Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

98 DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER NOTES OF THE MONTH The cover picture on this issue is a production still from the Czechoslovakian Puppet film Mr Prohouk's Conversion which was shown in London at the Festival The New Board the alert reader will observe that the size of DNL's Editorial Board has considerably increased. The new names listed on our masthead include some which are familiar outside as well as inside the documentary film movement, and all have been linked with important achievements in their field. The expansion has been decided upon as a means of increasing its representative character and of adding to the number of documentary groups whose view-point DNL will seek to express. It has for some time been felt in Film Centre and amongst the older members of the Board that means should be found of putting DNL at the disposal of the maximum number of documentary film-makers to form a link between them and the public which they serve. The extension of the Board can be regarded as a step in this direction. Silent Slaves! sometimes the film industry takes our breath away. There are certain sections of it which appear to be of the opinion that the big world is just an alley off Wardour Street and that those benighted people unfortunate enough to be denied a habitation in the Street itself must on no account venture to lift an eyebrow in criticism of what goes on in that resplendent gunman's grotto. We are thinking particularly of the recent suggestion that certain BBC scripts should be submitted to Wardour Street before being broadcast. The idea that the film critic should regard himself as a servant of the film industry is not new but things are coming to a pretty pass when the public itself is moved into the same category. Or can it be that some of our friends in Wardour Street really do think that the primary function of the British public is to present itself in the guise of a flock of sheep to await, in all docility, the Wardour Street shearing? The National Theatre Club the royalty theatre in Dean Street, disused for many years, has been purchased by National Theatre Club Ltd., a new non-profitmaking company. Chairman of the Company is the Rt Hon Alfred Barnes, present Minister of Transport, who, it will be remembered, was first Chairman of the People's Entertainment Society, until his resignation on his appointment to the Government. Plans have already been completed for the entire reconstruction of the interior of the building as a modern theatre -cinema, with restaurants and other club services, including residential accommodation. It is planned to present orchestral concerts and dances for members, in addition to films and stage performances of every type. The policy of the Club with regard to films is not yet decided, being dependent on the decisions of the membership, but it seems likely that it could be made available as a very convenient venue for film society shows and other private performances. It is hoped that club facilities will be available by the end of this year. The date for the re-opening of the theatre is not yet announced, being dependent on building difficulties, but no great delays are expected. The growth of this new entertainment centre in Soho will be watched with great interest. Membership is already available, at three guineas a year for London members, and one and a half guineas for those living outside. Cambridge and Film Cambridge university now has an Educational Film Council. Set up at a meeting in February, the Council has just issued a leaflet stating its aims and objects. Cambridge has always taken a keen interest in films, and it is right and proper that it should be the first major University to form such a Council. In addition to stimulating the use of films in Cambridge, the Council aims to link up with people interested in visual education in other Universities. A great deal can come from the lead which Cambridge has given. Information, please we learn from John Curthoys that he is planning a book on 'The Development and Technique of the Film Strip as a Visual Instructional Aid'. He says it is to be the first standard work on this subject and tells us that information on the earliest days of this new aid to learning is exceedingly sparse. We have promised to pass on to him any information which our readers may have on this subject. The Survey of Surveys for some time now DNL has been irked by the embarrassing fact that it is at present conducting no questionnaire. All reputable organizations should today be ready to cross-examine the public on any and every subject of outstanding, moderate or no interest, and we propose to remedy our own lack at the earliest possible moment. We have wisely decided to devote some considerable attention to the framing of the questions. We are given to understand by expert practitioners in this field that only by the most skilled wording of the question, can one be confident of the satisfactory nature of the answer. So far, we are only completely happy with two of our own question-framing attempts and we feel that our readers will not abuse the confidence we place in them when we reveal that the public of Great Britain and Northern Ireland will shortly be in\ ited to let us have the benefit of its opinions on the following matters: (1) If you are looking for a film brilliantly imaginative in theme and incredibly polished in treatment would you prefer to see (a) An intolerably bad second feature film, atrociously photographed and edited, with an imbecile commentar> ? or (b) A spanking documentary which is both brilliantly imaginative in theme, and incredibly polished in treatment? (2) Which do you believe to be of the greater importance and social significance (a) An important and socially significant documentary? or(/>)An unimportant and socially insignificant non-documentan r? We feel that the answers to these questions will Leave the world in no doubt whatsoever as to the wide extent and overwhelming nature of the demand for an increased showing of documentaries in the cinemas.