Variety (October 1958)

Wednesday, October 8, 195ft P^RfETr PICTURES 5 SILENTS: GOOD ENUF FOR TV? Black Cloud of Television Thickens Theapies’ Hade for Television Influence Paramount s Ideas Paramount Is taking its cues 4 —-:-^- from television, as concerns film- making economy. This picture corporation, while investing a mini¬ mum of $30,000,900 in 20 new pro-j ductions, is underway with a studio cost - cutting program fashioned after tv methods. Specifically, Par is Impressed with the way video producers can turn out a half-hour film at amounts in the area of $35,000 whereas a major studio spends $10,000 to $20,000 per single min¬ ute of a feature. The comparison is not a fully valid one, of course. The produc¬ tion values and talent involved in a Hollywood feature of major sta¬ ture outdistance the routine tv entry. But there is nonetheless a wide area for economy, as demonstrated by the tv practitioners, and this centers on shooting time. Par has it figured that a film’s before-the- cameras schedule can be cut sub¬ stantially by way of more pre- production planning and rehear¬ sals. Numerous extra takes for a scene must be eliminated, it has been decreed, because these sim¬ ply add too much to negative costs unnecessarily. Company has had the policy of cutting shooting skeds in effect for some time although, naturally, there have been no public state¬ ments about its adoption. And there has been a payoff. Par’s gross business so far this year is under last year’s level but net earnings are holding up well. This is attributable, in part, at least, to thejximming of production ex¬ penditures. Turkey Eases Its Rules, Oughta Aid tf. S. Film Cos. With Leo Hochstetter on the grounds, the Turkish government last week agreed ta the establish¬ ment of non-resident bank accounts by the major film companies in Turkey. Move goes a long way by untangling the complicated situa¬ tion in which the Americans have found themselves in that country. Hochstetter, the Motion Picture Export Assn, rep in West Germany, was sent to Turkey from his Frank¬ furt headquarters. He had spent several years in the country earlier, working as a journalist. Turkey actually belongs In the domain of Frank Gervasi, MPEA’s Mediter- rancean rep, but Gervasi was busy with Italy and Spain at the moment. Yanks don’t distribute for them- j selves in Turkey but sell their product outright to local Turkish' distributors. Turkey is one of the countries covered by the Interna¬ tional Media Guarantee Program of the U. S. State Dept., which means that the U. S. government picks up local currency up to $500,- 000 and pays out the equivalent in dollars in New York. This arrangement, top, was fouled up, and Hochstetter has managed to get these funds flow¬ ing again. It's earnings over and above the $500,000 that wiU go in¬ to the non-resident accounts from where unblocking will be easier. Up to now, the local agents paid cash on picking up the filpis from Turkish customs. That money was deposited in the central bank, where It accrued. With the funds being deposited In non-resident accounts, each com¬ pany is now in a better position to use these funds or find ways of re¬ mitting them. 'SEA BEAST'. TITLE SWAP Parsons Trades WB His ‘Rio Bravo* Tag For It Hollywood, Oct. 7. Indie producer Lindsley Parsons will bring “The Sea Beast” to the screen. It’s a moderq whaling story, from an original by Jack De- Witt. Will roll next spring in the Caribbean. Parsons has Barry Sullivan in mind for star role and will discuss matter with actor during his trip to N. Y. later this month. Warners has owned title since silent days, when John Barrymore made it first in non-talkie form, then with sound. Parsons acquired title via an ^exchange with WB, sur¬ rendering his own “Rio Bravo.” Cohunbia Fattens Its Spanish Lingo Line Via Mexico | To supplement its insufficient supply of Spanish-language pic¬ tures for the American market, Co¬ lumbia Pictures has closed a deal with a new, exhibitor-owned pro¬ duction company in Mexico. It assures Col of 30 new habla Es- pagnol features. Columbia maintains a production [ program of its own in Mexico, but I it runs to only about a dozen films per year. The company wants to release at least 24 a year to Span- ish-language houses in the States. There are two other outfits re¬ leasing Mexican films—Azteca and Clasa-Mohme. However, both of these are now jointly owned by the Mexican government-controlled Cimex outfit, whieh has bought out Gustav Mohme, vet producer and distributor of Mexican films in the States, It's understood that Mohme bowed out of the company Sept. 26 under the terms of a deal made two years ago. Eventual merger of Azteca and Clasa-Mohme is in the works. New Mexican production group channelling films to Columbia in¬ cludes Gabriel Alarcon of Mexico, Carlos Plaza Izquierdo of Venezu¬ ela, and Enrique. Ponca of Colum¬ bia. All are major exhibitors in their countries and obtain the rights for their productions to sev¬ eral areas apart from their home¬ lands. ' As for Columbia, it’s not a part¬ ner, but it puts up advance monies on the productions in return for the U. S. rights. Three films al¬ ready have been delivered, two more are ready, and one is cur¬ rently planned. It’s figured the new outfit may be able to turn out 16 to 20 films a year, though 30 is the goal. The films will be released by Col’s Mexican films division under Donald McConville. O’DONNELL TOA SPIELER, KERASOTES NEXT HEAD? Robert J. O’Donnell of the Texas Interstate circuit will be keynote speaker at the Theatre Owners of America convention in Miami which starts on Oct. 21. It’ll be the first important order of business after Boston's Samuel Pinanskl calls the meeting to order that day. After O'Donnell’s speech, retir¬ ing president Ernest G. Stellings will report on the prior day's board of directors and executive commit¬ tee meetings. It is expected that Stellings will be succeeded as TO A president by George G. Kerasotes of Springfield Ill. For Europe’s Cinema Operators; Now Have 12,792,805 Video Sets HECTIC ITU’ Paramount is underway with tests of its silent pictures with the view, of peddling the vintage backlog, somewhat updated, to television. Company has 1,500 pre-sound pictures in its vaults and most of the prints are in good condition. Job now at hand is to re-fashion them so as to make them in line, with modern standards. Specifically being worked on by technicians are a comedy, a meller and a straight drama. It’s been concluded already .that the oldtime titles would’t be ade¬ quate for tv. As a substitute Par is trying the use of off-screeri nar¬ ration. It’s felt dubbing would be impractical. Another problem being tackled is that of timing. The ancient “flickers” unspooled quickly in comparison with today’s features and the performers appear ges¬ ticulating so wildly that in many instances they-cannot be accepted seriously. Par has to calm them down. There’s been no tipoff on ac¬ complishments so far in terms of making the oldies presentable. But it is known that Par officials are high oh the prospects' “You’ll find some surprises,” commented Paul Raibourn, v.p. If there’s any degree of success the trade repercussions, obviously will be widespread. Prints of pre- talkers-are in abundance—and just gathering dust—at various of the major companies and it’s a cinch these outfits wouldn’t hesitate to convert the . otherwise worthless material into cash if it’s feasible. In any case the Par experiments are being closely watched Incidentally, Par’s backlog sale to a subsidiary of Music Corp. of America covered only the pre-1948 sound pictures; the silents were excluded. Stellings Sees Key TOA Plans In Lap Of Justice Dept. The Federal Government, spe¬ cifically Justice , is the key to two pressing exhibitor problems—(1) the sale of films to television and (2) the restitution of showcases to the producer-distributors, Ernest G. Stellings, the outgoing Theatre Owners of America president, said in N. Y. yesterday (Tues). He has hopes that the TOA con¬ vention in Miami later this month will adopt the “trust” fund project, under which theatremen would actually buy up the companies’ post-’48 films to keep them from going to television. One of the keys to any such venture is Justice Dept* approval for the major circuits to join in the move. There appears to be little doubt that the Circuits will get the greenlight to partici¬ pate, Stellings opined. As for the modification of the. decree to allow theatre ownership by the producer-distributors, Stel¬ lings appeared less sanguine, though he believed this was neces¬ sary to encourage greater volume in production. “We cannot, as: TOA, reopen the decree issue with the courts,” he said- “Only the Justice Dept, can do that, or else one of the parties to the suit. TOA was involved only as a friend of the court,” So far, said Stellings, “we have had nothing but discouragement from the Justice Department, but we’re still hoping that a way can .be found to reexamine the situa¬ tion.” The TOA chief exec said the question, of buying up the com¬ panies’ post-’48* films was the major issue facing exhibition today. “If they sell those films to tv, we’re through,” he maintained flatly. “The whole business would 'be gone.” ALL-AROUND-THE-TOWN Again Open Brigitte Bardot That Way in N. Y. Pattern of dual cast and west- side openings for foreign films in Manhattan continues with the Bri¬ gitte Bardot starrer, "The Night Heaven Fell.” Picture bows Oct. 2l at the Qdeon on Broadway and the Fine Arts on the east side. Kingsley-International, the dis¬ tributor, is booking the English version into the Odeon and the sub¬ titled French version into the Fine Arts. Local 47 Charges New Guild Unduly 'In’At Studios Hollywood, Oct. 7. American Federation of Musi¬ cians, now under a new president, Herman D. Kenin, is moving to un¬ horse the rebels in the film studios here. Some 500 tooters loyal to the A.F.M: have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board requesting another secret ballot test. This is aimed at ending a cru¬ cial clause in the collective bar-1 gaining authorization vested with the Musicians Guild of America for a period 39 months under the earlier showdown. Should this latest * tactic be crowned with success the Guild would be “de-authorized.” Under its (the Guild’s) current advan¬ tages the studios are required, by contract stipulation, to require any i musician to join the Guild within j 30 days of employmeftt at a major] studio. With dues - paying members of the international forced to be also ] in the Guild, or no jobs, the Kenin i regime is firing a series of “unfair practices” charges against the vari¬ ous employers. Newcomer union was formed over dissatisfaction with the former Petrillo regime,; and its alleged lack of zeal for Hollywood musicians’ special prob¬ lems. A.F.M. Is currently expressing a “discrimination” allegation against 20th-Fox in particular for that lot’s "favoring” of musicians who belong to the splinter Guild and bias against the old Local 47. SPAIN HELPS‘SHEBA’ PRODUCERS CUT COSTS Saragossa, Sept. 30. Hollywood is finding Spanish government cooperation an attrac¬ tive budget and production item. Importance of* official aid is il¬ lustrated here on the Saragossa wastes where King Vidor is direct¬ ing battle sequences for the Ed¬ ward Small-Ted Richmond biblical spectacle, “Solomon and Sheba.” Several Spanish Army regi¬ ments have been mobilized to pro¬ vide over 2,000 extras and squad- Tons of cavalry. And the bibilical battles are being re-enacted on an abandoned military ' reservation where the "bleak, sandy terrain of¬ fers compatible identification with the George Bruce screenplay back¬ grounds, only 15 minutes from the main location base in Saragossa. Entire “Solmon and Sheba” mili¬ tary assistance program is coordi¬ nated by Maj. Martin Pozuelo, chief of staff officer assigned by the Spanish Army to King Vidor as rpilitary adviser. Under him, are 150 regimental officers and non-coms, fully briefed on Vidor’s war strategy. With the experience in the U. S, as a convenient handwriting-on- the-wall, European film industries can look to rapidly rising compe¬ tition from television. The latest figures from countries connected within the Eurovision Video net¬ work show a total of 12.792,805 re¬ ceivers, an increase of close to 2,000,000 during the first half of 1958 alone. According to statistics published in the German trade publication, Film-Echo, the number of receivers in Europe today stands at around 16,000,000, of which some 3,400,- 000 are in Russia and the Com¬ munist countries. As of July 1, ’58, Britain had 8,- 300,000 sets, West Germany 1,- 677,000, Italy 900,000, France 860,- 000, Belgium 370,000, Holland 315,000, Denmark 157,000, Swed¬ en 147,000, Switzerland 41,000 and Austria 32,000. At the first of the year, the total reached in the Eu¬ rovision web was 10,857,194 sets. European tv is generally state- operated and its programming is limited, However, it is expanding its service hours and the number of programs shown on the Euro¬ pean web are being increased. While Britain already has commer¬ cial tv, other important markets, like Germany, are on the brink of getting it. Prudential Loans Disney $5-Mil On Wo 1973 Note Hollywood, Oct. 7. New Working capital, via a loan of $5,000,000 from Prudential In¬ surance Co. of America, has been secured by Walt Disney Produc¬ tions, Coin, for which firm gave 5sinking fund notes due Sept. 15, 1973, also will be used to re¬ duce bank loans previously' in¬ curred. Under its new format of ex¬ panded operations, production com¬ pany has earmarked a record $3,500,000 to promote five Buena Vista releases between now and through next summer, according to prexy Roy O. Disney. Sked com¬ prises the largest release program in company history and reps a neg¬ ative cost of $13,000,000. Films to come under the huge allocation include “Sleeping Beauty,” “Tonka,” “The Shaggy Dog,” “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” and “Third Man on the Mountain.” . Machinery for this outlay will be activated this week by BV, when execs return to their home bases from a week of confabs at studio. LOU WIETHE CHARGES ' IA TEATHERBEDDING’ • Cincinnati, Oct. 7. Lou Wiethe, who closed his swank suburban Valley Theatre last week over a labor dispute, threatens to go non-union unless “a fair settlement” is reached. Ac¬ tion halted run of 20th’s “South Pacific” in the 23d week. His explanation of the shuttering on the theatre’s marquee' reads: "Featherbedding by the operators closed this theatre ” Wiethe asked for a reduction of personnel, stating that business dipped 25% since Labor Day. He claimed that the IATSE stagehands and ticket sellers “offered relief,” but the IATSE boothman refused to cut down from four men. William Lynn, business agent of Local 327-A, Moving Picture Oper¬ ators* Union, said Wiethe’s demand would violate the union’s policy of long standing on road show jobs.