Motion Picture Herald (Oct-Dec 1956)

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for DECEMBER 1956 GEORGE SCHUTZ, Editor Brighter Pictures: Progress for the Industry by Proxy EDITORIAL INDEX: REMODELING OF THE PATCHOGUE THEATRE, PATCHOGUE, N. Y 6 THEATRE REMODELING AS A PROGRAM OF EXHIBITION MODERNIZATION (Part 1) by Ben Schlanger 8 "MISTER CHAIRMAN!", By Curtis Mees 10 CHARLIE JONES SAYS: LET'S ALL JOIN THE FIGHT (BUT KEEP THE PUBLIC OUT!) 18 BETTER PROJECTION DEPARTMENT: REGULAR SERVICE IS NEEDED FOR TOP QUALITY OF SOUND, by Gio Gagliardi .. 11 ABOUT PRODUCTS 20 BETTER THEATRES is published the first week of the month, with each regular monthly issue a bound-in section of Motion Picture Herald; and in an annual edition, the Market Guide Number, which is published under Its own covers in March as Section Two of the Herald. QUIGLEY PUBLICATIONS, Rockefeller Center, New York 20, N. Y., Circle 7-3100. Ray Gallo, Advertising Manager. Hollywood: Yucca-Vine Building; HO 7-2145. One of the most significant aspects of efforts during the past few years to advance motion picture technology, is marked improvement of light sources, lenses and screens. Manufacturers of these vital instruments of the art have accounted for a tremendous gain in technical competence that constitutes a practical triumph regardless of how we measure it, by the scale of wide-screen or by traditional standards. This permanent, intrinsic progress has come gradually and steadily; and by its very evolutionary character, it may have covered more ground than is generally realized. Quite a few installations could now produce screen light readings considerably above those regarded as figures to strive for only a few years ago. A new theatre, the Syosset in the Long Island town of that name, exemplifies what has been happening. This is a 1400-seat Skouras operation opened in November with “Oklahoma!” in the ToddAO process. The screen is a new Raytone type with an aluminized surface having a rated gain confined to 1.20 and side-to-side distribution approaching that of a diffusive screen. The picture is 59 feet wide, with a curvature of only a few feet, and is lighted by Ashcraft Super Cinex lamps pulling approximately 150 amperes. Center reflected light was measured at 18 foot-lamberts. SMPTE recommendations, set up many years ago with the relatively small picture of that time in mind, call for 10 to 12 footlamberts. • In this and other areas of the art, equipment manufacturers continue to advance motion picture technology basically. Some of this progress is related to the industry’s own new interest in making the theatrical screen a finer and a more powerful medium. But only some of it. In substantial degree, the pattern of technical improve ment is reminiscent of the past. Equipment manufacturers themselves still contrive to do much for this business with just a little encouragement. • It is interesting to note, incidentally, new provisions for the projection of a ToddAO picture at the Rivoli theatre in New York. For “Around the World in 80 Days,” the American Optical Company’s lenticular screen was installed. Lamps are Gretener Ventarcs, originally developed in Switzerland for the Eidophor television process and modified for motion picture application at the Rivoli. These lamps use 12mm “Uitrex” positive carbons with a rotary (graphite disc) negative. They are operated at 230 amperes, 75 volts, for the Michael Todd production. At this wattage, the screen reading is re ported to be 30 foot-lamberts at center, 20 at the sides. The picture is 60x30 feet, approximately the size of the Syosset image for “Oklahoma!” but with a curvature of 13 feet, which of course, is significant with reference to side-to-side distribution. In the Rivoli operation, the 12mm “Uitrex” positives, specially made by the National Carbon Company, are said to burn at the rate of 60 inches per hour. They are made in 27-inch lengths. The disk forming the negative electrode, 220mm in diameter and 6mm thick, lasts 6 hours. With this positive burning rate, light output is rated at better than 65,000 lumens. Provisions for cooling the aperture area are elaborate, involving a refrigeration plant to provide extremely cold air, which is blown through tiny copper tubes into the aperture. <7. S. 5