The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-07-11
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
:Io1U Exhibitors May
Pass Upon Film
Before They
Rent 1t.


exhibitors CT Washington TO regu-
late the film that is given them-to
select their programs-if they care
70 take advantage of it This way
would be of great value to the man.
ufacturers, although at first it
might appear to work a hardship
on them, and 1t would eliminate
the complaint that is made against
the exchange men. This can be
done If the exhibitors are really
earnest in their desire to present
the best sort of film and to elimi-
nate all complaint The idea is to
have the Washington branch of the
national exhibitors organization or
the Washington Screen Club. estab-
hsh headquarters in the downtown
district and install a projecting ma
chine and a projecting room, where
every film can be shown if there
is. the slightest doubt about it.
This program, if carried out,
would make it possible for exhibit
tors to see the film before they
rent it. Within the past week one
Dig theater in Washington Cancelled
its rental of a film because. after
The manager Of the theater saw it
produced elsewhere, he declined TO
permit it being shown in his thea
ter. 1t is very likely that the man
aser of the theater will be required
10 pay for. this film. He expects
20 DO so. And the price he will
pay would more than pay for the
upkeep of projection room several
days. There have been several
other cases of the same sort within
the past thre or four months. Man
ayers of theaters who are careful
as to what they shoI will not have
certain classes of film, but. owing
20 the fact that many of them
leave il entirely TO the exchange
men, a practice we think entirely
wrong and -unbusiness-like, it is
impossible for them to know exact
ly.what will be shown. .- -..-
The establishment OF an exhibition
room would relieve the exchange
men of the blame that is now put,
upon them by managers OF theaters
F'ho continually. shift the RESPONSE
bility for poor film to- them. Some
Of the complaint that has been made
is deserved. The exchanges have
. very curious system. For instance,
ration. one of the biggest in the
country, charges set price for its
service to small houses. This Isn't
a first show service, please under
stand, but a service that is forty to
fifty days old. A charge Of, say,
so per week is made for the serv-
ice. We DO not state this is the
actual charge, but these figures are
Used simply for illustration. Another
exchange in the city, having, ap-
parently no connection with. the big
!lim company, announces that IL Will
give the same service with exactly
the same pictures for SIS per week
proposition was made was astontsh-
ID. He did not believe ttswas pos
5ible that such a thing could be
lone. He found on investigation
hat something of the same sort had
happened inythe case of big serial
film released some months ago. At
-er several theaters had contracted
for the first show Of this film at. a
big price, the second exchange came
out with as MANY copies OF the film
as had been released by the COM
pany making IL. and offered it at
realty reduced price 30 that while
ne theaters that had contracted
or the film were forced to pay Ins
nigh rate, the outsiders got the film
rheaper, had to sign no contract for
=. or bind themselves in any way,
and showed II at exactly the same
,ime the contractors showed II.
II is also complained that the ex-
change people do not send the pro-
grams that are contracted for-that
one or more pictures that have been
advertised are frequently missing
from the lots sent out from the eX-
mango. The exhibitor is forced
70 show the films that come TO him
He cannot afford to do this. Exchange
men say that they are lax in their
Programs only when the films are
not returned promptly by the eX-
hibitors who last used them. This =
complaint is general throughout the
COUNTRY. and has very solid foun-
cation. There are a number of eX-
1ibitors who fail to remember that
there is another man waiting for the
I'm they have used. and they fail
10 send II back TO the exchange as
quickly as they should do.
But, of course, this does not ex-
plain how two exchanges can handle
different prices for it This is only
Jne Of the many troubles of the ex-
libitor, and II is rather keenly felt
Just now because for the first time
n its history the moving picture
business is feeling the effects OF pub
.ic opinion. Up 10 the present year
people have taken pictures that were
given them without question. Now
Z hey feel that they know the actors
and actresses fairly well, and they
are beginning to demand the ex-
libition Of certain plays with certain
Deople.
With all this understood there
seems TO be very pressing need for
he exhibitors to establish a regula-
ion Of the films through the setting
Up Of a projection room in their own
headquarters, and compelling the ex-
changes to exhibit films on demand.
If course II might be argued that
ne big film companies would resent
such action, and would refuse to
omply. There are hundreds of film
ompanies doing business in this
ountry and abroad, and il would
De no hardship to I'LL every picture
heater In this city with pictures
every day without showing a single
one of the films of the three big
concerns. II the exhibitors were
7rm enough and their organization
properly organized the big concerns
would soon be brought 10 time. They
exist for the purpose Of selling film
hey cannot rent IL on their own
terms they will rent II on what
terms they can get
All the exhibitors need is a little
nerve and backbone. The expense
Of maintaining the projection room
would be more than compensated for
by the extra patronage that would
rOme TO a theater with programs
guaranteed by the seal OF the asso-
Iation. More than .that-the estab-
lishment of such a room and the ap-
Dointment of a committee of ex-
"a N,,r
would eliminate the cry for Federal
and municipal regulation This sIIg-