WORLD'S 61,900 CINEMAS AND TALKIES

Evening Star, Issue 21518, 16 September 1933, Page 6

WORLD'S 61,900 CINEMAS AND TALKIES

There were 61,924 cinemas showing films throughout the -world' in 1932, and of these 36,955 show talking pictures, according to a census taken by the Department of Commerce at Washington. Although Europe as a continent shows the largest number of cinemas (30,623), the number showing talk films is comparatively low, only 17,822 being equipped for sound. This high figure for Europe is surprising. For the country which shows the largest total in the world, bigger even than the United States,- is Russia. Whereas the United States have 25.688 cinemas (of which 16,607 are wired for sound), Russia pm boast 27,570 places of film exhibition. An analysis of these figures shows clearly how the Soviet Government is fully alive to the possibilities of propaganda by film, both political and educational. There are only 8,539 permanent cinemas in towns and 4,719 permanent cinemas in country districts, but there are 13,438 travelling cinemas in country districts and 820 in towns. After Russia, Germany has the highest number of cinemas in Europe '5,071), with England second with 4,951.