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May 1938
FILMINDIA
system in production, a lamentable mismanagement all-round, extravagant expenditure, have all contributed to the downfall of the industry.
From the very beginning, British pictures have been poor imitations of American pictures, and have never been popular with the British public. That is why the ■quota system was introduced, whereby a certain percentage of pictures exhibited in Britain had to be British. This is an eloquent comment on the quality of the product. Since the advent of the talkies, the British director has found his work simplified. He bodily transports stage successes to the screen, for the camera has only a photographic, and not a cinematic use for him. He has no idea of universal appeal in his pictures.
Crude and Devoid of Soul
The financial backing to the British industry has always been unlimited. Just before the crash,
several banks had advanced huge sums oi money to the producers (only to lose practically all of it.) The technical equipment of the sudios has been of the highest quality. In fact, the British producer has had the benefit of everything — finance, equipment, a protective measure. And yet the average "All British" picture Is so crude in content and so devoid of soul that it is unfit for public exhibition. It can entertain only drunken, homesick Englishmen overseas.
Paul Rotha, an English critic, in his excellent book "The Film Till Now" says, while speaking of British films, "British studios are filled with persons of moderate intelligence who are afraid of any new process in case their feeble mentality is not sufficiently clever to gTasp its significance. The very few mediocre pictures coming out of British studios are anything but British, for most of the stars, directors and technical staff
are either American, German or French.
To those who bluster that London will soon become a Super Hollywood, the following facts and figures about the British film industry, from the "News of the World" England, might be of interest:
"The industry normally employs
10,000 people Of these 10,000,
at least 8,000 skilled technicians, cameramen, carpenters, small part players and 'extras' are now out of work.
There are 30 British studios, most of which are standing idle, maintained by skeleton staffs, or in some cases deserted.
There are 80 stages , but
less than a dozen are at present being used.
Association of Cine Technicians: "Of our 750 members engaged in the studios, at least 600, are out of work."
Had not Anglo-India better do something in the matter?
\
Surendra and Bibbo that singing pair gives some marvellous music in "Gramaphone Singer" a Sagar
picture directed bv Mr. Virendra Desai.
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