The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (Jul-Aug 1922)

24 I'HE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE NEWS. July 1, 1922. THE NATION’S FAMILY ALBUM. Hepworth shows ‘Through Three Reigns ”—An interesting reconstruction of actual events during the past thirty years. A cleverly put together but glorified topical which is certainly interesting and amusing, but decidedly wearisome with its neverending reviews and military parades. oe ée HROUGH THREE REIGNS,” which Cecil M. 2 I . Hepworth showed to a distinguished audience at the oan Scala Theatre on Tuesday, is one of the surprises of the film industry, Viewers who expected to see a dramatic portrayal of film drama found themselves presented with a very cleverly constructed topical showing the principal events during three reigns, interspersed with some also very clever snappy little shots of kinematograph pictures in its early days. LOOKING BACKWARD. Mr. Hepworth, who is responsible for the filming of 80 per cent, of.the eight or nine thousand feet shown, has proved that it is possible to keep a film library and to make it interesting in the scregning. | We are shown topical pictures from the time of 1x90, in which we see the late Queen Victoria paying a visit to Dublin, her imposing funeral procession, interspersed with topical films showing the fashions of that period. These, necdless to say, occasioned the audience considerable amusement. Mr. Hepworth, in the course of this unique collection, proceeds to show the Coronation of King Edward VII., scenes of the C.I.V. march through London on their return from the South African War, views of Whitehall in the days when motor traffic was unknown, Naval Reviews, numerous Military Reviews by King Edward and Queen Alexandra, Naval Pageants, the Funeral of King Edward (showing the German Emperor as a mourner), and most of the ‘principal events up to the time of King George, and including the coronation of our present King. The collection of these films, which, by the way, show some remarkably fine photography, has been added to hy some very humorous snippings from trick films -and comedies of the period of 1900, which wertarnly are amusing -as well as inhaceeuing. : chamine NECESSARY. Shown as a collection of topical events, the film becomes decidedly wearisome and boring after the first 3.000 fect, the number of military reviews palling upon one. After all, there is not a great deal of difference between a military parade 20 years avo and to-day, and it becomes extremely wearisome to watch hundreds of feet of troops marching all in the same applepie order. In the same way the funerals of Queen Victoria and Kiny Edward, whilst undoubtedly interesting, become somewhat monotonous when one sees practically the same thing repeated over again to the extent of hundreds of feet of film. The only criticism that one fecls inclined to make against this praiseworthy collection of films covering a period of thirty years is that the lengths of the films involved are far too long and should be cut down considerably. The battleships firing salutes do not convey anything particularly interesting after the first few feet, and the King reviewing his troops might very well be cut-down considerably. The humorous inclusion of comedy and prick films 20 years ago is a decidedly happy idea, and undoubtedly is, responsible for maintaining the interest in this production. Google TITLE APT TO MISLEAD. Mr. Hepworth is certainly to be congratulated upon his enterprise and originality in piecing together a film of this character, but how such a lengthy production will appeal to the public it. is hard to say. In the first place exhibitors showing this film should leave their patrons in no misconception as to what the film really is. going to see a film drama featuring sereen favourites, and based on events that have happened through three reigns; Mr. Hepworth, we know, would want no misconception on this point. The best description that we can give to the film is that it is really the Nation’s Family Album, and as a collection of film history must undoubtedly be welcomed. IDEA COULD BE CONTINUED. It is no use yiving them the idea that they are, Tt is a pity that in the putting together of this film Mr.* Hepworth has not seen fit to include later events during the reign of our present King, but, of course, this is a small point, as the film can be added to ad infinitum. As a collection of topicals taken over a period of over 30 years this film is extremely interesting, and shown in lengths of, say, 2,000 feet at a time would doubtless prove a very popular attraction. If, however, “Through Three Reigns "’ is put out as an eigtt-reel picture, then I am sadly afraid that it would prove decidedly wearisome to the average kinema-gocr, Tho public, I am convinced, would very quiekly tire of sitting through the endless military parades and funeral processions, each one of which, after a couple of hundred feet, becomes extremly boring. and I would, therefore, make the sugvestion that this film is released in either one or two-reel episodes. During the interval of showing this film we were lecture by Mr. Hilaire Belloc, who again advanced his ideas on the film history without, however, raising any new point. Mr. Belloc loses no opportunity of aequainting the kinematograph industry of his misgivings of the manner fn which historical films would be produced either here or in America treated to a , but inasmuch as kinema theatres are really run for citertainment purposes, there . is no real use in attempting to put Mr. Belloc's mind at rest, on this subject. —E.W.F. ce By far the. best portrait of the Roval group, including His. Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, on the baleony at. Buckingham Palace, was taken with a Dallon Anastiemat . Telephoto Jens, and is being shown in thie week's issue of the, "Messrs. J. Regent Street, Ltd., Circus, “Gaumont Graphic. of Carlton House, 11d. whose works that they will be only too pleased to let any kine cameraman | have one of these Dallen Anastigmat Telephoto lenses on Joan | in order that thes may carry out comparative tests. H. Dallmever, Piccadilly S.W.1, are situated at Willesden, N.W.10., advise us: