Boxoffice-12.1953

: December
SAYS $350 MILLION BACKLOG 1
CAN END PRODUCT SHORTAGE B
SMPTE Head Declares
Prints Are Adaptable
To Many Dimensions
MEMPHIS—The producers of motion
pictures have a $350,000,000 backlog of features
on their shelves—and if exhibitor organizations
can secure the cooperation of
producers and distributors on releasing
this stockpile there will be no shortage of
product. This was the declaration of Herbert
Barnett, president of the Society of
Motion Picture and Television Engineers,
before the convention of the Tristate Theatre
Owners here this week.
NO INSURMOtTNTABLE OBSTACLE
"There is no insurmountable obstacle to the
release of prints of any production form in
dimensions adaptable to your facilities," he
said. "To do less, is, in my opinion, a stifling
of a very important segment of the industry
the small theatre and drive-in."
Barnett's comment on the product situation
came during a discussion of what he
called "the two basic approaches—wide-screen
and three-dimensional pictures—made by the
industry in meeting the economic challenge
of declining movie attendance."
Three-dimension pictures have been hastily
produced and have suffered in quality as a
result, he said. Their initial effect on audiences
has been bad. Since these beginnings,
however, much has been learned about photographic
requirements and projection procedures
and is now being applied.
"There is at present," Barnett said, "active
promotion of two single-film systems. Basically,
these two systems are the same, differing
only in the method of orientation of the
images on the film and in the optical elements
necessary to accomplish rotation. The pictures
appear on the film at right angles to the
normal and the stereo pair occupies essentially
the area of a standard 35mm frame.
In order that the screen image appear normal,
optical means are incorporated between the
film and the screen to accomplish 90-degree
rotation. Polarizers and polarizing glasses
are required with these systems, just as in the
case of the two-film methods."
3-D GLASSES A FACTOR
Barnett said the future of 3-D seemed to
lie in the answer to the question, "Will the
public view pictures through polarizing
glasses and does it offer entertainment value
not attainable in two dimensional projection?"
Turning to wide-screens, he said they had
had better success. After giving late figures
on Cinemascope—272 mstallations, 114 others
ordered and 53 features definitely set for
1954—he turned to a discussion of other widescreen
systems.
"One scheme that seems worthy of consideration
is the achievement of wide-screen
by reducing the picture frame height to aspect
ratios of about 2 to 1, as opposed to the standard
4 to 3 ratio," he said. "Tliis in combination
with shorter focal length lenses permits
the increase in picture .screen width without
extending it in height beyond the proscenium."
Bai-nett expressed the opinion that wide
—
Theatre With Two Auditoriums Tests
Film Draw in 3-D and 2-D-3-D Wins
DETROIT—If patrons ai-e given the
choice of seeing the feature in 3-D or
2-D, after they have purchased their
tickets, 7 out of 10 will show a preference
for the three-dimensional version. At
least patrons at one Detroit theatre decided
by this margin.
A unique test to determine preferences
took place this week at a unique theatre,
peculiarly suited for the experiment. It
is the two-auditorium suburban Wyandotte
Theatre, the only duplex situation
in the state and one of the few in the
country.
The experiment was conducted with a
western, Columbia's "The Stranger Wore
a Gmi." The pictiu-e played Wednesday
through Friday, giving the management
a good cross-section of audience appeal,
including midweek, weekend and children's
matinee business.
The Wyandotte, which is operated by
the Down River circuit, has a single boxoffice
for its two auditoriums. For "The
Stranger Wore a Gun," the 3-D version
played in one auditorium and the 2-D in
the other. Patrons had the opportunity to
enter either auditorium, according to their
preference of dimensions. The choice was
made after a ticket had been purchased.
A check showed that 70 per cent of the
screens offer a promising field of investment
for exhibitors.
A new device called Xpansa Lens can be
used with normal lenses to give a wide range
of aspect ratios, and RKO has announced a
new lens, selling for about $200, that is adjustable
to five different aspect ratios, he
F)ointed out.
"However, the equipment for the stereophonic
sound arrangements that usually goes
with wide-screen pictures is still uncertain
and expensive," he pointed out. "Cinema-
Scope has had good success with the reproducer
located above the projector aperture
with four sound tracks on the film."
More new processes are being developed,
he said, and in the meantime everyone in the
industry must proceed with caution.
"In any case," he concluded, "it is unthinkable
that this industry can settle into a pattern
that does not offer real advancement to
every segment of its economy."
Columbia Pays Dividend
NEW YORK—Columbia stockholders have
received a stock dividend of one share for
each 40 shares owned, equal to 2'i per cent
of the common stock outstanding October 23.
Checks were sent for fractional shares.
patrons preferred the 3-D version, despite
the fact that to enter the 3-D auditorium
they were required to pay an additional
ten cents for the viewers. Otherwise
regular admission was charged.
The test was unheralded, with little in
the way of special advertising. Newspaper
ads merely mentioned that customers
were being given their choice of di-
Calling the results of the test "most
unusual," Milton Zimmerman, branch
manager for Columbia, who sold the picture
to the Wyandotte through Cooperative
Theatres of Michigan, said: "It
shows that 3-D is far from dead. The new
improved glasses and projection will
assure a substantial public acceptance of
3-D.'
Business for the week was considered
above average for the house.
'Kate' Leading in 3-D
NEW YORK—MGM has reported that
"Kiss Me Kate" is proving more "kissable"
in 3-D than in 2-D. The company
cited an analysis of 93 3-D and 44 2-D
engagements that showed 3-D ahead by
11.9 per cent. It was most popular in the
east where it was ahead 19 per cent.
N. Y. Censor Favors New,
More Flexible System
NEW YORK—Censorship of films for all
age groups will probably give way some day
to a more flexible system, Dr. Hugh M. Flick,
head of the New York censorship board, said
during the week. He expressed interest in
new rules being drawn up governing Ontario
theatres. These provide for classifications of
films that minors cannot see. The films are
identified in advertising and on marquees.
The censor would also be able to assign adult
films to houses catering to adults.
Dr. Flick said the classification method was
sensible because it avoids censoring a film
for all age groups, but that he did not think
there should be age limitations as parents
should have some control over what their
children see.
Dr. Flick said no change in New York censorship
could come about until after the U.S.
Supreme Court ruled in the "La Ronde" and
"M" cases. They are scheduled to be heard
January 4. He hoped that the court would not
rule out censorship before exhibition because
then, he said, theatres would be licensed and
exhibitors playing an offending film would
run the risk of loss of their license. There has
been no talk, however, of a state licensing law.
BOXOFFICE
:
12, 1953 .
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