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TUCSON
prcc movie tickets arc among prizes offered
in a new Supermarch, starting
from the University of Arizona. This Supermarch
was organized after the first one
was rained out.
Shorts from Old Tucson: Tucson warbler
Linda Ronstadt is jousting with Susan
Blakely and Siss\ Spacek for the part of
Belle Starr in Cy Enfield's summer startscheduled
"Shooting Starr" . . . Localite
Lillian MacNeill completed a four-week job
in Hollywood as script supervisor for the
new NBC pilot "Michael Stoner. M.D.,"
as it's tentatively titled. Dorian Harewood
stars . . . Jeff Sneller, formerly assistant
director of the Arizona State Motion Picture
Office is now a producer teaming with
Igo Kantor on "Kingdom of the Spiders."
starring William Shatner, formerly with
Star Trek. Cameras rolled in Sedona the
last week in March . . . OT was the location
for the principal photography on an
upcoming commercial for El Paso Products.
A team from Ansel Productions, NYC. did
the reproduction work.
Next PCF Release Booked
For California Multiple
HOLLYWOOD—"Confessions of Linda
Lovelace," the next release of Pacific
Coast Films, will break in a 20-theatre
multiple booking the latter part of this
month, according to Charles Balot, an executive
of the recently organized production
and distribution company.
In January the company released "My
Wife the Hooker"; its next release after
the forthcoming "Confessions" will be "Do
You Wanna Be Loved," starring Rene
Bond, in June. The company also has three
other feature length sex movies in the
works, all three still untitled.
Coordinating art work for the company
are Cheryl Poindexter and Marilyn Frandsen,
who are concentrating on publicity
and art for "Do You Wanna Be Loved."
Pacific Coast Films was formed in November
by Arnold Himelstein, Steven Antoniou
and Balot for the purpose of producing
feature sex films and providing
worldwide distribution for these productions.
'Slap Shot' Scores High
Gross in Canadian Bow
UNIVERSAL CITY—The Paul Newman
starrer, "Slap Shot." George Roy Hill film
for Universal release, has premiered to outstanding
business in six theatres in Canada,
reporting a total six-day gross of $182,238.
The picture has been playing in the Atwatcr
1. Montreal: Hyland I. Toronto;
Grand I. Calgary; Rialto II, Edmonton;
Odeon, Vancouver, and Garrick I, Winni-
peg-
Neil Simon's "The Cheap Detective" is
scheduled to begin production in mid-May
on location in San Francisco.
Tucson, Phoenix Students Are Heard
And Heeded as Film Board Members
TUCSON—Young people, today's major
group of movie ticket buyers, are given an
opportunity to speak out about current
products through "College Boards" sponsored
here and in Phoenix by Plilt Intermountain
Theatres. The boards give the
circuit executives a sounding device to
measure reactions of their young patrons
to new films, which college age students
review after seeing them in Plitt theatres.
Two years ago the first board was organized
by Ernie Hoffman, at that time manager
of Plitt's Cine El Dorado Theatre in
Tucson. Members were recruited from the
University of Arizona. When Hoffman was
promoted to southern Arizona district manager
for Plitt and moved to Phoenix, he
organized a Phoenix College Board comprised
of students from Arizona State University
at nearby Tempe.
J. L. Plitt in Charge
In Tucson the Cine El Dorado is still
involved, but the board there is now under
the direction of J. L. Plitt, son of the circuit's
owner, who succeeded Hoffman when
the latter was transferred to Plitt's Utah
division.
Micheline Keating, Daily Citizen movie
critic and entertainment writer, told about
the board in "Focus" March 31, and in-
comments on no-name
cluded some caustic
critics.
As founded by Hoffman, the local College
Board meets twice monthly on Saturday
mornings at Cine El Dorado for screenings
and critiques.
"We feel it is a worthwhile project," Plitt
told Mrs. Keating. "Sometimes the students
come up with suggestions the studios can
act on. One film editor, who had brought
over an unfinished film, listened to the
students' suggestions, went back to the studio
and made the changes the students
wanted."
Free Coffee, Doughnuts
Attendance on a Saturday morning varies
from 30 to 80 students, with Plitt serving
free coffee and doughnuts to all. A typical
film recently reviewed was "Airport '77."
Board members were asked to fill out questionnaires
and rate the film as excellent,
good, fair or poor. Would they tell others
to see it? How did they like the acting,
direction, story, etc.? Ample space was left
at the bottom of the questionnaire for suggestions.
Keating was intrigued more by the un-
.
. . .
favorable comments than by the large
amount of "tolerably good" reactions. None
was overly enthused.
"People are tired of this kind of schlock."
stated one student. Others wrote: "King
Kong should have been a scuba driver"
"It should be billed as a Shakespearean
tragic comedy" "The phony effects
were extremely good" . . . "It's really too
ins like this make money because
had 1 1 1
they'll go on making them."
Said Mrs. Keating: "There were also a
fair share ol remarks unprintable in a family
newspaper." She continued: "What interesied
me was that every good report was
signed by the College Board member, but
not one of the smarty repliers had the guts
to sign his comments.
"It's easy to be an anonymous critic. It
also is valueless. A professional critic—
good, bad or indifferent—has to sign his
copy and stand behind his opinions." She
explained that no professional critic expects
everyone to agree with him but he is honest
and ready for any attacks.
She continued: "It seems to me that if
these College Board students wish to be
constructive, as opposed to seeing a free
movie and being treated to free doughnuts
and coffee, they should be willing to sign
their questionnaires, even when they are
smart aleck."
Mrs. Keating conceded that it is customary
for professional firms surveying
working conditions, to seek anonymous answers,
thinking that such reflect more honest
opinions, knowing jobs are not in jeopardy.
"But there is no such jeopardy in students
answering a few general questions
about a movie." declared the critic, who
concluded: "A lot of good can come out of
honest criticism and that is what the movie
studios are looking for."
Problems of Exhibitors
Outlined for Rotarians
HOLLYWOOD — Sherrill C. Corwin.
chairman of the board of Metropolitan Theatres,
provided an overall view of motion
picture theatre operations as a guest speaker
at the Century City Rotary Club luncheon
Wednesday (6) at the Century Plaza Hotel.
Corwin explained the concern expressed
by many exhibitors over the shortage ol
product, especially the reduced flow of films
from major studios, which, he pointed out.
feel the effects of inflation when budgeting
their new pictures.
Corwin reviewed exhibitor contentions
that there is a need for a more continuous
flow of product to the theatres instead ol
the "feast and famine," which now occurs
during peak seasons. He also discussed the
film buying problems faced by exhibitors
and pointed out that man] theatre owners
believe they could not slay in business without
the profits from their snack bars.
COLUMBUS—Several members of the
Ohio House of Representatives have introduced
amendments to Ohio's charity law so
that groups such as art lovers, history buffs,
private park operators, community welfare
agencies and the handicapped would be able
to operate bingo games for profit in Ohio.
BOXOFFICE :: April 11. 1977 VV-7