Trade News North (Nov 1977)

HECTOR ROSS: PIONEER OF THE YEAR 1S. OA OF ft A Letter From The Publishers On page 2, the publishers write about their aspirations for Trade News North, the objectives and possibilities of the trade journal, and the need for positive contribution to the film industry at this time. The Canadian Film Development Corp. After ten years, conversations have turned increasingly to the CFDC, its role in the feature industry, and its financing. On Page, 8, excerpts from the CFDC Annual Report give ‘us a look at the Corporation’s progress. ‘Comment’ Is the Reader’s Corner Trade News North has no editorials per se. The opinions expressed are those of the readers in the column ‘Comment’ published each month. Millard Roth comments on page 4 about the role of the filmmaker as entrepreneur. Frank Talk From Arnold Huberman Home Box Office programmer Arnold Huberman shares his comments about Canadian films and their box office appeal and marketing on American television. See page 5. Filmworld We look at activities abroad and give news from beyond our borders. In this issues, festival news and a wrap-up of André Lamy’s successful China trip are on p. 10. tle bre bt eee tb TRADE NEWS NORTH The Canadian Motion Picture and TV Industry Magazine Cinema Canada, no. 42, November 1977 Going...Going...Gone! TORONTO — November 18th is the closing day for bids on the sale of Odeon Theatres by Rank of England. Mitchell Plummer and Company are the Canadian agents handling the sale but all decisions will be made in England, hopefully before the first of the year. People are not anxious to talk about the sale, and although rumor has it that over 17 different offers have been forthcoming from Canadian groups, the details are not known. Early this year, Christopher Salmon, Chairman of Odeon (Canada), spoke about the situation which led to the decision to sell. ‘Rank came to the conclusion that they would consider selling sometime in January,”” he said. ‘‘The theatre business has its ups and downs, and the ups and downs are controlled by a plentiful supply or an inadequate supply of product. In the first six’ mOntlis Of our fiscal year. we did not have a good supply of product. When we didn’t get good commercial films for Christmas and Easter, then we were in trouble.” He felt that over the last years, the position of the independent exhibitor had been strenghtened in Canada, partially because of business practices at Odeon. ‘‘There’s a lot more ‘day and dating’ with independents (where you open in a number of theatres simultaneously) than there used to be. In the old days, Famous and Odeon would only day and date with their own thea tres. Odeon has been helpful to the independents’’. Commenting on the fact that some of the independents have moved up the rung and become first run theatres, Salmon concludes that in general, things look better for the independents than it used to. Christopher Salmon The Bidders In a brief conversation with Bob Myers Vice-President of Odeon, Trade News North learned that a group includes Salmon and Myers, among others; not all members are presently Other Canadian bidders include (continued on p. 2) The Production Guide on page 6 employed by Odeon. Canadian Film and TV Awards on page 4 The Box Office Grosses on page I! Organizations is a pe ue etre on page 10