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Jan., 1930] SOUND PICTURES IN EUROPE 25
It may therefore be said that the immediate prospects for sound film development in Norway are very good, and once the equipment is installed, sound films should be as popular in Norway as anywhere else.
SWITZERLAND
At the present time, three theaters in Switzerland have been wired for sound pictures, all three installations being American reproducing units. It is felt that at the end of this year the larger Swiss cities, with the exception of Berne, will have at least one theater each equipped to handle talkies. Out of total of 300 motion picture theaters in Switzerland, 25 have a seating capacity over 750. These theaters are potential purchasers of sound equipment.
This country has no moving picture industry, except for very small concerns, each turning out a few reels per year. Thus, practically all films must be imported. At present, all silent films are provided with subtitles in two languages, either French and German, or French and Italian. Possibly the greatest handicap for sound pictures is the very heavy expense involved in the original installation. The Swiss cinema field is at present reported to be greatly overcrowded, and theaters are constantly reported to be in difficulties.
The American system of sound projection is almost universally favored. It is regarded as very much better than the German systems, but is also about ten times as expensive. Once the problem of installing such expensive apparatus is solved, it is probable that the language difficulties will be overcome in much the same way as is the case now in Paris theaters, in which the music only is registered, while on the screen the subtitles remain in two languages. The extensive use of sound films is a thing of the future, however, and will not be realized in Switzerland for some years to come.
CONCLUSION
I hope I have made clear to you, from the foregoing, that the introduction of dialog and sound synchronized films will, within the next few years, create an entirely different situation in the field of motion pictures in Europe. Beyond a doubt, this new invention has been received abroad as enthusiastically as Americans have welcomed it. Time alone will solve the problem of language difficulties at present encountered in foreign markets where English is not the predominating language. However, production of American dialog