Motion Picture News (Jun-Aug 1920)

Motion Picture N e zv s "EartKfound" Daring in Conception and Scope Reviewed by J. S. Dickerson THIS offering is notable. First from tlie angle of its darjng theme, the theory of the existence of an astral body. Second from the standpoint of production, lavish, carefully builded, wonderfully acted, faultlessly directed, a triumph from the point of technique and camera work. ■M ?S '''^^•'^ points all will ajree, but individual opinions will ditier widely, as widely as the characteristics of the individuals themselves after the angles we have enumerated have been disposed of. It will be taken seriously by those who are inclined to be serious with the occult idea. It will be scoffed at by those who scoff at anything that teaches or preaches of spiritualism. The hard-boiled fan shopping for entertainment may grow weary of the first half of the story containing little hint of what is to follow, the time-honored eternal triangle plot given unuriual footage and going into detail to securely plant the reasons for the thought to be presented later After the murder sequence, perhaps the best thing of its kind ever staged m a picture, a wide diversity of ideal on the balance of the feature are bound to be encountered. Ihose antagonistic for any reason, will instantly seize an opportunity to criticise presented by the fact that the a.stral body for a matter of months wears the same clothes as did the murdered man, forgetUng the limitations of even the camera, the necessity of preserving the conventions and mi,-sing entirely the great message back of the actual drama of ^'''y exist-will feel uncomfoi table when they witness a " ghost " walking about and the brainless see in the idea of the astral body, only one of their favorite plots messed up by the iniection of something they can't understand and are not interested in »rr=„.H^lS^ i °' ,P=°Ple we have mentioned will be arrayed the undeterminable number of " thinkers " who probably are not attracted to the picture theatre with any great nfJt "'f P'-oP^ly. exploited this picture will draw this class, and 1 they see it they are going to spend a lot of time tlT^J!'^ h-u^r ^"^ "^S"' °f "hich brings the oi^eri^g from an exhibitors standpoint down to an exploitation angll f„„ . 'l^iF"","! 'Ob', regarded as more than another fcaP'sy^d It exploitation possibilities far in excess of any offering that exists as mere entertfnU'^H^'nt^i Which naturally is presented by a production adapted from a widely read novel by a popular author th, ,'*jfi"^"V3M"««s will depend largely on the man and the theatre playing it. Admission prices will have no influence on Its patronage. People who want to see it will not haggle over the cost of thefr seat. Neither will they com plain If on viewing it they decide in the negative as to its entertainment value. It IS a production to play by itself and for Itself with no thought as to who is its sponsor its play ers or any of the other matters that usually are considered in booking a picture Earthbound " is a " production " or it IS nothing. It will stand or fall on that basis A. , .'!u^'"¥ = t° audiences and a great deal to the mdustry are to be gleaned from an inspection of this picture It establishes T. Hayes Hunter's standing as a director and Samuel Goldwyn's courage as a producer It IS a departure from the conventional and as such if for no _other reason should be hailed with acclaim. Kathryn Adams . a Robertson-Cole picture Cody Can Be Exploited " Occasionally Yours " Offers Exhibitors Fine Possibilities «y~vCCASIONALLY Yours," the W Robertson-Cole super-special starring Lew Cody, which will be released soon, is said to be a picture which lends itself easily to exploitation. And the Robertson-Cole experts claim to have taken full advantage of the possibilities offered by the original and novel title and the unusual story, brimful of vim and pep and sparkling with arresting situations, humorous and otherwise. ■Aside from the power of the star and the cast with which he has surrounded himself in this pictureBetty Blythe, Elinor Fair of Miracle Man " fame, Lillian Rambeau mother of Marjoric Rambeau, Lloyd Hamilton, the comedy star and others. " Occasionallv Yours'' can be made to draw, claims the distributors, if the exploitation suggestions already worked out are utilized. The features that will appeal to the hvc-wire exhibitor include a novelty herald, teaser ads, a postcard stunt, artistic newspaper ads commercial tie-ups, and special paper as well as lobby display photos and oil paintings that once seen by the exhibitor will be utilized to capacity. Equity Picture Is Scoring Novel Community Tie-Up Causes Interest m " Keep to the Right " m I'S^Si "'L'p";::';,; ^ production was^he name of slarrim. Edith T ,l„ fe r, „.h ?i ' I -"' PO"" of now hc'nu s„ 1 .Ch? -t,v t'"' '""^rest was ,he campaign that This buv was prepared for the picture This was the " Keep to the Right " cam ilK s„l, „, stan-.-rights buy~ s;iid to be fast accumulating tirsi feature of attraction lilt ivigiu cat paign of exploitation, whereby a tie-up between the picture and the salely-hrst movement where the picture is to be shown was planned and incorporated in the press-bnok now completed. Still another, and very significant feature of this attraction, outside ot the picture itself, is the pressbook prepared for the assistance of the exhibitor in getting full value out of the picture. The efforts of hquitys staff have been concentrated in turning out a press-hook complete m every detail. Edward NoUn and Edward Hearn during and alter their big light s to be released through Hodkinson. Oirector Willat ";i:eSe/iJ^S'riffiS%;;Sr O'Brien in East with Completed Prints Director John B. O'Brien has returned from Denver with the completed prints of "Black Sheep" a picturizalion of Will Pavne's Saturday Evening Post serial story, "'t ^^'^rV^S work on the first ot his O'Brien Productions. =1