U.S.A. PICTURES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 163, 12 July 1935, Page 3

U.S.A. PICTURES.

POPULARITY GROWS.

20,000,000 PEOPLE IN WEEK

COLOUR PHOTOGRAPHY,

"More people are going to picture theatres in the United States than c\er before," declared Mr. John E. Kennebeck, managing director of the Paramount Film Service, Ltd., Sydney, who passed through Auckland to-day in the Monterey on his return from a. business visit to New York.

''During .my nine weeks' tour of tlie States," continued Mr. Kennebeck. "I saw signs everywhere of the increased popularity of talking pictures. New theatres are being rapidly built, and the average weekly attendances for this year have reached the enormous total of 20,000,000. A'few years ago the best average was 15,000,000 picture-goers a week." Mr. Kennebeck said that tho improvement began a year ago, when the studios .widened the scope of their output. Bigger stories, including operettas and historical romances, now made pictures appeal to all classes of audiences. Coloured pictures also were being developed, and the old failing of blurred images had been eliminated. They were ,now as sharp as black and white pictures. "I predict," said Mr. Kennebeck, "that in a few years at least half of the big pictures will be coloured, and the legitimate stage will be rivalled in everything but third dimension. Among the forthcoming productions of Hollywood are two operas, "Carmen" and "Cavalleria Rusticana." Leading opera stars will be employed, and one of the productions at least will be in full colour."

Asked if picture producers were alarmed at the advent of television, Mr. Kennebeck said that television was so far from perfection tlmt it was not even considered by the studios. Thero was no fear of it in any way affecting the picture industry for many years to come. Mr. Kennebeck said that most of the Americans he met showed great interest in New Zealand. Publicity campaigns were being conducted all over the States, particularly by the shipping companies and the Dominion was becoming well known as a centre of tourist attraction. "I think that New Zealand can look for an increasingly improved tourist traffic from America," he said.

While being interviewed this morning Mr. Kennebeck received a cablegram from his principal in New York, Mr. John W. Hicks, jun., announcing that Mr. Kennebeck's territory, which includes Australia, New Zealand and the Far East, had won second prize in a world competition for the greatest increased sales in the year. New Zealand won the first prize for an individual country.

"The prizes carry substantial monetary awards," said Mr. Kennebeck, "which will be shared by the staffs in Australia and New Zealand."