The Film Daily (1928)

I THE ae&if^ ;uitay, August 5, 1928 WTW 90 DAILY ^ 9 PICTURES TIPS ON EQUIPMENT AND VARIOUS DEVICES NOW AVAILABLE IS SYNCHRONIZED SCORE AS PREFERABLE itrons would rather listen to a vhronized musical score than to 11 inadequate orchestra, according ) M-ank R. Wilson, head of M. P. ,ital Corp., who is sponsoring J cctone, phonographic synchronia^n device. Wilson is sailing Sat<-\y for Europe to map plans for iluction of the device there with ilia," with which it is being road cd in the United States. ,/ilson and M. J. Weisfeldt, isidling "Simba" and Dulcetone, la'liched the picture and synchronii3on device last year on Broadway, )l'ing 11 weeks at the Earl Carroll hitcr at $2 top. n that run, the picture grossed 513,000, according to Wilson. The ihw was offered in 24 cities last jfison. Eight companies are to be set on the road this fall. [n any picture entertainment, the picture is'irimary and the music secondary," Wil^0 declares. "Given a poor picture comwith a symphony orchestra made up best musicians as against a good pic[f accomponied by artificial music, the pt;ic will give its support to the latter. [We were tremendously impressed with tb comments of the public in the twentyfc cities in which we have played "Simba" i,?i road show attraction. It was the uniVI. al comment of patrons that the quiet, diiiified musical accompaniment provided by til Dulcetone was more satisfactory and less ja,ing than the average traveling orchestra. En Paul Whiteman, who came to see our alaction at the Earl Carroll Theater decled that the experiment had greatly imposed him and that he would rather listen tcuch a score, played in a subdued manner th to listen to an inadequate orchestra. Just as the phonograph record made the wks of great artists available throughout til world on equal terms, so will the syn cimized mechanical music make the product 03 the best orchestras available in the renest theaters, and the result will be a ber general average of musical entertainn;it in the theaters throughout the world. I; will be commercially profitable for the pducer and exhibitor alike, because it is i;!iiie with the economic development of the ties." MOVE SLOWLY ON SOUND London — Urging the English trade to watch its step on sound pictures, Ernest W. Fredman, editorially in the "Daily Film Renter" points out the importance of ascertaining whether there are legal entanglements either in projecting the film or in the installation of the reproducing equipment. Referring to the situation in America Friedman states: "It would seem that in their haste to take advantage of this new entertainment novelty American producing firms have not exhibited that sound business caution which they would have observed in negotiating any ordinary commercial transaction, such as the purchase of land for a studio, or the rights of a story for conversion into a motion picture. Warnings against stampede have been uttered over and over again by wise and experienced leaders of the industry, but the American passion to get there first seems to have outrun discretion. The situation bristles with difficulties for the exhibitor as well as for the producer of the film, for it is a serious business for a showman to advertise the screening of a sound-film and then be met with an injunction which makes his advertising false and thus damages his goodwill." ^ Applying this state of affairs to England, Friedman continues: "All this squabble is germane to the business to be effected here in this country, and it cannot be too strongly urged that the greatest caution should be exercised by all who are contemplating the installation of sound-film apparatus, in order to make indubitably certain that the title to film and to free use of apparatus is perfectly clear. Trouble is easy enough to get without paying a high price for it, and the trade will be wise to make examination of every detail, even to the point of securing that the legal representatives of the trade associations submit the various agreements offered to their specialist investigation." Largest Victrola H'c^t Coast Bur. THE FILM DAILY Los Angeles — Grauman's Chinese is equipping with what is claimed to be the world's largest Victrola. It is audible a mile away, the theater claims, and is being installed in the forecourt of the theater. N.Y. CRITICS DIVIDED u yf r:W SCREEN TECHNIQUE FORECAST BY VEILLER rhe screen story of the future will 1 a combination of scenario and Sge play, according to Bayard Veil1, author of "The Trial of Mary -ligan," who has just returned to );w York from the Coast. He will Turn to Los Angeles in September t supervise the M-G-M production (i his play. jThe talking picture will antiquate t; screen continuity which is used ; the basis for filming today," said .'.iller. "At the same time the stage ly itself cannot be utilized as it ^inds." TWO RECORDERS TO BE INSTALLED BY PATHE West Coast Bureau, THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Two RCA Sound recording equipments are to be installed soon at Pathe. "The Godless Girl" is to be the first picture to be synchronized, following installation of the equipment. Musical and sound effect synchronization already is under way, and retakes are planned 1.0 inject dialogue into the picture. Other pictures which are to be photographed include: "Show Folks," with Lina Basquette, Eddie Quillan and Robert Armstrong; "The Spieler" with Jacqueline Logan and Alan Hale; "Annapolis" with Jeanette Loff and John Mack Brown; "Ned McCobb's Daughter" with Irene Rich; "Noisy Neighbors" with Eddie Quillan and the Quillan family; "The Leatherneck" starring William Boyd; "Square Shoulders" with Junior Coghlan and George Duryea, and "Listen Baby" with Lina Basquette and Eddie Quillan. New York critics are pro and con on the effectiveness of the sound score and effects for "White Shadows" of the South Seas" now in its first week at the Astor. Their opinions are published below, straight criticisms on the picture appearing on page 12. AMEKICAN — * * It is a sound picture, the beautiful accompanying score havnig been arranged by Dr. William Axt and Uavid Mendoza. * * • EVENING JOURNAL—* • * The orchestration and sound effects are extremely effective. In other words, don't miss seeing "White Shadows of the "South Seas." GRAPHIC—* * * But because of the talkie craze, loud, jarring voices of alleged South Sea origin smote the ear at various intervals and for divers purposes. In one reel it was a guttural mob noue, later laugh ter and even moaning, to denote sorrow. HERALD-TRIBUNE—* • * In the shipwreck scene in the beginning of the picture, the tumult of wind and wave is exeremely helpful, but the other intermittent appearances of sound, ranging from cries of fright and lamentation of the natives to the shouts of the white men, were considerably less than effective. * • • POST — * * * all in all, a canny, rhythmic piece of work, aided considerably by the restrained use of sound effects which record the babble of native voices, death chants and the slapping of water on the beach. * * * SUN — * * * The recording of the music was admirable — but I could have done without the rest of the sounds. * * * TELEGRAM-* * * If you have never read O'Brien's book you will be bored. If you have you will be sick. And that is the first Metro Goldwyn movie with sound. If you can get a jolt out of a Movietone hula you are a better man hiau I. * * * TIMES — * * * is Metro-Goldwyn's first "sound" film and it deserves nothing on that score save the word "average." The theme song is pretty, but when shouts and wailings are introduced the effects become pathetic. * * * WORLD—* * * For almost the entire length of the picture the rather scraping, tinny sounds of an orchestra rendering a stickily sentimental theme melody is nearly all of the sound. ♦ * * SOME LIKE SOUND. OTHERS DON'T IN NECRI PICTURE Opinions of New York critics on the sound used at the Paramount in conjunction with "Loves of an .■\ctress" are divided. John S. Cohen. Jr., in the Sun thinks the score is of high quality; other critics were not so complimentary. Excerpts from their criticisms follow, straight opinions on the qualities of the picture appearing on page 12. DAILY NEWS—* * * at times the synchronization is much too loud. Also the voices heard during a theater scene are too audible. Audiences at the Comedie Iran caise don't yell during a performance. Or, do they? * * * EVENING JOURNAI.— * * • Sound effects are synchronized with the photoplay, and although one does not hear the voices of any of the characters there are such sounds as applause in the theater, the crying of a baby, the hoofbeats of horses and the singing of a love song during the more romantic sequences. * • • EVENING WORLD— • * ♦ And the picture is helped hardly at all by sound accompaniment, for the musical score and the other claptrap is done badly. * * • POST — •* * * the scoring and synchroni zation are something less than might have been expected from even an indifferent orchestra. * * * SUN — * * * is musically synchronized and the recording is of a high quality — except in the case of the applause at the Comedie Francaise. * * * TELEGRAM—* * * Mary McAlister turns up in a minor role. The picture has a pleasantly synchronized score, with a little door knocking thrown in. * * * TIMES—* * * The varied noises taking part in the action of the picture range from the squealing effect when a baby is shown crying through sundry barnyard eflfects early one morning to vocal selections. "Betsy" Run Extended New Orleans — "Glorious Betsy," Vitaphone talking picture which inaugurated sound synchronization at the Tudor, is now in its fifth week. An indefinite run was not the original intention but "Glorious Betsy" continues to draw and so it is that "The Jazz Singer," booked to follow, is still awaiting its turn. The Saenger also is playing Vitaphone. PUSH SOUND STAGE WORK AT METROPOLFTAN STUDIO West Coast Bureau. THE FILM DAILY Hollywood — Two sound stages and group of buildings which will house the Western Electric apparatus required in the making of sound films are under way at Metropolitan. The 30-acre tract which the Christies hold at Studio City will also be available. The units affected by the establishment of sound stages at Metropolitan are Harold Lloyd Prod., Christie Comedies, Caddo Prod., Douglas MacLean, Pathe, Charles Hutchinson, Burton King, Trent Carr, Cliff Broughton, First Division, Batchelor, Mascot, Varco, Nat Spitzer, .A.nchor, Carlos Prod., J. P. McGowan, H. D. Edwards and Francis Ford. Quality Handling Electrograph Omaha — Distribution of Electrograph, duo-turntable phonographic sjfnchronization device, is handled by Quality Theater Supply Co. in this territory.