Showmen's Trade Review (Apr-Jun 1944)

70 SHOWMEN'S TRADE REVIEW June 3, 1944 SHORTS SHOPPING Thoughts on Critical Appraisal After Reviewing 'Cilly Goose'; Short Stories as Short Reels A few days ago we met someone who shared our enthusiasm about Paramount's Noveltoon, "Cilly Goose," which we reviewed in this section a few weeks ago (STR, April 22, p. 38). Now this isn't meant to infer that everyone else who saw the Technicolor cartoon criticized it ; we couldn't report definitely on that score because we didn't read all the reviews and there was not a general discussion of the subject. But sometimes, whether a short particularly pleases us or has just the opposite effect, we wonder if perhaps we shouldn't check up on ourselves. Are we seeing this subject from the viewpoint of the average moviegoer, or are we permitting our own personal tastes to dominate our reception ? Our personal tastes might well be those of the average moviegoer ; on the other hand, it's quite possible that after viewing so many shorts from a critical standpoint we've become self-satisfied with our own judgment and fail to take intu consideration that the subjects may have merits which, though not apparent to us, are likely to be imparted to the "man on the street." In other words, it's a , case of combining one's own judgment with that of the moviegoing public, taking into account various tastes and those which predominate, and then basing the final analysis on those factors. Well — to get back to "Cilly Goose." As we sat there and chuckled to ourselves, we began to wonder if our enjoyment of the cartoon was purely personal. We felt reasonably sure it wasn't, but there was just the wee shadow of a doubt. So it did our heart good when, later, one among a group of trade paper representatives brought up the subject and related the adventures of Cilly to his listeners. It was then that any doubt about our evaluation of the one-reeler's entertainment merits was erased. There may be a few "hard-boileds" who will perplexingly inquire when it's all over, "Well, what's so funny about that?"; but we're inclined to think that the great majority will find "Cilly Goose" one of the most delightful and enjoyable cartoons they've seen in a long time. We were literally scared out of our skin tlic other evening while listening to a half-hour broadcast of "The Strange Burial of Alexander Jordan," one in the Blue Network's horror series. Creeps by Night. Star of the piece was Edmund Gwenn. Still thinking about it long after the station break, we couldn't help but ponder over the fact that radio has successfully adapted any number of short stories to the broadcasting medium, and yet in only a few isolated instances has the motion picture utilized these stories for short subjects. Surely there is room among the variety of types of one and tworeelers on the market to accommodate some of these stories. Care in their production and casting, and care in their booking, should assure a season-after-season career for such short subjects. A front-page tearsheet from the Meriden {Continued on Pac/c 72) Paramount Sets 64 Shorts for New Season; Current High Standards to be Maintained Oscar Morgan Pointing out that record results for the past season had more than justified the increased budgets for shorts set by Paramount for 1943, and that the same winning combination would be mobilized for the new season, Oscar A. Morgan, general salesmanager for Paramount shorts and news, this week revealed a new program of 64 shorts subjects for 19441945. The company's lineup for the new season is divided into nine series as follows : ►Six two-reel Musical Parade featurettes in Technicolor to be produced at Paramount's Hollywood studios. Stories on the first two, "Star Bright" and "Bonnie Lassie," are already in work. The featured male role in "Star Bright" calls for a pantomimic comedian and Pinky Lee, who appeared in "Lady of Burlesque," and Jack Gilford of Cafe Society, are being considered for the spot. Mary Walker of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, has been signed to play the feminine lead. ►Three series of eight cartoons aggregating a total of 24, all in Technicolor, to be produced at Famous Studios. These include eight Little Lulus, eight Popeyes and eight Noveltoons. ► Six Puppetoons in Technicolor. Four of these will feature the popular trio, Jasper, the Scarecrow and the kitbitzing Blackbird. ► Six Speaking of .A.nimals, six Popular Science and six Unusual Occupations. Producer Jerry Fairbanks promises many new innovations, with four camera units now engaged from the Canadian wilderness to the tip of Patagonia in gathering material for the three series. ►Grantland Rice Sportlights observes its 25th anniversary this year and Jack Eaton, producer, is expected to celebrate with a sparkling change of pace in the ten subjects he will contribute to Bite On Gag Line A gag used in the Speaking of Animal subject, "Winter Quarters," had a sudden funny reaction on opening day at both the Paramount in Amarillo and the Aztec in San Antonio. One of the monkeys ir the subject asks for "R. C. Jones" to "come to the box-office." In Amarillo, TWA's radio operator, L. W. Jones, rushed to the box-office. Manager J. C. King lost no time in getting a yarn in the Amarillo News. In San Antonio, Mrs. R. C. Jones dashed to the box-office, and Manager Henry Bergman had a time explaining what the "paging" of her husband was all about, but took good advantage of the talk and excitement the short caused throughout the week among the Joneses. the Paramount shorts lineup. Unusual spo reels and outdoor novelties will predominate witthe accent on diversion and escape. ►One hundred and four issues of Paramouiii News will round out the program. Commenting on the success of the current i season's shorts, Morgan said: "There was some' skepticism this time last year when Paramount; announced an ambitious program of shorts, 7i"\ per cent of which were to be in color, plus three ! new series, including a series of six two-reel: Musical Parade featurettes in Technicolor.! There were doubts as to whether the results in. sales and bookings would justify the substantial:; increase entailed in the budget. The results, speak for themselves. "The two-reel Musicals have been an impor-' tant factor in starting a new trend in short (Continued on Page 72) Warner Shorts Drive Release Dates Set With Warners' annual Vitaphone shorts drivel now under way, to continue until August 31, release schedule for the final quarter of the I 1943-44 seasoti has been announced by Nor-j' man H. Moray, short subject sales manager.ij Subjects and release dates follow: June. 3 — "Angel Puss," Looney Tune; 17"A Wild Hare," Blue Ribbon cartoon, and "Slightly Dafify," Merrie Melody; 24— "Hare Ribbon," Bugs Bunny cartoon special, and "Cat-, tlenien's Days," Sports Parade. July. 1 — "Devil Boats," Technicolor Special; 8 — Halls of Alontezuma," Featurette; 15 —"Brother Brat," Looney Tune, and "The Cat Came Back," Blue Ribbon cartoon ; 22 — "Colorado Trout," Sports Parade, and "All-Star Melody Masters," band short; 29 — "Hare Force,'"' Bugs Bunnv cartoon special, and "Throwing the Bull," Variety Reel. August. 5— "Musical Movieland," Technicolor Special ; 12 — "Champions of the Future," Sports Parade, and "Plane Dafify," Merrie Melody; 19— "Isle of Pingo Pongo," Blue Ribbon cartoon, and "Listen to the Bands." band short; 26 — "Birdy and the Beast," Looney Tune.. Short on Women Marines Brig. Gen. Robert L. Denig, head of the A'larine Corps public relations department inJ' Washington, has sent Capt. Louise Stewart to. the Warner Bros, studios in Burbank to serve as technical adviser on "G. I. Josie," the company's short subject dealing with the feminine contingent of the U. S. Marines. Capt. Stewart will work with Crane Wilbur, who has completed the screenplay. Production is scheduled to start this month under Gordon Hollings'nead's supervision.