Canadian Moving Picture Digest (Apr-Sep 1918)

Page Sixteen THE CANADIAN MOVING PICTURE DIGEST. GERMAN MUSIC. A Subject That Paves the Way to Cont:oversy—Better Avoid It. An incident recently occurred in Toronto which clearly demonstrates that it behooves leaders of moving picturo theatre orchestras to ‘be extremely careful of another ‘‘German menace,’’ viz., the menace of German music. A prominent citizen of Toronto visited a well known Toronto theatre, and in glancing over the program discovered that the orchestra was scheduled to play a well known musical number by the German composer Schubert. The aforesad prominent citizen registered an emphatic kick to the management of the theatre, and also wrote a strong letter on the subject to one of the Toronto newspapers. The mere mention of the name Germany is to-day a stench in the nostmls of the people of both Canada and the United States, and this fact is the strongest argument against German mu sie or any other ‘‘made in Germany’’ article in the form of language, art. musie, or literature. Just at the present writing, a good-sized fuss and furore has been kicked up by a Toronto preacher who made a bitter attack 2 few days ago against. the president of the Toronto University because he advoeated the teaching of the (German language, probably as a sort of seffprotective measure. Musie, although generally recognized” as the only universal language, meets with a hard bump when associated with onything that savors of the Teutonic taint. Whether this is right or wrong may be a debatable point, but it must be remembered that we are fighting Germany, and anything of German pro. duet comes under the ban. This is truly unfortunate to lovers of musie as a universal language, but nevertheless grim war upsets traditions, and turns things topsy-turvy. Some have said that the line against musie nas been drawn too tightly, that only the musie by living German composers should be hanned; beeause a certain prestige may be gained for these living German composers, or royalties might acerue to them from the use of their musical works. However, an isolated attack upon one particular theatre plaving an occasional German composition does not accomplish big things toward the entire abolishment of this ‘‘German menace.’’ If the agitators are in earnest to rid the country of this music, they will find ample room in which to work. As an instance of this, their attention’ is respectfully called to the great flood of phonograph reeords which come into Canada bearing ‘‘canned musie,’’? much of it. so it is alleged, being the work of German composers. The writer has been shown a batch of musical programs which were render. . ed in Toronto by Canadian and American musicians, and on these programs were a liberal sprinkling of the names of German composers, Doubtless many Digitized by Goc gle musi¢ lovers in this country have enjoved listening to musi¢, and were not aware of its origin until told that is was of a German source, or saw, by looking at the prégram in their hand that the composer bore a German name. It is not altogether improbable that this is what happened to the loyal Toronto citizen who took objection to the musical number rendered by the Toronto theatre orchestra, y Although musie can be judged as a universal language, and not as an art ‘“*cornered'’ by any particular race or people, and ulthough it is primarily an appeal to the finer human emotions and senses, this country is at war, and its emotions are war emotions. There “ENIO MARKEY IN "TARZAN OF THE APES” fore the wise orchestra leader will follow the line of least resistance, and tune up his orchestra to the times. At the .present when anything relative to Germany or of Germanic taint is extremely distasteful to the people of this country, it would seem ithe wisest course to put the ‘‘soft pedal’’ on music eredited to any German ecomposers, dead or alive. It’s a great subject to fight shy of, as it allows a big opening for a lively controversey. The pioneers of civilizations on this continent in the early frontier days, in speaking about the treacherous and murderous redskins used to say that the only good Indian was a dead Indian.’’ To-day a dead German is not even termed a good German, not even a de: ceased German composer who has long gone to his ‘‘happy hunting ground.’’ RAYMOND 8S. PECK. “*Spotted,’’ the Mutnal-Strand comedy release of May 13th, casts Billie Rhodes, the clever comedienne, in a double role. It is built around a novel idea, prettily staged, and well directed The Kkhodes comedies are becoming more and more popular and are being bLouked in big houses in every section of the ¢ountry. RICHARDSON’S VISIT (Continued from Page Fifteen) cellent 16 1-2-¢v0t picture ot 166 feet, using two Simplex projectors. There 1s a lighting effect used in the arch of the front wall over the screen. This looks very well from the lower floor, but from the large baleony, in my opinion, it distinetly detracts from the screen results. The color of the illumination is light blue. Charles Brick is chief operator, and T. Marsden assistant. The theatre seats 1,650. The film ‘*Lest We Forget’’ was on, and at 8 p-m. the theatre lobby and foyer was jammed full, with a line three and four abreast extending along the sidewalk for one solid block. To the everlasting credit the management of the Regent even under this condition there was no speeding of the films. Loew’s Theatre presents an excellent picture and a very odd arrangement, in that there are two distinct, complete theatres, one above the other, having a combined seatng capacity of 3,500. The upper theatre is called the Winter Garden, and is prettily decorated. The programme is combined motion pictures and vaudeville. I had the privilege of meeting Mr. Burnstein, who showed me around the two theatres with evident and pardonable pride. At the Crown I found an excellent operating room and an excellent pieture, but the operating room walls were white, which is setting up a wrong optical condition from the viewpoint of projection. §. I. Wells, vice-president | of Loeal 173, is operator. The Model Theatre I found to be anything under heaven but a model insofar as the auditorioum lighting be concerned. It is literally flooded with light which is allowed to strike the screen without let or hindrance, killing the high lights in the picture and rendering it a sort of sickly grey, entirely de void of any true photographie values. The operating room is a goodly size, and is black-walled. A. S. Smith, a returned soldier, is operator. : At the York I saw a remarkahly steady and in every way excellent picture. Its depth or perspective was quite remarkable. The auditorium is well lighted. Simplex machines are used. : I visited a great many more theatres, but the movement was so rapid that I lost track. T can, however, truly siy that in all the theatres visited I did not see anything but good work on the part of the operators. If what I saw is a fair sample of Toronto’s screen results, as produced from day to day, then the work of the Toronto men is good. During my wanderings T called at the office of the Perkins Electric Company, and met Mr. George F. Perkins, president and manager, a most affable, pleasant man, Local 173 is a progressive body which is working in harmony with the exhibitors under very able and efficient leadership. My compliments to President Pentelbeck and his corps of assistants. They are the real goods. Original from NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY