The Film Renter and Moving Picture News (May-Jun 1923)

8 THE FILM RENTER & MOVING PICTURE ‘NEWS. May 5, 1923 THE ART OF PICTURE PRESENTATION, Methods Old pe New. (By our Lancashire Correspondent.) HE art of picture presentation, or ‘‘ exploitation,’ as some prefer to call it, is not new. As a matter of fact, it is as old as the pictures themselves, and has developed with them. Of course, in their infant days ‘‘ prologues ’’ and ‘* epilogues ’’ wera not known, at any rate, not alter the same fashion as they are now. Maybe the pioneer showmen didn’t know these words or their meanings. Still, they felt (some of them, at all events) that the films could do with something to ‘* get them over,’”’ and arranged accordingly. * * * * Thus on my first visit to the pictures at a theatre which was a conversion of two shops, the ‘* star ” picture was ‘* accompanied ’’ at periods by a gentleman who interpreted the words which each character was supposed to be saying. I remember that I couldn't help remarking at the time, on the incongruity of the ‘* interpreter's ’ words and pronunciation, which were by no means refined, when a figure appeared on the screen that obviously was. Still, he had a good job; the pay was probably between £2 and £3 per week; good for those days, and his was a profession! A man of good social standing was the gentleman who spoke to the pictures. I suppose to-day, if his class existed, they’d be termed ‘ presentation artistes,’’ but his day seems to have gone, but not all his arts. Why, even a short while ago, when a certain big and well-boosted production was screened to the trade in this town, some of the, to my mind, inane noises which it was part and. parcel of the ‘‘ interpreter’s ’’ business to create, such as the sound of a door being closed or banged, and the knocking on the door, were produced and called * effects’ to this picture. They may have been “ effects ’’ as stated, but from my point of view their effectiveness was in an opposite direction to what was intended. I should think, too, that most people prefer the not too pleasant sounds of banging doors and the knocker’s rat-a-tat-tat to be left to the imagination. Personally, if there must be noises at the pictures I prefer them to be pleasant, or, at any rate, to provide a thrill such as the ‘' effects ’’ worked for storm scenes, as in ‘‘ Orphans of the Storny and the weirdness of those utilised in connection with ‘‘ The Four Horsemen.” * * * * But to get back to my friend the ‘‘ interpreter.’’ I have learned since that he was not the only one in his profession. In one part of Lancashire, 1’m told, there was quite a company engaged at onc hall to speak to the films, including a lady. It must have been rather a task for them to fit the words to the pictures if they took their job seriously, But perhaps they didn’t. The ‘ fans ** of those days were not many, and easily satisfied. A sense of humour, I dare say, would have found much to tickle it at certain performances, when the characters in a society drama, for instance, were endeavouring to talk “* gradely."’ Such a performance nowadays would be interesting enough to justify the hated tax. * * * * These were the days, of course, when the orchestra had not yet been introduced to the kinema and the ‘* domino thumper ”’ was the band, and chef presentation cxpert in most cases. Like the ‘‘ interpreter,” he was well up in the social scale, a man to be envied by his acquaintances, to be pointed out in the street as ‘‘ the fellow wot plays to the pictures at th’ Hip.” These days gave a vogue to the word extempore among the gentlemen identified with kinemas. He plays ‘‘ extempore ” or ‘* extem-por-ee "’ you would hear them say betimes, with something like awe. <A judicious use of the word by a candidate for a job that was going vacant generally had the desired result. The present-day craze for long-distance dancing reminds mo that there might have been a day when long-distance pianoplaying was the craze with picture palace pianists. The danger was happily averted. For quite a long time there were two of them dying to get to grips to see who was ‘the champion domino walloper in the area,’’ challenges were published in the papers and the trade members took sides. They were stirring days! Although the two prospective contestants must have decided in their modesty that the issue rested only between them, alas, they never mct on the ‘‘ white ivories."’ I still wonder what would have been the basis for judgment in this match, whether it would have been a long distance trial of strength and repertoire, or whether the fine points of music and the appropriateness of certain tunes to certain films would have scored the points. * * * * It was about this time, 1oo, that ‘‘ the greatest ever “in extemporists hit this little "burg, and say, Bo, he caused the boys to wonder,” until liis directors, encouraged by his success, thought they’d improve matters by making him leader of a small orchestra. Then he quit. He didn’t know music; at least, not sufficiently well to direct an orchestra, * * * * Singing to the films, of course, has not always been allowed, but it has always been quite easy in my part of the world to secure permission to have a lecturer. And so at one time there were several gentlemen doing nicely hereabouts lecturing and reciting to that class of picture which lent itself to their particular kind of aid. Whether they lent added interest to the pictures it would be hard to say, but it doesn’t really matter. I’m sorry for them, hut I’m afraid their day of glory and the limelight—or should it be ‘‘ kinemean darkness ’’?—has gone by. They must rely on the Thespian Temple. Undoubtedly, in the presentation of a picture the orchestral accompaniment, excellently rendered and with appropriateness, is the most appreciated. Vocal efforts, except before or alter the subject, unless they are something cxtra special, are apt to disturb some portion of the audience, and possibly to actually annoy some people. After all, the majority of people attend the kinemas to see the pictures. * * * * With the development of exploitation and the greater liberty which has been given by the authorities for the use of ‘* turns" and‘ stunts,’”’ many new features are being introduced to kinema programs, much to the delight of those people who prophesied years ago that ‘ pictures ’’ would be a craze like ‘* roller skating.” They are getting ready fo say I told you so. This inclusion of extraneous items they take as an indication that the films are failing to attract on their own merits, a fact that even the poorest exhibitor would he loth io admit. However, variety is the spice of life, but it should be the showman’'s endeavour to provide only that kind of variety which gives spice to his pictures. J.W.H. siti, ween a =