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Toronto Bypassed by Foreign Film Distribs; By J. W. AGNEW Toronto Correspondent TORONTO—With the opening of the new Cineplex here, this city certainly becomes the leading Canadian marketplace for foreign films. And yet, until now at least—according to a weekend Star item by Dorothy Mikos—Toronto has failed to attract Cineplex May Alfer Trend top-rated films from other countries. '"We certainly don't get anything like the cream of the crop here anymore." stated Gerald Pratley of the Ontario Film Theatre, the busiest outlet for foreign films locally. "Seventy-five per cent of the films shown at the festivals are interesting and wellmade, but not one-Jtenth of them will be shown here. Truffaut's "The Green Room" has been available for ages, for instance, as has been an excellent Finnish movie, 'The Year of the Hare.' We see nothing from India, despite the success of Satyajit Ray's "The Chess Players' at the Festival of Festivals. We see nothing from Germany. Greece, Hungary, Finland, Japain." Four Showings The Ontario Film Theatre, in the Ontario Science Centre, has four showings weekly, changing nightly. Last year, Pratley presented a series of new films from Germany, Greece, Finland and Bulgaria, in addition EVERY to special screenings of films briefly available in Canada, such as Japan's "Where Spring Comes Late." One opinion is that foreign distributors are their own worst enemies, as many of them look upon- the lucrative North American market as the fatted calf. ""There's no doubt that many producers have unrealistic financial expectations," stated Linda Beath of New Cinema. "They think they're going to make millions, and they price themselves right out of the market." Unique Position Ms. Beath is in a unique position, as she owns her own theatres, the Festival and the Fine Arts—both having healthy balance sheets. "Happiness is owning your own theatre," she confirms. "In a lot of ways, the situation here is better than it has been for a long time." Another important factor is that many foreign films are not booked here until, or unless, they receive favorable New York reviews. A prime example is "Diablo Menthe," which was shown with good reviews at last year's Festival of Festivals. However Beath is holding back its commercial showing here until it opens in New York. "Recent successes such as 'Bread and Chocolate.' 'Handkerchiefs' or 'Cousin. WEEK Opportunity in Knocks Cousine' would not have done as well without New York reviews," Linda Beath stated. " 'Pourquoi Pas' is a good case in point. It had a modest three-week run here. I'll rerelease it after it plays New York and it'll do much better." Sharon Singer of Dabara Films agrees with this, but says that it's partly a self-fulfilling prophecy. "A film opens but because it's unknown the exhibitor doesn't want to spend a lot of money on it. It isn't promoted, and its closes. People don't go, because they don't know what to expect. "Most foreign films are general audience films these days anyway. Nobody is making experimental films anymore. American films dictate the standards of films that other countries produce. These are not daring times." 'Syndrome' Writer No! Surprised by Accident From Midwest Edition CHICAGO — "Everyone seemed astonished at the coincidence that the accident at Three Mile Island happened eleven days after the movie was released. But we were not." So declared Michael Grey, who wrote the screenplay for "The China Syndrome." Grey spoke to a group at the Oak Park- River Forest High School. Grey told his audience, "We knew the accident was going to happen. We knew it because of the meticulous research we had done over the years." BOXOFFICE • CLEARING HOUSE for Classified Ads • SHOWMANDISER for Promotion Ideas • FEATURE REVIEWS for Opinions on Current Films • REVIEW DIGEST for Analysis of Reviews Don't miss any issue. BOXOFTICE :: May 7, 1979
. Across . United BOXOFFMCE BOOKMNCUIDE JONNA JEFFERIS, Bookinguide Editor interpretive analysis oi lay and tradepress reviews. Running time is in parenth The plus and te degree of merit. Listings cover current reviews regularly. Symbol BOXOFFICE Blue Ribbon Award. All iilms are color except those indicated by (h&v, white or (© and b&w) ior color and black & v le. Motion Picture Ass'n (MPAA) ratings: m —general audiences; PC!—all ages admitted (parental g' once suggested); [r]— restricted, with persons under 17 not admitted unless accompanied by parent dult guardian; (X^—persons under 17 not admitted. Reviews assigned "N" poge numbers will be found in the National (front) section of BOXOFFICE. ^EVIiW DIGEST AND ALPHABETICAL INDEX H Very Good; + Good; ± Fair; - Poor; = Very Poor. roted 2 pluses, — os 2 minuses. the Great Divide (103) OD-Ad PIE 2- 5-79 B| Agatha (104) D WB 2-19-79 PG !Ashanti (117) Ac-Ad WB 4-23-79 (H Attack of the Killer Tomatoes (86) Ho-C M ..Four Square Productions 11- 6-78 PG (97) World 10- 9-78 PG World 9-11-78 PG I Battlestar Gallactica (125) SF-Ac Univ Caddie (107) D ....Australian Fil 8-79 5107 California Dreaming (92) C-D Al 4.23-79 S 5086 California Suite (103) C ... Col 1- 8-79 PG 5074 Caravans (123) Ad-D Univ 11-13-78 PG 5108 Champ. The (la) D MGM-UA 4-23-79 PG 5088 Children of Sancliez, Tlie (lU) D Lone Star 1-15-79 IS 5100 China Syndrome, Tlie (122) Sus-D Col 3-18-79 PG 5092 Circle of Iron (102) F-Ac-Ad Av 5093 Class of Miss MacMichael, The (92) C 5070 Comes a Horseman 5-79 m .Brut 2-12-79 H (118) W-D UA 10-30-78 PG 5069 Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride (87) Ho Dynamite 10-30-78 El 5097 Dark, The (92) SF Film Ventures 3- 5-79 IS 5109 Dawn of the Dead (127) Ho-D , 5061 U Death on the Nile Film 4-30-79 (140) My Para 9-25-78 PG 5080 Deer Hunter, The (183) D . . Univ 12-11-78 IB
Page 1 and 2: ^:ST BORGNINE- GEORGE KENNEDY & ELK
Page 3 and 4: 'aidPrexy,Relocalion Annual JnderSf
Page 5 and 6: fOR TH£ RECORD Hunter Murtaugh has
Page 7 and 8: Photo Highlights Scenes From Show-A
Page 9 and 10: j [ Moore ' May ' Tickets I 13 Feat
Page 11 and 12: 1 Director Romero Asks Avco to Rele
Page 13 and 14: THB PROMOTION AND MERCHANDISING Sen
Page 15 and 16: [ Greta [ ka" '• I The l \ ernor'
Page 17 and 18: I houses ' In , decline, ' , relli
Page 19 and 20: f! i admissions , Spadero, ; banque
Page 21 and 22: ' the direction of Frank Fairbanks,
Page 23 and 24: i Qrchids ' j ' CHARLOTTE to J. P.
Page 25 and 26: ; "A ' I ipread quickly to Miami an
Page 27 and 28: fr ' " ' I . . . Kansas City (Avera
Page 29 and 30: , \ winning I ) I .- 1 "Coming ' .
Page 31 and 32: .Very . .Very .Very Montreal Ashanl
Page 33: One of the key films to be suppress
Page 37 and 38: ill 1 Hi ill fa slit •ON g gs
Page 39 and 40: Opinions on Current Productions All
Page 41 and 42: •! I I ema 1 relcate ; s, *or pri

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