Boxoffice-May.21.1979

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NEW
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gOLTERS & ROSKIN Inc. has been retained
as public relations consultant in
the New Jersey Motion Picture and Television
Development Commission, it was announced
by Sidney Kingsley and Joseph
Friedman, chairman and executive director,
respectively, of the commission.
•
Charles
Green has been appoinlecl Easlcin
advertising manager for United Artists.
II lias been announced by Edward P. Seii^cnfeld.
vice president for advertising and
piihlicity. He had been serving as New York
advertising manager since July, 1977. and
had joined UA in May, 1974. as a member
ol the advertising department.
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I he Spectacolor sign on the Times Tower
helped promote the National Theatre booking
of "Love at First Bite," it has been acby
American International. A
radio station in Babylon, Long Island,
WBAB, reports that its offer of T-shirts with
the "Love" logo resulted in its best promotional
response. Postcards for the T-shirts
came in from as far away as Connecticut.
The phenomenal film opens in more than
100 showcase theatres May 5.
tended business trip, the first stop being at
Cannes, where he stayed at the Hotel Majestic.
He then proceeds to Paris. Rome. Miiiiich.
Madrid and London to meet willi
officers of the various production and di.s-
Iribution companies represented here by
He is also engaged in the followup on
sales of "Kentucky Fried Movie."
which had extremely successful premiere cii-
gagements in Holland. Japan and the United
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Kingdom.
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In the magazines; May's Films in Review
is the Academy Award issue, with articles
on the 51st Academy Awards presentations,
the special Oscar given to the Museum ol
Modern Art and the career of actor Conrad
Nagel, who was one of the founders of the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Other articles inchide the career ot
Barbara Hale and the television appearances
of Anne Baxter.
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Continuing on showcase, both mini and
maxi, are "Dawn of the Dead," "The Sileiii
Partner." "Last Embrace." "The Deer Hunter."
"The Exorcist." "The Champ." "Coming
Home." "Manhattan." "Norma Rac."
"Hair" and "Love at First Bite." Avco Embassy's
"Winter KilLt" opened a 50-theatre
break May 18, including the Cinema II and
National.
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In the magazines: Films in Review for
April features a career article on silent star
Billie Dove by DeWitt Bodeen, and an interview
on Abbott and Costello by their
biographer Bob Thomas, as conducted by
Jeffrey Elliot. William K. Everson's "Re-
discovery" section focuses on George Arliss'
career and his film "Old English"
(1930).
Bookers Luncheon Is Scene
Of Awards. Speeches, Plugs
By JOHN COCCHl
Eastern Editor
NEW YORK—The I
.Mb annual Academy
Award Sweepstakes Luncheon of the
Motion Picture Bookers Club was held April
24 at Rosoffs here, with veteran New Yoik
Post film reviewer Archer Winsten as guest
speaker and surprise appearances by Peter
Bogdanovich and Ben Gazzara. Master of
ceremonies Ralph Donnelly, who heads
Cinema 5, announced that the Sweepstakes
winners were Denise Dorsey of Gulf +
Western, first prize; Becky Schoenfeld, second
prize, and Walter Powell of Georgia,
third prize.
Donnelly introduced Bogdanovich and
Gazzara, director and star respectively of
the New World Pictures release "Saint
Jack." Gazzara thanked Donnelly for arranging
the booking at Cinema I and foi
the sendoff he expected that the film would
have. After saying that there had been a
tew problems with the film but that everything
had "turned out okay," Bogdanovich
emphasized that Donnelly's belief in the film
meant a great deal to him. He thanked Don-
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Among the many executives attendinis nelly for his "intelligent courage" in putting
the film into Cinema I and then stated
year's is Cannes Film Festival Mimio
Podhorzer. president of United Film Enterprises.
he would keep a close relationship with
that
Inc. He departed May 8 for an ex-
exhibitors as a result of his experiences
with
the film.
Still plugging the film. Bogdanovich mentioned
that advance word on it was good
(later reviews included some very favorable
quotes). In parting, he quoted Howard
pital, was in Kansas City and would receive
the check on May 22.
BUFFALO
Last Embrace' is a solid B picture." said
reviewer Patricia Ward Bicderman of
the Courier-Express. But she added that the
movie "develops a mild case of the shakes
as it moves toward a climactic confrontation
at Niagara Falls." Of the three films shot on
location here last year, "Last Embrace" is
the first to actually appear on area screens.
"Hide in Plain Sight" is in post-production
limbo and "Search and Destroy," a Canadian
quickie about Vietnam vets, has disappeared
without a trace.
Jeff Simon of The News wrote of "Manhattan":
"This is Woody Allen's best movie
—not the funniest, although funny enough.
It can cause crowds to clap and cheer at the
end, happy to be alive and human."
Warner Bros, took full-page ads in The
News and Courier-Express to tell about
their "major Hollywood preview" of "A
Little Romance" May 4-5 at the Holiday 2
Theatre.
According to one report, wrote Doug
Smith in the Courier-Express, an audience
for "Old Boyfriends" stood and cheered the
end of the picture on opening day. It
wasn't
the picture they were cheering, according to
Smith, just the fact that it was over. He
adds that "for a specialized audience, it
would have some appeal."
New films on local screens: "The Last
Embrace," "Manhattan." "The Silent Partner,"
"Dawn of the Dead." "Tourist Trap"
and "Dreamer."
A mini-festival of films by Poland's lead-
Hawks' advice to him, "Just make pictures
ing director Andrzej Wajda was shown at
you'll never be unhappy."
Both Bogdanovich and Gazzara had the Lincoln Theatre May 4-5, including
that make money and
been attending all screenings of the film and "Man of Marble" and "The Promised
were making numerous appearances in connection
Land." The festival continued through May
with it. Donnelly pointed out. Then 19.
Mancuso was given a special "Oscar" for
his Sweepstakes efforts and said he had
postponed a trip to Kansas City for Show-A-
Rama to be there. Martin Newman, who
was to have been presented a check from
the club for the benefit of Will Rogers Hos-
Temporarily, Rules Judge,
Debbie Can Still Do Akron
AKRON. Ohio—Summit County Common
Pleas Judge John W. Reece dismissed
on April 30 the city of Akron's attempt to
ban the showing of "Debbie Does Dallas"
at the Art Theatre. The city sought an injunction
against showing of the film, and
asked that the print of the film be confiscated.
Judge Reece ruled that the same materials
are already involved in criminal charges
of pandering obscenity, and thus cannot be
brought before the court for civil action.
Akron police seized the film April 10. and
employees were charged with pandering obscenity,
the charges now pending in Municipal
Court.
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BOXOFFICE :: May 21, 1979
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