Bureau of Foreign and Domestic Commerce Reports
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. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND
Statistics sent in by Consul Norton and Wins-
low, at Sydney, Australia, and Auckland, New
Zealand, respectively, show that the majority oi
motion-picture films imported by the two
Dominions come from the United States, with
Great Britain the next country of export. Ninety
per cent of the films displayed in New Zealand
are supplied by the United States. Australia im¬
ports some from France and small portions from
a few other countries.
BRAZIL
According to an ofhcial report, 351 motion-
picture films, totaling 411,(580 meters, received
from 78 different companies, were censored during
the first quarter of 1921 ; 240 of these censored
films were American, 47 German, 37 Italian,1 10
French, 5 Brazilian, 4 Danish, 4 Portuguese,
2 English, and 2 Austrian.
CHINA
The office of the commercial attache at Peking
is constantly receiving requests from commercial
organizations, colleges, schools, and Young Men's
Christian Associations for motion-picture films of
& commercial and industrial type Mr. Arnold
believes that American firms should know of this
demand and send such films through their repre¬
sentatives in China. His office could distribute
them mast effectively. In view of the fact that
only a small percentage of ihe people of China
can read or write, even their own language, the
motion picture is peculiarly adapted ior advertis¬
ing purposes, and at present it "is the only way
short oi an actual demonstration of the products
themselves by which American manufacturers can
make their goods' known. The value of films would
be greatly increased by the insertion oi Chinese
subtitles.
ENGLAND
Suggested Reform of British Motion-Picture
System. By Alfred Nutting, clerk in American
consulate general, London.: For some time past
comments have appeared in the London press
respecting proposed alterations in the system of
releasing and booking motion-picture film. The
most recent statements refer to the matter as a
controversy which, in the result, "will affect the
whole future oi the industry"—which has been
lately suffering from a slump in audiences, a cir¬
cumstance only partly traceable to the general
depression.
It is contended by the reformers that the
present system of releasing and booking films pre¬
cludes the showing of up-to-date and first-class
productions, and they desire that the date shall
be hastened for the public exhibition of pictures;
and further, that the block-booking system shall
be abolished. At present, it is stated, two ycara
or more may elapse between the date at which,
a him is shown to the trade and that al which
it is released for theater exhibition. The custom
has been for the press to publish descriptions of
the film at the trade shuwhig, but not when
released for public exhibition ; while in very many
cases the "atmosphere" of the film has passed at
the latter dale, and" the film loses its drawing
power in consequence.
Concerning the block-booking system, it is com¬
plained that by this method films are booked for
a series of years ahead before they are actually
pioduced and consequently before the trade has
had an opportunity of judging them; when they
are ultimately produced and released for exhibi¬
tion, kinematograph proprietors find themselves
loaded up with "dud" films It is reported that
a powerful ablation is <>" foot to completely alter
the system, the principal opposition coming from.
the motion-picture trade journals. At a recent
meeting of the shareholders of the Provincial Cin¬
ematograph Theaters (Ltd), the chairman ex¬
pressed views strongly in lavor of reforms; this.
concern is one of the largest combinations of
motion-picture theaters, owning some 72 halls,.
one of which is capable ot accommodating uvcr
2,500 patrons at a time.
British Foreign Trade in Films
The appended statement shows the number of
linear feet and value thereof of motion-picture
films imported into and exported from the United
Kingdom during the calendar years 1918, 1919,
and 1920.
—---—-Linear feet-
Classification and countries 1918 1919
Imports .............. 53,672,201 92,730,354
France ........... 8,408,529 9,814,103
United States ..... 44,066,425 81,026,129
Other countries ..,. 1,197,247 1,896.122
Exports.............. 8,209,257 30,776,316
Reexports ............. 7,149,025 13,568,832
France ........... 3,288,927 3,033,840
Other countries___ 3,860,098 10,534,992
These statistics are brought down to date in
the table -which follows, the figures there pre¬
sented covering the March quarter of the past
■----------Linear ieet—
January- „. January-
Classification & countries Mch., 1919 Mch., 1920
Imports .............. 19,618,082 16,493,821
France ........... 1,567,971 3,026.807
United States ..... 17,515,562 12,547,309
Other countries .;.. 534,549 919,705
Exports .............. 4,678,534 5,736,330
Reexports............ 2,191,511 7,832,391
France ........... 544,580 6,454,346
Other countries .... 1,646,931 1,378,045
-----Value- —
1920 1918 1919 1920
32,881,078 £542,138 £1,127,080 £1,013,960
18,044,437 37,709 69,857 131,533
56,196,094 477,042 1.019,094 784,591
8,640,547 27,387 38,129 v 97,836
25,185,294 115,112 342,756 296,341
35,291,229 77,518 193,566 537,418
12,741,142 28,430 58,056 186,031
22,550,087 49,088 135,510 351,387
three years; comparative pre-war data can not
be given as motion-picture films were not listed
separately in the official returns of 1913:
—Value-
January- January- January- January-
Mch., 1921 Mch,, 1919 Mch., 1920 Mch., 1921
20,455,831 £216,788 £201,531 £205,244
11,621,328 10,9.38 24,222 38,526
6,422,688 & 198,790 166,374 132,734
2,411,815 " 7,060 10,935 33,984
2,931,450 56,703 60,991 34,508
5,645,469 40,694 101,478 73,812
1,769,895 6,152 80,294 33,469
3,875,574 34,542 21,184 40,343
It may be stated, in conclusion, that British
films are being exhibited in this country in far
greater numbers than has hitherto been the case.
Exhibitors Form Cooperative Society
It is stated that there are 4,000 "motion picture
theaters in the British Isles, but that it is a rare
thing for a first-class picture to get'inro more
than 800 of f.bem. While the war was in prog¬
ress the theaters were crowded wit.1i people glad
to go to see anything; but this spirit is gradually
undergoing a change, and the public is now de¬
manding the best that can be produced This
feeling is becoming so pronounced that exhibitors;
especially those who have booked pictures in
blocks, are growing perturbed and are seeking
means to gratify the changing public demand.
To this end a number of the most prominent film
exhibitors of the country have formed a coopera¬
tive organization to be known as the F.xhihitors'
Cooperative Association of Great Britain and Ire¬
land (Ltd), to buy and distribute their own pic-
tures,
The society's registered address is No. 6 Prin¬
cess St., Hanover Square, in the County of Lon-
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