Celluloid : the film to-day (1931)

REPERTORY FILM MOVEMENT 69 wishes of this more discriminating public, and the popularity which that cinema attained may be taken as part evidence of the need for a more up-to-date scheme. In recent months, several enterprising exhibitors, having scented the way of the wind, have played seasons of silent revivals. The indiscriminate selection of their programmes, however, and their obvious ignorance of what films deserve showing has limited their appeal to the student. Mention, also, must be made of the excellent work during the last five years of the London Film Society, who have done much to encourage the serious appreciation of the cinema among a certain restricted public. What is desperately needed, what I have tried many months to achieve, and what eventually must be established despite all obstacles is a central cinema in London, where will be shown films selected as the best of their particular type by an appointed advisory committee of competent specialists. These programmes should be composed wherever possible of new foreign sound films in their original versions, revivals of good silent pictures to meet the demand of the new filmgoer, with the plentiful addition of comedies, sound cartoons and a properly edited news-reel. No film exhibited at this cinema would be presented without a definite reason for its choice by the advisory committee, who would amplify their reasons in the cinema's printed programmes, which would also include interesting data concerning the film in question. Attached to the cinema would be a Clubroom and Library, for the use of those members of the general public who desired to become intimately