FOREIGN FILMS IN CHRISTCHURCH

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29301, 5 September 1960, Page 6

FOREIGN FILMS IN CHRISTCHURCH

Manager Replies To Correspondent

Lack of public support had limited the number of foreign films shown in Christchurch, said Mr S. E. M. Moodie. manager of a Christchurch cinema, replying to criticism that certain highclass foreign films had not been shown in Christchurch. . Mr Moodie was commenting on a letter to the editor of "The Press” from Mr R. M. Young.

Mr Young said: “A short time ago a theatre manager assured picture-goers that they were receiving their full quota of highclass foreign films. The other day I checked through the film reviews by *FAJ.' in the ‘Listener’ since January. To the best of my knowledge these pictures have not yet come to Christchurch: ‘Miracle in Milan,' ‘Old Man Motor-car,’ ‘And Quiet Flows the Don’ (pt two). ‘The Rabbit Trap,’ ‘Middle of the Night’ ‘lvan the Terrible’ (pt. two), ‘The Friends,’ ‘Paris Does Strange Things,’ ‘Panther Panchali.’ These were nine out of the 12 films bracketed as ‘fine' (the highest grading); in addition, 16 out of 42 classed as ‘fair'! have yet to arrive in this city. Heaven knows how many more I worth-while pictures which have not been reviewed in the ‘Listener’ have also by-passed Christchurch (e.g. ‘La Strada’).’ All the above were shown in Wellington and most of them in Auckland. Do they go on a provincial tour before reaching Christchurch? Or do theatre managers consider them too cul- | tured for low-brow city audi-I ences. Or what?”

Mr Moodie said:—“Six years ; ago Kerridge-Odeon set aside the Plaza as a Continental theatre for ! the presentation exclusively of foreign and artistic films. It was our hope and intention to maintain this policy continuously; but public support was so lacking that this proved impossible, and it has been necessary to intersperse other film fare. Nevertheless, in this period no fewer than 100 outstanding foreign films have been shown by us in Christchurch. Two of those named in Mr Young’s letter have already appeared here and one is coming soon.

“It is a well-established fact, proven the hard way by patronage—or lack of it—that the type of film fare referred to by your present, and other correspondents, on this subject is wanted by only a very small percentage of the total population. That percentage of, say, London’s, Sydney’s or even Auckland’s population represents numbers sufficient to sustain the small art house specialising in this type of product. In Christchurch, it does not. “Theatre managements do not, as implied by your correspondent, arbitrarily adopt attitudes about what cultural level of entertainment is suitable for their public. Rather, they try to give them what they want, and the Christ- j church public have fairly dearly ! indicated that they do not want j very much, or very much want, foreign film fare.”