Boxoffice-September.24.1979

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24 BOXOFFICE/SEPTEMBER 24, 1979
spotlight on new england
B> ALLEN M. WIDrM
Regional ( orrespondent
A newt; implemented "Movie and a Meal"
promotion is ihc latest idea In Richard
DcCcsarc and Peter Gereg of the Trans I ux
Cine Theatres. Danhury. Conn. Circuit ad
chief Larry Porricelli said the Transl.ux C ines
2 were "producing" with Spaghetti Eddie's the
meal plus cinema ticket promotion through
Thanksgiving For S4 25. an adult gets a full
meal plus a ticket, good Monday through
Thursday: senior cm/ens get the same offer
for S3. The cost for children is $2.25.
Alan Alda said "The Seduction of Joe
I ynan." began "where movies in the 40s ended.
Today . films look beyond the 'and lhe> live
happily ever after.' " On another subject. Alda
said he had no nostalgia for the pre- 1960
movie making era: "I wouldn't have wanted to
make movies then. My father iRoberil would
probably have done better working in a super
market The studios made millions with mv
lather, but he made nothing."
After asking readers if they liked film se
quels. Michael Blowen. writing in the Boston
Globe, said. "Apparently the proliferation of
movie sequelmania disturbs critics more than
audiences ... A random sampling of local
moviegoers who had seen either 'Moonraker.'
'The Concorde— Airport '79' or 'Rocky II."
suggests that viewers are satisfied with this
stead) diet ol Hollywood retreads.
Not much jp) was expressed by the New
England critics for Paramount's "Sunburn."
the Farfah Fawcett film. Michael Blowen.
Boston Globe, said.
" 'Sunburn' opens with a
shot of the sun rising over the blue waters ol
CINCINNATI
C hakeres theatres Inc. recently acquired
three additional theatres in Dayton. Ohio.
C inema Centres I 2. Washington Square
C inema and t inema South are now under the
Chakcrcs banner, bringing the circuit to a
total of IM indoor and seven outdoor screens
in that community
I lu Columbia Iheatre in Portsmouth.
Ohio, previously operated bv Cinema South
Inc. ol C harleston. v\ Va.. will now be in the
hands ol Bill C raig. the situation's manager lor
ihc past three years. ( raig. who has, been wanting
to get into the ownership end of cxhibi
lion, plans to suck "pretty much with family
oriented, first run product."
In fact, operation ol the house—once part
ol the Stanley Warner Theatres ol Ohio cir
cuit— will be a true family business: Craig's
wife. son. two daughters and two sons-in-law
will be pitching in.
( raig's first job in the picture came 20 years
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xcapulco—and that's tin mosl dramatic scene
in the film "
Independent exhibitors Leonard Paul and
Tom DeLisa have dropped the combination
motion picture/disco operations at the Central
Theatre in West Hartford. Conn. The duo is
proceeding with earlier plans to open a few
retail stores in the same space, including a
ladies' special!) shop and a restaurant
L'niled Artists Eastern Theatres lined up
promotion with The Herald. New Britain.
Conn., afternoon daily, for co sponsorship of a
"Muppet Movie Contest." open to all
youngsters under age 1 2. Participants were
asked, via newspaper promotion, to provide
"the funniest words in the mouths of 'The
Muppets.'" Entries were mailed to the
newspaper Winner were given tickets to see
Associated Film Distribution's "The Muppet
Movie" at UAET's Westfarms Movies 3, in
the SI00 million Westfarms Mall, West Hartford/Farmington
town line.
Capsulizing the critics: Buena Vista's
"Unidentified Flying Oddball" drew a "nay"
from Michael Blowen. Boston Globe. The lead
paragraph lamented. "This concocted confection
of knights in shining armor battling an
astronaut in a space suit is just another
stretched-out situation comedy from the backsliding
Disney Studios."
There were out-and-out raves for
I niversal's "The Seduction of Joe Tynan."
Michael Janusonis. Providence Journal-
Bulletin Newspapers, called the film "a
penetrating, fascinating analysis of how power
not only affects lives, but corrupts them."
ago when he served as the theatre's assistant
manager while still a high school student.
Projectionist Fred ft/korn. whose career
began in 1904 and who was the 800-seai
houses's first projectionist when it opened in
191 1, is still grinding out the flicks in the Col
umbia booth. "He's like one ol the family."
( raig said.
Bennett Goldstein's Mid America Theatre
Service will handle buying and hooking
chores. Initial offerings will be submits ol
"Superman" and "Moonraker" followed by
first runs ol "The Villain" and "Hot Stuff."
I he Regent C inema. Springfield. Ohio, was
reccntlv made a twin and modernized by the
c hakeres circuit.
Roller Grooms ol the Cincinnati Enquirer
called "Richard Pryor— Live in Concert" "A
brilliant, hilarious performance by a consummately
gifted comedian.''
I niversal's "Smokey and the Bandit" is getling
another go around as the film goes on
view at 16 situations eight indoor theatres
and eight drive ins
A parly honoring Mr and Mrs. David
DeSantis was reccntlv held at the C hakeres
Greenbriar I arm DeSantis. a district
manager, retired to Florida alter 15 years ol
service. Approximately 100 Chakeres personnel
attended the event.
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PHILADELPHIA
Church groups in neighboring Delaware
have organized weekend workshops thai are
aimed al preparing [he community for combat
against pornography in the state One major
target, according to the group leader, is the
Plaza Theatre in. the University Plaza al
Newark, which he described as "the last nor
nographic movie house in the state."
Dale Sehneck, Call Chronicle. Allentown.
Pa., says, "The Frisco Kid' shortchanges
everybody with a plot much too skimpy to sustain
the screen time devoted to it."
Dan Sweeney, manger and part-owner of
the Belmar (N.J.l Cinema, satisfied with the
attendance for "The Rocky Horror Picture
Show" at midnight Fridays through Sunday
during the summer, will continue showing the
cult film into the fall.
Haar's Drive-In, Dillsburg. Pa., promoted a
T Shin contest in connection with the show
ing of "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides
Again." offering a variety of prizes ranging
from a radio and roller skates to record albums
and free hamburger sandwiches for those who
came wearing the most original, unusual and
creative T-shirts. Only those in good taste
counted.
Joe Baltake. Philadelphia Daily News, says
"The Villain" is "stillborn— unfunny and
lifeless, despite all the huffing, puffing and
grimacing." . . Joe Adcock. Philadelphia
.
Bulletin, says it's "an overextended 'Roadrunner'
cartoon and an underexlended Mel
Brooks movie."
Bill Wine. Courier-Post, Camden. N.J.
finds "The Seduction of Joe Tynan" to be an
"intelligent, sensitive, modern melodrama, full
of well-written, actable roles, and a compelling,
com incing plot . . . "Hot Stuff" he calls "a
limp, strained comedy — not enough to sneeze
at. let alone laugh at."
Philadelphia Motion Picture Preview
Group will hold the opening meeting of the
season Oct. 3 in the Concourse Room of the
Philadelphia National Bank. Guest speaker
will be Joe Baltake. motion picture critic for
the Philadelphia Daily News. Mrs. Arthur
Goldsmith has been president of the group
since its founding in 1933. Mrs. Armand C.
Loch is vice president and preview chairman
Desmond Ryan. Philadelphia Inquirer, calls
"Hot Stuff" an "anemic and vulgar comedy
about an undercover police operation and. on
humanitarian grounds, should have stayed
under wraps." Joe Baltake. Philadelphia Daily
News, however, finds it to be "a feelgood
comedy lull of high comedy and good intentions
and a certain sweetness. It just might
emerge as this year's sleeper hit. It deserves to
be." .
Seiner. "Philadelphia Bulletin,
says, "this cops and robbers comedy has about
20 tunny minutes. L nfortunately, the movie
lasts longer than that."
I- ree coupons good for a weekday admission
alter h p.m. with the purchase Ol a regular
ticket is offered this month by Gateway I win
Cinema, Edwardville, Pa. The theatre is also
providing coupons gcx>d until Dec. 9 for one
free child's admission to its Saturday kiddie
shows.
Dale Sehneck. Call-Chronicle. Allentown.
Pa . s.ivs "Breaking Away" is "a four-star winner
that you must not miss— undeniably one
of the year's best." . Johnson. I he
Patriot. Harnsburg. Pa . the nun ic is "impeccably
cast, the performances are
astonishingly good—one of the best movies ol
the year."
An exhibit of oil paintings of black women
at the Eree 1 ibrary of Philadelphia, commissioned
by the Johnson Products Co., will be
highlighted by the free showing ol the movie
"Sounder."
Thomas Irwin, business agent of the Moving
Picture Machine Operators ol IATSE,
Local 1 79, So. V\ illiamsporl. Pa .
a projectionisi
at the Movies Loyal Plaza there, is
recovering from open heart surgery al Robert
Packet Hospital in Say re. Pa
Vincent Conforti, a retired film distributor
lor Metro Goldwyn Mayer, died Sept 4 in
suburban Havcrtord Hospital He retired in
1957 after 45 years with MGM.
I he old Royal Theatre in the South Street
area now undergoing changes to become a
favored residential sector bordering on the
center city, will not go the way of other ornate
and art deco movie houses that have been
demolished in recent years.
Originally opened in 1919 as the city's first
theatre catering to the black community, the
Royal Theatre, decaying and drawing vandals
since being shuttered in 1970. is being completely
restored and renovated by the newly
formed, nonprofit Royal Theatre Co. as a performing
arts center.
Cost of renovation will run from S3. 5 lo S4
million.
The Royal was one of the theatres built by
Abraham Wax during the flapper era. It was
part of an independent chain, located primari
ly in black neighborhoods that included the
now -demolished Lincoln. Standard and Pearl
Theatres, and the Keystone Theatre, now a
clothing store scheduled to be demolished to
make way for a housing development.
BOSTON
"Let's end blind bidding" said the Boston
Herald American Sept. 12 in a lead editorial.
The article pointed out that the bill that passed
in the House outlawing blind bidding "was a
good one. but the bill could still be in trouble.
When the session resumes next week it will
be one of the first items on the Senate agenda
and the pressure to kill it. generated by the
movie industry, will be heavy."
Sam Feinstein. booker at Film Booking Ser
vice, said he was preparing to head for Florida
lor his annual winter vacation, now that
Drive-In theatre season is over. He will stay in
Fort Lauderdale until next April.
Pat Foley, an employee at Buena Vista for
four years, has moved to 20th Century -Fo\ as
secretary to the branch manager
Bill Kineade's Kmcade Theatre. Wtnthrop.
set up a special promotion for weekend
matinees Sept. 9- 1 titled "Year of the Child."
Two kiddie matinees were presented live on
stage with Joe Dietrich as "Master of Magic"
and Cal Dean as "Stripe O the Clown." plus a
cartoon show on screen. Admission was SI.50.
and special group rates were offered. Program
information was described in a colorful flier
placed on store counters all over town.
Janice \\ einstein. publicity promotion
manager at Allied Advertising Service, announced
that, effective with the opening of
"French Postcards" Sept. 28. they will be
handling all publicity and promotion functions
for Paramount Pictures in Boston and the
New England states
Justin Freed's Cooltdge Corner Cinema.
Brookline. scheduled a program of two
Charles Chaplin classics. "Modern Times" and
"C ny lights" |i was reported thai man)
patrons came back during the week for a second
look at the comedies.
Stan Davis passed on word that the Little
Cinema. Pittslield. Mass.. owned and operated
by the Berkshire Museum, will run a weekend
matinee showing of classic films once a month
during the winter.
Buena Vista has installed a new computer
system, connecting the branch with all BV offices
across the country to carry messages and
photos back and forth.
Some of Bosion's drive-in theatres closed
the season with a gala three-feature program.
"I ast House on the Left." "The House That
Vanished" and "Don't Look in the Basemeni."