46 INTERNATIONAL f^RjffY Wednesday, May 31,1978 year and are also allowed to con­ duct matinees on weekdays even in 'Betsy' Sock $41,882, London; village areas. The distance factor also has been narrowed down to I INTERNATJONAI SouNdTRAckj such extent that two villages on ei­ 'Action' Fair 15G, 'Stickup' 5G ther side of a river are permitted to London, May 30. have separate cinemas within a London Belated arrival of spring ap­ Schein No Subordinate mile of each other. London-based film director Cy Endfield who co-wrote Samarkand's pears to have clipped firstrun totals Towards the end of 1977 there upcoming "Zulu Dawn" — he also directed the original "Zulu" (Embas­ Stockholm, May 30. were concerted movements for the in the round herein covered. Biz was Harry Schein, here at Cannes sy) in 1964 — has invented a computerized pocket typewriter which, he substantially off from the previous construction of purely utilitarian reports, works on a simple picture code which can be learned in around Film Festival told about having cinemas with reduced seating capa­ lap, and even some of the stronger turned down an offer to stay on half an hour ... Paramount's "The Godfather" had its British tv first run entries softened. But "The Betsy" cities to serve the interests of a clus­ Sunday night (28) via BBC. as manager of the Swedish ter of villages. Maybe 100 new bucked the drift handsomely. The Film Institute but not as chair­ Anil Bhimjiyani and Royston L. Byrne of Success Films picked up United'Artists release opened with a cinemas will be added to the total by man. the end of the year, due to a short­ world rights to three shorts: "Revolutions in Fast Circles," "Clock- sock $41,882 total for the Marble Schein is convinced that the maker," and "Seychelles the Smiling Islands" ... Cannes fest entry for Arch and London Pavilion thea­ age of cement and high costs of la­ government will not dare lose bor, steel and building materials. Britain, "The Shout" (Rank), opens June 1 at London's Warner West End- tres. . . face by bowing to his demands 2. Pic's produced by Jeremy Thomas, directed by Jerzy Skomilowsky and Other frosh entrants were "A of all or nothing at all although it It is a paradox that the theatre stars Alan Bates, Susannah York, John Hurt and Robert Stephens ... Na­ Piece of the Action" (WB), with a is known that none of the appli­ movement is gaining added assis­ tional Film Theatre holding a weekend seminar (June 2-4) on "new Aus­ fair $15,306 for three sites, and Tri­ cants for his dual job (now two tance for further development in the tralian cinema." Event's arranged in jointly with the Australian Film dent-Barber's "The Stickup" (with separate jobs) have been found very state where there is an ade­ Commission ... EMI's "Convoy" is one of the films slated to unreel during "Starsky & Hutch's" David Soul) worthy. quate number of them but not in the the annual convention next month of the Cinema Exhibitors Assn. Site for rated a poor $5,263 at two. other states where they should re­ the June 17-20 conclave is the resort burg of Torquay. ceive encouragement. Andhra Pra­ Second week for "Heroes" A&M Film Consultants (Arthur Abeles and Henri Michaud by name) shaped okay with $12,586 at four, desh, Tamilnadu and Mahrashtra in that order occupy the first, sec­ handling foreign sales of "Dominique," suspenser coproduced by Milton Over 9,000 Theatres ond and third position in the matter Subotsky and Andrew Donally. U.S. distrib is to be assigned by Melvin West End Boxoffice of theatres, each state having very Simon Productions which financed pic... It's never too early to plan ahead. (Estimated Total Net) Operated In India; nearly 1,500 permanent and mobile Annual dinner dance of the London regional branch of the Cinema Ex­ Current week $331,679 cinemas. Nearly 50% of all the cine­ hibitors Assn. is skedded for Dec. 13 (a Wednesday) in the Savoy Hotel. . (L182.241) 3,350 Are Mobile mas in the country are located in Entertainment-angled titles on the summer-fall-winter list via London (Based on 55 theatres) these states themselves. With Ker­ publisher W.H. Allen: Valery Panov's (with George Feifer) "To Dance," New Delhi, May 30. ala and Kamataka added, the south Booton Herndon's "Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks," Melville Previous week $394,354 The number of theatres oper­ (L216.678) would claim 60-65% of all theatres in Shavelson's "The Eleventh Commandment," "Balanchine's Festival of ating in India today total 9,324. Of the country. Ballet" by George Balanchine and Francis Mason, Michele Morgan's (Based on 55 theatres) this figure some 3,350 are mobile With an estimated audience of "With Those Eyes," "A Dancer's World" by Dame Margot Fonteyn, "No while "MacArthur" was a brisk $7,- cinemas. In the middle of 1977, the Bed of Roses" by Joan Fontaine,"The World of Tennessee Williams" 959 in third at the Ritz. "Oh, God" in figure was 9,167, which repre­ 10,000,000 per day, the annual box- office collections now are esti­ edited by Richard Freeman Leavitt, and "The Great Villains" by fourth was an okay $5,959, and sented an increase of 150 theatres Christopher Lee. "World's Greatest Lover" reaped a over the 1976 figure of 9,017. Only 150 mated to be about $490,250,000. The soft $2,514 in single smallie. theatres were added in each of the state governments collect as much Mexico City Holdovers with legs included last two years. This is in contrast as $240,625,000 by way of entertain­ "Saturday Night Fever," classy with the 500 cinemas added in 1975. ment and show taxes. The net col­ Per National Film Bank topper Hiram Garcia Borja, that financial in­ with $31,903 at three houses includ­ Most of the additions have been in lection of $249,625,000 has to be stitution is ready to return to the policy of granting cre8its to private pro­ ing a hot $23,273 for the Empire Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu, shared, after paying $2,462,500 as ducers cancelled during the Luis Echeverria regime with the details still theatre; "Close Encounters" with a followed by Karnataka in the South. rental for their news reels and docu­ to be ironed out... Par will film some sequences of "Rocky Part H" with mentaries, among producers, dis­ Sylvester Stallone during the month of September in the city of Queretaro tall $55,603 in 10th at the Odeon Lei­ State governments like Tamil­ cester Sq., and "Goodbye Girl" with tributors and exhibitors. The pro­ ... Churubusco Studios is attempting to lure foreign filmmakers by offer­ nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnata­ ducer hardly gets 20% of the net ing a "package" wage-and-facilities deal on a weekly basis which would a stylish $26,159 at five sites through ka, West Bengal and Kerala have ninth turn. boxoffice even on a blockbuster film cut production costs, per the installation's gen. mgr. Gerardo Rivera. recently come forward with offers like "Sholay." "Turning Point" tallied a fine Helmer Jose Bolanos has one very good reason to feel blue — his of financial assistance to build more Employing nearly 110,000 per­ remake of "Pedro Paramo" (titled Half-Moon Man) didn't arrive in time $21,217 finale session (the sixth) at theatres in their states. The Film the Leicester Sq., ousted by UA's sons, the exhibition trade has called to be registered in the non-competitive division of the Cannes Film Fest Development Corp., set up by some for an investment of nearly $108,- and as a result he lost a screen date in that important event... Conacine "Coming Home" Viet drama. of these states along with the Film Fourth lap for "Herbie Goes to 000,000. Most theatres in the met­ has acquired the rights to "Acali" about the sea voyage made by a group Finance Corp., are also giving ropolitan cities are not utilitarian of scientists headed by anthropologist Santiago Genoves who had also Monte Carlo" took a good $9,258, strong fillip to the construction of with "Full Circle" third frame soft but decorative palaces which a poor been with Thor Heyerdahl on the Ra I and Ra II voyages. more theatres all over India. country like India cannot afford. Operadora de Teatros reports it's investing 10,000,000 pesos (about at $5,124. British-flag "The Stud," The demand for more theatres is also cashing in apparently on the India has now three drive-in thea­ $450,000) revamping the Briseno, Orfeon and Marina hardtops into first- to obtain fuller exploitation for the tres. The first one was started in run houses with more pesos going into the Cine Mundo which will be disco fever, rated a nice $12,251 sixth increasing number of films made in turn at two. Longrunner "Julia," in Ahmedabad in Gujrat; the second renamed the Madrid programing Spanish pix and the Lido which will the country. India is the top film one was recently started in Bom­ screen features from the '30s ... The current administration's austerity 17th Haymarket week, pulled a fine producer in the world but the $12,795. bay, while the third one is under measures reached the Churubusco Studios press office which went out of mounting annual production is a construction at Bangalore in Kar­ business after six years. Also new in town: "Gray Lady burden, viewed from the economic Down" (U-CIC) day-dating five nataka. "An Intimate Story" — the tale of a would-be starlet's hurdles on the angle. way to the top—finished shooting after 31 days with Jose Estrada direct­ theatres, and "High Anxiety" State governments have liber­ (20th). ing newcomer (model) Blanca Baldo and with Ariadne Welter returning alized procedures for mobile cine­ Bert Remsen into producer Ste­ to the screen ... General Society of Mexican Writers gave Guillermo A three-day holiday weekend (27- mas which are now given licenses phen Friedman's (Regal) "Fast 29) figured to uplift totals via the Murray the fifth national screenwriters contest prize for "For You, Chief" for periods of two and three years at Break," to be directed by Jack and he will receive 200,000 pesos (about $9,000) plus a guarantee that the next West End wrap. a stretch instead of six months and a Smight and toplining Gabe Kaplan. Note that all estimated net dollar script will be produced as a film...Mexican Actors Guild threatened to stop figures above are at the $1.82 ex­ the shooting on "Mill of Fire" and "George Predna Retorts" for their change rate as of filing deadline. employing foreign actors without going through regular union channels. Conacine puts three features before the camera this month (May) — to Peter Cowie's Swedish Thesis: wit (1) Emilio Fernandez "Erotica" with RebecaSilva and Jorge Rivero; r (2) Julian Pastor's "The Ruins You See" with Grace Renat and (3) Tito FRANCE'S SFP SKEDS Davison's "I Love You" with Daniela Romo and Fernando Allende ... 3 C0-PR0DS. TO ROLL America Studios to film "Action at Rio Blanco" which received honor­ 1 They're Film Actors, Not 'Stars' able mention in the General Society of Mexican Writers competition and Paris, May 30. By ROBERT B. FREDERICK * Societe Francaise de Production "Desolation" which deals with Alcoholics Anonymous. has three feature coproductions set It's amazing how familiar the It's the fault of the international Last year's "Miss Tourism," Mariagna Prats, will be first to benefit for coming weeks • "Sophie and the names discussed in Peter Cowie's cinema, he avers, which has not ac­ from a new policy inaugurated by Conacite Two which signed the new­ Captain," featuring Julie Christie; "Stars and Players" in the "Film in cepted Swedish films as freely as it comer to an exclusive pact and will undertake all her drama training "A Simple Story," toplining Romy Sweden" series (A.S. Barnes - has the country's Greta Garbo or which could eventually lead her professional screen work. Schneider, and "The Key in the U.S./Tantivy Press - London; $7.95) Liv Ullmann, that some of the Manolo Barbachano Ponce, topper of the revitalized film industry Door," to be directed by Yves Bois- are to the international film fan. Of equally worthy players are not bet­ pioneer company Clasa Films Mundiales, is reaching an agreement with set, according to director general the 20 odd actors and actresses dis­ ter-known. Par's Robert Evans for two features... the first titled "Getting Off" for Ali Jean Drucker. cussed in the small book, only a McGraw and Dino Martin in a tale about the tennis circuit.. .Carlos Gomez SFP is currently filming "Sug­ Birger Malmsten or an Eddie Ax- Is the reader familiar with Gun- Barrera, of Society of Authors and Composers of Music was re-elected ar," with Gerard Depardieu and berg give pause. Cowie, a British nar Bjornstrand? If not, he's pro­ secretary-general of the Motion Picture Industry Workers Union Central Jean Carmet in leading roles. film book publisher (his Interna­ bably not an Ingmar Bergman fan Committee. Just completed are "Other People's tional Film Guide is a must on all as that highly-talented actor is Yvonne de Carlo ended up doing the role originally slated for either Money," with Catherine Deneuve film bookshelves), is almost as pro­ prominently cast in most of Berg­ Olivia de Havilland or Joan Fontaine in "Mill of Fire" which just wrap­ and Jean-Louis Trintignant, and lific in his coverage of the Swedish man's films. ped shooting in Oaxaca...National Film Bank Club headed the Mex dele­ "Go It, Ma," featuring Annie Girar- film scene. Personalities he discusses include gation including Katy Jurado, Ernesto Gomez Cruz and Miguel Littin (all dot. Cowie claims that there are no Maj-Britt Nilsson, Bibi Andersson, of "Recourse to the Method") plus Pel Mex topper Carlos Pascual Acuna Latest SFP coproduction to be re­ "stars" in Swedish cinema, only Liv Ullmann, Harriet Andersson, toting a package of 15 pix under his arm to be shown outside of Cannes fest leased in Paris is "Roads to the players. This isn't likely to be ac­ Ingrid Thulin, Eva Dahlbeck, competition ... Adventure pic "Carnada" with Andres Garcia, Rodolfo de South," directed by Joseph Losey cepted by the Western viewer who Agneta Ekmanner, Lena Nyman, Anda and Eleonora Vallone (daughter of Raf) wrapped after only three and toplining Yves Montand and knows that an Ingrid Bergman or Anita Ekstrom, Gunnar Bjorn­ weeks of shooting in Acapulco with a crew that pitched in and worked as Miou-Miou. Picture was made in an Ingrid Thulin or a Max von strand, Max von Sydow, Birger long as 15 hours a day for film editor Jose Munguia who debuted as direc­ conjunction with Trinacra Films, Sydow is a "star" in his book. What Malmsten, Stig Olin, Erland tor. French tv web FR3, and Pro- the author may really mean is that Josephson, Per Oscarsson, Gosta Carlos East added to the cast of "A Legend of Love "with Estela Piquer. filmes, of Barcelona, Spain. there are virtually no star "tem­ Ekman Jr., Thommy Berggren, newcomer Mariagna Prats and Rafael Baledon Jr., with Abel Salazar Drucker disclosed that presales peraments" in Swedish film. It's a Eddie Axberg. There are also film- directing ... Ala Muriel joined the cast of Bob Lerner's "Dracula" which covered the cost of "Roads to the matter of putting in a good day's ographies of many of the personal­ started rehearsing with Jose Galvez and Enrique Alvarez Felix (as titl- South." , . , . work. ities discussed.—Robe. ist) under Dimitrio Sarras direction. .