When a movie isn't playing locally, Cinema World Inc., the owner of all the theaters in State College, becomes an easy target.

Following recent confusion about whether Schindler's List would show in town, Greg Gabbard, owner of City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave., suggested that lack of communication between Cinema World and local residents may be the real problem.

Many people don't realize that lack of availability of films is often to blame when a movie isn't being shown, said Janet Jackson, senior film buyer for Cinema World.

Because she receives few calls from area residents about the films shown, Jackson said she believes she accurately serves the film interests of State College.

"I try very hard to get films people want," she said.

Although he said he knew of the limited distribution, Gabbard said better communication could have prevented many problems.

Gabbard said he heard from a friend who called Cinema World that Schindler's List was not scheduled to play in State College. Gabbard wanted to know why it wasn't playing, so he put a poster up in the front window of City Lights encouraging people to "ask questions."

Following an article about the poster in The Daily Collegian, a Cinema World representative told Gabbard that the film would be showing in State College, possibly as early as Jan. 28, and asked him to remove the poster.

"I wanted to know if and when it was coming," Gabbard said. "Everything comes down to a lack of communication."

A similar situation occurred in 1991 when Dances With Wolves took several months to begin showing at area theaters. After that, Cinema World Inc. President Jeff Lewine agreed to bring a speciality film to a local screen each week and to place a suggestion box in the lobby of Cinema 5, 116 Heister St.

Jackson said the promises were fulfilled. A suggestion box remained in the lobby of Cinema 5 until it was broken or stolen recently, she said, adding that it will return very soon.

Although he believes communication is a serious problem, Gabbard said the lack of public support for some non-mainstream films is also to blame for those films not being shown locally.

Cinema World did bring foreign films to town, but stopped, Gabbard said.

"I can't imagine that if it was working, they'd stop doing it," he said. "If people aren't supporting them . . . it's our own fault."

Pete Warren, film manager for the Graduate Students Association, which brings films to campus, agreed, adding that Cinema World cannot be expected to show films that won't be reasonably popular.

"Cinema World is excellent at bringing in the big and popular films, but they aren't equipped to bring . . . films that only 100 people will go out for," Warren said, adding that between Cinema World, GSA and local video stores, everyone should be able to see almost everything they want to see.

It is not worth the money for Cinema World to bring a movie if it won't attract a large crowd, said Jon Grintz (junior-film).

"They choose the big-name movies because they're a guaranteed sell," Grintz said. "They're lacking in bringing lower distribution films, though . . . I'd like to see more of those."

But Stephanie Modestowicz (senior-film) is not as easily satisfied with Cinema World's procedures.

"They show most films I'd like to see, but for too limited a time . . . sometimes I miss them," Modestowicz said, adding that public opinion may not be the best way to choose which movies to show locally.

"I think a lot of people here are idiots and want to see Demolition Man six times," she said.