AUTOMATIC CINEMA

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1931, Page 6

AUTOMATIC CINEMA

NEW YORK EXPERIMENT

SAN FRANCISCO, March 31

There lias just been introduced into the amusement world in New York a factor that may effect a revolution comparable to that which was brought about by the invention of the talking picture. It is in effect an automatic cinema, that is to say, it is a picture house without any box office, without any ushers, without any of the gold ]aee employees who made the vestibules of the million-dollar picture palaces resplendent. It is a theatre built solely for the exhibition of pictures. The spectators put a shilling into a slot and enter the theatre by means of a turnstile. The ticket box of the tube is eliminated and there is no need to buy any

ticket. You pay your money into a machine and the machine admits you into the theatre. You takp your seat see 'the picture, and then go out again. There are no ushers; no attendants of any kind, save those required by law for fire protection purposes. They are not needed, for the turnstile does the job. You cannot fool the turnstile and the turnstile cannot fool you. Cash secures entry and for the rest the machinery of the projection booth and adequate mechanical equipment provide full value for your money.

It may sound at first at though til is signified some cheap substitute for the first-class film theatre, hut its sponsors say that the picture on the screen is the same and the projection equipment is the same. The only cliiflcronce is that mechanical equipment replaces the human elements of the front office. As no seats arc reserved in the ordinary city picture palace, nothing is lost b,v the absence of the ushers. The turnstile automatically regulates the admission of the public and there is no overcrowding. This automatic cinema is undoubtedly an experiment, but it has the millions of Wall Street behind it. Wall Street Inns been the power behind the film theatre throughout the North American continent, and Wall Street has felt the effect of depression in the film business most acutely. When the talking picture came along the overhead charges of the film pa 1 - aces remained the same insofar as personnel was concerned, hut they were heavily increased because the talking picture costs a great deal more to produce than the silent film. It has not been possible to increase the charge for admission to make up for this. On tlie contrary, the depression has compelled the film theatres to reduce their charges. They have, therefore, been faced with a very heavy increase in net overhead charges weekly, and the only way in which they could recoup themselves was hv doing increased business. Hut the increased business was not there and the automatic cinema has come to provide Unessential economy.

Whether it will have the result its - inventors expect remains to be seen. but it is realised as a practical effort ; to economise, and economy is what I Wall Street has ordered in the entire film industry. Hollywood’s years of mad expenditure are over, and the millions upon millions wasted by peoj pie who never had the slightest idea of economy have gone. Wall Street I lias had to stand the losg as well as 1 the public who invested in the numei- ! ous film company shares. Now Wall i Street i,s prepared to test an economic ! device, with the result that its success or failure is awaited with the keenest interest throughout the whole film world.