Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

Motion Picture News 600 “Maintain Prices — Buxbaum ; “Reduce, or Theatres Will Close” — Brandt HOULD admission prices be maintained at their present level or lowered? Harry Buxbaum, New York district manager for Famous Players-Lasky, in a statement this week in answer to the preceding inquiry, takes the stand that prices to the public should be maintained as the logical policy in view of the high cost of production and the consequent necessity of maintaining present rentals. The pertinent points of Mr. Buxbaum’s statement follow: Producing costs have mounted up until today the production of a picture is many times what would have been spent on the same production had it been made in the past There is only one outcome in such a case, and that is higher prices to the exhibitor, with the logical result of higher prices to the patrons. Movie fans would far prefer to see an expensive production at thirty-five cents rather than a poor one at twenty-five. To give the fans what they want, prices, in the majority of cases, will have to be advanced, and I am convinced that the patrons are willing to pay accordingly. _ Actual instances of an advance in Watterson R. Rothacker at his desk in the executive offices of the Los Angeles Rothacker-Aller laboratories RothackerNamed Director of United Studios WATTERSON R. ROTHACKER has been elected a member of the board of directors of the United Studios, of Hollywood, formerly the Brunton Studios. Mr. Rothacker has been a figure in the motion-picture field since the early days. Twelve years ago he made the first organized effort to adapt the silver-sheet to the needs of business. He wrote the first book on motion-picture advertising and at present is a member of the factulty of the Page-Davis School of Advertising;. He was vice-president of the Motion Picture Board of Trade and for a number of years was chairman of the membership committe of the National Association of the Motion Picture Industry. He has long been a stockholder in the Universal Film Mfg. Co. He is president of the Rothacker Film Mfg. Co. of Chicago, the Rothacker Film Mfg. Co. of New York and Rothacker-Aller Laboratories of Los Angeles. prices when playing “The Sheik” and similar pictures prove that exhibitors realize increased box-office receipts and that the patrons pay the increase without complaint. On the other hand, I know of an instance in New Jersey where prices were reduced from 25 and 35 cents to 15 and 20 cents. The reduction resulted in no increased patronage and a decided drop in the cash receipts. The exhibitor has every excuse to maintain prices: everything connected with the making of films has gone up, and huge sums are spent in an effort to make them perfect. The other side of the question is set forth by William Brandt, president of the Theatre Owners Chambers of Commerce, as follows: I am not an alarmist, but unless something radical is done and done real soon in reducing film prices to exhibitors, I predict" before the first day of summer arrives, that over 75 per cent, of the theatres in this territory will be obliged to close their doors. The difference in the present exhibition values which the exhibitors are obliged Canadian Customs Revises Order on Film Shipment The Canadian Departmorr cf Customs has revised Section 13 of its original instructions regarding the designation of country of origin which must be indicated upon all film and film accessories which are shipped into Canada. The National Association of the Motion Picture Industry has been advised of this revision and has so notified its company members. Section 13 of the “ Country of Origin ” regulations now reads : “ The name of a manufacturer or his . trade-mark, accompanied by the name of the country or a place in a province, state or other division of a country where the goods have been manufactured or produced, will be accepted as sufficient indication of the country of origin.” The Chief Clerk of the Customs Office at Ottawa advises that in so far as lithographs are concerned, the name of the maker and the city in which they are made on the lithograph itself will be sufficient indication of the country of origin. Lillian Gale Temporarily Leaves Motion Picture News Miss Lillian R. Gale, who has been actively connected with the Motion Picture News since August, 1920, will temporarily discontinue her connection with the News. Miss Gale is to join the staff of the X-L Pictures Corporation, which will produce “ A Woman’s Woman,” under the direction of Charles Giblyn. The News wishes Miss Gale all possible success and will welcome her return to the staff upon the completion of her contract with X-L Pictures. to pay in their respective territories and the receipts at the box office are so far apart and their losses so heavy, that unless some change is made real soon, he will not be able to continue to lose the hugje amount of money which he is obliged to do at present. The tremendous depression in this business started when the exhibitors of this territory had the poorest summer of their existence. The season opened in September with very slight gains over the summer business, but the film rentals, instead of decreasing in accordance with the decrease at the box office, in practically every instance, was increased. Many exhibitors paid exorbitant prices for the best attractions they could obtain, hoping thereby, to stimulate and improve business, and while in some instances business was stimulating, yet the general run was far below the average house expense I am serving notice upon the whole industry, that a change must come at once. We are skating on very thin ice and if we don’t want to fall through, we must readjust our conditions just the same as every other industry has been obliged to do. Marcus Loew and Wm. E. Atkinson, president and general manager, respectively, of Metro Pictures Rumors Concerning Metro Set at Rest ON another page we carry a statement from the Metro offices as to election of officers for the next year. The announcement of the election of Marcus Loew as president and William E. Atkinson as vice-president and general manager sets at rest the various rumors concerning Metro which have been rife for several months. Mr. Atkinson, as general manager of the organization will have in charge the carrying out of the policies of the executive committee and will be in general charge of the organization. He has been connected with the company for the past six years and has held the office of general manager for five years. Now that the announcement of the firm has been made, the field organization is set for the biggest year in the history of the company and every exchangeman is making plans to break all past records. Motion Picture News is glad to be able to make this announcement authoritatively, as it clears up another of those rumors which cause so much uncertainty and chaos in the industry.