University of Virginia Library

People Decide

Sam Bendheim, the vice president
of Neighborhood Theaters in
Richmond, which owns the University
and Barracks Road Theaters,
said that there has been an
increased consumption of "R" and
"X" rated films, but "the people
decide what pictures are being
made."

Neighborhood Theaters distributes
films to theaters in Maryland,
Washington, and Virginia. Before
films are booked into a theater, the
district manager is conferred with
to determine what films will be
most successful. Mr. Bendheim
stated that his company buys films
from all major companies (United
Artists, Columbia, Twentieth Century
Fox, etc.) and that his
company does not cut or censor
films.

"In 99.9 per cent of the films
there are no cuts," he said. "But in
dealing with some minor film
companies, an exhibitor may wish
to cut, but he can't be forced to."
He added that self-imposed censorship
of this type was rare.