House Film Selection May Be Limited As a Result of Commercial Pressure

Dean Epps yesterday discussed with representatives of six House film societies proposed guidelines which would severely limit the choice of movies that could be shown in Harvard and Radcliffe Houses.

The guidelines, which resulted from pressure from the owners of Cambridge movie theaters, aim at avoiding competition with local commercial showings.

Several of the student representatives objected to the guidelines and they will review them again with the Cambridge movie houses before they are finalized.

The proposed agreement calls for the Houses to observe a "two year delay after the first commercial showing of a film in Cambridge before it is shown by a film society."

Houses would also be prohibited from putting "paid advertisements in either The Crimson. Independent. Gazette, or other Harvard periodicals."

Representatives from the Quincy House Cinema Guild and Films Across the River--whose usual showings would conflict with the proposed guidelines--were not present at yesterday's meeting.

At the meeting. Epps and the representatives of the Houses agreed to form a Harvard film Studies Council to coordinate and regulate the activities of film societies and to deal collectively with local movie theaters.