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San Antonio Express from San Antonio, Texas • Page 72

Location:
San Antonio, Texas
Issue Date:
Page:
72
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Son Antonio EXPRESS NEWS Aug. 12, 1977 PAGE 21 20th Century Fox has 'the force' How does a sales force ride tandem hurricanes? "It's a nice problem to have," comments Peter Myers, vice president in charge of domestic distribution for Fox. Myers, 57, is a scholarly looking chap with glasses and dark, brush top hair. He may look like a professor, but his education has been largely in film sales, starting in his native Toronto. With computer readouts on his desk in the studio executive building, he can tell you the daily returns on the Fox releases.

"On Thursday two weeks ago, 'The Other Side of Midnight' did 8252,100 in 565 theaters," he says. 'The following Thursday, it did $253,872 In almost the same number of houses 568 That kind of stayini? power is amazing." MYERS was asked how he approaches the sales plan for each mov ie. "We saw 'Star Wars' last February in San Franeiseo," he said. "It was still unfinished; there was World War II airplane footaee where some of the space flights would be. Even so, I told my wife, That's the best motion picture I've ever put it awav for a reissue rather than spread it widely Myers said BI THE REISSUE market is tricky," he admitted.

"Warners brought back 'The Exorcist' and 'Blazing Saddles' and hi nothing, Eight months later they were again reissued to big business Our first reissue of 'Young Frankenstein' was a flop; The second win do S8 million." Now the bad news, "Fire Sale" a summer bomb for Fox "But we'll try another release in August, appealing to the current anmtit fur to gel the money from the film, but to feed the seats carefully in each market so the lines continue and the demand builds. We watch the figures every day to see if there are any trends. So far the pattern is hold ing." What will happen when the "Star Wars" mania starts to cool? "Instead of spreading the picture to more theaters, we might cut back to one or two theaters In each area. Then the picture would continue to be an event and hopefully it might stay in those theaters forever. (lone with the Wind' opened in one London theater and played for 25 years "THE OTHER SIDE of Midnight" a dil ferent kind of Him a presold property because of millions of book sales.

"We immediately took 550 bookings on June 17. one theater in every important area in the country," said Myers "The openings were quite successful, though not as tugh a level as we hoped But the picture developed staying power The word of mouth has been excellent; people like the picture even if the critics didn't That hurt us. If the reviews had been better, we might have opened at a higher level When "Midnight" starts to fade, Fox might "I asked myself, hal an uo selling The picture had no stars, it was science fiction, it had an unknown title. George Lucas had a good reputation because of 'American But there really wasn't much there to sell. "THE ANSWER WAS to position the picture in the proper theaters and give it the proper presentation so the people themselves could discover ii and spread the word.

The Fox force hand picked 43 theaters in metropolitan locations for openings over the Memorial Day weekend That continued for three weeks as the linos around the theaters grew longer, and delighted patrons told their friends, "You trotta see this movie." On the fourth week, "Star Wars" was expanded to 157 theaters and in succeeding weeks went to 362, 504, 585, 750, 840 and the present 900. "Our Research has found that in each market when people stand in line they seem to enjoy the film more," Myers observed. "It helps us when Johnny Carson says to his audience, 'I'm glad to be here tonight; I'll bet you'd rather be at "Star Wars'" "THE PROBLEM IS LOS ANGELES (AP) The force is with 20th Century Fox this summer. The sales force, that is. While some of the other film companies watch their super summer attractions sink slowly in the West and East, Fox is the happy custodian of two runaway hits Also a bomb, but more about (hat later.

EVERYONE KNOWS about "Star Wars." But then Fox was gifted with another winner. "The Other Side of Midnight," hated by the critics but adored by millions less picky. Today At All CSW Theaters 412 camtMMi ED 7423 S.W 474 1171 S2S WORLD PREMIERE! I1M411 41M NACOPfiW Mt MM SHOWING THE FINEST Hot weather dangerous for children left in cars 1 5 6:00 7:45 9:30 Child 1 .00 Adult 1,30 WITNESS AWWT1M 2: 1 5 3:55 5: 1 0 6:30 7:50 9: 1 5 Adult $1.50 Child $1.00 HOT weather poses the risk of death to infants left in cars, warns a top doctor. "I know of six infant deaths from heat strokes in the last four years," said Dr. Harry L.

Greene of the department of pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Hospital, Nashville, Tenn. He told THE STAR ave a child alone with even up you'll IS Mm MmIm S3.00 CsHwnM "US 11 TNMS LM KHSAMS Kl I. atau "US WJfKS KME1M LA MU only be away for five minutes. "A DELAY of 30, 40, 60 minutes could be fatal, especially in infants under one year of age. If you find a child in distress, probably suffering from heat stroke, here's what Dr.

Greene suggests: If the child is perspiring profusely, thi i a good sign. But you should begin cooling measures immediately. REMOVE ALL clothing from th child, If there is another adult present, hold the child up to the open winnow oi me car as you drive so that the wind can begin to cool the child. Theatres jpigW All NEW UNCUT ADULT RIMS Competition is less at the cud of summer, and movie patrons are more relaxed." ritical The asures should oute to the ho uoes oCCUr, it is iult of high Iciii re (often as high the re SELL 0 NOW And 0 ay' Juit call us today and we'll put your low cost in print. Coll 225 1666 THE WORLD ALMANAC'! ERUPTION OF SEC All 3 AOUIT MOVIES $3 ADMISSION SHOWN ON TWO SCREENS $2,00 MILITARY Of SAN ANTONIO AN EXPLOSION EROTIC PASSION WHAT MAKES THIS PEARl SO HOT? THE H4IT PEARL l) 0 1:30 4:00 6:30 9:00 THE Deep inside she was HOT TO TROT What strange desires forced her to the stables.

Kevholes nreror 12:15 2:45 5:15 7:45 Peepn ft FIRST S.A. SHOWING Keif holes a Ire For Peeping HOT PEARL sATIH 11 00 1:30 4:30 630 9:00 (X) 1 Canute was the la legen dary Indian inventor of the canoe b) language of the Eskimos id lith Century kins of England 2 Joan of Arc championed the Keep your eyes peeled for I 15 7:45 0:1 WORLD PREMIERE! passion. 5 (X) Wnf7ttTfW ONE WPfK ONLY! THE FIRST $1,000,000 RATED FILM lUMt cause of which French king against the English? la) Charles VI. the Beloved bi Louis XI, the Cruel fc) Charles VII, the Victorious 3 The only president who was impeached was (a) none of the presidents were impeached (b) Andrew Johnson Richard Nixon ANSWERS: ERUPTION JOHN HOLMES AM rPrSTir rVBIACIAU Or BMIi hi mph TOWN TWIN I VARSITY I TRAIL I TEXAS NktS" 1.55 1210 IM0 Kek I110 II. 004 00 Nu of 10:45 Flotations Ft at 10:45 lliTTSf "ntlW.Wll"ffj Th lownmolt.

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About San Antonio Express Archive

Pages Available:
222,366
Years Available:
1900-1977