The Film Daily (1930)

THE Monday, July 21, 1930 Timely Topics A Digest of Current Opinion € )n the Selection }f Picture Titles 'TpHE selection of a title for a film production is of such great importance, that often art entire studio organization is thrown into a turmoil over the proper word or words to be used in formulating one. No amount of thought on the subject has been able to formulate a rule for devising titles, nor does anyone know why this or that title is a failure or a success. It is a fact that some plays and pictures have been doomed to failure by their titles although intrinsically the plays were excellent and entertaining. Some word combinations, though aptly descriptive of the opus they are designating, seem forbidding to theater goers, who just cannot be enticed in to view the play, even though it is generally reported to be meritorious. On the other hand there is no question but what mediocre products have been saved by a catchy and intriguing title. But the matter of getting such a title is far from simple. High executives go into a huddle often when the matter of a title is to be decided, and many and amusing the suggestions that come forward. But usually out of all of the offerings, a title is chosen that is satisfactory to the organization. Whether it will be an aid or a hindrance to the picture, can never be guessed until it has been launched upon the public to do its Stuff. If I had to suggest one elemental quality which all titles should possess, 1 would say brevity. The shorter the title, the better, in my (.pinion; but this, of course, increases the difficulty, for it is infinitely harder to pack significance in a brief title than in a lout; on — Robert Lord, Supervisor, First Nat'l Russian cinemas are divided into three classes: commercial cinemas in towns; workmen's clubs, and rural cinemas. z%0>* DAILY Along The Rialto with PhilM. Daly VE TOWNE is all aflutter today with announcement in the public prints of Squire John Wild Alicoate's publishing venture wherever one goes one hears wild rumors from the powdered gallants and their proud dames strolling on fashionable Broad Waye to the yokelry sipping their ale in the taverns, it is ye" sole topic of comment and in the Empey Club where the Elite of the Towne's business leaders mingle with colorful rapscallions of ye Stage, Screen and Worse, they are wagering considerable sums anent this highly heralded 1930 Directors' Annual some say it will prove to be a meretricious Work of Sage Comment and Wisdom, while others as stoutly contend that it can but prove to be a Mess of Hash spiced with a liberal Sprinkling of Boloney those who are wagering their currency on this latter assumption, are doing so because Squire Alicoate has associated himself in this publishing venture with Phil M. Daly and these gentry ask, forsooth, how can any good come from being embroiled with this Garrulous Fellow who dips his quill-pen in Red Ink and splatters the most Outlandish Yarns to be read at the firesides of our fair hamlet however, gallant gents and fair dames, this coming Saturday ye Printer will deliver the finished work in your hands, and then each can judge for himself as to whether it merits Applause or comes under ye category of Applesauce T/"EN BEHR, former U. S. Army cadet flyer, now known as the manager of Loew's State theater, was taken for a wild ride by Rog:er Q. Williams, the Bermuda flyer Williams did outside loops and tail spins till he had Ken dizzy that is. dizzier than usual, as one of his intimate friends remarked Moe Mootch, the Mail Clerk, observes: "Wit dose subway fans afannin de goil's skoits aroun dere silk-hose kolyums, its gettin so assat ican't keep muh mind on yours. Phil" ya right, Moe, those colums oughta be pinched for exposing too much scandal * * * * A/TISCHA VIOLIN, conductor at the Roxy, while driving out on Long Tsland the other nieht found his batterv went dead. .. .while fixiner it, a copper stuck a gun in his ribs and 3*"-oored him for b"ine: the mvsterious murderer. 3-X Mi^cha snorts a wild, bn^hv crop of hair, which led to the mis pnnrphension and without a license to identify himself, M^v-Vin wss in th» honseeow all night Frank Prendergast, rr»— nk Oossin. Joe Deeean and a bunch of the boys were in T 'ndv's the. other dav drinking a toast of ice-water to Al Singer, the new lightweight champ JOHN ARNOLD, treasurer of the American Society of Cinematoerraphcrs, is the inventor of the camera known as "Run tralo\v." this was one of the first mobile camera coverings. freeing cameraman from the restrictions of the unwieldy camera booths demanded bv sound photograohy, states "Cinematnorapher" The opera stars now in pictures, Lawrence ["ibbett and . ,l( \iniiM, are irdcnl amateur cinematographers, states William St u 1 1 he h"lievcs that this accounts for their grasp of screen technique, a', they are both experts with their cine cameras Ronald Colman's new feature, "Raffles," is tentatively set to open at the Rialto on Thursday, barring lastminute switch "DENNY RUBIN, after wowing 'em in several screen comedies, appears this week on the Palacp vande bill RKO has a neat tie-up with the CurtissWright Flving Service for exploiting Henry Jay Cobbs' Curtis'; FieM band the Sipht and Sound Corp. are making a picture of the band going through flying stunts at the field, which will be used as nart of the act fhat Cobbs and his gang will appear in over the RKO route EXPLOITETTES A Clearing House for Tabloid Exploitation Ideas c Got Two Good Cutouts From Texas Moon Display TAMES H. McKOY got two J good cutouts from the paper on "Under the Texas Moon." The mounted figure of Frank Fay from the 24-sheet was cut out for the outer lobby display. He made it more effective by placing rocks at the base, which gave a slightly cycloramic effect. Spotted effectively it made a great little ticket seller. The six sheet was varnished and treated as an oil painting, though in cutout. It was backed by a moon large and yellow, lighted from behind. On the face was "Hear Frank Fay sing 'Under a Texas Moon'." — Epes Sargent * * * Popular-Type Roles for Newspaper Campaign THE promotion in behalf of Pathe's "Holiday" at the Rivoli in New York played up the enactment of popular-type roles by the popular players heading the cast — Ann Harding, Mary Astor, Robert Ames, Monroe Owsley and William Holden — in a parallel campaign in the newspapers and on the lobby front. Heads of these players with their names and terse descriptions of their roles were the motif of both the newspaper and lobby front copy. — Pathe MANY HAPPY RETURNS Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following members of the industry, who are celebrating their birthdays: July 21 Ken Maynard Lloyd E. Nobles James O'Neill Peggy Cunard