The Film Daily (1918)

12 DAILY Sunday, December 1, 1918 In Two-Reel Doses This May Ride. Center Ads on Maciste The Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Maciste in "THE LIBERATOR" Harry Raver Dist. — Continued Story in 12 Episodes It would seem to me that considerable would depend upon whether the fans in your community remember "Cabiria," "The Marvelous Maciste" and "The Warrior" as to whether or not you can do much with this ;is a serial. The production is decidedly different from the American serials but it has this unusual central figure as a basis for advertising, and while the stunts which he registers in some episodes are not particularly exciting, there is no doubt about the fact that he has done enough unusual things to probably create a definite curiosity among your fans as to what he is going to do next. It seems to me that one of the chief faults with the present arrangement is that the first three episodes have not enough of the American serial stuff, the fourth episode is practically a detached incident having to do with a visit to the chateau and if it were possible to do so, I think it would be a good idea to make this fourth episode the second, because once they have seen Maciste pulling these stunts with the additional touch of mysterious trap doors, etc., the fans will undoubtedly be willing to come back for quite a number of episodes before becoming discouraged. It is possible, the way the serial is now arranged, that after seeing three episodes without finding their customary wild stuff, that the serial fans will pass this as lacking in pep, punch and weird mystery of our pet thrillers. In advertising this serial, it would seem to me that you shoidd concentrate all your attention upon Maciste and his strong man stunts. It would also be advisable to cheerfully an-< nounce that this has been made in Italy, and I would suggest that you take this hunch and announce boldly the fact that the titles in this have been translated into American slang, with the result that the fans will get many laughs from seeing an Italian pull language such as only a true American could spill. These titles jar very badly in many spots because of this translation into the vernacular, and to my mind it would be smart to beat your fans to the criticism from that viewpoint by explaining in advance that it is going to hand them a few additional laughs. r "^ DUSTIN FARNUM IN A TREMENDOUS SURER PICTURE Now nearing completion "A MAN IN THE OPEN" Directed by Ernest C. Warde. Supervised by Robt. Brunton Foreign Distributor, David P. Howells, 729 Seventh Ave., New York UNITED PICTURE THEATRES OF AMERICA, Inc. A National Co-Operative Association of Exhibitors J. A. BERST President Executive Offices 1600 Broadway, New York Branches Everywhere ^.