BRITISH FILMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3882, 7 August 1928, Page 23

BRITISH FILMS.

IMPORTANT CONTRACTS.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) SYDNEY, July 26.

Great contracts entered into by Australian and New Zealand concerns for the supply and exhibition of British films were announced in Melbourne almost simultaneously. In Australia Hoyt’s Theatres, Ltd., have entered into a £lOO,OOO contract, and it is probable that the New Zealand contract is proportionately as great. These contracts are taken as marking a definite re-entry of Britain into the world film market. It is a complete recovery from the setback caused by the war, and it is the first time that, any of the dominions have entered into contracis of such magnitude. An Australian expert is to be sent to England immediately to confer with the authorities there as to Australian requirements, and to assist them generally in their activities. In the terms of the contracts the twelve leading English producers have agreed to supply, in addition to “A ” class pictures of about 8000 feet, gazettes, novelties, and comedy films. The New Zealand contract is for the delivery of 36. British films next year—all feature films.

The general manager of Hoyts (Mr M G. Sloman), who has already seen some of the British pictures that are to be released under both the Australian and the New Zealand contracts, said that they compared more than favourably with the American films of the class that was now flooding the market. He thought the main cause of Britain’s recovery was the film quota in force in England. The quota demanded a certain percentage of British-made film in every programme. It had created a demand, and in supplying it British _ producers had, by the introduction of the latest American methods of production, given such high-standard pictures that they were able to hold their own in the market against America. MeanwhiE the picture industry in Australia continues to boom, and, according to a statement made by Sir George Tallis at Brisbane, £3,000,000 is to be spent in

the erection of a chain of Regint theatres from Perth to Townsville. The Sydney Regent Theatre was opened this year at a cost of £350,000, and is claimed to be the most beautiful in Australia, and there was nothing like it even in England. New Zealand was also included in the building scheme. -Sir George Tallis also predicted something new in picture entertainment in New Zealand and Australia. He said that recent improvements made in what had once been crudely called talking pictures, would revolutionise the theatrical business. The reproduction of sound in conjunction with pictures had been brought to a remarkable state of perfection. On his last visit to America he had watched a band play on the screen, and he beard the music as clearly and as distinctly as though the band was actually there on the stage. Soon, with the development of the idea Australia and New Zealand would have the world’s greatest artists in the theatres, and see them on the screen and scarcely lose anything by the deception.