MOVIE OF 'VANISHED' LOOKS LIKE BIG TV HIT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88-01365R000300250010-9
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 27, 2004
• Sequence Number: 10
• Publication Date: February 22, 1971
• Content Type: NSPR

Approved For Release 2005/01/13 CIA-RDP88-01365R0000300?50010d9
:CRITICIS VIEW
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By RICK DU BROW I cials) and then applauding at
.er Knebel's bestseller,_ "Van- house.
ished," in two segments, March One reason for the turnout was
8-and D. the genuine industry interest in
The story concerns the myste- this project. For a start, there
rious disappearance of the top was interest in the fact that a
,.adviser (and closest friend) of video network had done what
the president of the United movie studios usually do.-buy
States, with Richard . Widmark a best-selling novel and turn it
.playing the nation's chief execu- into a big, long film.
.tive in his television debut. ' The audience indicated that
And if "Vanished" can hardly the presold value of the book's
be called the "Gone 111ith the title was a viewer lure, as in
Wind" of video, nevertheless Past movies. And there was nat-
:Universal Studios can be said to ural curiosity about how good a
have turned out the "Airport" of Property Universal will have
the home screen. when it undoubtedly releases the
film as a movie overseas.
Novels on TV Stars Attracted
"It's much too early, of
course, to review this very More and more movie stars'
large-scale television produc- are working in television as the
tion, which is the first of NBC- barriers between the two media
;TV's, ambitious attempts to rapidly being vanish, and I
"novelize" certain adaptable couldn't help noticing the rapt
'works on video, with the lengths attention given "Vdnislicd" by.
and methods of presentation log- Anthony- Quinn, who sat in- front
-le-ally varying according to the of me at the screening.
projects. I don't know,what he thought
And ore only hopes that the of it - but lie had bothered to be
regrettable action of the Federal there, a major.inovie star going
Communications Commission in to a theater to watch a television
cutting back on the networks' show. There is no question, of
prime time doesn't discourage course, that video movies have
such major' projects in the fu- arrived, and there is increased
tui a interest in them around town.
But if one were to give an Would the hoilie audience.
idea of the style of "Vanished," rather see a four-hour -show
-.which will undoubtedly attract stra int through than have it
'millions of viewers March 8 and split into consecutive night offer-
,9, one could put it like this: It is ings of two hours each, as with'
"Vanished?" Those connected
the kind of film likely to remind with "Vanished" felt splitting it
.the audience of a small screen up would be palatable --- but
I-IOLLYWVOOJ) - If a major Most television shows are giv-
Hollywood theater screening last en screening in rooms at the
weekend is any indication, networks or stations. For "Van-
NBC-TV may have a considera- ished," NBC-TV and Universal
blc hit when it :broadcasts a took over the Directors' Guild
four-hour presentation of Fletch- Theatre, and got a pretty full
"and Ross Hunter. than. four hours Feb. 14, have,
Audience Ilool~ecI come in, shoving it to be a tre
mendous No. 1 hit in the 70 city
The audience at the weekend ratings,
screening of "Vanisliccl" seemed And it is understood some ex-
hooked on the movie, accepting ecutives involved with "Van-
it at its own level of popular ished" now regret not having
entertainment about the Machin- gone all the way. with a four-
ations of men in high places, hour blockbuster approach. All I
sitting through about three can tell you is that Anthony
hours and 15 minutes of. film Quinn and I stayed for the whole
(the length without commer- movie at?tiie weekend screening.
c, ni a,2"
.Approved For Release 2005/01/13 : CIA-RDP88-01365R000300250010-9