Motion Picture Herald (Nov-Dec 1948)

S^^XO^NY REDS ^^ILL CRAB 400 HOUSES by HUBERTUS ZU LOEWENSTEIN in Berlin In the Communist-controlled Diet of Saxony a bill has been introduced providing for the expropriation of the last 400 motion picture theatres still in private ownership. The expropriation is explained as necessary for "reasons of cultural policy." In the city of Chemnitz, Saxony, a "Motion Picture Week" has just come to a close. All school children in the city had to attend special showings of Soviet Russian and German pictures. A total of 42,000 school children have thus been exposed to the Soviet sponsored "cultural enlightenment." Similar "weeks" will be held in all major towns and cities throughout the Soviet Zone. Then, mobile film units will carry the propaganda pictures into the rural communities. V Intervals and preludes are not to be filled any longer with light music, let alone jazz or swing, as far as the theatres in the Soviet Zone are concerned. Instead, "inspiring revolutionary marches and battle tunes" must be played, according to instructions issued by the "cultural divisions" of the respective Soviet controlled land government. V Following the example of other cities, the ancient university of Heidelberg has initiated a Film Club. Approximately 150 students from the university form the kernel of the club, joined by many people from outside the university. V Vienna production notes: The Salzburg Festspielhaus, place of the international music festivals, will be reconverted into a film studio. The first picture to be produced there will be "Vagabonds." Parts of the Willi Forst picture, "Empress Elizabeth," with Margaret Lockwood in the title role, will also be produced there. . . . Shooting has begun in Austria on London Film's production, "The Third Man." . . . The studios of the Theatre in der Josefstadt has completed its second feature, "Liebe Freudin." . . . Mundus-Co. has released "God's Seal," centering about the problem of the confessional seal. . . . Director G. W. Pabst has just completed shooting "Mysterious Depth." The Pabst-Kiba Production Co. has scheduled two more pictures for early production. A new production company, Olympia Film, has been founded in Vienna. Its first feature will be "The City of Mysteries," to be produced by Friedrich Erban. MEXICO by LUIS BECERRA CELIS in Mexico City Prominent film stars are to give Mexico her first regular, full and professional tele vision program, starting next spring. Mexico's leading film comedian, "Cantinflas," in private life Mario Moreno, is the moving spirit in this enterprise, details of which have been released by Santiago Reachi, president of Posa Films, producer of the comedian's pictures. Mr. Reachi said Posa had arranged with General Electric for the installation and operation of a television sending station here, to cost $1,500,000, and to place 20,000 television receivers in theatre lobbies, restaurants, stores and private homes. The station will operate daily and, it is estimated, reach a public of about 400,000. Production of 16mm features for the local station, and others, is a phase of the plan. GREECE by D. PAPADOPOLOS in Athens Admissions were increased here again November 20. Orchestra seats were increased from 4,000 to 5,000 drachmas (from 40 to 50 cents) and balcony seats were increased from 3,000 to 3,500 drachmas (from 30 to 35 cents). V Currently showing: "Fiesta" has been playing at the Pallas and Orpheus. . . . "The Jolson Story" at the Attikon and Ideal. . . . "Dragonwyck" at the Rex. . . . The Grecian feature, "Lost Angels," has been held at the Titania. "Lost Angels" is a production of Finos-Film. YUGOSLAVIA by STOYAN BRALOVITCH hi Belgrade "Sofka," the most costly and most heavily advertised feature of home production is showing now in three leading theatres of Belgrade with considerable success. Filmed in Vranje, the scenario was written by Alexander Vuche, chairman of the State Committee for Cinematography, from a book by Bera Stankovitch. The cast, except for a few members of the Belgrade National Theatre, consists of amateurs. V Production notes: Members of the Zvezda production company are in the provinces of the southern part of Yugoslavia to make several documentaries. One will deal with the remains of capitalistic agriculture in these most backward parts of the country. . . . "The Wings" is a new short film dealing with the work of Yugoslav aviators. It was produced by Avala, serving the Republic of Serbia. . . . Zvezda is currently completing these documentaries: "The Greek Children," "The Fifth Congress of the Yugoslav Communist Party," and "The Youth Railway." EAGLE LION'S SMASH SUCCESSOR to 'CANON CITY' 32 MOTION PICTURE HERALD, DECEMBER 18. 1948 \