Educational film magazine; (19-)

nich, and contains geographical, ethnological, and technical pic- tures. The Bayerische Landwirtschaflsministerium on account of this film has eulogized the producers. Ufa's culture department has in the Badische Anilin-umi-Soda- Fabrik completed a great induslrial-instructive film which shows the manufacture of nitrogen from the air. The well-known criminalist-engineer Nelken has signed a con- tract with the Deulig-Film to found a film journal of criminology which shall be distributed wiih the Messer-Woche. These pic- tures will show the dangers caused by criminals and spread the knowledge as to the struggle in overcoming them. Dr. Oskar Kalbus, scientific reporter of Ufa's culture depart- ment, is writing a handbook on '"The Educational tilm in Ger- many" which is to appear before Christmas. The "Kinematographische Monaishefte" have asked the leading German ophthalmologists whether^ motion pictures can do any harm to good eyes. Not one of them had ever seen a good eye injured by movies, was the consensus of the replies. EDUCATIONAL FILM NEWS FROM FRANCE By E. Fletcher-Clayton Special Correspondent for Educationai. Film Magazine Paris, France, Jan. 15, 1922. THE series of "Natura Films" produced by Maurice Challiot, commenced in 1918. It is based, originally, upon the work of Ardouin-Dumazet entitled "Voyage en France," which comprises sixty-three volumes, that by reason of their accuracy and excellence were "crowned" by the Academic Frangaise. The films were produced and edited under the title A Travers la France, and the most remarkable of these were The Cognac Country, The Lower Alps, Biarritz and the Basque Country, and Corsica. The Route Across the Alpes was shown to members of the Touring Club de France in November. M. Challiot is now turning his attention to the filniing of Parisian types: not the would-be artistic specimens which loiter about the Quartier-Latin or about Montmartre, but those types which are comprised within the real life of France. The first of the series is La Journee d'un Rodeur de Quais ("The Day of a Prowler on the Quays") which title, translated into English, gives no idea of this particularly curious and interesting type of tramp-handyman (and thief!) who might be termed a perma- nent city gipsy, for want of a proper description. This film is to be followed by pictures showing all the familiar types of street "merchants." "DlSPOSITlF Din^ERCER," VALUABLE NeW CINEMATOGRAPH Camera Attachment A. Duverger, an expert cameraman, described to me recently his apparatus for fixing to the front of any make of cinemato- graph camera, by which any form of screen aperture, iris, dia- phram, etc., is obtained by the movement of a single lever, acting in consort wilh the various parts of the mechanism which are set by the operator before commencing to turn. Hitherto, I under- stand, much time has been wasted in the studio, and in the labora- tory, in the endeavour to .obtain successfully "dissolving views," "double exposures," etc., and in arranging "screens" and "cut- offs" during the filming of scenes. M. Duverger's apparatus, which is small and light, and not too complicated, performs all these operations. The.se are its opera- tions in his own terms. 1. Forte cache degrade, (degrading shutter) wilh horizontal and vertical discentering, and backward and forward movement towards the objective. 2. Diapliragme irsi (iris diaphram) horizontal and vertical discentering, and backward and forward movement. 3. Rideau volet a quatre com- binasons, (curtain screen with four combinations) turning in every direction, and 'opening and closing from top to bottom, or the re- verse way, and from side to side. Closing in one direction and opening in another. 4. Porte cache, (block out) with discenter- ing movement. 5. Uaguille parte cache, which is an entirely new principle of "blocking" which permits when required the non- exposure of any part of the negative desired, increasing or de- creasing in size, or changing position; these movements taking place automatically while the cameraman is operating. The ap- paratus, which is constructed in aluminum, can be attached or detached in a few moments. It is the outcome of twelve years study, and is patented in all countries. The Cinema in Conjunction With Religious and Anti- Religous Propaganda Some readers may remember that in the earlier days of the cinema there were issued, at any rate in France, rather severe papal edicts which, in effect and practice, actually forbade the use of the cinematograph as a means of instruction. The church first looked upon it as an invention of the devil. But to forbid a thing at the outset, and then permit it afterwards, is one of the simplest diplomatic movements of the church in order to keep its hand on its adherents. Time has changed much of this ecclesias- tical opposition, the order of things is reversed, and now the church has its own information bureau concerning the cinema. It even gives its patronage to certain small companies who, in different parts of the world, make religious pictures or photograph religious ceremonies. Hence two ecclesiastical camerame^ were very busy at Notre Dame one day this week at the enthroning of Mgr. Baudrillart as titular bishop of Himeria, (a small town in Asia-Minor, which no longer exists!), one inside the edifice and _ the other inside an automobile. The commercial cinema opera- tors were, of course, present to photograph the procession for incorporation in the usual film of "gazettes." The present pope, Benedict XV, (deceased since this was writ- ten) encourages cinematographic activity, as much as a means of encouraging an interest in the church, as for that of dispelling ignorance. He has allowed cinematographers to enter the Vati- can and penetrate further than any ordinary photographer with the highest recommendations has ever been allowed. Finally he had himself filmed while celebrating mass at the grotto of Notre- Dame de Lourdes in the gardens of the Vatican. It will prob- ably be wise to make no comment whatever upon this. In France the parish priest often acts as cinema censor, though he himself never visits the cinema. Certain films appear to be on the "index," but which they are, one never knows till the time of showing. Needless to say this private censorship carries no weight except with the very strict adherents of the church. But as an instance, I may say that one of the "forbidden" films is the Swedish-Biograph film Let No Man Put Asunder, featur- ing Ivar Nilsson, and based upon the story by Auguste Etrind- berg. The Cinema at the Louvre: M. Theodore Reinach's Lectures on Historic Art. For the first time the cinema has replaced fixed projection in the Ecole du Louvre, and that for the series of lectures which form part of the curriculum of the Ecole Nationale des Beaux Arts. Theodore Reinach, lecturing to students and teachers of art upon Greek architecture and ornamentation, illustrated all his points by film. This, which was merely in the nature of an It