Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1927)

ABC CIRCULATION Vol. 89 MOVING PICTURE WORLD The Showman’s Business Paper New York, December 31, 1927 7619 « EXHIBITORS No. 9 IS HOME SHOW MENACE TO B.0? DE MILLE DEFY TO HAYS STORY POLICY, REPORT Hollywood — It is related on good authority that Cecil B. DeMille, dissatisfied with the alleged discrimination of the Hays organization as re gards its restrictive orders on the selection of books and plays for screeri story material, has issued or ders to his scenario department to disregard all regulations of the Mo tion Picture Producers and Distribu tors’ Association governing the use or choice of such material. In extenuation of this order, De Mille will brook no interference by the Hays organization in making his pictures. The DeMille stand is said to be a sequel to the Hays handling of the film version of “Sadie Thompson,” the book title from which the stage play “Rain” was made. It is reported that DeMille had one or two productions in mind which Hays barred because he believed them to be objectionable. De Mille figures that in lifting the ban on “Rain,” while continuing to frown on proposals for less objectionable productions, the M. P. P. A. is discriminating in its dealing with members. Fox was barred from making “Rain” as a picture under that title. Roxy Breaks Record The Roxy Theatre hung up a new world record on Christmas Day when it smashed all previous box office and attendance matinee records, entertaining over 30,000 people during the day. Chaplin’s “ Circus,” Jan. 6 “The Circus,” Charlie Chaplin’s new comedy, two years in the making, will have its world premiere at the Mark Strand Theatre, New York, at a gala midnight performance, Jan. 6. The doors will open at 11:30 o’clock and the performance will begin at midnight. All seats will be reserved and will be sold in a special box office in the lobby. Beth Brown, author of “Ballyhoo,” novel of Carnival life bought by M-G-M for Norma Shearer. Browning Signed To Long Term by Metro Tod Browning, director of practically all of Lon Chaney’s recent releases, has signed a new long-term contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Browning is now completing “The Big City.” National System of Exchanges Renting for Home Use The steady growth and development of the showing of movies in private homes, now augmented in appeal by the appearance on the market of nationally famous stars in professionally made productions, is fore-shadowing a vast system of exchanges, paralleling in magnitude and activity the present system of professional exchanges, according to several leading operators of renting Land of Firewalkers Novel Pathe Release “The Land of the Firewalkers,” intimate scenes of daily life in the islands of the South Seas, offering one of the most interesting subjects ever offered in Pathe Review, will be released serially in the four successive issues beginning with No. 1, released on January 1, 1928. A heavy veil of mystery hangs over the thrilling ceremony of firewalking as presented in the January Pathe Reviews. Starting with issue No. 1, the audience travels with an exploring party in the South Seas and arrives at the little island of Viti Livu. Disembarking, the party is royally welcomed by the natives with the traditional Kava ceremony. Then a “mekke” or sitting dance is performed for them. Fox Movietone Innovation to Reach Screen Early Jan. Fox Movietone Entertainments, an innovation in screen fare, will be ready for release the first week in January. Raquel Meller, the internationally known star, renders four songs in her Movietone appearance: “Flor de Mai,” “Corpus Christi Day,” “La Mujer del Torero” and “Noi de la Mare.” Ben Bernie and his orchestra offer “A Lane in Spain,” “Are You Going to be Home?” and “Sche herezade.” Chic Sale’s inimitable comedy sketch, “They Are Coming to Get Me,” is another headline screen presentation. Anatole Friedland’s Ritz Revue pleases ej’e and ear in a whimsy called “On the Beach in Atlantic City.” Movietone entertainment of national and international interest also include singing by the Vatican Choir. systems furnishing 16 millimeter films to owners of home projectors. Christmas week, in particular, brought sufficient evidence of this activity to cause no uncertain measure of alarm in some exhibitors circles. The evidence in question took the form of numerous advertisements in newspapers of large circulations, in popular magazines, and in technical magazines especially aimed at projector-owning prospects. The notable feature of these ads was the offer to rent fiilms at nominal prices, starring players who are household words in the movie fan’s home. One powerful newspaper, with tremendous influence on its readers, ran an editorial, pointing out the unrestrained spread of motion pictures as an entertainment in the home and citing figures as the result of a careful survey to show that there where then in -use at least 125,000 home projectors. Later reports infer that the Christmas buying rush conservatively augments this number by 50,000. As an instance of the substantial position the system of dealing with home users already holds, various advertising literature has come to light showing many of the largest department stores subscribing as agents — in effect, acting as exchanges — with stores selling photographic supplies, often as many as a dozen in one city, forming the essential structure of what is cumulatively a nation-wide chain. Enterprise, exploitation and merchandising methods of a piece with the (Continued on page 8)