Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1918)

October §, J Q / 8 2187 Scenes from the tableaux, " The Girls They Left Behind," and a dance pageant at the Circle theatre, Indianapolis PC Smashing Through to Berlin" Brings Out Big Advertising By Theatres p The American Star || CRASHING THROUGH TO BERLIN BIG advertising is marking the campaign of exhibitors in leading cities in putting over " Smashing Through to Berlin," the Jewel production of the history of the war. Striking page displays appeared in the Chicago papers at the start of the run of the picture at the Auditorium theatre, and it is being followed up with distinctive displays from the big advertising book issued by Jewel. One of the page displays uses the center of one of the page displays so prepared and in the corners appear cuts of Generals Foch, Pershing. Petain and Joffre. Quarter pages were used during the run of the picture at Quinn's Rialto in Los Angeles. This advanced showing was put on before the regular exploitation matter was ready and the copy was prepared by the Rialto's advertising department. However, all of this was built on the fact that this picture records actual events and that it shows all that has happened since the start of the war and why we are fighting. One of the Los Angeles displays printed quotations from the various local critics. The production got unusually strong no Kaiser Headed Slraighl For Hen Huns Smashed f Into Smithereens y^St^^ MATE* ON ALL (KO-.TS LYRIC THEATRE— Now Playing Every Critic Praises "Crashing Through to Berlin" They Like It— So Will You— Read What They All Say of Jeawell Productions 6-Reel War Review POSITIVELY THIS WEEK ONLY RialtO Broadway near 8th Quarter page advertisement of the Rialto, Los Angeles This imitation newspaper is prepared by Jewel productions and supplied to theatres in mat form. Name may be filled in at bottom tices and therefore the reproduction of them in display space added to the business. In addition to the advertising matter for newspapers the Jewel offices have prepared the fac similie of a newspaper, which is furnished in mat and cut form and which the exhibitor can use to get out an " extra " at the time of showing the picture. There is a space left for the name of the theatre and this is all that the exhibitor will have to supply. The idea of getting out these imitation newspapers has proven popular and managers in various sections have reported that it brings increased receipts. The campaign book which has just been issued is full newspaper size and includes three full page advertisements, two half page across the page, four four columns full, four quarter pages, one three column, seven two column and four singles, so that an exhibitor may pick just the sort that his space will permit him to use. McCormick Believes That Dance Is to Become Part of Photoplay Bills By Davis Hampton I WASN'T surprised when they told me *■ that six cylinder cars and horses and ponies and sledge dogs and camels had been used in the Circle theatre, Indianapolis, performances, for I had seen enough of the stage spectacles produced by S. Barret McCormick to expect anything from the Fall of Babylon to Noah's Ark reproduced in detail, but shades of the Czar and the Russian Ballet. When I found a real live ballet and the property list, and learned that almost from the opening of the Circle, McCormick had been producing ballets on an elaborate scale I agreed with the enthusiastic Indianapolis citizen who declared the Circle was a civic institution. In America the ballet has almost become the dodo bird of amusements. The beautiful art, through abuse and neglect, has almost become extinct. Occasionally some ambitious grand opera impresario will put on a " double header " and keep you up until after midnight looking at the graceful pantomine, but it may remain for the motion picture theatre following the McCormick lead to bring the ballet back into vogue. The ballet at the Circle is used frequently. Occasionally it serves to give an atmospheric effect to a picture, as in the case of " The Primeval Forest," a morality play done in dance as an embellishment to " Tarzan of the Apes." At other times characteristic and folk dances of the various nations are presented, while other programs will offer idyllic ballet creations as individual features in themselves. Just as music had become a vital part of photoplay presentation so may its kindred art of dance eventually reach the great masses through the theatres designed primarily for the shadow players.