Wednesday, February 4 , 1 9 5 3 J^RSSff PICTURES

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EXHIBS WARY OF 3-D HANGOVER
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20th-Fox Regearing Entire Schedule Nick Schenck, Harry Cohn Stress

To Cinemascope in Shift to 'New Era STUCKOMEOUIPT. -:' Need for Uniform 3-D System
Hollywood, Feb. 3. - With Hollywood's helter-skelter
Twentieth-Fox Is regearing its Confusing multitude of new 3-D entry into three-dimension produc-
entire program to its new process 5,000 3-D Theatres and large-screen systems is be- M-G's 2 In Cinemascope tion employing various methods and
which will be known as Cinema- Present 20th-Fox plans call ginning to worry exhibs who don't Hollywood, Feb. 3. processes, Nicholas M. Schenck,
scope, prexy Spyros Skouras and for some 5,000 theatres across want to get stuck with equipment Metro will make two or Metro prexy, and Harry Cohn,
production chief Darryl Zanuck the country to be equipped to for one process that can't be used three pictures in the new Cin- Columbia chief, have issued state-
announced this week. show pix made in the Cinema- for another. Upshot was the The- emascope, Dore Schary re- ments calling for a uniform system
Cinemascope, which simulates scope process by the end of atre Owners of America board de- ported over the weekend, as a of 3-D production and exhibition.
third-dimension to the extent that 1953. Since that total should cision in N. Y. last week to ap- result of having seen, with Schenck, who returned to New
objects and thesps appear to be include all key houses it's fig- point a committee to study stand- Metro prexy Nicholas M. York Monday (2) from Coast hud-
part of the audience, is the new ured that it will be sufficient ardization of the various 3-D Schenck, the system which dles relating to 3-D, said Metro
trade name for the company's to support the Cinemascope methods with the Society of Mo- 20th-Fox is putting on the technicians have been working on a
newly-acquired French large-screen films, which will not be made market. system similar to 20th's Cinema-
tion Picture and Television Engi- scope.
process formerly called Anamor- in double version for flat- neers. Schary is one of several studio
phoscope. Its single film strip and screen, 2-D projection. A SMPTE spokesman said in toppers who expressed definite "To make uniform the future
single projection machine elimi- It'll be some time before N. Y. Friday (30) that the Society interest in the new system. presentation of pictures in theatres
nate the use of glasses, a vital com- either the special lenses or the had not yet been officially in- throughout the world," Schenck
ponent of all other strict 3-D proc- screens required by the Cine- formed of the TOA move, but that declared, "it is Loew's intention to
esses. mascope will be available to join with 20th in making available
In making the announcement,
Zanuck stated "that it is Mr. Skou-
exhibs, since no manufacturing
arrangements have yet been
it was considered a logical one
under the circumstances. It was
suggested that SMPTE eventually
3-D Costing Loew's one system for production and
exhibition."
Cohn, issuing a statement in
ras,' and my eonviction that next made. "The Robe," first of the might call in the engineers of all
Oct. 1 the motion picture industry 20th pix to be photographed in Hollywood, expressed hope for a
•will enter a new era, as far-reach^
ing as the transfer from silent pic-
the Cinemascope process,
open on Broadway in October.
will
trl-dimension systems for a dis-
cussion with the Society's stereo
committee.
300G to Convert uniform process which will ease the
transformation for both the pro-
ducer and the exhibitor. "Columbia
tures to sound in 1927." Current situation is pictured as has been making studies and con-
Oct. 1 is the date set for release parelling that of the days when
of "The Robe," first picture to be
filmed in this new process and
Sees Glasses
sound came in, and the confusion
still existing in the phonograph
31 N.Y. Theatres ducting tests to improve produc-
tion and projection techniques
along 3-D lines," Cohn declared.
•which goes,before the cameras on field with the introduction of three Conversion to three-dimension "There would be havoc in the in-
Feb. 16 as a $4,000,000 production. different record speeds. LP record dustry, particularly in the exhibi-
Start, which has been postponed innovation for a while stymied the will reportedly cost the Loew's tion field, if several companies
several times since its originally
announced Jan. 19 iakeoff, has now
been set for this later date to al-
Ultimately Out record industry and severely cut N. Y. metropolitan circuit approxi-
down sales of phonographs.
Standardization of at'least some show
mately $300,000. Chain is set to
come out with varied processes
requiring different equipment and
theatre screens of different sizes
low realignment of sets to fit the Natural-Vision's "Bwana
parts of the 3-D systems has been (Continued on page 18)
enlarged scope and new dimensions
of the system. In 3-D Foliowup discussed informally between Al- Devil" in 31 houses for a week's
lied and SMPTE. First practical day-and-date run two weeks after
A total of 11 films are slated for
production via the new method, Unless the industry finds ways
move by the Society would be to the pic's engagement at Loew's
(Continued on page 20) State, N. Y. Latter run begins
Boris Morros Reveals
(Continued on page 20) and means of offering stereoscopic
films sans glasses, the next logical Feb. 18 and is slated for two weeks. Three-Dimensional Film
technological development in the Estimate for installation of the
Plan; Created in Vienna
Reveals He Copyrighted industry will be large screens and
"directional" sound rather than
3-D. That was the opinion ex-
3-D Prod. List 3-D system is based on the equip-
ment required as well as labor
costs. A new metallic screen neces-
Vienna, Feb. 3.
Cinemascope Title 4 Yrs. pressed /in N. Y. Friday (30) by sary to obtain the tri-dimensional
Boris Morros, American pic pro-
ducer, formerly associated with
Ago for Kinescope Setup
Hollywood, Feb. 3.
Fred J. Schwartz, v.p. and general
manager of Century Theatres.
Schwartz said he was impressed
Grows Longer illusion will be needed for each
of the 31 theatres. In addition, in-
stallation of the screens and adjust-
Paramount, has just announced
here the granting of Austrian
patents on what he describes as
by what he had seen of 3-D, but Hollywood, Feb. 3. "the first real three-dimensional
Twentieth's announcements of added: "A lot depends on what
Cinemascope "surprised" KLACr further progress is made in the tri- In addition to the adoption of ment of projection and sound motion pictures." The Morros sys-
equipment will have\ to be done
TV general manager Don Fedder- dimension technique. As long as Cinemascope by 20th-Fox, more during off-hours, tinfe usually des- tem involves only the installation
son, who personally copyrighted there are glasses, 3-D will be very and more film companies are going ignated as time-and-a-half or dou- of a special screen. No spectacles,
that name four years ago. Title is big for from four to six pictures. into production or experimenting ble-time periods by labor unions. special projector or Cinerama-like
used for station's film' syndicated After that, its novelty appeal will with new proj'ectional processes. screen are, required, he states^
product. fade and the b.o. will depend again Walter • Mirisch, executive pro- Furthermore, there'll be coin out- According to Mqrros his system
"I'm quite surprised 20th is using on the quality of the films them- ducer of Allied Artists announced lays for the special film magazines uses a "screen in depth" with seven
the title without a thorough title selves." he will start filming a 3-D in April. as well as polaroid glasses. multiple reflecting media behind
search to find out who owns it," Whether it will be in Natural Vi- the main projection surface. These
Century, operating head called
said Fedderson, who added that for renewed . consideration of an sion or some other system will be surfaces may be made of fiberglass,
he's studying the matter with sta- industry-sponsored, research group announced this week. Distinction of being the first plastic or aluminum. He estimates
tion attorney John Heme. Title was where engineers would investigate Hal Wallis, whose upcoming Hollywood 3-D dance director is installation costs at a maximum of
registered in 1949 on a process for and develop new processes. As Martin-Lewis starrer will be pro- $2,500 for houses seating up to
claimed by LeRoy Prinz, who
kines with special lighting so that Schwartz envisions it, there would duced independently, is consider- handled a can-can . number in 2,000; $4,000 for 3,000 seats and a
they have the appearance of mo- be an executive council which ing filming it in three-dimensions. top of $5,000 for the largest thea-
tion pictures. Five shows were would consult with the engineers (Continued on page 20) "House of Wax" at Warners; tres. " /'
made under the Cinemascope tag and give the green light to various Morros claims he is the sole in-
in 1950-51 and were sold to 14 specified institute activities, with ventor of the system and that it is
markets, Fedderson revealed. the economic angles worked out in unrelated to any other, including
advance.
"Individual studio research isn't
No Letup In 3-D the Soviet Russian stereo setup
which has been much publicized by
2-D PIX (WHATZAT?) enough," Schwartz asserted. "The Continued from page 1
companies go off in different direc- ner, Jr., acting for J. L. Warner it do? — it creates two distorted
Moscow but never demonstrated for
westerners.
tion, duplicating costs and effort. as liaison on WB's advent into The Morros system will "add to
INTO PROD. BY 20TH All that accomplishes is to keep 3-D. Already Lou Edelman has images which are then brought
into focus by the glasses. That's the depth quality" of ordinary two-
Hollywood, Feb. 3. the industry continuously off bal- been slated for a second N-V dimensional film; but full three-
While 20th will tee off its 3-D ance. Quite apart from that, we chore for WB, and a third is on against the law of nature and must
hurt the vision." dimensional effect requires stereo-
activity Feb. 16 with the "Robe," need all-industry standards so as the horizon. Jack Warner's attitude is one of scopic photography via any sys-
it meantime will continue to make to avoid confusion every time some- tem. It is fully adaptable to any
several 2-D films as originally thing new comes up." Most sweeping in impact is showmanship, the same adven- color system without changes.
scheduled. "Blueprint for Murder" Exhibs generally subscribe to 20th-Fox's Cinemascope, which has turous showmanship that cata- Morros has been working on the
starts Thursday (5) and "Inferno" Schwartz's view, but make the apparently resulted in a strong pulted WB to the heights with screens for two years here, and
(formerly "Waterhole") starts the point that many theatres will find stock market spurt to 20th-Fox Vitaphone. "It's a novelty, good plans to manufacture demonstra-
same day as "Robe." Darryl Za- it physically impossible to enlarge stock, and has captured the imagi- for a fast dollar at the boxoffice, tors here for use in London and
nuck, 20th's produtcion chief, is their screens beyond a certain nation of Hollywood as being, per- a great hypo to the theatres, Paris, before Introductory showings
eyeing the production lineup and point. haps, the ultimate overall tech- which sure can use something, in the U. S.
is expected to make a decision nique (See detailed story on anything, to hypo the b.o.," says
this week on which pix will be Page 7). Warner. (The studios concede
scrapped for concentration on 3-D. Cinemascope calls for a special WB has been astute in rushing
Meanwhile, a loanout deal from Cinerama Mapping lens on the shooting camera, and "House of Wax" into production U-I's Top Secret
Metro on William Powell calls for a special lens on the projection although one or two others still Hollywood, Feb. 3.
the stint to start by March 31, so
studio is seeking a new property. Det. Bow March 23 machine, but it is only one ma- hope to be the first of the majors
in the theatres ahead of WB).
Thesps working in U-I's top-
secret film, "It Came From Outer
Powell was originally scheduled fpr Joseph Kaufman, exhibition top- chine— not three as with Cine- While Paramount rushed a Space" are being required to sign
"Happy Scoundrel," status of which per of Cinerama Productions, left rama. However, the effect is es-
sentially the same. polaroid system into production loyalty pledge that they won't di-
is now indefinite. for Detroit over the weekend to for "Sangaree," it is understood vulge nature of plot or dialog until
Projector lens which 20th used look in oi- progress being made in
installing the medium in that city, for
Zanuck strongly believes that that Par prexy Barney Balaban, in
the general welfare of the film is released.
to demonstrate Cinemascope here set for a March 23 unveiling. Kauf- business a one-lens technique has New York, discussed the 20th-Fox Film starts this week behind
last week is en route back to man will also confer with Zeb to be evolved. That anything else technique with Spyros Skouras locked doors, with Richard Carl-
France for readjustment. Further and favors that system. son, Barbara Rush and Charles
demonstration will be held for com- Epstin,
Detroit
regional manager for the is NG for th*e industry.
operation. He disclosed
By arid large, the backlog isn't Drake heading cast.
pany toppers who didn't see the 20th-Fox will license its Cinema- a major worry because "we still U-I is using a new 3-D process.
showing last week. - that no other theatre in Michigan scope, just as Natural-Vision gets have over 40,000 theatres all over
would show Cinerama for at least $25,000 per picture and 5% of the the world as our market," says
a year. gross. Schary, "so nobody is going to be
Theatre chief returned to New Dore Schary has also been caught in midstream." Leaser's 3-D Switch
Now Call 'Em 'Flats' York Friday (30), following a strong against the polaroid (or CineTama enjoys an unique ac- Because of legal difficulties
Developments in the field of Coast visit during which he con- any other eyeglass) system, and ceptance a m o n g Hollywood top- in clearing the name, Sol Les-
three-dimension illusion films ferred with board chairman Louis while Natural-Vision is the inven- pers. "This is in a class by itself ser's Tri-Opticon 3-D program
has resulted in new pic termi- B. Mayer and production chief tion of Gunzburg's brother, an op- —it's like the Ringling Circus, a of short subjects, now playing
nology in trade circles. Merlan C. Cooper. Kaufman said tologist, top studio opinion is that big show all its own, and to be in over 40 cities across the
Conventional films, as dis- Cinerama was mulling four or five the glasses are also fraught with played like a traveling attraction country, has been changed.
tinguished from 3-D's, are now productions and that camera work eye-trouble potentials. Schary is in a few large key cities," says It's nbw called Stereo-Tech-
being referred to as "flats." (Continued on page 22) particularly graphic: "What does Zanuck. i niques.