Cinema Attendances Continue To Fall

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30511, 5 August 1964, Page 18

Cinema Attendances Continue To Fall

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 4. The number of cinema exhibitors’ licences fell by 46 to 512 in the year ended March 31, said the annual report of the Internal Affairs Department tabled in Parliament today.

There was no sign of any change in the trend for cinema attendances to fall off, it said.

Theatre feature films examined by the censor fell by 78 to 401 and shorts by 18 to 574.

The feature film reduction was mainly caused by a further decline in films from China (54 to 31) and by a reduction of 54 in features from the United States. Television feature films were up 53 to 707 and shorts up 326 to 2961. Of 5054 films examined, 207

feature films were approved without excisions. Altogether, 2256 excisions were made in 194 theatre feature films, 175 trailers, 29 shorts and 561 television films. Fewer excisions were made because of violence, horror and “other reasons” but they increased by 142 for sex. Ten theatre feature films. 16 trailers and 37 television films were refused certificates of approval. Appeals were allowed against rejections of two other theatre feature films.