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. . . "Dawn
. . "Dreamer."
. . "Love
. .
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MIAMI
"pietch," the story of a reporter who uncovers
a drug ring, will shoot in Florida
but not in South Florida. The producers
have said they will work in the Fort Myers
area, and not in Miami as previously
planned. Production of another big-budget
film seems headed towards Miami, at least
for a week or two. It is called "The Last
Countdown." and will star Kirk Douglas
and Suzanne Somers. The Douglas family,
including son Peter who will produce, wants
to shoot scenes at Homestead Air Force
Gary Chason, Universal Studios casting
director, put out a call for local actors "with
something strange about them." such as
scars, missing teeth and features that were
out of balance. He needed such people to
play $100-a-week pirates in a movie called
"The Island," to be filmed on Antigua in
May. "The Island" concerns a race of demented
people, about 300 strong, who live
on an isolated secret island in the Caribbean.
Because of centuries of inbreeding,
these strange people, descended from 18th
century pirates, are a dying clan. Their only
business is plunder and murder; for they
remain pirates, attacking any ship or pleasure
boat that comes within range of their
boats.
Womefco Theatres, according to their
publication "On Target," is conducting a
summer concession contest. The 12-weeklong
contest runs from June 12 through
September 3. The three first prizes are a
weekend for two to Disneyworld, including
hotel and tickets to the park; the three second
prizes are $100 cash; and the three
third prizes are $50 cash.
A bonus for the manager with the best
sales promotion contest idea is also offered.
Each manager is to send in his ideas for
promotions that will increase sales at the
concession units. The three ideas selected by
the committee to be used will get the three
managers a weekend off, plus a dinner for
two. These entries are to be in no later
than May 25 and sent to the attention of
Jack Mitchell, Wometco official.
Film producer Ivan Tors, whose Ivan
Tors Studios were located in North Miami
until he left the area about seven years ago,
v/as back recently to scout sites for two
films, parts of which will be shot here. One,
for MGM. is titled "The .Sea Dragon of
Lock Ness"; the other is called "Bates Island,"
and is being done for ABC-TV. Tors
left Miami and closed his studio here in
1971, when, he says, interest in family films
began to lag. Since then he has spent his
time on lecture tours, filming specials on
animals and making science fiction films.
Most of the underwater scenes of "The Sea
Dragon of Loch Ness" will be shot in
Miami's surrounding waters, the rest in Scotland.
Tors expects a June starting date.
"The China Sydrorae," currently playing
in the area, has attracted 120.000 Floridians
since it opened about three weeks ago. According
to John Huddy. entertainment editor
of the Miami Herald, it has become a
focal point for a bitter dispute between
those who favor the use of nuclear power
and those who oppose it. Huddy says the
film also provokes deeper questions about
the role of film, the accountability of art, the
responsibility of fiction to truth, and the
role movies sometimes play in influencing
public opinion during heated social and
political debates. He says that "such is the
power of a movie that some scientists wonder
whether ten years from now, people will
confuse the film scenario and the Harrisburg
near-accident. Which will represent
reality in the public mind"
The Rex Theatre in Little River, a northeast
section of Greater Miami, has undergone
a change. Formerly an adult-movie
house at 7974 N.E. Second Avenue, it has
changed its name and ownership. Instead
of skin flicks, the New Rex Theatre is showing
French language films to audiences composed
of Haitians, Canadians and other
French-speaking groups. George Daniel, a
broker for Royal Caribbean Realty in Miami,
is subleasing and managing the house.
Daniel has said that he h'a.s had the idea of
opening a French movie theatre ever since
the French and Haitians started coming to
Miami. Daniel himself is a native of Haiti.
Chairman of the Haitian American Community
Assn. of Dade County, Daniel says
that more than 25,000 Haitians live in Dade
County, with the largest portion in Little
River. More than 200 persons attended the
theatre's opening in March to see the film
"Mains d'Acier Furie Chinose" (Hand of
Q.eorge Ellis' Film Forum and the Atlanta
Goethe Institute are preparing another
treat for Atlanta foreign film buffs. They
will see a selection of six recent German
'Everything for your theatre—except
®
film"
800 Lambert Drive N.E.
800 S. Graham St.
Atlanta, Ga. 30324
Chorlotte, N.C. 28202
(404) 876-0347
(704) 334-3616
films, four of which were screened at the
Berlin Film Festival. The twn-week event
from April 30 through May 1 1 marks the
third time the forum and the institute have
cosponsored a German Film Festival.
Two special previews were held here recently.
They were 20th-Fox's "A Perfect
Couple," screened at AMC Tower Place 6,
Arrowhead and North DeKalb Twin, and
MGM's "The Champ," shown at Cobb Center,
Lenox Square, National Four and Perimeter
Mall.
. . . "Boulevard Nights,"
Marquee Changes— "Murder By Decree,"
Loew's 12 Oaks Twin, National Four,
South DeKalb Mall Quad and Town &
Country Twin
Cinema 75. Suburban Plaza Twin, Arrowhead,
AMC Omni 6 and two drive-ins,
.
. . . "Wifemistress."
Northeast Expressway and North Starlight
of the Dead," Phipps Penthouse,
Stonemont and Town & Country
"Chinatown Kid." Rialto
Rhodes. North DeKalb
Akers Mill.
Twin and Southlake . . . "The Shout." The
Screening Room . at First Bite,"
Biiford Highway Twin, Cobb Center 4,
Greenbriar Mall Twin, Old Dixie Twin,
Parkaite Mamm Twin and South DeKalb
Mall Quad . AMC Omni 6,
National Four. AMC Tower Place 6. Mableton
Tiiple and North 85 Twin drive-in . . .
"California Suite" (99 cents). Toco Hill . . .
"Blazing Saddles." Buford Highway, Rosewell
Village. Douglasville and Lawrenceville.
JACKSONVILLE
"\X7e aim to accommodate—Not ALIENate"
is the creed for Kent Theatres'
circuit wide contest this summer. First, second
and third prizes total $750 and will be
awarded to the theatres exhibiting the best
teamwork in providing a superior operation.
According to J. Cleveland Kent, president
of the Kent circuit, the purpose of the contest
is ". . . to reaffirm and recognize the
importance of service to our patrons. Judg-
entertainment dollar, service and well run
theatres certainly will be the deciding factor
when pictures are on multiple runs," Kent
fiu-thor stated.
Ed Potash of United Artists Theatres,
Cherry Hill, N.J. was in town April 18 and
19 to consult with Wamen Teal, who has
just recently set up a new office for United
Artists.
The "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is a
common midnight occurrence in many
towns in Florida. The midnight cult, gen- t
erally credited with starting in New York,
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S-2 BOXOFFICE May 7, 1979