Harrison's Reports (1930)

IN TWO SECTIONS— SECTION ONE Entered as second-class matter January 4, 1921, at the post office at New York, New York, under the act of March 3, 1879. Harrison’S Reports Yearly Subscription Rates: ^tnited States $15.00 C. S. Insular Possessions. . 16.00 ..lanada, Alaska 16.00 exico, Spain, Cuba 16.00 Great Britain, New Zealand 16.00 Other Foreign Countries.. 17.50 35c a Copy 1440 BROADWAY New York, N. Y. A Motion Picture Reviewing Service by a Former Exhibitor Devoted Exclusively to the Interests of Exhibitors Its Editorial Policy: No Problem Too Big for Its Editorial Columns, if It is to Benefit the Exhibitor. Published Weekly by P. S. HARRISON Editor and Publisher Established July 1, 1919 Tel. : Pennsylvania 7649 Cable Address : Harreoorts (Bentley Code) A REVIEWING SERVICE FREE FROM THE INFLUENCE OF FILM ADVERTISING Vol. XII SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1930 No. 45 THE VALUE OF WIDE FILM PICTURES The recent showing of three wide film pictures in this city, “Billy the Kid,” a Metro-GoldwynMayer, at the Capitol, “The Big Trail,” a Fox, at the Roxy, and “Kismet,” a Warner Bros., at the Hollywood, has given an opportunity to those interested in wide film to make a study of it and to arrive at conclusions as to its future possibilities. In scenic shots, where action is absent, the double size screen picture is effective — the beauty of the natural scenery is enhanced ; but in action shots, the wide picture is immaterial, for the mind becomes absorbed in the action to the exclusion of everything else; and if it does not become so absorbed, it is annoyed by the necessity of shifting the head continuously in order to take in everything. It is just like trying to watch a three-ring circus. That annoyance is caused to one by the shifting of his head to direct his eyesight to other parts of the screen, it is supported by science : In typography, the maximum len^h of the line is governed by the size of the type. It has been found by experiments that when the type used is eight point, the line reads the easiest if it is eighteen picas long. The length of line used in newspapers is, as a rule, thirteen picas long, for anywhere from six to eight point-type. This did not just “happen”; it has been the result of research work, which took into con.sideration the extent of the field of vision at the distance a normal-vision person holds the paper. What is true in typography is in a measure true in motion pictures. A picture double the present size should necessitate longer auditoriums so that the spectator might stand at a distance where his field of vision would fairly cover the entire picture without being obliged to shift his eyesight to any great extent. It will ahso make useless at least onethird of the seats in the part of the auditorium nearest to the screen, not to mention the seats in the extreme sides of the theatre. Even if there were no such disadvantages, what will be gained by the wide picture will not be proportionate to the expense for new equipment and other requirements. At first, a wide picture will be a novelty and will no doubt (Iraw a certain percentage of people over the regular number ; but as the novelty wears off, things will settle down to the pre-wide picture conditions, where the drawing powers of a picture depended on quality of story, or fame of a book, or popularity of the star. Without these factors, neither sound, color, nor any other trimmings can draw customers to the box office, unless it be by misleading the public through sensational advertising. That the size of the present day film is inadequate to produce the right kind of picture no one can deny ; the sound track has recluced the width of the frame considerably and has forced the directors to cram their players and the objects that must be shown into a narrow space. The size of the silent picture was fairly satisfactory for all purposes. So if it were possible to add to the standard film enough width to accommodate the sound track, leaving the size of the picture the same as it was in the silent picture days, the size of the picture should satisfy all requirements fairly well. But it would break the industry to make the change, as will be shown in a forthcoming editorial. This paper would advise its subscribers not to become panicky over the wide film. It was different with sound ; sound was absolutely necessary, because it was something life has and the picture, which is supposed to represent life, did not have. Double picture width is not necessary, for, as said, when one is interested in the subject, one forgets the size of the objects. Let the producers give you good pictures on standard size film, and they can keep their wide film. A REMEDY FOR THE LATE REVIEWS OF FIRST NATIONAL AND WARNER PICTURES Warner Bros, and First National, since Warner Bros, took it over, are not showing their pictures to the reviewers ; and as they are releasing them in this city long after their national release dates I cannot give you early reviews on the pictures of these companies. In order to accommodate those of you who want early reviews on these two companies’ pictures, I have made an arrangement with an out-of-town reviewer, in whose critical judgment and honesty I have great faith, to send me reviews on these two companies’ pictures as soon as they are shown in his town. These reviews will be marked, “Out of town reviews,” so as to distinguish them from my own reviews. WHAT JOE SAYS AND WHAT HE MEANS! Joe Schenck, Czar of producing Hollywood when pictures were silent, made the following statement recently : “The entertainment world is entering a new era of prosperity; the slump is over and there is no need for further worry.” And just to prove that the prosperity wave has struck United Artists, Joe has ordered a ten per cent cut in the salary of every person working for that organization.