Boxoffice-September.04.1978

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I Panavision.
I OS
SMPTE Progress Medal
To Robert Gottschalk
^CARSDAI.E. N.Y.—Robert E. Gott-
.iialk. prcbident and chief executive officer
Inc.. has been awarded the
Progress Medal of the Society of Motion
I'iciurc and Television Engineers for 1978.
I he award will be given at the annual
;iwards presentation of the society at the
Americana Hotel. New York City. October
The society's Progress Medal is awarded
10 Robert E. Gottschalk in recognition of
his notable engineering contributions to the
design, development and production of the
Panaflcx professional motion picture camera,
various improved photographic optics
and numerous other equipment innovations
related to motion picture cinematography.
Gottschalk. a Fellow of the society, went
to Hollywood upon graduating with honors
from Carleton College in Minnesota in
19.19. He immediately began writing, producing,
directing and photographing short
subjects and was a pioneer in the process
of photographing in 16mm Kodachrome
scenes for motion picture productions.
His underwater photography led him to
explore the field of anamorphic optics
and his experiments coincided with the introduction
of Cinemascope. It was at this
time in 1953 that he founded Panavision,
with the purpose of producing anamorphic
projection lenses for the brand new Cinema-
Scope process. He led his company into the
development of the first nondistorting anamorphic
photographic lenses.
From lenses he led Panavision into producing
motion picture cameras and in 1972,
aftjr six years of research and development,
introduced the Panaflex silent professional
motion picture camera. The Panaflex's success
motivated him into the design and
manufacture of other associated Panavision
motion picture equipment.
He is the holder of 15 patents and the
recipient of numerous Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences technical awards
and two awards from the BKSTS.
The Progress Medal Award will be presented
by SMPTE president William D.
Hedden at a ceremony following the gettogether
luncheon that will open the Society's
1 20th Technical Conference at the
Americana Hotel, New York City. The
conference will be held October 29 to November
^.
'Oil' Filming Postponed
I.OS ANGFJ.nS— Principal photography
on Variety International Pictures' theatrical
feature "Oil" has been postponed until
Jan.
17, \'JT), according to president Deno Paoli.
'!ii; film based on the novel by Jonathan
U^'t'M A'ill be produced at Culver City
"ulio',. "Hen and Charlie" is the next re-
' 'in Variety Intcrniilionars slate.
MOTION PICTURES RATED
BY THE CODE & RATING
ADMINISTRATION
The following leature-length motion pictures
have been reviewed and rated by the
Code and Rating Administration pursuant
to the Motion Picture Code and Rating
Program.
Titl» DUtributor Bating
The Boys From Brazil (20th-Fox) g]
Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride
(Dynamite Entertainment)
[r]
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (UA) PG
Jodv (Mapaho Prdns) [g]
Pebble Beach Corp. Stock
Is Acquired by 20th-Fox
Bl VLRl.'* HILLS— Dennis ( .
Slanlili.
chairman ol the board and chid executive
officer of 20th Century-Fox Film Corp.,
with A. Thomas Taylor, chairman of the
board, and Harry Holmes, president and
chief executive officer of Pebble Beach
which was then blown up to 3.')mm Technicolor
for commercial release. Experiment-
Corp.. announced that the management of
the two corporations had reached an agreement
whereby 20th-Fox or a wholly owned
ing with the very first Aqua Lung underwater
breathing device in the U.S.. Gottschalk
built the first free moving under-
subsidiary will acquire 100 per cent of the
outstanding common and preferred stock
water camera and supplied underwater
of Pebble Beach.
The acquisition will include shares subject
to exercisable options, in exchange for
the payment of $42.50 cash per common
share or possible issuance of installment
notes on terms yet to be negotiated. Pebble
Beach presently has outstanding 1.457.766
shares of common and 216.000 shares ot
convertible preferred stock, which converts
into common stock at the rate of 1.045
common shares for each preferred share.
The agreement in principle is subject to
the approval of the board of directors of
Pebble Beach. The execution and delivery
of a definitive merger agreement is subject
to the approval of both boards, the satisfaction
of the conditions contained in these
agreements and the approval of the shareholders
of Pebble Beach at a special shareholders
meeting.
Slanfill. Taylor and Holmes staled that
they are extremely pleased to announc the
proposed merger which calls for Pebble
Beach to be operated with the same board
of directors, management group and employees
and with the same management
philosophy and style. Slanfill will recommend
the election of Taylor u> ilie 20ili
Fox board of directors.
Pebble Beach operates the Lodge at Peb
bic Beach. Calif.; Pebble Beach, Spyglass
Hill and Del Monte golf courses on the
Monterey Peninsula, and owns and operates
Wedron Silica, which mines and processes
industrial silica at seven locations in six
states throughout the U.S. and owns approximately
2,700 acres of undeveloped
and leased land in the Del Mi>nle I-orest
ami on the Monterey Peninsula.
Pebble Beach ( orp., along with recently
.iei|uired Aspen Skiing Corp., will expand
2llih-l'ox's investment in the growing resorts
and recreation industry.
Image Transform Creates
Effects for 'Sgt. Pepper'
HOLLYWOOD—Computers behind the
scenes helped create the startling effect of
.Mice Cooper cavorting with a giant computer
on screen in "Sgi. Pepper's Lonely
Hearts Club Band." according to the firm
which worked with the electronically generated
graphics.
Pete Comandini. operations vice-president
of Image Transform in North Hollywood,
said his firms exclusive computercontrolled
transfer process allowed the computer-generated
material to be exhibited on
the large screen without distortion. "Ron
Hays did his magic on a graphic computer."
Comandini said, "and after the transfer
from vdeotape to 35mm film. Universal
integrated our material with the original
production footage."
Comandini added that sequences contained
material which could not be achieved
by normal motion picture special effects
techniques and required electronic synthesis.
Special effects work transferred by Image
Transform is being used increasingly by
studios looking for especially effective
scenes. Comandini added, citing his firm's
work on such recent motion pictures as
"Heaven Can Wait." "Star Wars," "The
Greatest" and "Demon Seed."
"Sgi. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
is a Robert Stiswood production for Universal
Studios starring Peter Frampton and
the Bee Gees.
IFI Signs Harlem Wizards
Team for 'Bounce!' Film
NEW ROCHEILF. N Y— Leonard
Kirtman. president of International Film Industries
here, and Howie Davis, general
manager of the Harlem Wizards, jointly
announced the signing of the famed basketball
team to appear in the film "Bounce!"
The team will perform its combination of
zany comedy and acrobatics in the film,
which is about a group of college women
who form a team for the right to represent
iheir school in a tournament.
Ambassadors of goodwill in Europe and
the Far Fast and South and Central .Vmerica,
the Wizards have lost only 1 1 games
in over 2.000 appearances. The team will
exploit the film in various theatres around
the country, coinciding with its basketball
exhibitions, as will the actresses in
-BoiiiKv'''
Cinaco and Burg Finalize
Co-Production Agreement
A\C.l I 1 S I I.J Hiiskin. iMisklenl
Cinaco I ilm Corp.. .uul \on\ Kram-
of
roither, president of Burg Productions ol
Toronto, Ont.. Canada, jointly announced
the finalization of a co-production aga-ement.
The initial project will be "Pilcock,"
which is based on an original screenplay by
Ciuy Waldon, who also will direct the film.
Ihe second feature slated for co-production
by Cinaco and Burg is ' Ilie Murder of
Maggie Sykes," by James W. Nichol. The
third project will be announced shortly.
BOXOITICE Vplemlvr 1 1. I ''78