Ever since the movie business began there have been pressbooks. What is a pressbook? It is a marketing tool created by a studio publicity department to aid in selling a film (or any other product). The pressbook is a fascinating window into what a movie is REALLY about. Sometimes it is an alternate reality to how the public perceives a motion picture and sometimes is a dead-on description. A pressbook typically includes a story synopsis, information about the cast and crew, and ideas for promoting the film at the exhibition (or theater) level. These ideas, as you will see, run the gamut from the mundane to the spectacularly strange. Graphics for use in newspaper advertisements are also usually included as well as reproductions of lobby cards and posters that can be made available to the theater owner. CONELRAD has acquired a number of pressbooks for the classic Atomic Films it plans to profile in the near future.

We now proudly present selected excerpts from the pressbook for INVASION USA that are almost as entertaining as the film itself... Look for more excerpts in the days ahead.

CALL FOR ACTION: "Swing into all-out action on "Invasion U.S.A."... get the full defense set-up of your community behind your screening of the film! "Invasion U.S.A." is the year's shock drama ...sell it big!"

CIVILIAN DEFENSE: "Work out, if possible, a "siren" opening of your film - a test "alert" for civilian defense workers. This practice drill, called in conjunction with "Invasion U.S.A.," should be an invaluable promotion idea."

ARMED FORCES: "Arrange a special exhibit of new techniques of warfare that are off the secret list, but are not too generally known. Display photos and, if possible, weapons themselves."