Home Movies and Home Talkies (Jun 1933-May 1934)

HOME MOVIES & HOME TALKIES 305 The Film Classics To the Editor of Home Movies AND Home Talkies Dear Sie,^ — I was interested in your suggestion that imcut sub-standard prints of (silent) film classics should be made available. There are many sequences, e.g., the famous "separator " sequence, that I should like to examine in the hand to see just how they were done, and I still have an ambition to own a print of "Earth." I believe it is also possible to make available censored films of great technical interest, such as " October," or at least some of the most interesting sequences. There is the further point that many of us have never seen many of the classics in any form. I myself have never seen " The Birth of a Nation," "Intolerance," "The Last Laugh," "A Woman of Paris," " Potemkin," "Enthusiasm," "The End of St. Petersburg," "Ten Daj^s' Greed," "Turksib," and many more; and "The Italian Straw Hat " and "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari " only in the almost mirecognisably mutilated forms of 9.5-mm. super reels. And how about the reputed father of them all, ' ' The Great Train Robbery ' ' ? And contemporary films, "The 26 Commissars " ? But I am comjaletely out of agreement with your last paragraph on this subject, that the Film Institute might do something about it. Can you expect any sensible action from an organisation that jiroposes to film Shakespeare's plays ? They are great plays, sometimes great literature, and, containing but little action and no scenery which is not described in the lines, make first-class radio plays. Quite reasonably films for the blind, but thoroughly bad films for the normal being, bad enough to put them off Shakespeare for life. Could not you yourself make the necessary arrangements ? I should think Arcos, Ltd., would agree readily enough if they have negatives or new positives of classics in their possession, and the other firms concerned should be able to produce the original negatives without difficulty. Your Editorship must give you considerable standing as far as sub -standard films are concerned, as well as great facility for advertising the prints for circulation.^ — -Yours faithfully, James W. Harris. Clare College, Cambridge. November 27, 1933. Blacking Film to use it as Leader To the Editor of Home Movies AND Home Talkies Dear Sir,— -Well, you can do it with cellulose enamel, but it fills the si:>rocket holes rather and is not to be recommended. The best thing I know is ' ' Radium Black Shoe Paint ' ' (6d. at the haberdashery counter), and don't get it on your hands or you'll live with it for some weeks. I OUR LETTER BAG enclose a hastily done strip of Selo. This is not even, but can be made so by using the felt " brush " supplied with the bottle. The solvent is benzene, and I don't understand why the stuff should stick to either sid^ of the film— emulsion or base. However, one doesn't look heaven-sent materials in the mouth, and I hope the information will be of use.— Yours faithfully, (Signed) P. C. Smetiiurst. Sidcot, Heaton, Bolton. 5/Z£ TO 3uiTl£fi5 FOR 3P/N0L£ OR Screw A D/5C Cut out OF Metal yCe Thick (Approx. ) Mr. Houfiton^s Scheme To the Editor of Home Movies AND Home Talkies Dear Sir,— -I have just seen your correspondent's remarks re the question of using his unwanted lengths of 16-mm. films for leaders and trailers. I have enclosed a rough sketch showing a little device which I have fitted to my own projector. This consists of a metal disc which should be mounted on the projector so as to pivot over the front of the lens aperture or mount. I can use any old film for leader or trailer, the disc is kept over the lens xmtil the leader has gone through the gate, then opened up ; the title will then appear on the screen. If the disc is opened or closed slowly the title or picture will fade out or in very effectively. A device of this type should be fitted to all projectors, in my opinion. Your corresjjondent would do better to fit one of these in preference to dyeing his leaders or trailers.— Yours faithfully, G. F. Houfton. " Windyridge," Borrack Lane, Nottingham. To the Editor of Home Movies and Home Talkies Dear Sir, — I have found a method by which you can make odd lengths of film opaque when they are to be used as leaders and enders. First clean all the emulsion off the film, then apply ZEBO liquid grate poUsh evenly over one side of the film, with a soft brush and leave it to dry thoroughly. After it has stood for about twenty minutes polish it with a fairly stiff brush then finish loolishing with cotton wool. Care must be taken not to let the film get wet afterwards. — -Yours faithfully, (Signed) Thomas Wright. 3, Dovecale Road, Wallasey, Cheshire. LOCKNUT AND Ope/^ate ^P/?OJ-£CrO/?//EAD PROM FRonr i//Et/v An Editing Hint To the Editor of Home Movies AND Home Talkies Dear Sir, — Through Klein & Goodman, Philadelphia, Pa., I have read with interest your excellent magazine, being especially interested in your article on " Making the Most of YoiuFilm " appearing in the November issue. The following may be helpful : perhaps you have already suggested it in former issues ! Over here eggs are sold in long, narrow pasteboard boxes sub-divided into twelve little cells. These boxes I find of great assistance in my editing work. The film is viewed, cut into scenes, and these ' ' shots ' ' are made into neat little rolls, properly labelled by means of a narrow paper slip, and paper, with " shot " filed in one of the cells, being certain to have the pencilled label extend above the top of the cell. One then has the different strips in {Continued on page 319)