Boxoffice-September.17.1979

U"
Stanlill.
I . Preniliminary
'
i
:
Big take for 'Life of Brian'
despite religious opposition
Despite heated opposition from religious
groups around the country, the Warner
Bros /Orion release of MontJ Python's "Life
of Brian" is showing no ill effects at the boxof
fice. according to Terry Sernel. president of
v\ B distribution.
In lis initial release. "Brian" had grossed
$967,469 ai seven theatres in the United
States and C anada b> Sept 10 I he lilm open
ed in mid August.
Strong criticism from Jewish and Catholic
organisations who called the biblical spoof
sacrilegious and blashpemous and a downright
disgrace prompted officials of Warners and
Orion to issue a joint statement in defense of
the film:
"IT IS ENTERTAINMENT, and. to
many, (the filml is an enjoyable experience It
was never our intention to offend anyone's
beliefs, and we certainly regret having done v i
The film is a satire; it is a spoof and it should
lv Mewed in this context."
I he film sei single three-day house records
ai the Cinema I in New York. It also has been
playing in Los Angeles and Toronto.
WB officials reportedly are so pleased with
the film's increased level of boxoffice activity
that they are expected to move the playdates
up one week in I 5 other major U.S. cities,
from Sept. 28 to Sept. 21.
Exhibitors not expecting price jump
after passage of Ohio blind bid law
BOXOFFtCE/SEPTEMBER 17,1 B
industry briefs
Brandeis to honor Ashley Boon
Ashley A. Boone Jr.. newly appointed president of marketing and distribution for . |
Century-Fox Pictures, will be honored in Boston on Sept. 26 al a dinner given by Bran
i
I niversity Boone, who graduated from Brandeis in I960, will be inducted as a membe >
the Brandeis President's Council during the dinner al the Plaza Hotel. Proceeds from i
event will be used to establish a scholarship fund in Boone's name al the university. p"
General chairman lor the dinner is Dennis C . chairman, president and chiel \
eculive officer of 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. Marver II
Bernstein, president of Braiu ^
will be the principal speaker Boone, who received his bachelor's degree in economics In
Brandeis. worked for United Artists Corp. and Cinema Center Films, the motion picture i
sum ol C BS. before joining 20th Fox in 1972. He was named senior vice president in I 7
and was promoted lo his present posi on Aug. 8.
Special award for Tom Moyer I:
The fourth annual Trueman I Rembusch Award was bestowed upon Portland. 0.
theatre owner Tom Moyer at a dinner meeting Sept. 1 2 during the annual convention ol c ,
Theatre Owners of Idaho. The award, given and sponsored by the National Independi
Theatre Exhibitors Association, is presented annually lo the person who mosi clc*y
emulates the achievements of Rembusch in his service to the theatre owners of ihe Unn
;;
-
By
IONY RUTHERFORD
Regional £ orrespondent
Despite warnings from some distributors
ihat the passage of ami blind bidding legisla
lion may ultimately result in higher film rental
agreements, exhibitors contacted in the
Ohio/West Virginia region do not think there
will be ensuing ticket price adjustments.
George Gannon, president ol Cinema Con
trol Inc.. which operates theatres in
Charleston. W. Va.. and St. Albans. W. Va..
said, "terms can't get much higher than the
90/ 1 agreements already required on many
pictures.
MIKh CHAKERES, president of Chakeres
Theatres Inc.. which has Ohio and Kentucky
situations, said. "If the court upholds the
iblind hiddiiigl law . I don't think the exhibitors
will
be forced into raising admissions."
Meanwhile. Dan Johnson, general manger
of the Greater Huntington Theatre Corp..
which operates situations in Ohio. Tennessee
and West Virginia, attributed a portion of current
price pressures to the blind bidding pro
cess itself.
"BiJding is expensive and costs exhibitors
lots of money." Johnson said, explaining that
if a booker makes a series of "bad bid" (in
which the exhibitor must pay more in film
rem than the picture grossedl. the resulting effect
is usually felt al ihe boxoffice.
ADDITIONALLY, JOHNSON foresees
stabilization of prices if the tradescreeing re
quircment permits bookers to make more accurate
decisions on upcoming product.
"Typically, bookers believe if ihey can see
the film, a more sound decision is possible. " he
said.
Obviously, bids will be lower on a S4 or S5
million "dog." but obvious winners with strong
boxoffice potential could conceivably receive
higher bids, he said.
HOWEVER. ANOTHER exhibitor and a
booker think higher prices are inevitable,
although not directly caused by the ami blind
bidding laws.
Bennett Goldstein, president of Mid
PACT
(continued from page
IN ADDITION TO increases in health and
welfare contributions by employers,
employees also will get boosts in mileage
allowances from 2D cents per mile to 25 the
first
year, and 30 the second and third years,
representing an increase of 51) percent
Employer health and welfare contributions
vv ill increase 68 percent lor the three years and
pension contributions will go up 32 percent
Reports grew during the pasi week of increasing
rank and file discontent over the lack
of cost-of-living protection. Many lATSE
locals even went on record to urge rejection of
the proposed pact.
THE STRONGEST MOVE came from
Local 695 of the Sound Technicians Union in
which the hoard, the steering committee and
li
America Theatre Service. Cincinnati, Ohio.
said. "If contracts gel any suffer, it will reflect
in higher ticket prices."
And. Walter Dills, former president of
NATO in West Virginia, predicted further
price increases caused by inflation. However,
he said. "The distributors will use this (the
ami blind bidding laws) as a whipping boy lo
gel their way."
A MUCH MORE COMPLEX requirement—the
"per capita" terms thai are
now a pari of some film contracts—is cited by
Gannon as a possible villain in forcing
moviegoers to dig a lillle deeper into their
pockets.
Calling the "per capita" issue an attempt at
"living ticket prices" and thus forcing exhibitors
to act as "franchises without ihe
benefits." Gannon suggested thai statutes
might be necessary to prohibit this practice.
Only through belter rental structures could
lower prices be achieved. Gannon said. Vet.
even now (o a degree, admission prices are
regulated by the pressures on exhibitors lo
post comparable grosses to olher theatres of
similar size.
None of those contacted said they thought
the ami blind bidding laws would reduce produel
availability
•MOST EILM DISTRIBUTORS today
are earning more in rentals al the boxoffice
than ever before." said Chakeres. "Ii would
not be a good business practice for them to
reduce their product availability. Today, the
independent distributor has joined in the
parade of releasing belter quality product,
which helps ihe exhibitor."
Bennett Goldstein also thinks product
availability will remain the same, yet cautions
thai some releases may be delayed because of
the law's tradescreening requirement.
Goldstein favors the screening provision of
the Ohio law . but takes exception to the man
dated guarantee and advance restrictions. He
stressed that this portion needed lo be altered,
if
not dismissed entirely.
advisory committee members voted with only
one abstention lo urge rejection of the pact.
Members of Local 683 of the Lab Techni
cians Union voted unanimously against ap
proving the contract, also because of the cost
of living issue: the 650 members demanded in
elusion of compensatory pay for speedup in
lab work.
PETITIONS ALSO BEGAN lo play a
part in the groundswell lasi week as about 3(10
IAISL workers at 20th Century Fox signed
protests to the cost-of-living omission. Similar
petitions were to be distributed at The Bur
bank Studios. Universal and Movielab.
Ballots went out to all IATSL members lo
vote in secret on the contract approval and
each local was to name its own certified public
accountant to count the returns. The final
tabulation is set lor Oct. 8.
Slates. The presentation was made by Tom Patterson, president of Nl TL. Moyer. whom -,
and operates a group of theatres in Portland, was the principal figure behind the unsueces-i
effort lo launch Lxprodico. conceived several years ago as an exhibitor cooperalivc desigid
lo help subsidize and control the flow of film producl into ihe marketplace.
Rembusch is a longtime exhibitor who has played an aenve and dominant role in exhibir
efforts nationally for 40 years. He is chairman of the Trade Practice Committee of e
Theatre Owners of Indiana.
More R-rated films this year
Films submitted lo ihe Motion Picture Association's Classification and Ranng Adminisi
lion have been more likely lo receive an R than any other rating this year R and X raliu
have been issued to more films (55 percent of all pictures submiiledl in 1979 than last yean
this time (44 percent). In 1978. 56 pereenl of all films raled (hrough August were tagged H i
a G or PG. and the PG rating was predominant. G ratings dropped from 14 percent in 191
to 6 pereenl in 1 979. and X ratings rose from 5 percent to 8 percent. The trend away from
and X rated pictures and toward the middle-of-the-road PG and R rated films has continul
in 1979. Last year. PG and R ratings represented 81 percent of all ratings issued ihroui
August. 1979 has so far seen 86 percent of submitted films lagged with an R or PG ratir
The Classification and Rating Administration has rated 267 films so far this year. Lasl ye
al this lime 237 pictures had been raled.
Guiness tribute at film festival
Sir Alee Guiness will be honored with a tribute to his illustrious career at the opening
this year's San Francisco International Film Festival on Oct. 10 at the Palace of Fine Ai
Theatre. This marks the first time an arlisi has been recognized with such a program on ll
opening night of the festival. The Academy Award-winning actor was kmghled by Ouei
Elizabeth for his contribution lo the arts in such films as "Great Expectations." "Kind Hear
and Coronets. " "Tune of Glory. " "Dr. Zhivago" and "Star Wars." The opening night pr
gram will feature film clips and an appearance by Guiness. to be lollowed by ihe annual di
ner parly al ihe Si Francis Hotel. On Oct. 1 1, ihe tribute will continue with another film pr
gram and a discussion with the audience.
Stanfill,
Boone to address NA TC
Dennis C. Stanlill. chairman of the board. 20th Century -Fox Film Corp.. and Ashle
Boone, newly elected president of 20th Century Fox distribution and marketing, have a>
eepted NATO President A Alan Triedberg's invitation lo address the opening business se
sion ai ihe National Association of Theatre Owners' annual convention on Oct. 30. Th
NATO Convention will lake place ai the Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles Business sessions
and social events are scheduled for Oct. 30 Nov . committee meeting
are scheduled for Oei. 28 and ihe board of directors meeting will be on Oct. 29.
World premiere for Spielberg's '1941'
I
scheduled for Nov. 15 in Hollywoo
HOLLYWOOD-Sleven Spielbergs
comedy-adventure, "1941." a Universal/Columbia
picture, will be kicked off with a
world premiere at the Cinerama Dome Nov.
15.
The Institute for C ancer and Blood Pressure
Research is sponsoring the "nostalgic, vintage
Holly wood opening night" to be lopped off by
a gigantic cast party.
Although the parly site has yet to be
selected, the cast helping to celebrate the event
will be headed by John Belushi. Toshiro
Milune. Christopher Lee. Ned Beany. Lorraine
Gray. Tim Matheson. Murray
Hamilton. Robert Stack. Treat Williams and
Dan Avkroyd.
IN 1977 THE INSTITUTE raised S75.000
when it sponsored the premiere of "Mac. •
thur" and netted a similar amount last yd
when it sponsored the premiere of M
Simon's stage play "They're Playing Cr
Song" at the Ahmanson Theatre. 1:
premiere funds help finance research proje>
in the battle against cancer.
Among the Friends of the Institute wi
help with the premieres are Mr. and M
Steve Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wi
Richard Zanuck. Rhonda Fleming. Mr. ai
Mrs. Monty Hall. Mrs. Danny Kaye. Ja
Lemmon. Mr. and Mrs. Karl Maiden. M
Frederic March. Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Pec
Freddie Fields. Gene Kelly. Mr and Mi
Howard Koch. Mr. and Mrs. Danny Thom
and Dr. and Mrs. Linus Pauling.