Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2040 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 13 ' 'I Film News From Foreign Parts La Belle Otero, Famous Dancer, To Be Filmed Abroad special to Motion Pictube News. Paris, Sept. 1. INFORMED by Mr. Fred of the Fred * Monopole that they have succeeded in getting La Belle Otero to sign a contract to be filmed, I took the first opportunity to call on our Spanish diva and requested her to grant me an interview for the Motion Picture News. I am pleased to say that the interview was granted most immediately and that I was received at the Villa Maud in Bougival, a beautiful little country place right on the Seine near Paris, with such affability and grace by Madame Otero that the two hours I spent with her seemed to me a few minutes. " I was surprised to find that you have left your beautiful hotel," I said. " I have given my hotel to be used as an hospital for wounded soldiers, right at the beginning of this terrible war," Madame Otero told me. " I am living since at this villa, but hope to be able to return soon to my own home. I feel quite sure that this horrible war will be over before the end of this year. I have absolute faith in cards. I am Spanish, you know. Well, up till last month, not one of my ' Reussites ' succeeded, but since the last few weeks, every one succeeds. Will you see one?" " Of course I will," was my answer, and if I was such a strong believer in " Reussites " as Madame Otero, I would say, " Yes, the war will be over at the end of this year." Declined Spanish Comedies " You know, Madame, what I came to see you for?" I said. " Oh, yes, you want to know why I never consented to be filmed, do you?" " Yes," I said. " Well, it is very simple. I have had all sorts of offers and propositions. They wanted me to be filmed in some Spanish dramas, in some comedies, but I absolutely declined to do it until Mr. Fred came to see me and he submitted to me a scenario which immediately captured me. He calls it 'La Vie de la Belle Otero,' just the thing I want. We are going to Madrid, Barcelona, Seville and some other well-known Spanish places. I am to appear in my life, in my country and with my original surroundings. The scenario is most interesting and I am delighted with it. I was offered much larger salaries for a film, but I have accepted 50,000 francs for the one film, as it is just the very thing. " I am well known all over the world. I do not doubt that the film will be a great success. I for myself am going to do my best for it." Madame Otero has offered me a photograph of herself which I am pleased to reproduce for the readers of the Motion Picture News. I have called to see Mr. Dussaud. our great engineer, who just made the interesting discovery of the " cold light," and have asked him to give me some particulars for Mile. Otero the readers of the Motion Picture News of his great discoverj-, and here are Monsieur Dussaud's words : For the " Cold Light " " For many years I have been making all sorts of experiments with regard to the ' cold light,' and I am happy to say that my discovery has been crowned with success. Monsieur le Professor Branly. who submitted it the other day to the Academic des Sciences, has proved the great value of my invention. " With regard to the kinematograph. my new invention does away altogether with any danger of inflaming the film and we obtain even a stronger light than the present one used for the projection of films, but the light is, as I said, absolutely cold ; it will be possible to project the films on celluloid without any danger, or else from a photo graph on paper. Another big advantage of my discovery and of great interest to the cinemas will be, that all films will be seen in a bright lighted room. My cold light possesses such power that pictures will be seen quite distinctly on the screen, the theatre fully lighted. " We have tried it the other day in private and can assure you that the pictures were ven, distinct in spite of all the windows being open in the daytime. " You will agree that my invention will totally change the cinemas. There are many thousands of people who object to sit down in the dark for a couple of hours. Soon you shall be able to show your films in the bright daylight. No doubt it will greatly improve the cinemas." Gust.w K.\czka. CHRISTIE COMEDIES WILL HAVE NEW KIND OF TITLE Photographic titles which show action and are suggestive of the name of the comedies, are to be used on all Christie comedies consisting of two reels. This new ef-' feet that will improve the titles, will be to the first release of this size, " Bride and Gloom," according to statements made this week by Al E. Christie, head of the Christie Company. This feature will be accomplished by a double exposure process, which will give a plain field in the center of the frame for the tj'pe matter, and then allow a border around all four sides for suggestive motion pictures. The second Christie Comedy Company under the direction of Horace Davey is this week filming, " Prett>" Baby." in which a forgetful novel reading wife leaves her child in a department store, and wheels off a cab containing the child of the negro doorman. The mistake is not discovered until the father of the white child takes several friends home to see his son, and then learns that his own precious one has been lost at the ribbon counter. Betty Compson appears as lead in the role of Mrs. Newlywed, Neil Burns as the husband, Stella Adams the colored wife, and Dave Morris the doorman. CIRCULATION OF NATIONAL SUNDAY MAGAZINE IS 2,500,000 Owing to a typographical error a recent issue of MoTiox Picture News contained the statement that the circulation of the Matioval Sunday Magazine, in which the next Pathe serial featuring Pearl White will be published, was 500.000. The correct figure is 2.500,000.