British Kinematography (1947)

87 a projection system the heat absorbing filter must be placed somewhere between the lamp and the film. If placed close to the lamp it will get very hot and will need greater cooling than if at a greater distance from the lamp ; on the other hand, if it is closer to the film it is likely that the heat will be concentrated on the centre and the outer edges will be relatively cool, which again leads to breakage. Also, any minor defects in the glass, such as small bubbles, may appear on the projected picture if the glass is close to the film. The best place, therefore, is somewhere near the condenser lens and preferably on the lamp side of the condensers in order that the condensers themselves shall be subjected only to cool light. In this case some form of forced cooling is probably necessary, but in such cases as those where forced cooling cannot be applied the glass filter should be put on the inside of the condenser. In either case a small gap should be left between the glass and the condenser. It is frequently an advantage to cut the glass into strips as this minimises the stresses due to uneven heating, but in such cases care must be taken that the edges are smooth and the glass must not be mounted so tightly that it is fractured from this cause. Owing to the particular and peculiar nature of the glass used for Chance ON19, it is impossible for it to be moulded or provided in other shapes than the flat glass indicated above. BOOK REVIEWS. TWENTY YEARS OF BRITISH FILM, by Michael Balcon, Ernest Lindgren, Forsyth Hardy, and Roger Manvell. The Falcon Press. Price 10s. 6d. Here are the beginnings of what might have been a very significant volume on the subject of British Film. Unfortunately, in its literary content, it goes so far and no farther. It divides itself sharply into four compartments. By way of introduction, Michael Balcon sounds a wise and timely warning for the future of the British quality film. Ernest Lindgren writes on the early feature film, and is responsible for an extremely interesting analytical exercise concerning the early Quota period. He mentions quickly seventy-two film titles, all outstanding in their time and all well remembered. Twenty-six of these are associated with Michael Balcon and twelve with Sir Alexander Korda. Directorial credits constantly recurring are Hitchcock, Asquith, Forde, Saville and Wilcox. Is it that the period is now sufficiently in retrospect for the sterling service rendered British Films by this small group of producers and directors to be at last fully recognised and acknowledged ? Forsyth Hardy's chapter on the British documentary film traces quickly the beginning, growth and acceptance of this significant aspect of production without which the British Film would be incomplete. Lastly, Roger Manvell, whose literary efforts on behalf of the industry are becoming prodigous, summarises the situation during the war years and brings the reader up to date ; at the same time adding another word of warning for the future. The whole is more than adequately seasoned by a remarkable series of stills covering production from " Blackmail " (1929) to " Painted Boats " (1945), incidentally proving that out of the welter of inferior product between 1929 and 1939 the British quality film emerged and commands nostalgic remembrance. A volume to recommend as a spring board for students of the British kinema, as well as to authors and lecturers whose memories require a quick and easy prompt. Nevertheless, there remains the regret that the literary content of this well produced book was not more fully developed. John Croydon. CLASSIFICATION, APPRAISAL AND GRADING OF SCIENTIFIC FILMS. Scientific Film Association. 18 pages. Price 2s. 6d. This publication sets out in detail a system of recording information about motion pictures of a scientific character. There is evidence that considerable thought has been given to this and it is to be hoped that such a system will be generally adopted throughout the world, to facilitate the use