International Review of Educational Cinematography (Jan-Dec 1934)

THE EDUCATIONAL FILM IN THE WORLD OF LABOUR 741 c) Films for the public: With these, the aim is difficult to attain and, to judge from present experience, attempts have not met with great success. In fact, the number of films in this class is very limited, and technically they are not always above criticism. For the most part they are propaganda films dealing with social diseases, above all tuberculosis, alcoholism and venereal diseases. Such films should constitute Lessons on specific points, and should be prepared with the same care and the same scientific accuracy as any other lesson or textbook. But the actual teaching which is the aim of such films should be wrapped up in an interesting or amusing story. Herein lies their great difficulty, and it has not been overcome despite the most cordial and complete understanding between doctor and technician. The most serious handicap is that the audience often compares these films with others wholly within the theatrical domain. To get over this, the practical part is often sacrificed to the story, and unfortunately the story is not always free from glaring scientific errors. Collaboration between the different interests capable of contributing to the complete success of the undertaking is essential in the production of any film of an educational character. It is in fact the only means of ensuring a proper balance between the various parts of the film. Several other facts explain why the propaganda film has not attained its end, why the technical side and the details detract from the medical and hygienic data — certainly the most difficult to handle — why, in fact, we do not share the opinion of those who think that industrial pathology lends itself very well to every aspect of cinematographic propaganda. The reasons are very simple : the cultural film on social diseases and, to a greater extent, the film on occupational diseas es, shows people suffering from a disease: paralysis, palsy gout or what not. Here, paradoxical though it may seem at first sight, the elements are static and not cinematographic. We shall always be shown, for example, a doctor auscultating a patient, microscopic examinations, various clinical researches in connection with diagnosis, the part of the body affected, etc. And this is all. Rarely will the film deal with any characteristic lesion. An emaciated, sickly, cachectic person may be suffering from tuberculosis, serious lead poisoning, or ankylostomiasis. Paralysis of an arm or a hand may be due to widely different causes. It is true that medical propaganda could be supplemented by notions of hygiene, and it could be shown, for example, how dusts or toxic gases can be eliminated. But for this, one can only show parts of factories or places where the installations in question are working, without offering the « movement » essential to the success of the film. Here again the subject is static, and a spoken commentary must supply many details that the film can only give inadequately or not at all. Further, films on first aid in the metallurgical industry, the prevention of certain accidents in agriculture, individual hygiene for the worker's welfare in the factory, for examples, are doubtless very interesting for those dealing with problems of these kinds, but they are not very attractive for the general public, and especially for the persons directly concerned. In conclusion, it must be said that as yet there do not seem to be any propaganda films on social diseases or industrial or working-class hygiene that could be recommended as models. Most films on these topics have drawbacks and defects so serious that it would be better not to use them at all. Consequently any practical suggestion for the production of better films would be welcome.