Heat Lightning (Warner Bros.) (1934)

RIEDEL LSAT EG MIE IE RD There’s no better guide to the value of a stunt than past performance. In this column we reprint several exploitation ideas that have recently proved successful in the field. In every case you will find the ideas adaptable to this picture. WwW BILL WALDRON USES Bill Waldron DUMMIES IN WINDOW. who operates the Hollywood in Don Jaycox’s Jersey territory, used this gag tie-up. Playing a big comedy at his house, and not wishing to miss out on a furniture store contact he had prepared, Bill arranged a window display featuring two wax dummies reposing in a luxurious bed. Big card in window read, “We are resting so that we'll be able to laugh at that hilarious film at the Hollywood”. Display of film’s name climaxed the tie-up. Adaptable for any comedy, Bill reports many favorable comments on the window. —Tell ’Em About “Wonder Bar’— CONVENTION OF WIVES Heads-up exploiAIDS AFTERNOON SHOW tation on “Con vention City” brought substantial returns to Emil Franke of the Minneapolis Orpheum. Emil gathered from the city directory, the names of 500 of the city’s traveling salesmen. Invitation cards were sent to their wives, asking the “little women” ‘to attend a “traveling salesmen’s wives’ convention” at the theatre. Party was scheduled for an afternoon, and 375 of the 300 invitations were turned in. Resultant news breaks did no harm at all, avers the ingenious Mid-westerner. —Try The Teaser Gag on This One— HEARST PAPERS TO GO Business manaAFTER CO-OP AD PAGES gers of all Hearst papers have been advised to go after co-op ad pages in connection with showings of “Fashions of 1934”. Success of the co-op page used in the New York American during the picture’s run at the Hollywood, gave impetus to what Variety’s Epes Sargent terms “the opening wedge” in the return of this particular type of publicity. See the “Fashions” merchandising plan for the ready-made layout. —Are You on The Air?— REMOTE CONTROL AUTO Tying up with CAUSES TRAFFIC JAM his local Studebaker agency, Harry Sugarman of the Los Angeles Egyptian, had traffic in front of his theatre paralyzed for three hours. Fascinated crowds watched the maneuvers of a driverless car operated by means of remote control. The latter, through a loudspeaker, plugged the opening of the picture which Harry was featuring. Plugs were interspersed with directions to the car and descriptions of the method of operation. It had ’em lookin’! ——Send Us YOUR Stunt— NEW YORKERS FALL An old stunt, but FOR GAG NOVELTY one that still works, was used recently by Joe Salmon of New York’s Riverside Theatre. As throwaways, he gave his patrons inexpensive cards with “SEASON PASS” printed on them in black type. Above that type he had copy reading, “Don’t let the”, while below the print read, “without seeing” —Card caught the attention of everybody, and even fooled some of the smart New Yorkers. Maybe it'll go in your busy burg, no? —Don’t Forget the Holidays— TITLE PLUGGED BY The showman COMPO BOARD SIGNS handling the Hol lywood in Fort Worth, Texas, didn’t let narrow street frontage stop him from plugging his picture. He instructed his carpenter to build some compo board signs which carried nothing but the film’s title. The signs covered the entire marquee and made an effective flash at night. |DRAMATIC SENTENCES: Exploitation Ldeas | Arrange with local paper to offer prizes for the 10 most dramatic sentences submitted by readers. Readers are also asked to explain briefly the situation which inspired it. Start the contest with this publicity story: Prizes for Most Dramatic Sentence “lve just killed a rat!” Thus, in “Heat Lightning,” which opens at the Strand next Monday, Aline MacMahon sums up in one dramatic sentence a world of meaning. Other lines of an equally dramatie content suggest themselves. For example, when Pershing first landed with troops in France, the story is that he exclaimed, “Lafayette, we are here!” Back in the 17th century, when Sir Walter Raleigh was about to be beheaded, he remarked to the executioner, “What dost thou fear? Strike, man!” George Washington’s last words were, “Doctor, I am dying and have been dying for a long time, but I am not afraid to die.” One of the first things Franklin Delano Roosevelt said after arriving by plane at the Chicago Convention in 1932 was, “I’m for repeal!” Now, if you, in your own experience, have heard some equally dramatic line, jot it down, explaining briefly the situation which inspired it, and send it to the Contest Editor of the Journal. If yours is one of the ten best of those submitted (list conditions, prizes, ete., here). They needn’t be original—but they MUST be dramatic! The film, based on the Broadway stage success by Leon Abrams and George Abbott, is a story of desert love and hate, and all the scenes take place in the sand wastes. Members of the east include Aline MacMahon, Ann Dvorak, Preston Foster, Lyle Talbot and Glenda Farrell. Mervyn LeRoy directed. LOBBY LINES Following are a number of dialogue lines from the picture to be used with the stills indicated. Use them for lobby, window and store displays. Make blowups of the stills and mount on your front with the dialogue lines. The stills listed below are included in the regular set available at exchanges. ALINE MacMAHON: “Well, it’s better to feel like dead now .. . than to feel that way the morning after.” (Still No. 53) LYLE TALBOT: ‘Naw, naw, I ain’t built like you. You got a heart so cold nothing can melt it—probably not even the hot seat.” (Still No. 66) GLENDA FARRELL: “If you was in the middle of the Sahara Desert, you'd find dames.” (Still No. 74) ALINE MacMAHON: “Yes—lI was in love with you-—so in love I couldn’t sleep waiting for you to come home— all the time thinking how rotten you were.” (Still No. 59) ALINE MacMAHON: “You've softened up, Jerry ... You never used to worry much about saying goodbye.” (Still No. 67) PRESTON FOSTER: “We had some rotten times ... and some swell ones. I'm remembering the swell ones now— you seem to be remembering the rotten ones.” (Still No. 47) PRESTON FOSTER: “‘It’s all right— what you done, see?—I had it: comin.” Don’t let anyone put anything over on you—” (Still No. 72) EDITORIAL BREAK Newspapers are always on the lookout for good editorial material. Story and action of “Heat Lightning” warrants such a newspaper break. To attain that end, local managing editor should see the picture; then show him this prepared editorial. (Prepared Editorial) WOMAN FINDING HERSELF Whether or not we are in fullest accord with the national administration’s chief objectives and the regulatory, if experimental, methods now being used by the NRA in an effort to achieve them, it must be said_—and we believe in her favor—that Mrs. Roosevelt’s innovations of informality at the White House are destined to have a profound and lasting effect upon the manners and social customs of the entire land. True, the trend since the War has been away from strictest formality in favor of agreeable informality. But never before has this tendency been given such a definite impetus by a woman so prominent in the social sphere. Mrs. Roosevelt breathes democracy. And this, we believe, accounts in great part for the high esteem in which she is held by members of clubs and societies devoted to the advancement of the various causes of woman. Ten years ago, for instance, a picture like ‘‘Heat Lightning,’’ now playing at the Strand, might very possibly have seemed a little far-fetched. Who then would have accepted so easily the idea of a woman’s purchasing a gasoline station and managing it entirely by herself? But today, such an undertaking seems not only plausible but persuasively believable—and millions acclaim it as evidence of the modern woman’s determination to escape economic dependence and rise above the trying bondage of the past. To Mrs. Roosevelt and all women like her, we say, God speed—and more power to you!’’ ONE-SHEET. BLOW-UPS On heavy, durable stock in buff, peach, or green, these 28 x 42s fit stock one-sheet frames. Easelbacked, if desired. Illustrated scene and one other are available. Priced at $1.25 each. Order di rectly from: NASIB STUDIOS 160 W. 46th St. New York City THEATRE DECORATIONS AN PRESTON FOSTER Ly GLENDA FARRELL BANNER (Above) for ends of marquee with or instead of swinging signs under marALINE MacMAHON quee. Canvas with stenciled lettering 6 ANN DVORAK feet long, $2.40 ea. On real satin, $3.35. dead Miter tte vb eT AD 8 6-T GLENDA FARRELL FRANK McHUGH VALANCE (below) order to fit your marquee. Three colors with lettering sewn on fine duck, $1.20 per yd. Two colors on silkolene or China silk, $1.70 per yd. BURGEE —two colors on fine duck, with eyelets ready for hanging. 20 x 30 inches. 40 cents each. (oVeiai fe) w 5 with ALIME MacMAHON ANN DVORAK PRESTON FOSTER LYLE TALBOT GLENDA FARRELL FRANK McHUGH RUTH DONNELLY illil ! All banners shipped C.0.D. immediately on receipt of order. Order from M. MAGEE & SONS 140 Fulton Street New York City Page Seventeen