The Moving Picture World (1908)

72 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD "The Thieving Hand" is a fine trick film, full of in- genuity and good quality. The closing scene spoils an otherwise perfect reproduction, where the convict receives again his arm and the poor pencil vender goes free. No suspect is placed among convicts until he has had a trial. If tiie makers had shown a convict gang outside, instead of in the cell, the film would be perfect. The "Butterflies" is a film of sterling merit,, beautifully colored. The posing and staging of these dancers of the Mikado in their Japanese costumes is indeed a fine picture. —; . Words From the KnocRer and Howies*. "The cheery way in which you continually preach sunshine in your columns is a pleasant relief from the wailings of the knocker and howler." This is a paragraph which occupies the front page of the Views and Films Index for January 25, 1908. -The cheeky way in which the mouthpiece of the pro- prietors of the Index persists in referring to the editorial policy of the Moving Picture World is characteristic of now that arch knocker has treated this paper from its inception. We know that the above quoted innuendo was directed against us because some time ago one of the proprietors of the Index requested us to cease from making any men- tion of fires or accidents in connection with moving pic- ture theaters in the World. This is a shortsighted and selfish policy, even from a manufacturer's point of view; although the more film that is consumed and machines that are destroyed may bring new.grist to the mill. But those who have the true interests of the business at heart needs must have a broader point of view. The Moving Picture World, having no trade affiliations and stand- ing alone as the only independent and representative or- gan of an industry that has assumed vast proportions within a few years; realizes its responsibilities and will not be swerved from its purpose. Its policy in a nutshell is: Whatever is for the present good and ultimate SUCCESS OF THE MOVING PICTURE INDUSTRY. It gratifies us to know that our efforts in this direction have hereto- fore met with the approval of all the most substantial, conservative and far-seeing men in the business; there- fore we will continue on in the even tenor of our way, only more so. The success attained by those who early embarked in the moving picture profession has induced thousands to follow suit, and alas! for its standing, and for the ulti- mate welfare of all concerned, among them many un- principled persons. Money grabbers, seeing in the nickelodeon a business venture that promised rich returns with an investment of little money and less brains,- nastily constructed flimsy theaters, procured the cheapest equipment and film serv- ice and employing the cheapest kind of help, proceeded to rake in the nickels. Showed anything to get the peo- ple's money. No thought for the future, or care for pub- lic safety. To hell with the public—get their money! has been their motto. In the film rental business there are those who have adopted the same principles—some will rent junk—hon- esty and fair dealing is not always practiced, and it is hinted that some are not above purchasing, for a song, films and even machine heads that they know have been stolen from their competitors. Among the manufacturers, also, abuses are not un- known. Some have been known to appropriate plots and ideas and even to duplicate the film of a competitor with- out as much as by your leave. . Does not all this point to calamity and make work for the howler? Those who are in the business to stay and who are even now wrestling with problems, as to how it can be more firmly and surely established, do not shut their eyes to the fact that a grave menace exists in the abuses that have crept into the business as well as the more serious effect upon the public mind of constant recurring acd- dents and the apathy that will follow the showing of trashy subjects. The remedy for every disorder is to first locate the seat of trouble and then to eliminate the cause. The evils existing in the business situation we leave in the hands of the U. F. S. P. A., who are well able to cope with the situation. There are those in the business who may receive hard knocks, but only those who are now com- mitting business suicide. All who have shown that they deserve to remain in business should be encouraged. Only by weeding out the vermin can the ultimate success of the business be assured. This brings us to the rock upon which the whole fabric is founded—the public. The source of the dimes and nickels, the life blood of the business, must be considered. As soon as the public realizes that it is not getting its money's worth or that it is being imposed upon, these dimes and nickels will stay in their pockets—at least they will not be passed out so readily for bits of cardboard in the lobby, and nickelodeons will close up one by one un- til the situation resolves itself into the survival of the fittest. The palliative for such a condition is obvious. Manu- facturers must turn- out only good, clean subjects. Renters should only handle good films and theater man- agers employ only good operators and provide comfort and.safety for their patrons. The moving-picture thea- ter is not a passing fad out of which to make all the money possible in a short time at the least possible out- lay. It is here for all time and only needs healthy de- velopment. Last, but not least, it must be realized that the public mind has been heavily prejudiced against this class of en- tertainment by the many disasters which have occurred. The daily press, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, is reek- ing with scare headlines and blood-curdling warnings to the public. These are the "knockers and howlers" who have to be suppressed. How ? By giving them no cause for such reports. As the Moving Picture World is a trade paper and only read by those who are actively in- terested in the husiness, it is our duty to make record of all' accidents or fires, thereby warning others and point- ing out how they may be avoided and public confidence restored. They can be avoided. But it should not be left to the police and fire departments of each city and State to do the work or even to point the way. Making ILasaftera Slides. Burton H. Allbee. What is a lantern slide? The lantern slide is a glass plate, coated with slow and extremely fine-grained emulsion. In America the plates are 3% *4 inches. In England and Europe they are 3^4 x 3%: inches. Each country claims superiority for its special size, but fortunately carriers are made the same size on both sides of the Atlantic, which allows the use of both sizes of plates. American makers obtain beauti- ful results on their size plates, and English rpakers do quite as well. Unquestionably.it is largely a matter of