Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

MOTION PICTURE HERALD MARTIN QUIGLEY, Edit or-in-C hie f and Publisher k MARTIN QUIGLEY, JR., Editor Vol. 205, No. 10 f December 8, 1956 Allied in Transition THIS is a time of change in the industry. Changes are taking place in production, distribution and exhibition. So it is not surprising that changes also should be apparent in exhibition organizations. Allied — judging from the action of its board and resolutions passed at the Dallas conventon last week — has “a new look.” Naturally, at this time it is impossible to know how long the “new look” will prevail. Allied has made no sharp break with its past traditions or policies. Now there is what seems to be a new approach. Some may believe that the tone of the Dallas meeting, contrasting as it did with many other Allied sessions, may be due only to the remoteness of Texas from Allied strongholds, to the fact that a high percent of the exhibitor delegates were officers, directors or old-time “stalwarts,” to the southern hospitality or to other reasons unconnected with policy of the organization. On the other hand many believe nothing Allied says or does — be it agreeable or not to outsiders — is done without a reason. One possible explanation is that, at least for the present, Allied leaders believe that what is sometimes called “the statesmanlike approach” should be utilized. No one knows how long Allied will keep this outlook. However, full advantage should be taken of what seems a propitious time for achieving all-industry benefits and possibly a new or at least different era of exhibitordistributor relations. First and foremost, ways and means of cooperating with Allied and other exhibitor groups to the end of building box office attendance should be worked out. Next, distributors should listen with a receptive and open mind to a proposal for the establishment of an industry arbitration system which probably will be made jointly by Allied and TOA before the tulips bloom again in New York. So much time has been spent in the past on arbitration negotiations, any new discussions should be brief, with prior agreement that approval or rejection will be made within precise time limits. Moreover, if exhibitors want a full share in drafting the program for arbitration they should be willing to bear a proper proportion of the costs of any system. This might be a wise guarantee that the system would be kept simple and inexpensive. As often noted here, the existence of an arbitration system will not eliminate trade frictions but it should lessen them. The time, money and energies now taken up with trade disputes might better be spent by exhibitors and distributors alike in merchandising pictures to the public. Allied’s convention resolutions covered a variety of topics, as reported elsewhere in this issue. Points taken, even where agreement by all may not be anticipated, were understandable. That could not be said of all Allied resolutions in the past. One effect of Allied’s “new look” is certain to be closer liaison with TOA. Other effects will depend on the attitude of the leaders in exhibition and distribution about improving trade relations. Both sides might well try adopting a more conciliatory attitude. It might prove constructive and it might make business relationships more pleasant. ■ ■ ■ MPAA Credit Report THE report prepared for the Motion Picture Association by A. J. Wood & Company of a survey in Marion County, Indiana, confirms the prevailing industry opinion that granting admissons on credit would not materially boost attendance. Whether the research methods used have complete validity or not is something for the pollsters to debate. The MPAA survey throws no light on the movie attendance habits of the 14 per cent of the people polled who indicated an interest in a credit card plan or the 28 per cent interested in a ticket book. Nor was there any weighing of the psychological factor of having a card or a book as a reminder to attend pictures more often. This factor is of marked importance according to the circuits which use movie ticket books sold in advance at discount prices. The MPAA survey seems weak in its arguments for rejection of ticket books, paid for at time of sale. Famous Players Canadian and the Odeon circuit, to cite two examples, have long established and successful ticket book plans in operation. Those circuits value such books as a stimulus to attendance, or a means of providing patrons with something they can buy for gift purposes and as a means of taking in, especially at Christmas time, a not insignificant amount of cash. ■ ■ ■ Music Makers IN ANY consideration of the assets of the motion picture industry today it would be a mistake to overlook or minimize the significance of the effects of films on music and record sales. Despite all the hullabaloo about millions glued nightly hour after hour to TV sets the mounting sales of records are influenced much more by films and film personalities than by television. Although producers, distributors and exhibitors are making an increasing use of film music for exploitation purposes much more could and should be done in this regard. That does not mean that necessarily every film title should be turned into a popular song. However, when practical this has proved to be an effective publicity instrument. There are in addition many ways in which film music can be turned into an advantage in building ticket sales at the box office. — Martin Quigley, Jr.