Motion Picture Herald (1953)

MOTION PICTURE HERALD MARTIN QUIGLEY, Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Vol. 193, No. 5 MARTIN QUIGLEY, JR., Editor October 31, 1953 Report on CinemaScope CINEMASCOPE and “The Robe” continue week after week to make important industry news both in trade circles and at the box office. Of particular interest was the anouncement October 23 that Warner Brothers has adopted CinemaScope. This is exciting information for theatres that have installed CinemaScope or plan to do so shortly because it opens another major source of feature productions made in the anamorphic process. From the beginning of the CinemaScope era at 20th Century-Fox (still less than one year ago) Spyros P. Skouras has made it clear that his company wants other producers, at home and abroad, to use the system so that equipped theatres will have a regular flow of quality productions. Up to now seven Hollywood producing companies, in addition to 20th-Fox, have announced plans for pictures in CinemaScope. Thus far “The Robe” has opened in about three dozen theatres. The theatre gross, exclusive of admission taxes, has already climbed to the five million dollar mark. The film will begin engagements in a number of other cities during November, including its first overseas premiere at the Odeon Leicester Square, London, on November 19. A significant aspect of the expansion of CinemaScope is the stimulus it is giving to equipment companies in the domestic and foreign markets. For example, Ernest Turnbull, managing director of Hoyts Theatres in Australia, in announcing plans to spend approximately $2,500,000 on CinemaScope installations, said, “At least one new local industry, already in full swing, has been created by CinemaScope for the manufacture of screens. Additionally Australian electrical and engineering companies are now building all of the new sound and projection equipment.” Such activity will be duplicated in many countries. The equipment needs for CinemaScope of course will not be satisfied quickly. Sound systems cannot be manufactured on any assembly line basis. Installation of stereophonic sound has to be a custom job because each theatre’s physical characteristics differ. CinemaScope, which started out on a very high level with “The Robe,” is bound to be improved with all the production and equipment talent currently mobilized for its further development. u u u John T. Rule, Massachusetts Institute of Technology General Science department head and pioneer 3-D theoretical expert, has reviewed the current status of motion pictures and television in the October issue of “The Atlantic Monthly.” As a long-time student of motion "Chick" Lewis THE sudden death in New York last week of Charles E. “Chick” Lewis, publisher and editor of “Showman’s Trade Review,” abruptly ended the career of one of the leading personalities of the industry press. “Chick” Lewis has been active in affairs of the motion picture since youth and in the course of a crowded lifetime he earned the respect and loyalty of a host of friends. In addition to a wide range of activities as a publisher and editor in the industry he found time to contribute importantly to many humanitarian interests including a whole-hearted dedication to the welfare of the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital. To his family and his associates the sadness of his passing will be tempered by the heritage of the good name which he has left to them. — Martin Quigley pictures Professor Rule’s conclusion is interesting, “The motion picture industry has within itself the capacity to survive. Its new forms are imposing on it some very difficult technical growing pains. The three-dimensional form needs new camera and projector designs, much more careful optical control. The industry’s prime consideration, however, should be to foster all those aspects of television which will promote the future of motion pictures.” Dr. Rule believes that the exhibition of a new feature on television for just one night may result in a great box office stimulus for that attraction. He reasons there would be twenty million word-of-mouth critics, many of whom would want to see the picture in a theatre, and others would urge their friends to do so. On the other hand, should the attraction not measure up to expectations such a TV national “preview” probably would destroy its value for the theatres. ■ ■ ■ CJ The new management team at United Artists has announced with justified satisfaction plans for celebrating the 35th anniversary of the company. It would be no exaggeration to say that the prospects of UA were never brighter than they are today. Arthur B. Krim, UA president, said, “The continued existence and growth of United Artists over so long a time reflect the continued health and growth of independent film production and the continued faith of exhibitors in independently-produced films.” A feature of the 35th anniversary will be a year-long world sales drive. Other events will be announced during the year. — Martin Quigley, Jr.