The Film Daily (1923)

Sunday, May 13, 1923 11 Plenty Of Interesting Detail And Pictorial Appeal In South Sea Island Travel Picture "BLACK SHADOWS" World Tours, Inc. — Pathe DIRECTOR Edward G. Salisbury AUTHOR Actual happening SCENARIO BY None CAMERAMAN Edward G. Salisbury AS A WHOLE An interestingly presented photographic record of trip to the South Sea Islands STORY Deals with native customs and habits on the different islands DIRECTION Has caught some interesting customs and good detail, together with lovely tropical scenery PHOTOGRAPHY Very good LIGHTINGS . Natural PLAYERS Only natives EXTERIORS All interesting and some very beautiful INTERIORS None DETAIL Interesting CHARACTER OF STORY Expedition from San Francisco through the South Sea Islands LENGTH OF PRODUCTION. 5,000 feet Presented by World Tours, Inc., and released by Pathe is this latest record of another trip to the South Sea Islands, this time made by the Salisbury Expedition. Edward G. Salisbury, the producer of "Black Shadows," is said to be a fearless explorer, and after seeing the battle between two warring tribes of head hunters contained in the picture the title is easily understandable. The expedition starts from Los Angeles and by means of an animated chart, giving the route and the name of each island together with the nation owning it, the position of the travelers is always known. The first stop is made at the Marquesas Islands, and then the more civilized islands such as Tahiti, Pago Pago, Samoa and other Samoan Islands, where the natives, to quote Robert Louis Stevenson, "have but five interests in life — swimming, dancing, eating, resting and sleeping," all of which are photographed in detail. The water views in this section of the picture are extremely beautiful, particularly the scene showing the girl and boy sliding down the falls by means of a slippery rock. From this point the expedition travels to the Island of Bou, the largest of the Figi's, where there is scarcely any civilization at all, but the natives fairly mild and peaceful, and thence proceeds to the Solomon Islands, the home of the wild tribe called head hunters, because of their cannibalistic tendencies. It is at this juncture that the film is at its most thrilling point, and you see what appears to be a real battle between two tribes. The fantastic dances and head-dresses used by the natives in their efforts to have the war gods smile on them are seen in detail as is the water trip taken by the besieging tribe to the coveted island, and the final attack, ending in triumph for the aggressors. There are many bits of interesting detail here and there such as the spot on the Island of Taviuni where the 180th Meridian marks the division of the world's time, on one side of which it is Saturday when its Sunday on the other, the manner in which the breadfruit is picked and ripened, and the luxuriant growth of the Hibiscus flower from which the natives make mucilage. Besides the pictures of the natives Salisbury has incorporated beautiful shots of the islands and the surrounding waters, which are dotted with picturesque sailboats with crab-claw sails, that add much to the pictorial value of the film. t ;e a! td St e actf le id Is JL. le r sa ;d le le le st n iri of jn st i If Your Folks Like This Sort Of Entertainment It's A Good One Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor This is another south sea island picture on the order of the Martin Johnson pictures dealing with these same tribes and their habits and manner of living. If your folks are interested in this type of entertainment you can give them "Black Shadows" with the knowledge that they will be pleased with what they see. You can talk about the novelty of the picture and its pictorial appeal as well as the really educational angle that it presents. Mention the battle between the headhunters, for action, and play up the dances, executed by the natives. The title alone won't tell them what its all about, so give them an idea yourself and use posters prepared. ;rDri •st eri he itsih i 1*8 I i n i ;t ig ! ve to