The Film Daily (1931)

Tuesday, May 26, 1931 THE -<2^ DAILY NEW BOOKS On the Art and Business of Motion Pictures RECORDING SOUND FOR MOTION PICTURES, edited by Lester Cozvan for the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences. Published by McGrawHill Book Co.. Inc., Nezv' York. $5. Introduction and adaptation of sound equipment, creation of a new production technique, and the rise of a new engineering profession arc well covered in this compilation of a series of lectures originally given under the auspices of the Academy of M. P. Arts and Sciences for the benefit of studio employes, technicians, directors, actors, writers and producers. As a text-book on sound recording it will prove extremely valuable in promoting mutual understanding and co-ordination between studios, laboratories and theaters. Taking sound from its commercial beginning, the various lectures, augmented from their original form and accompanied by numerous illustrations, deal practically with such matters as the technique of recording in the studio and on location; booms, blimps and microphones ; different recording systems in use, including Vitaphone, RCA Photophone, Fox Movietone and Western Electric light valve ; acoustics of sound stage and theater; film laboratories and their work; assembling the talking picture ; sound reproducing systems ; practice and problems of sound projection, and the most comprehensive glossary for the motion picture technician that has ever been published. Among authorities contributing to the book are William C. de Mille (foreword), Carl Dreher, H. G. Knox, Lester T. Cowan, Col. Nugent H. Slaughter, Ralph H. Townsend, E. H. Hansen, L. E. Clark, Fmery Huse, Wesley C. Miller, Frank E. Garbutt, I. James Wilkinson, Albert W. DeSart, S. K. Wolf, John O. Aalberg, R. H. McCullough and others. THE TALKIES, by John Scotland. Published by Crosby !7^ockzvo]od & 'Son, London. A British angle on the development and technique of sound pictures, from early experiments to >the present day. The book is of an elementary nature, dealing also with [color, and is of chief interest to the layman. In the U. S. 115 million patrons pay $30,000,000 at the box-office every week. Tilt RULI • • • WE RECALL with a feeling akin to awe the statement of A. P. Waxman, advertising and publicity chief of RKO Pathe, made at the time the new setup of the reorganized Rooster was announced in effect, A. P. said that the new organization was going to function without buncombe, blah and ballyhooey that the company was out for Results and they'd leave it to John Public and his family to do the Shouting and when we read that statement not so long ago, we sez "Great! But some fathead or group of fatheads somewhere along the long and tortuous line of slippery Production Technicalities will throw the old Blah into the Works — and fooey! Bye-bye Mister Waxman's Glorious Pronouncement!" and right this minute we sit dazedly groping for the right keys on this ole word-mangier trying to tell all you muggs that the Miracle has happened string us up for a dirty red herring if we lie we just saw it with our own cynical orbs we came to sneer and remained to Cheer and how! as the first two samples of the RKO Pathe new line of short comedy product flashed before us in the projection room They've Put it Over! without buncombe, blah or ballyhooey and we tottered out after the show, scrammed back to our desk and put a Red Circle around the calendar date May 25 for that, gents and others of the film biz, marks a New Era in the Industry when a big producing organizashe knocked off two Pip Comedies in a row kicking overboard all the Outworn Hoosh and Be fore-the-War Technique that so many are STILL clinging to and gave the world Intelligent Comedies with every foot of film fairly exuding Class, Brains and Laughs without a single mechanical tick in 'em anywhere Spontaneous Comedy at last! aw, it's almost too good to be true but what gets us is that they could build up an organizashe, these RKO Pathe fellers without a single Fathead anywhere along the line to Gum the Works * * * * • • • TAKE THAT first of the Masquer Comedy series, f'rinstance "Stout Hearts and Willing Hands" without question the finest takeoff on the old meller hokum that has ever been screened they didn't miss a thing Our Nell the Folks in the Old Homestead the Villain with the Mortgage the Pure Hero with High Ideals and a Real Plot! moving inexorably to the climax in the Saw Mill where Right Triumphs and Villainy meets its Doom say, folks, it's grand! it's more than just spoofing it's delicious Satire the highest form of comedy so artfully presented that the dumbest moron can get it but, ah, there's a Reason which we will try to elucidate • • • THIS COMEDY has honest t' gawd stars in every role it was produced by the Masquers Club of Hollywood which has done for the screen what the Theater Guild has done for the stage they have put Artistic Achievement above Box-Office Bunk and lo, they emerge with a Box Office Wow every character was picked for the thing they could do better than anybody else in Hollywood they had their heart's in their work and, boy, how they delivered! Frank Fay, the hero Laura La Plante, the golden haired Nell Lew Cody, the perfect villain Mary Carr, the gray-haired mother Alec Francis, the broken father with the original Keystone cops. Ford Sterling, Mack Swain, Chester Conklin, Clyde Cook, Hank Mann, James Finlayson, Bobby Vernon and picture Tom, Owen and Matt Moore as the ole time bartenders so much alike they had to have their names on their aprons we'd tell you more but why spoil your fun? in seeing for yourself the Practically Perfect Comedy and Frank McHugh in the other comedy of newspaper reporters, "That's News to Me," is just as good in its field miles away from the Old Feeble Gags, flashing a New Technique so good that it deserves a Column All to Itself saying which, we leave you, almost unconscious from the Shock Two Comedies in one day! pass the red-eye, Giuseppe it's a pleasure Short Shots from New York Studios __. By HARRY N. BLAIR UERB WILLIAMS is the latest of Larry Kent's list of short subject headliners to complete a onereeler. It is called "Kidding on the Keys" and Ray Cozine directed. The George Fawcett reported among the sailings yesterday was not the veteran screen player, who is at present working in "Personal Maid" at the Paramount studios. Reri, the South Sea Island beauty, who scored such a great success in Paramount's "Tabu" that she will be featured in the next Ziegfeld "Follies," paid a visit to the Paramount New York studios and was much impressed with the way in which talkies are made. Vernon Duke has completed the score of "The Night Angel," in collaboration with Frank Tours, musical director. Entire score is based on original melodies composed by Edmund Goulding who also directed. Maria Gambarelli, noted danseuse, better known to New York audiences and a large radio public as "Gamby," makes her first appearance for Vitaphone in "Gold Digging Gentlemen," a short musical comedy, now being edited. George Folsey, chief cameraman, ?s the first member of the Paramount New York studio to enroll in the Film Daily Annual Golf Tournament. Paramount's New York studio was the background for many of the unusual camera studies now on exhibit at the Motion Picture Club. Irving Browning is the photographer responsible for the entire group of 38 studies attracting widespread comment. Sanford M. Abrahams, formerly in charge of publicity at the Vitaphone studio, is editor of the Warner Club Tatler, a snappy news sheet. Sidney Rechetnik, who succeeded him, is an associate editor. Many Happy Returns « « « » » » Best wishes and congratulations are extended by THE FILM DAILY to the following meni bers of the industry, who are celebrat ing their birthdays: May 26 Al Jolson John Wayne Paul Lukas Norma Talmadge Viola Brothers Shore Chandler Sprague i