European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 6, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse Regional manager Carl Larsen checks a feature film readied for shipment at a amps bad nauheim depot David Fri Leifson a former Serviceman inspects 16mm film before sending it out from bad nauheim depot for screening. The army motion Pic Pirfo it May not be a question on which1 hangs the Fate of the nation but fluids now what s the biggest Movi theater Chain in the world since names of theater chains arc no exactly common knowledge you can be excused if you weren t Able to snap out a guess like a to panel expert but one Chain almost All military Community members know is the army and air Force motion picture service and yep that s right it s the world s reports John j. Nicholson a 40 year Veteran of the motion picture Busi Ness and currently chief of the aah maps Europe operation with Headquarters in Mainz Kastel Germany. Worldwide we have 3,262 locations including 1,702 in Vietnam said Nichol son. That makes us the biggest chaining the world. Here in Europe we have 548 Sites 10 More than in the whole United in the last fiscal year some 23 million viewers turned up at a amps Europe locations. What pulled them in we show 260 films each year 185 first runs and 75 repeats Nicholson explained. Our locations Are from eng land to Ethiopia from Headquarters Heaters to folding screens on Alert pads we Are responsible to the military the films run in their Heaters and Are shown by soldiers working part time forthe various installations. But our organization which selects purchases an distributes the films is 100 per cent civilian Nicholson said. The service which began operations after world War a employs 123 persons in Europe. About 80 Are Ameri cans. A amps Europe has a Small Annex located in bad nauheim. Bulk film is received Here from the United states put on reels and distributed throughout Europe. The installation also puts together car Toons and trailers which Are then sent ont the circuit with the appropriate to Nicholson the Price of admission pays All operating costs. Significant amount of Revenue is left Over and turned Over to the some pictures require a higher admission Price we bad to charge More for sound of music or a Vago and Ben Hur because the Cost is a great Deal More than other pictures Nichol son said he said the service is currently negotiating to buy the graduate for instance and prices will be advanced for that because it is in such demand and expensive. By de really staff writer the United state there May not Here he said. I the incident1 playing the eur was a fair Sikute re losing our on the other picture does Only we always knows with it said Nic the primar1.ice is to furnish i motion pictures secondary a generating funds fare activities one criticism censorship but. Not touch a film. What goes Over Ellice scarily make it example currently military circuit. In the . To marts on it Over Here Dan Elvis Presle Yback Home while will do very Wellson. Ii Salon of the serv through military personnel on is to assist in morale and Wel Bolson said. Led at a amps i socials claim they do show it just the Nicholson said the problem is people Daren t. Television hit the movies hard 16 years ago and Hollywood is hitting hard to get the audience Back. One Way to do it is to make mature film that can t be shown on television which in theory is family entertainment thus we have pictures like Frank Sinatra s the detective witty ome of the Rawest language a veep put to a film. And Rosemary s baby which is re ported to be something of a shocker. We will be showing both films this fall. The Point is the producers the directors and writers Are All out to offer something to the viewer who is fed up with the things he can see on Tele vision. It s adult fare and it is going to take a bit of adjusting is photos by Scon Gates b explained that the service bids on films on a worldwide basis with front Money averaging be tween 115,000 and $17,000, this sum is a guarantee to the releasing releaser also gets a percentage of the Gross receipts which May Range from 16 to 90 per cent. When the releaser s percentage meets or exceeds the guarantee then we re More or less off the Hook. When it does to then we have to come up with the Cash Nicholson said this makes bidding a sometimes Touchy business. Nicholson noted that the military audience is not a simple Carbon copy of the average audience in Way we buy it people in he stat son a amps i film he said. Are Purchase showing All Over tary Heaters in we have one must be consider ment for a Milit picture that port poor Light will Noson added. He said that inline a amps co View Board includes the Chapel to pass on the Pidone according t the British Wiful tale about a up in murder make the circuit by was not sul audience 1 said seen the we will and a woman intake any Money what the i Wang est customer r French made a certainly be a to artistic film an sequences May action Loving one pro Blethe circuit is w pointed out Nichol we must be of Host countries is perfectly All r offensive some Terraneau Well screening country teamed by the americ team feels the flatirons it is not show also sup Headquarters or the Netherlands Ful there As Man solved. Our nac Lause which per Guy film which an Allied nation another pro Blythe military c nature of films films Ich is the same Waljee the film Nichol is not buy just any pictures for the serv. In new York for e world and in Mill f United states Iteria for a film it suitable entertain audience. And a _ the military in Abe bought Niehold a picture is Border Venes a military re Islington which in is of both services Urc. This is Seldom Nicholson. Blow up a fancy photographer mixed id the nudes did t cause it apparent Ible for a military Holson. He has not be showing a Man few weeks. It won t for us it just in to and he is our big Cholson said. But theand a woman win to fans of the More Foo me of the racing Lofy even the most goer in booking films on nation sensitivities Are of the feeling i and if a film that t in Germany May be fee around the medi e just Don t play it is the task of the group usuary head n ambassador. If the will damage re a. Movies for nato is in Belgium and ind we must be care nationalities Are a locations have a its them to cancel fit be offensive to Nicholson said rapidly growing for to is the changing iting More mature Nicholson pointed out that usually the controversial aspect of com Mercial films is vital to the Madigan now on the circuit. There Are several nude scenes male and female in that but they Are Cru Cial to the Story line. Nobody would eve think of it As a Nudie " he said. Variety recently reported that 20 film this year already have been denied seals of approval in one Way or an other which they said was a new record. Face it today they re tackling subjects completely taboo just 10 years among the old wave films Nich Olson reported that the All time top grossing As Well As top drawing film Ofa amps in Europe was Ben Hur which hit the circuit in late 1961, early1w2. Close behind was the longest Day " he said with the dirty dozen drawing 225,009 customers in More recent dirty dozen edged out sound of music by about $12,000 in Gross he said. A big part of the a amps operations in 16mm screenings Nicholson said which Are divided into free and paid categories. The free shows Are for communities of 125 population or less which Are. Also 3 Miles or More from commercial outlets. Currently we have 189 free locations and 145 paid that s Chang ing however with about 50 switching Rora paid to a amps also serves Many state department locations where military personnel Are stationed. And just to make it Ever wore complicated we pro vide 16mm prints for missile fighter and of to pad outfits As Well Ason All time top Money maker and crowd Puller for i circuit in Europe was epic a amps Europe chief John j. Nicholson rims Are getting More mature 4s the . Navy. Their problems and needs Are so do not use stereo prints. Where there much different from ours that they have Are problems such As weak sound or much Auger eau cum wow ? Mayo it in Sim lev run their own show Nicholson sex plained., they must serve ships at sea the 8th Fleet the 7th Fleet up they Are almost exclusively 46mm we Mohave a committee 4n Washington work ing to find areas of common interest but thus far there is Little while the actual operation of Rostand base Heaters is largely up to the local commander. A amps maintains staff of technicians which regularly visits installations to make sure projectors and sound equipment is up to buy the Best sound and project equipment we can get although we variety recently reported that 20 films approval. A new record. Face it poor image it is usually a constant bind for a amps i reruns. We have to show at least five different films each week at a that reason we must show reruns because there just Are not enough acceptable films being turned out to have a new one everyday Nicholson said. For films shown in Europe Nicholson is responsible for classifying them As mature mature Young adult or says this is Only a guide and the responsibility for who sees what rest with parents no commander can say who can see a movie he does authority Nicholson said. Nicholson views his Job As basically service to the Soldier customer. The is at times something onto get lost in 11 i of the dark theater where no one can Yel Litavic been denied seals or 8t hint where he can s ahead for a amps drive in movies for instance no i Don t really think Well Geti 1 9 ,.7,/, cu7 / of into that. Too expensive and you can t today they re tackling Suo Jencis use As � _ . At in a c.lts\ti, i with completely taboo just 10 years ago that s a amps show practical touch. Biz with a Page 12 Thi stars and stripes Friday 506,1968 Thi stars and strips Page
