Going To The Pictures » Tag: Film magazines

Picturegoer

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:17:15 +0000

The film magazine Picturegoer is probably one of the oldest film magazines having been first published in 1913, and like other film magazines that followed it was a fan magazine not only telling the readers about films that were showing but also carrying articles about the stars and their lives. The magazine was very successful for quite a number of years but eventually ceased publication in 1960

Showtime

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 11:06:08 +0000

The film magazine Showtime was first published in 1964 as Rank’s competitor to the ABC film Review. Showtime only gave publicity and praise to those films showing in rank cinemas and similar to the ABC film review it contained articles on fashion, pop music and interviews with stars of the day as well as film reviews and advance publicity of films due to be released.

The magazine could only be purchased in Rank Cinemas or by subscription.

The magazine was not as successful as the ABC Film Review and ceased publication by the late 1960’s

Films and Filming

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:48:43 +0000

Films and Filming was first published in 1951, and where other film magazines of the time publicized films and their stars with little critical appraisal, Films and Filming was very much a serious magazine about the cinema.

Over the years it contained lengthy reviews of films, listing not only the main actors and their characters but key technical people, directors, producers, cinematographers etc. Besides critically reviewing films it all also carried in depth articles about all aspects of cinema, including foreign films and independent films. It became a must read for any serious student of the cinema.

Despite being absorbed by another film Magazine in the 1980’s the title Films and Filming ceased in the early 1990’s.

Picture Show and Film Pictorial

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:39:49 +0000

The film magazine Picture Show was first published in 1919, and gave readers an insight into films that were showing at their local cinemas but more importantly it gave readers the opportunity to learn more about the stars of the day with articles and photographs.

In 1939 the magazine merged with Film Pictorial and continued in the same vein. In the late 1950’s it became Picture Show and T.V. Mirror but within a couple of years it had ceased publication.

Photoplay Film Magazine

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:25:39 +0000

Photoplay Magazine was first published in 1950 giving reviews of films and producing articles on the film stars of the day with the emphasis on their private lives and interests. By the 1960s, the Magazine also produced articles on the Pop Stars of the day as well as articles on current television programmes and the stars appearing, its main focus however continued to be cinema related with extensive coverage including stills of new films or films that were in production. The magazine eventually ceased publication in 1989

The ABC Film Review

admin — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:10:27 +0000

The ABC Film Review was first published in 1950. ABC was the name of the circuit (Associated British Cinemas) that launched the magazine as publicity medium for the films that it was showing and copies were sold in cinemas only.

As a publicity medium Film Review unashamedly – but understandably praised all the films and dealt only with those showing on the ABC circuit. By the 1960’s regular features included items on fashion, record reviews, and Peter Noble’s famous “Can You Beat the Expert section”.

In 1972 the letters ABC were dropped and he magazine was now available to buy in cinemas belonging to the Rank Chain, and obviously now included films available to watch in Rank cinemas

Over the years the magazine went through a number of publishers and by the 1990’s was available to be bought in newsagents.

Collecting and copying the film stars

admin — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:27:52 +0000

Some film stars were idolised and worshipped in society and given a modern day God and Goddess status, which the studios and publicists at the time exploited to their own ends.

Film magazines such as Photoplay and Newsreels such as Pathe and British Movie Tone would have features showing the behind the scenes glamorous lives of the stars. Some of these images were often as fictitious as some of the films which they starred in.

Film cards and photographs of the stars became valuable prized possessions which were collected and exchanged by the cinema goers and would be a talking point in society.

Watch Jean’s memories below of collecting Photoplay:

Hear Bill talking about the stars and fashions shown in the film magazines: