Boxoffice-October.02.1978

• ADUNU « EXPLOITIPS
• ALPHABETICAL INDEX
• EXHIBITOR HAS HIS SAY
• FEATURE RELEASE CHART
• FEATURE REVIEW DIGEST
• SHORTS RELEASE CHART
• SHORT SUBJECT REVIEWS
• REVIEWS OF FEATURES
• SHOWMANDISING IDEAS
THE GUIDE TO m BETTER BOOKING AND B U S I N E S S - B U I L D I N G
Benefit Disco Party
To Launch 'Coconuts'
Plitt Theatres. Osmond Films and Inter
Planetary Pictures combined efforts with
the Century City Cuhiiral Commission and
the ABC Entertainment Center to create a
fabulous promotion for the new Osmond
film, "Goin' Coconuts." In doing so. they
have created a super-gala event and a tremendous
benefit for a worthwhile community
youth foundation!
Plans for the kickoff of the engagement
of "Goin' Coconuts" at the Plitt Century
Plaza Theatre in Century City, Calif., include
the following:
Wednesday (4) the Century City Cultural
Center will be sponsoring a huge disco party
to benefit "Joy to the World" and the Casa
Maravilla Community Center, located in
East Los Angeles. The center serves the educational
needs of over 1.500 children to
the age of 13. The foundation is dedicated
to involving these youngsters in positive,
constructive activities as an alternative to
the streets, gang violence and crime.
The disco, hosted by KIQQ's Joe Light,
will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the outdoor stage
at the ABC Entertainment Center. Folks
will disco under the stars until 9:30 p.m.
At 8 p.m., Marie Osmond, members of the
Osmond family and other celebrities will
arrive at the center to visit the "Largest
Disco in the World." The theme song from
"Goin' Coconuts." of course, is a rousing
disc 3 number by the Osmonds.
Marie then will invite the first 500 lucky
parlygoers, who arrived early for the firstcome,
first-served ticket giveaway, to join
her and the other family members for the
8:30 p.m. West Los Angeles gala opening
performance of "Goin' Coconuts" at the
Plitt Century Plaza Theatre.
This will be the first time the Osmonds
have been in Los Angeles for a function
such as this and Mayor Tom Bradley plans
to be present to extend a warm welcome.
The Osmonds then will be greeted at the
Plitt Century Plaza Theatre with all the hospitality
of the Islands—complete with hibiscus
and flower leis to highlight the spirit
of the film.
Disco coordinators expect 5,000 to 8,000
people to attend the festivities.
The super-comedy starring Donny and
Marie Osmond begins its Los Angeles engagement
at the Plitt Century Plaza Theatre,
ABC Entertainment Center, Wednesday
night (4).
'Tommy Encore Run Backed by Huge
Campaign Exhibits Old-Time Magic
Dawn Disbrow plays her new pinball machine while her friends Angela Levin. 10,
and Jon Montonen. 5, watch. The game was given away by drawing at the Capri
Theatre at the last showing of "Tommy." Columbia Pictures rerelease.
Two weeks prior to a special midnight
showing of "Tommy," a Columbia Pictures
rerelease. the newspaper advertisement for
the Capri Theatre in Concord, Calif., published
in the Contra Costa Times, included
the words: "See Me—Tommy Is Coming."
One thousand "Tommy" flyers were
printed, with each one including a drawing
entry blank. The flyers were placed in stores
at local shopping centers, on car windshields
and posted on lamp poles throughout Contra
Costa County. Hand-painted posters that
sparkled in the sun also were displayed in
various Concord stores.
KWUN Radio tied-in with the Capri and
aired 50 radio spots plugging "Tommy" one
Sarasota Mall Cooperates
In Hypoing 'Sgt. Pepper'
week prior to the playdate in exchange for
100 passes to see the movie.
During the musical's run. a "Tommy"
soundtrack album was given away nightly,
courtesy of Warehouse Records & Tapes.
At the last unreeling of "Tommy," a
drawing was held in the Capri Theatre for
a $L200 pinball game, which was supplied
by Oakland Cigaret Service.
The intensive promotional campaign for
the film generated tremendous interest
throughout the county, with boxoffice receiplb
demonstrating that the "show and
tell"
principles of showmanship are effective
audience-builders which benefit a motion
picture through increased patronage.
Many decorated with streamers, balloons
and posters ballyhooing the film.
The lobby of the theatres was decorated
Opening day of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely especially for the occasion, with cut-out
Hearts Club Band" at American Multi Cinema's
Sarasota Square 6 theatres in Sara-
the event. A huge cake with a very hand-
horns, streamers and tinsel adding glitter to
sota, Fla., saw the Sarasota Mall become some copy of the "Sgt. Pepper" logo as a
"Heartland U.S.A." in a festive transformation.
WYND Radio did an all-day remote The picture drew sellout crowds, even
decoration was a work of art to behold!
broadcast from the shopping complex, with filling the auditorium for a special midnight
the music from the film attracting an enthusiastic
crowd to a decorated bandstand. following day enabling the Sarasota Square
screening. The momentum held over to the
Mall merchants joined in, providing 6 to set an all-time one-day boxoffice gross
many prizes and holding in-store sales. record.
BOXOFFICE Showmandiser :: Oct. 2, 1978 34