Variety (April 1961)

AUSTRIA 154 v. ARIETY Star Demands Chill Austrians Who Lag Behind Their German Quota Vienna. Austrian film showmen remain remarkub.e for their lamentations rather then their solutions. Though entitled t)» export one Austrianmade feature to Germany for every fiye Germa”-riade features exhibited here, the Austrians let this market potential go begging, not mmanufacturin s enough films to fill their own quota in Germany. Logic world seem to suggest that Austrian film production be stepped up hut producers either cannot or will not put up the nec essary canital. It is less painful te. rant against te foreigners than to risk good Austrian schillings. Failure of enterprise assumes special significance when it is realized that distributers and the state togcsther put up guarantees amounting to as much as 60° of nepative costs. With that circumstance, and the further guarantee of German olavdates,.the lag does not perhavs compliment: the producers who produce so little. True. some sympathy must be given the Austrian producer caught in todav’s inflated star-salary situation. If the total budget here runs in the neierborhood of, say, $200.000 black and white and $250.000 color sto-k the demands of Ger By EMIL W. MAASS already existing studios on Rosen-J] huegel of the Wienfilm. The Austrian tv system occupies now. one hall, the German tv has rented two halls for the shooting of an operetta series.’ He finished by saying that now the motion picture industry suddenly wants “peace” with tv~and not a life of continuous competi tion, something he explicitly tried. to avert 18 months ag. Austrian Film Data Vienna. Film industry data for. Austria ineludes: Theatres: 1,242 CinemaScope Screens: 141 Imports, 1960: 209, U.S.; 91, Germany Austrian-made films: 12: Current Ticket pace: 39.5% of capacity Current U.S.. top release: “The Apartment” (UA). . 33-YR.-OLD ZBONEKS’ 2D FILM-ON-STARLETS. Berlin, April. 18. Edwin Zbonek. 33-vear-old for man-speakin2 actors with interna-; mer Vienniese film cric, who came tional renown stupefies the local imagination in a country of 7,000.000 ‘popul: at‘on. To make this point: ! asking price for Curd Juergens for ; an Austrian per. picture. per picture $48.000. Aspects of The Panorama Not Iess than six diagnostic points mav be made as to the film industry here. tly The government is still aiming to fix the age limit for “non Maria Schell, $80,000 and Peter Alexander, ° juvenile motion pictures” at 18. At. present, Vienna, Lower Austria and Salzburg are the most “generous.” : ‘“Gibbet.” which he directed for the ‘Berlin Rex-Film, Zbonek said he~ admitting freely from 16 vears on. Some provinces decided on 17 and up, while Tvrol, Vorarlberg and Burgenland decided on 18 years up. These oneor two years are a decisive boxof fice factor. 12: A iaw to go into effect very. soon, will prevent children (four toj six years! from entering at all. This is an economic factor of some, consequence in a poor country with: baby sitting prices jumped to 40c an hour. The industry is alarmed. ‘3: ‘Thouth amusement taxes were lowered, a further reduction is asked. It's now on an average of 10°: throughout Austria. i4) Tho revalue of the German Mark +4.75°; «+ led to endless questions. lord studio, a loss for the produeers. as most stars only accept German Mark and not Austrian Schiling. ‘5: Alf prints,” posters, publicity material used in Austria is made in. foreign countries. a heavy drain. ‘6° With 250.000 tv sets now in operation, this industry is nearing saturation. Director Friedrich Er han, chief of Wien Film, explained | : Berger, to VARIETY the present situation: “More than 18 months ago, there actuaily was a crisis, production: and studio both suffering heavily. Ser. production is $120. 000 | Starlets.” without name stars. the ultra. conservative . It’s profitable for the land-: ‘respectively. to Berlin to show the loca! ness hs first feature pic, “Love ‘Hangs on the Gallows.” soon will start his ‘second feature. “Germany, from Willi Tremper, author .of the highly successful mag’ series of same name which depicted in ‘an amazingly frank manner the scandals and affairs of German starlets. Zbonek said he'll -make the’ film And no: starlet men‘ioned in Tremn>r's extensive (47 parts) series will be hired. Zbonek writes the script in collab with Andis. As to his initial feature _ pic. felt annoved about the West German Film which didn't grant “Gibbet” a. distinction (“worthy” or “particularly worthy.” which means ‘tax relief). AUSTRIAN SEX BOMB Senta Berger Looks Set For Discovery In U.S.A. Berlin. Whenever this Variety chronlcler meets Mrs. Eli Silman, an Amer.can who reps Xusie Corp. of. America in Berlin and is also Ger-: ‘ ‘tmore -than: 150 names! talent manager, he asks: her who are currently her hottest. She: many's “longest-list” newcomers. said: Sabine Two years ago, Sinjen and Judith ‘Dornys. then 16 and tallegedly? 17 of whom the fermer. has made a good career in the’ "meantime. Last year, Mrs. Asked (very to: Senta name, Senta Berger. recently. she revised this starlet is really climbing. When I at:empted to rent two halls, Apparently, she’s also made an im for a very lon period to tv. the, Ministry of Commerce, as well as other high administrative offices! prevented this plan. claiming this: would mean the death knell for the filmi indeustry. Tv naturally looked around to tind a place to build its own studio They are now doing $) on the Kueriglberg on the outskirt, ot Vierna. But that does not mean, that tv does not need the pression on stateside reviewers. Variery’s Tube «TWollywood); who saw her “Secret Ways," described her as. “a delightfully good-looking young European lJady"*and a “well-proportioned bombshell.” A report from Vienna says that Widmark “I didn’t expect so’ much -sex in. * Austria” ‘wood. » will get her to: Hally ~ AGerman Satellite Cr the Cathet rye turpant of 17 fore be reated to the fact. that 1933 and 27 in 1957. busts of 12 features annually the ad the costs of land, gear, 7 teatures is required The recent “slump” must there . Vienna. Austrian film studios staff. etc. A minimum annual Austria produced 25 features in Tt is th: e pr obably verifiable impression of the Vienna fitm trade that Wes German businessmen ‘privately finance most Austrian fins Though these qualify to enter Germany, one for every five of: German victures entering Austria, the statistics have been steadily duindling. The situation is complicated by the overall economy and by adisinaying falloff in theatre attendance. Vienna, it is to. be remem-* bered. repertor theatres, has a majestic statoper and several classic German. tongue’ all supported by state ‘subsidy ‘and offering bargain rate culture against the cinema. ry Your Title was purchased Classifications Board’ Silman ‘men-_ tioned besides Miss Sinjen a new ‘and -several key technicians. Loni von .Friedel and In-: ‘grid van Bergen, As to Austrian-born Senta Ber-. in Richard -Widmark’s .. Meantime Wienfilm studios has added: a stereophonic sound system to its most modern equipment. Rosenhuegel (4 stages), Sievering (two. stages) and Grinzing, all are occupied. ‘Sascha ‘Film is shooting a comedy picture. “Young People Need Love,” with Connie Froboess and. Peter Weck. Walt.Disney wili move in:in August and September to shoot. a “Vienna Singing Boys” picture. [Don't Despise The \Travel Production |By GOTTFRIED REINHARDT: Salzburg; Austria. _Woisesiay, April 26, 961 AUSTRIAN FILM ORGANIZATIONS Fachverband der. Filmindustrie (Film Industry: ‘Assn.): chairman, Dir. Karl. Ehrlich, Vienna, Wildpretmarkt 10 Fachverband der Lichtspielthéater (Exhibitors “Assn.) . chairman, Otto: Hermann, Vienna VIL Siebensterngasse 42-44 Berufsgruppe. Verteiler (Renters Society) . chairman, Rudolf -Kille, «Vienna VII: Neustiftgasse 53 Interessengemeinschaft oesterreichischer _Produzenten (Producers. Asén. ) chairman, Anton. Schuehman, Vienna VIL. Kirchengasse 19 Bundesministerium ‘fuer Unterricht (Ministry of Edutation)_ Film section, chairman, Dr. Raimund Warhanek, Vienna, Minoritenplatz Bundesministerium fuer Handel (Ministry of Commerce) : Film Import-Export section, Dr. Anton ScheSstak, Vienna. IT, Metternichgasse 4 Film. Export Vereinigung (Film Export Union) (UNIAUSTRIA) chairman, Anton Schuchmann,Vienna VIL Siebensterngasse 31 Fernsehen (Television) — : ilm producing section, Kurt Schreiber, Vienna. XI. Singrienerasse Osterreichischer Gewerkschaftsbund ‘(Workers Union. . Film and. tv section, chairman, ‘Oskar Nekut, ‘Vienna, x “Maria Theresienstrasse 11 Film Beirat (Motion Picture Advisory Council) . Note: (This committee decides . on.all motion. pictures to be shown in Vienna on “juveniles. up: to 14 years—juveniles from 14. to 18 years, admitted or not) chairman, Dr.. Wilhelm Stemmer, Vienna 1. City Hall It. is. of course, in ‘Hollywood's ! | Evangelischer . Kirchenrat ‘(Evangelical “Church Council) * ‘T own best. ‘interests to make as many ‘ pictures as possible right in Holly[oot No one can quarrel with this point of view. Add that, aside from the labor. and. union angles . “runaway” production is bad for ' managerial morale. at its best when it is at its busiest. AS. a producer at Metro when that |: studia had a production schedule of 50-60 features a year, I can well remember the enthusiasm, the excitement, and the high interest, Yet, a serious. distinction must be made between ‘pictures which leave ‘Hollywood production for “runaway” reasons, and hon ‘est and . thorough coproduction ef : forts which involve: the talent, the skills and the finances of Holl : lywood and one or more other fori caw ADA eign production centres. A case could be made, one presumes, for making every feature that is produced in Hollywood. Hollywood's technical genius is equa] to re-producing the terrain, _the hamlet or metropolis, the Jandscape of any. area from the Pole to.the Sahara. And presumably an extra born in Minneapolis could be made up to look ‘like a native | of Tashkent. And a. good art di-! rector and: property master could .Jrecreate an igloo, a minaret’ or a ‘Hindu. Temple. But there are some ifactors which gobey ond physical: ‘similarities. , Recently I completed the production and direction of Without Pity.’ starring vehicle. a Mirisch Presentation in association. with Gloria Films of Germany, for United Artists release... Gloria Films. one of Germany’ S most successful production and distribution organizations. supplied below-the-line costs; Mirisch supplied the story and script, the star, American supporting performers, We filmed in Bambgerg, Forcheim and Erlangen, Germany, the pro‘per exterior settings for our story; we would have filmed interiors in either Munich or Berlin if stage space had been available. aly, our interiors were filmed in: Vienna at Sievering’ ‘Studios. There is a healthy aspect to this | kind ‘of “Holly wood" production which really. never “Town kind of across-the-board co-production. of the production values: the setjtings, the German crowds, the ;roads and highways, the American Army posts in-a German setting— these have the solid ring of authen“ticity. ‘But of greater iniportance is the ‘ ‘ interlocking. production financing. | + ( ‘Hollywood companies can do mich Maly ‘ to. ‘hold the pre-eminent ‘position ; : they have traditionally occupied in iforeign markets by this kind of | poland. lcoproduetion _ and cooperation: ott is) a mistake, I believe, ta ; Characterize all films which even remotely touch upon Hollywood, or jhave the remotest kind . of Holly) wood connection as “runaway productions.” Hollywood ‘has been feast successful when it has been inmost insular: There is. room for. honest coproduction efforts, and the ‘trend should not. be: stifled— |, for Hollywood" Ss. own sake. Hollywood is | the. Kirk. Douglas: Actu| left home. |; There is much ta be said for this |, I believe that most if not all |Spain chairman, Dr. Stephanie Prohaska. Vienna Schellinggasse 12 Katholische Film Kommission (Catholic Film. Commission) chairman prelate Dr, Karl Rudolf, Vienna,.Wollzeile 7. Gesellschaft der Film Freunde (Society. of. Friends of Films) chairman, Vice-mayor Hans Mandl’: Renngasse’ 20 Oesterreichische Gesellschaft fuer Film. Wissenschaft (Austrian. Society of Film Science) ‘ _ Vienna Renngasse 20 Oesterreichisches Film Archiv. (Austrian. Film. Archiv) Renngasse 20 — WORLD CENSUS OF FILM HOUSES | THEATRES: ‘OTHER ‘ALBANIA ........;.. rans U9 Mobi'te ARGENTINA 2.0.0.0... cece tence eet 1,739 80.06m):. AUSTRALIA ....-...:.... beeeee 1,750 190 116m) . AUSTRIA 20.0... oe ccc bec ees 1,263. _ BELGIUM: 00.0... ccc clecee cece venus "1,570 BRAZIL ...........-.... 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