Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

3Q THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS necessary to explain the rather complex stories of the average feature films. All these objections from our friends of the South are not only justified, but they have not escaped the attention of the North, and, while the feature films are holding the boards, there is nevertheless a powerful under-current. We have some very good feature films deserving of the name of FEATURE, but, on the other hand, we have too many rank imitations, and to-day the manufacturer does not seem to care to produce split or one-reel subjects, but he stretches and pads any kind of scenario into a numberless-reel supposed feature. For this reason the market is overloaded with very poor feature films, and as the lovers of motion pictures are getting^ tired of these worthless productions, they even refuse to bite when a real good feature is shown. To tell the truth, the exhibitor does not try to prove in his advertisements that this real feature film is out of the ordinary, but to follow his vulgar ways of advertisements, he uses to advertise the good features large, ugly and sensational posters of the style of the worthless features. If I was to show the genuine "Quo Vaa.s nun, I would discard all posters, but, on the other hand, I would decorate my lobby to give it an antique Roman appearance, I would have the doorman or other men in the lobby dressed in old Roman style, with perhaps an old Roman chariot in front of the ticket office.' The only advertising would be in the shape of a couple of fine hand-painted cara signs, neatly framed. I cannot give a sketch of my idea, as the decoration would have to fif the lobby harmonize with the building and be in keeping with the pocketbook of the manager. Twenty-hve or fifty dollars spent in such decorations would bring more business than fifty posters, and would create the impression that the production is of enough importance to warrant such an expense. The wise exhibitor, the one making real good money, does not fall a prey to the feature agents. He knows that his patrons do not go to a motion picture show to be tired out with a long, overstretched film, but go to have a good t'.me, an hour of rest. They call for much comedies, and, as to dramas, they want something with much action. In referring to the South, I can state that from July 25 to December 31, 1912, the feature men met a flat Waterloo in Montgomery, Ala., as the three theatres devoted to the white population, the Orpheum, the Plaza and the Empress, did not give up theit regular programs to show outside features. They were as much solicited as the theatres of other towns, but they could not see the feature film proposition as a profitable investment. This question of long programs and of long productions is not only discussed in the United States, but is at the present time the general topic of Europe. The foreign papers are devoting much attention to the question; they are giving a sound warning. In our next issue I will be pleased to give the views of Le C o u r r i e r Cinematographique of Paris, in an article entitled "Put on the Brakes, S. V. P." Yes, it is time to put on the brakes, or the industry will slide down the road of ruin at a too great speed. J. M. B. In the Days of Trajan American THE American Film Mfg. Co. will release this two-part picture on October 20th. It is one of the series of costume pictures that this company is putting out. The wardrobe employed is of an obvious richness that does this company credit. Also it has been staged in an elaborate manner that gives us views of splendid settings of the period depicted. The leading roles in this picture are interpreted by George Periolat as Trajanus, Caroline Cooke as Valeria, Vivian Rich as Princess Octavia, J. Warren Kerrigan as Decebalus, Louise Lester as Queen of Dacia; Charlotte Burton as Thais, and Jack Richardson as Junius Publius. The action of the picture is set for the year 100 A.D., when Trajanus was Emperor of Rome. The picture opens showing Empress Valeria on her litter being carried to the bath attended by the ladies of the court. The Emperor has prepared a "Triumph," as the ceremony was known in those days, and the victims were marched in Rome to the throne. Decebalus, Prince of Dacia, is among them accompanied by his mother, the Queen of Dacia. The Prince is promised his freedom by the Emperor if he will swear allegiance to Rome. The Queen, however, replies for him saying: "In Dacia we are royal and shall not be vassals of Rome." Angered at this, the Emperor sends them to the dungeons of the Circus Maximus to await their fate in the arena. The Emperor's daughter, Octavia, who is present at the Triumph, shows her admiration for the princely bearing of Decebalus and her sorrow at his sentence. Everything is prepared in the arena, the Emperor is in the imperial box, and all is ready for the conflict of the gladiators. The prisoners are brought forth to the arena where their shattered and bleeding bodies are thrown upon the ground to die. Decebalus is compelled to go into the conflict with a brother Dacian, with whom he plots the death of the Emperor. They fight and the Dacian is thrown to the ground in the battle. While the throng is rejoic'ng in a seeming victory, the two combatants throw off their masks and, vault into the imperial box. The hand of Decebalus, however, is stayed by the princess. Fie recognizes her and is easily made prisoner by the centurions in attendance. Thais, a Greek, and the wife of Junius Pubhs. Prefect of Rome, is enamoured of the Prince and goes to the dungeon to see him. Her visit there is made known to Junius and a Roman is sent to bring her before Trajan. Decebalus takes advantage of the guard, who has released Thais, springs on him, and invests himself in the guard's apparel and walks forth, meeting the nobles of Rome, who do not recognize him. He meets the Princess, who again asks him to become a Roman. The Emperor has learned of his escape and has him seized. A guard announces to the Emperor that the Huns are at the gates of Rome. Decebalus, hearing this, announces that he will fight with the Romans as the Huns are also his enemies. He is placed in command of one of the legions. The encounter is seen, and then the return of the victorious army into Rome. Decebalus' success gives him the right to demand a favor, and his first request is for his mother's freedom. This is granted and as a further reward Trajan gives him his daughter, Octavia, as his wife, and sends him back to Dacia to reign over his own country in security. The report in one of the New York daily papers that Miss Lillian Walker had gone to San Francisco, thence to Hawaii, was a startling surprise to the Vitagraph Company. Miss Walke. is in her accustomed place in the studio and on the day of the report met her fellow-workers with her usual, dimpled smiles