Showmen's Trade Review (Oct-Dec 1941)

December 6, 1941 S H O W MEN'S TRADE R E V 1 E W Page 27 the SHOW BUILDER A Monthly Feature Dealing With Practical Ideas for Booking And Exploiting SHORTS SHOPPING New Trends Mark November as Stories, Playlet Reach Screen; Subject Gets Test Engagement Surveying the short subjects reviewed by STR during November, there is every cause for optimism because, out of 49 subjects caught, only one was rated poor and four fair. At least 20 percent of the shorts were rated excellent, 11 percent good, and 10 percent very good. That 20 percent average, by the way, can be pushed even higher, for many other one and tworeelers, although not rated excellent, received designations that place them within or even above the rating. For example, in the case of "At the Stroke of Twelve," exhibitors were urged to "grab it," while "The Tell-Tale Heart" was labeled "a miniature masterpiece." These, incidentally, were the outstanding short subjects of the month. So, by adding such ratings as "box office," "absorbing," "a thriller" and "hilarious" to the "excellent" group, we find that nearly 29 per cent of November's shorts were more than merely "good." As war and defense activities heightened, subjects of a timely nature declined considerably during the month. Only March of Time's "Main Street, U.S.A.," which demonstrates "how the war is already affecting the average American household," was in any way connected with current events. On the other hand, November short subject reviewing revealed new trends: (1) that of bringing well-known short stories ("The Tell-Tale Heart" and "At the Stroke of Twelve") to the screen, and (2) the picturizing of prize-winning radio playlets ("Changed Identity"). In the same month, "Perils of the Jungle" marked the first time (as far as our memory serves us) that wild animal jungle films, usually assembled for feature-length productions, have been utilized for a two-reeler. Reminiscent of the Osa and Martin Johnson, and Frank Buck jungh safari films, the subject, according to the reviewer, should be "enthusiastically" accepted by audiences. When an exhibitor wants to plug a short subject on his screen, he generally has to order a special trailer. Now along comes Paramount offering one of the few trailers in the history of the industry prepared especially for a short subject. It's on behalf of the "Superman" series, is a combination of Technicolor and peach blow film, and is available to theatres for outright purchase. Feature pictures often have world premieres and test engagements to assist advertising, publicity and exploitation departments in preparing practical selling campaigns. Last Thursday evening similar treatment was accorded a short subject when Warners' Ballet Russe two-reeler, "The Gay Parisian" had its world premiere at the Fabian Theatre, Paterson, N. J. The most productive selling slants in connection with the showing will be utilized in a special press book to be prepared on the subject. That New Era7 Becoming Reality Distributors' Stepped-up Exploitation Activity, Producers' 'Name Value' Casting, Prove Shorts Are Gaining Momentum With activity increasing in both the production and distribution of short subjects commensurate with improving their entertainment value and box office draw, it became apparent this week that a "new era" in shorts, foreseen bv many industry observers as far back as February, is becoming a reality. MGM's inauguration of a new service whereby exhibitor accounts will be furnished with manuals containing selling suggestions on certain releases, Paramount's issuance of a press book covering exploitation ideas on its current season's crop of 73 shorts, RKO's monthly Short Subjects Showmanship bulletin, and the decision of Warner Bros, to put out a special press book on that company's Ballet Russe subjects, are among the moves marking a new trend in merchandising one and two-reelers. Of significance, too, is Universal's current "dating and exploitation" contest in which $2,400 in prizes is being offered to the showmen who put over the best campaigns on the company's shorts. One of the purposes of the contest, it is said, is to enable exhibitors "to discover that shorts can be made to do an extra selling job that will add more dollars to the daily receipts." On the production end, there is an increasing tendency to assign leading roles in featurets and musicals to players who have appeared in feature films. This procedure has already been inaugurated by some producers, with box office results clinching the decision to keep it in force on certain of the shorts planned for future production. At RKO, for example, Producer Bert Gilroy announced that each of the company's tworeelers "is being carefully written and cast and INDEX TO SHORTS SERVICE Presenting Advertising Clinic 31 Back Stage in Short Shops 30 Bugs Bunny to Help Defense Drive. . 33 Display Links Shorts, Short Stories. . 32 Newsreels Have Selling Value 32 Newsreel Synopses 34 Plan "Feature" Selling for Aviation Reel 33 Shorts Production Humming with Activity 29 Shorts Shopping 27 Short Subjects by Series 35 Short Subject Reviews 34-35 Snappy "Added Shorts" Lines 33 Sport Reel Promotion Gets Results. . 29 Superman Showmanship Nationwide. 30 Use Ingenuity in Selling Ballet Shorts 28 will be filmed with the same care bestowed on feature films." It is Gilroy's belief that in the entertainment field today, short subjects have a wide following and have become miniature feature productions. Among the players seen regularly in RKO features but who also have been cast in twoieelers are Archie Twitchell, Glenn Strange, Lee Bonnell, Hobart Cavanaugh, Ernie Adams and John Dilson. For its forthcoming one-reel musical, "The Flay Girls," Warner Bros, will feature the Navy Blues Sextette which figured prominently in that company's "Navy Blues." "West of the Rockies," a two-reeler now in production, boasts Rufe Davis, comedian of Republic's Three Mesquiteers series, Willie Best and Frank Wilcox, while "Soldiers in White," a two-reel Technicolor Service Special will have John Litel and William Orr both well known character actors. Casts of current Warner tworeelers, among them "At the Stroke of Twelve" and "Dog in the Orchard," are peopled with such feature picture players as Craig Stevens, Elizabeth Risdon. Howard de Silva, Ben Weldon, Barbara Pepper, Addison Richards, David Bruce and Virginia Sale. Gloria Jean, singing star, and Helen Parrish. who have been featured in several Universal films, are each heading the cast of a current Personality and Name Band Musical. The former is being seen in "Jingle Bells," a subject especially suited for holiday bookings, while the latter is sharing top honors with Ozzie Nelson and his orchestra in "Doin' the Town." Present plans call for appearances of other Universal feature-film personalities in forthcoming two-reelers. Joseph Schildkraut, Paul Victor. Victor Kilian, Lynn Carver, Noel Madison and George Cleveland have been seen in recent MGM shorts, and the company, it is said, will fill the acting assignments in certain of its forthcoming subjects and the company, it is said, will consider "name appeal" carefully in selecting the players for certain of its forthcoming short subjects. Johnny Downs, one of the original members of "Our Gang" comedies and more recently seen in feature-length productions, will head the cast of Columbia's forthcoming two-reel comedv. "And So to Bedlam." Paramount Names Puppetoon For 1941 Short Subjects Award Paramount will nominate George Pal's "Rhythm in the Ranks," a one-reel Technicolor Puppetoon. for the special short subjects 1941 Academy Award. The picture has been chosen by Paramount as its special holiday release. Furthermore, the company plans to show it in three hundred first-run situations during Christmas and New Year's weeks, it has been announced by Oscar Morgan, short subjects sales manager. ■