Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1919)

hanudry 25, 1 9 1 p 567 Extended Runs on Johnson Film Gaumont Completes "Satan on Earth " After weeks of preparation the Gaumont Company has completed what is said to be in artistic photo-drama, " Satan on Earth," which it terms a " photo-novelty." Like all jaumont productions, this feature will be distributed through states-right exchanges. It is anticipated that exhibitors will hail .vith delight, for it is claimed that it will nake any program a success, no matter vhat the other pictures on the program nay be. ( Starting with the downfall of Lucifer, |:he struggles the Devil has made for the Itiastery of the world up to the present day ire clearly shown. The natural barriers which the Great Creator placed to keep ISatan in a restricted portion of the earth [ire shown by pictures and animation. The Srst republic, the Roman Empire ; its pa:rician nobility in the days of the Caesars ; jihe spread of its civilizing democracy to the Westward, and the resistance to it offered by older civilizations to the eastward; the classic dances which beguiled the rulers of Palestine; the bacchanalian banquets when Cleopatra ruled ; with these and many other )ig scenes which defy description, this irama is spectacularly begun. Territories Sold Fast for Mix Films It is announced that Exclusive Features, Inc., of 126 West Forty-sixth street, New ^ork City, has sold the rights to the series }f sixteen Tom Mix two-reel comedydramas for Greater New York and New York State territory to Inter-State Films. Inc., of 729 Seventh avenue. The Interstate Company is now receiving bookings for this series of two reelers and reports that exhibitors are not slow to take advantage of the opportunity offered to build up their programs by means of these " big, little features." The rights for the State of Wisconsin nave been sold to the MidWest Distributng Company. The offices and exchange of this company are located in the Toy Building, Milwaukee, Wis., where Mr. Ralph A. VVettstein is the general manager. Raver Plans to Intensely Exploit Maciste Maciste will be intensely exploited by Harry Raver, who announces the comple ion of his arrangements for the lithographic posters to be used for " Maciste " n his new serial production, " The LiberUor." The line comprises forty-eight styles. More than two hundred tons of paper will >e used to fill the order. Mr. Raver has always been an advocate 3f fine posters and is particularly happy when the subject matter at hand permits 3f making up a large variety of styles, <t is not unusual that in the case of The Liberator he believes in going the limit. One sheet, three sheets, six sheets and wenty-four sheets will be used exclusively. The Riverside Press, with its modern, twosheet presses, will execute Raver's big Jrder. " Cannibals of the South Seas " Reported to Have Duplicated New York Run in Many Other Cities EXHIBITORS MUTUAL DISTRIBUTING CORPORATION is receiving reports from its many exchanges throughout the country, and announce that Martin Johnson's pictures, " Cannibals of the South Seas," are scoring extended runs in many other cities that equal the New York run. The officials express no surprise at this, as they consider the pictures so refreshingly original that box-office records were expected to be broken by a film that had such advertising possibilities. In New York City, the Plaza, Symphony, Concourse, Dyckman, Adion and Annex theatres enjoyed the advantage that the Rothapfel exploitation had given the pictures, and many Brooklyn theatres also reaped the benefits of this augmented exploitation. Among the leading Brooklyn theatres that took advantage of this added exploitation campaign and are said to have showed the Cannibal pictures with, immense results are the Halsey and Park, and the Park theatre at Corona, Long Island; the Palace at Passaic, the Pastime at Union Hill, the GREAT strides have been made in the development of industrial films and Universal prides itself on its Industrial Department under direction of Harry Levey. It is announced that President Laemmle has ordered that a special representative be placed in each Universal exchange throughout the entire country to give personal attention to this branch of the work. " While industrial films have been made for many years by free lances," said Harry Levey, " the Universal is the first big company to make such a big success of the so-called ' commercial-educative ' picture. " These films are all named ' industrials ' and are specially booked and we weave an interesting photoplay around each subject so that the manufacturer's product might WHEN the newspapers co-operate with the theatres it is considered a very strong combination and an incident of this is noted in Omaha by the Fox Film Corporation. In the Sunday edition of the Omaha News, " The Journal Junior " section is made up of contributions by the youngsters. When the editor wanted a prize offered that would be of special value to his young readers in solving puzzles, etc., Manager Robert Shirley of the Muse theatre volunteered to supply the prize. A special showing of the Fox extravaganza, " AH Baba and the Forty Thieves," was arranged for the prize winners, who were admitted to their own private party at the theatre one Saturday morning. Colonial at West Hoboken, the Star at Newburgh and the Playhouse at Mount Vernon, all in the vicinity of the New York City theatres. The Stanley theatre of Philadelphia made the largest booking with Exhibitors' Mutual for Martin Johnson's " Cannibals of the South Seas." The Stanley Corporation played the pictures in eight houses in Philadelphia from, three to five days each. In Minneapolis and St. Paul the Rubin and Finkelstein interests booked the pictures for many of their handsome theatres, and the A. J. Small circuit in Canada booked the pictures at first sight. Washington, D. C, will also see the Martin Johnson pictures at the Tom Moore theatres, and the Cannibals were shown at the Circle theatre in Indianapolis beginning January 12. The Exhibitors' Mutual point with pride at the great number of first class down town theatres that have booked the pictures, and cite among others the Doric at Kansas City, Washington and Crystal at Dallas, Miles at Detroit, Majestic at Grand Rapids, Alhambra at Milwaukee, Orpheum at Akron, Royal at Des Moines, Strand at Canton, Alcazar at Birminghom, Ala., and the Broadway theatre at Charlotte, N. C. be popularized via the screen. " These films are of such general interest and brimful of information, that many exhibitors ask for return dates. Now that Mr. Laemmle has greatly enlarged the resources of my department I expect this year will see the so-called ' industrial ' picture recognized by every exhibitor as a necessary part of his program. " Just consider how flat, stale and unprofitable the popular magazines would be without the pages in the back carrying attractive business announcements so artistically illustrated," continued Mr. Levey. " The screen has followed in the footsteps of current literature and these ' industrial ' pictures have an artistic appeal as well as entertaining value and these facts are rapidly becoming known." It is said that the applause was tremendous when the tale of the " Arabian Knights," which William Fox brought to the screen, was shown to them. Manager Shirley not only delighted the young people and received a lot of excellent press comment through the newspaper, but the army of youngsters that witnessed the production were enthusiastic advertisers by word-of-mouth. The value to the newspaper was also said to have been great and it is reported that the youthful readers are more eager than ever before to solve these instructive riddles, etc., that may possibly bring them a free ticket as a prize to see some motion picture that will interest them as much as " Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves " did. Developments Mature in Industrial Films Valuable Co-operation Is Noted in Omaha