Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1928)

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2180 Motion Picture News "U" Announces 18 for Synchronization Franklin Sees Theatre Developed Along Mechanical Lines THE importance of sound synchronization to the screens of today and tomorrow is emphasized by Harold B. Franklin, president of West Coast Theatres, Inc., in a statement issued recently. "From now on the motion picture industry may look to the laboratories of the foremost electrical organizations for further progress," he says. "Science and the motion picture theatre from now on go hand in hand. The theatre of tomorrow will be largely developed along mechanical lines. No one may predict what will be contributed by science in the years to come .... talking pictures and sound synchronization are but a forerunner of any developments that we may look forward to. "West Coast Theatres were one of the first circuits who recognized the value of the talking picture. At this time over thirty-five important West Coast theatres are already equipped and have shown the best product available of this type. Both the Fox Movietone, as well as Warners' Vitaphone found a prominent place in its programs. More than twenty-five additional theatres are being equipped and a large order has been placed for additional equipment. "Within the next few months every important producer will contribute pictures with either synchronized scores or talking and singing sequences or both. Some of the best minds in the industry believe that this combined effort will help to stimulate a new and added interest in the motion picture theatre." Laemmle Company Is Planning Big Season for Sound Pictures IGHTEEN features of Universal's 1928-"-^ 1929 product will reach the screen as synchronized pictures, it is announced by Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal Pictures Corporation. Ten of these features already have been selected, the first two now being synchronized by the Movietone method. Various Universal Short Subjects also will be synchronized. The Universal Sound Pictures will not be just mere sound pictures, but will use the sound mechanism as a means of injecting what is characterized at the Universal home office as exploitable and showmanship angles into the pictures. This synchronization of "Uncle Tom's Cabin ' ' will feature the Dixie Jubilee Singers in a series of folk songs and negro melodies. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" also will be synchronized by Erno Rapee and his philharmonic orchestra. Following Universal's decision, announced last week, of putting sound into "Uncle Tom's Cabin," by special arrangement with Movietone and the Fox-Case organization, the next step in Universal's progress in the sound field was the decision to do the same with "The Man Who Laughs." The final decision, by Laemmle, to go into sound pictures in a big way, was made over the week-end, after extended conferences with Universal officials and executives, including Universal exchange managers from more than a dozen offices. In addition to the two pictures above named, the following eight features are announced for immediate adaptation as sound pictures. Some of them are already completed, some are now in the making, and some are yet to be made. "The Last Warning," the mystery melodrama now being made by Paul Leni with Laura La Plante as star. "The Girl on the Barge," the Rupert Hughes story of the Erie Canal, now being directed at 'Whitehall, N. Y. by Edward Sloman, with Sally O'Neil, Jean Hersholt and Malcolm MacGregor in the featured roles ; ' ' The Cohens and the Kellys in Atlantic City;" "Red Hot Speed," to be one of the Reginald Denny Specials ; ' ' Jazz Mad," a dramatic feature with Jean Hersholt; "Man, Woman and Wife," featuring Norman Kerry, Pauline Starke, Kenneth Harlan and Marian Nixon; "Red Lips," featuring Charles Rogers and Marian Nixon; "That Blonde," a Laura La Plante feature. Paramount Announces Season Plans {Continued from Preceding Page) were compelled to go ahead with production on several of our stories without the sound recording but those pictures now finished will be released with the disc system of sound accompaniment. "This new form of screen entertainment finds the Christie Company well prepared as the greater number of its players have had considerable stage experience before starting their motion picture careers. Billy Dooley came to us from the vaudeville stage; Bobby Vernon had spent a number of years in stock and musical comedy; Jack Duffy originally appeared in vaudeville. Neal Burns, Eddie Baker, practically all of our players have had stage training. They will have no trouble in registering before the microphone. "According to advices from the Electrical Research Company 1125 theatres in the United States will be equipped for sound reproduction by January 1, 1929. Realizing that thousands of Christie customers will not be equipped for the sound films, we have arranged to make sufficient straight prints to cover the needs of those theatres that do not have sound reproduction equipment installed during the new film year. "The advent of sound accompaniment in Christie short features will prove of benefit even to those exhibitors who are unable to secure reproduction equipment during the next year, for, in making the new product, story detail and production value will receive more attention than ever. ' ' The short reel comedy field has always been regarded as the training ground for feature stars of later years. It has been my pleasure to have had a hand in the training of many stellar players groomed by our company who later were drafted by the feature length picture producers. "Naturally this new production phase will attract to the screen many legitimate and vaudeville players that heretofore confined their talents to the speaking stage. These players, I am sure, will enhance the value of comedies in that they will answer the public's demand for new faces." M-G-M Receives First Recording Unit The first unit of recording apparatus arriving in seventy-seven packing cases, is ready to be installed at the Metro-GoldwynMayer studios in the new "sound stage" now in course of construction. The unit includes the complete Western Electric recording apparatus with a number of special features from the Electric Research Products Laboratories, and installation will commence as soon as the concrete structure is completed. Pomeroy Soon Ready to Film Paramount's First Roy J. Pomeroy, executive technical expert of the Lasky studio, has his experimental stage entirely sound proofed, practically all of his sound recording equipment instailed and will soon be ready to film Paramount's first talking motion picture. Roach Will Use Only Sound Effects HAL ROACH is planning first to use only sound effects and musical synchronization as illumination for the fun in his comedies. For the present he will not introduce dialogue and patter. This much was revealed at a dinner given by Roach last week to thirty-five players, directors, executives and department heads to discuss plans for synchronization of Roach-M-G-M comedies. The dinner followed the return from the east of Benjamin W. Shipman, studio business manager, who thoroughly investigated all angles of sound devices. Others besides Roach and Shipman who adressed the diners were Warren Doane, general manager; H. M. Walker, vice-president, and Leo McCarey, supervising director and vicepresident of the Hal Roach Studios, Inc.