over the weekend it seems silly to continue trying to make them better just by making them longer, with the definite and inescapable results of getting lower grosses." Notes Decline in Canadian Gross Toronto Bureau In Canada a recession in theatre business from the peak of the past several years is noted, according to R. W. Bolstad of Toronto, vice-president of Famous Players Canadian Corporation. The tapering off was particularly in evidence in cities and towns where war contracts were on the decline and where military training establishments were being closed because of a surplus of trained fighting personnel. Mr. Bolstad expressed the belief that theatres generally could count on several more years of good business, although it could not be expected the present volume could be maintained indefinitely. Famous Players Canadian faced the future with confidence, however, because of the quality of p uct which would be available and because of cient theatre operation. From other sources it has been learned thei a trend toward shorter film programs in Cai because of higher operating and administr; costs under the Federal Government systen pegged admission prices. The single bill polk being advocated, particularly with extra-length tures of special quality, but this move is qual with the words "wherever possible"— sugge: that competition is still a factor. An indie; that more single bills are in prospect is the service of Famous Players, effective this mont! distributing informative details on current £ subjects. During the past three years there has be< tendency on the part of the so called wor classes to patronize the downtown first run t tres in larger centers because the wage eat have had more spending money. This sumj: however, there has been more than a seasonal j; crease in attendance at both first run and ne |j borhood houses and the people may be thin : of future rainy days. For the first time since J too, quite a number of theatres are being cl ii "for repairs" and for the announced intentio giving the whole staff a simultaneous vacation 1 lief help being unavailable. See Educational Pictures From Private Interests Educators, film library and school officials, tending the sixth Midwest Forum on Visual at the University of Chicago July 21 and 22, h leaders in the classroom films field conclude the post-war producers of the educational pic would be specialized private interests rather Hollywood producers. Such representatives as L. C. Larson, consu in Audio-Visual Aids, Indiana University, chairman of the board of the Educational .' Library Association, and Don C, Rogers, assis superintendent of schools in Chicago, and a pio in the visual teaching aid field, declared that classroom film must be as authentic as the t book and must be produced along much the s lines. However, they admitted that those special gn to produce educational films would have to < doors for trained technical experts now in H| wood and probably would have to meet their '. salaries. The forum had 21 exhibits, some i theatre equipment manufacturers. August to Be Anniversary Month in Pennsylvania August has been designated for the Pennsylv statewide observance of the 50th anniversan motion pictures by Harold J. Fitzgerald, nati exhibitor chairman. Most of the theatres in state have been organized by the Pennsylv chairman, John HI Harris, to take note off beginning of the second half-century of the scr With the launching of the Liberty ship, the J P. Harris, in mid-August, this tribute to the ir ory of the man who established the first nicl deon will dramatize the development of the the; The Harris Amusement Company plans 31 observance for August in which all its thez will demonstrate their community service, inc., ing the sale of War Bonds. Offer Two-Reel Version of "The Negro Soldier" A two-reel version of "The Negro Sold |," official War Department film,, has been sen™ film exchanges around the country, according i:o the War Activities Committee. Prints of the 1 > reel subject are available without cost to all ex! i* tors, as are prints of a four-reel version nov|in release. Turner on Inspection Tour Don L. Turner, manager of commercial engin |ring, Altec Service Corporation is on a trip of ins ction of the several public address systems instelid by Altec in U. S. Naval Training Station, Farrzjit, Idaho, U. S. Naval Air Station at Klamath F s, Oregon, and various other military installation >n the West Coast. 56 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, JULY 29. f