Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

REEL and SLIDE 7 Demand For Clean Films Develops Educational Pictures THE first pictures made represented moving trains, fire department runs and horse racing. Their length ranged from 50 to 200 feet. The first showings throughout the country were made by men who traveled from one large city to another, showing in halls. The first attempt to show moving pictures in a permanent way was in a room in the rear of a saloon on the corner of Halsted and Adams streets, Chicago. These pictures were used for gambling purposes, only gamblers being admitted. The next place of a similar character was operated on the Bowery, in New York, for the same purpose. A few of the frequenters to these rooms saw the possibilities of charging admission. Soon, producers began to make other pictures such as "Scenes from a moving train," chase pictures for comedies, and trick pictures to mystify, thinking they had exhausted all the available subjects. Then short stories were admitted. As the first pictures were shown in the slums the early producers soon began developing pictures that appealed to the morbid minds of the people frequenting these localities. But, as the industry grew, better pictures were admitted and better communities were entered. The producers, however, continued making many suggestive subjects. As these were brought into better communities, a protest was made. This led to censorship. For a time, the making of objectionable pictures and the development of censorship kept about even pace. Then protests to city officials was the first attempt at city censorship. In Chicago it began by the police using a theater in North Clark street. This continued for a couple of Advent of "Passion Play" Then .came the announcement of a religious moving picture. Over in Paris, Pathe was getting out a 2,000-foot production of the "Passion Play" at a cost of several thousand dollars. The ministry criticised, the laity gasped in amazement, and the general public wondered. The unexpected happened. The showing of these pictures was greeted with tremendous audiences and packed houses. Audiences sat in awe and amazement. The educational value of moving pictures began to make a deeper impression. Settlement workers started an agitation for a more strict censorship. Various clubs and organizations interested in the betterment of society began to appeal to local aldermen, and in this way better steps for censorship were taken. Sometimes these methods of censorship were wisely 'used, and sometimes not, but the manufacturers saw the trend and tried somewhat to follow it. Then the pictures were changed from a one-reel comedy or drama to a three to eight reel feature. Women's clubs, civic workers and educational people became more alert to the possibilities of better pictures and the needs of closer supervision. Largely out of this feeling grew facturers realizing that there was a very From Early Exhibitions of Trick Pictures in Slums, Trend Has Been Steady Toward Subjects That Uplift and Inform, Says Writer By A. C. Derr, D. D., Ph.D. the organization Congress of Mothers and the Parent-Teachers' Association. During the last few years a larger number of educational and clean entertaining pictures have been made, and the manupronounccd and growing demand for bet to work toward this end. Local clubs began appointing committees making surveys and recommendations. The first recommendations were "better pictures for children," but as time and development went on this changed to "clean children and family programs." i Ask for Juvenile Program Committees frequently went to their local theater men asking them to put in special children's programs for matinee, but these were not sufficiently patronized to pay the cost of the film. The situation seemed to be that parents wanted better pictures, but when theater men arranged". "Hiazvatha" i<.<as filmed witli real Indians and gives the child a new conception of the great American classic. (Lea Bel Film Co.) ter pictures began to make and furnish travelogs, covering nearly every country on the globe. Topical reels were offered. These included scenic views, progress in agriculture and manufacturing, the development of the auto and the airship and new discoveries in science, while at the present time there seems to be no limit to the possibilities of the moving picture in delineating nearly all branches of human activity. More of a co-operative feeling developed, until nearly every prominent woman's club convention was discussing better films for children. Committees were appointed for them the parents were not sufficiently active to spread the good word to the various families and urge them to send their children. It was simply left for the children to go if they felt like it. The children had been accustomed to seeing pictures of a more stirring character and questionable in moral tone, but, childlike, they wanted something with action. Parents came to realize that there was another part for them to perform outside of making the request for better pictures. They must co-operate, combine, educate the public to the importance of the matter.