Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS How Wild Animals Live Midgar Features — Five Reels neighbor.'' This is the spirit, he does not seem to care about the quality, his desire is to beat his competitors. He cares so little for the quality that when he shows nine reels and wants to have three shows during the evening, he runs his reels at a speed of ten minutes per reel; in other words, he tries to show six reels in the time required to show three reels properly. He knows that reels run at such speed are unsatisfactory, the actions are so precipitate as to render them unnatural, the patrons have no time to read the sub-titles, consequently they lose the thread of the story, the strain on the eyesight is such as to keep some patrons away. How can you expect the exhibitor to be more particular on good music, when he is so careless in the projection of the picture? I have no doubt that the time is coming when we will have full orchestras able to play the picture, but before the exhibitors can make any money with such musicians, they will have to change their ways. They must discard the ugly posters that give such a cheap appearance to the theatre; they must give up the idea of long programs; come back to a more rational show of three reels only of the best and properly projected pictures. Musicians able to play the picture are artists, they have a certain pride, and they do not want to be known to play in a side show. There is no doubt that in the course of time the manufacturers of films will produce pictures to fit certain music. This feature is not a dream, it is coming, but when? When the exhibitors will combine their efforts to give a refined show, when the theatres will be such as to encourage the patronage of persons able to appreciate fine pictures and good music. The manufacturers are ambitious, they are ready to lavish money on good productions and uplift the industry, but in the name of common sense, they do not feel justified to spend money, time and energy on first-class productions when the exhibitor of to-day shows, side by side, a good picture with a punk film. If a back alley manufacturer produces a negative at a cost of $500 in which he introduces some out of place sensational thrills and is clever enough to have very sensational posters, he has more chances to dispose of his prints than the . manufacturer who spends $5,000 on a clean moral negative of high quality. I do not discourage the full orchestra or pipe organ, but I advise all exhibitors who have not the best pictures, the patronage and the means to pay first-class musicians, to abandon the full orchestra and the pipe organ and to return to the piano with a drummer. J. M. B. A GREAT number of animal pictures have been attempted before with varying success, but there has never before been anything produced that is such a faithful reproduction of animal life as it actually exists far from the "madding crowd." Past animal features have for the most past introduced a few lions in some jungle scene that is run in with a drama, or perhaps a comedy. Some of the larger manufacturers have a menagerie for this sole purpose. These pictures are not taken from a menagerie, but are "caught'' right on the spot, after patient and arduous work on the part of the operator. Many were the schemes, attendant only on failure, tried, until finally success met their stubbornness and the pictures are the result. The pictures are arranged in five series so that they may be used as lectures if so desired. The titles and sub-titles are self-explanatory, and are interesting in themselves. Caterpillars and moths are taken for the first part of the first lecture, thence shifting to dormice in their nests. It shows the difficulty of awakening them, and tells a vivid story of how they live with their young. The peacocks and Chinese geese make good subjects, particularly the latter. The ending of the first reel deals with spiders, including a diagnosis of the terrible tarantula. VITAGRAPH'S BIG CURTAIN A magnificent castle with turrets and parapets and towers pointing into the cloud-hung skies is the feature of one of the largest drop-curtain scenes ever attempted in motion pictures. The "drop" is eighty feet long and forty feet high. It is the work of the Vitagraph Company of America for a play entitled "Heartsease." The scene takes in not only the painted castle, but a whole forward wing of the building as well, reproduced in wood and brick. This portion catches afire in the play and is ravaged by wind-driven flames that leap from its windows and break through the crevices of its stone walls. The entire scene represents an old English castle of the medieval type, with the accompanying • terraces, green lawns and box-hedge gardens. A sparkling fountain plays its leaping waters before the front entrance of the dignified and impressive old stronghold of barons and beautiful women, and a luxury of bright colors is supplied by the artistic flower-beds. The painting of the large drop-curtain was done by John Moore and the scene was planned and laid out by Director L. The second reel introduces some snakes and insects, the latter part, however, being devoted to the study of the polar bear in various antics. A dace snake, changing his skin, and then, ravenously hungry, eating a whole fish, first turning it round in its mouth, presents many interesting problems. The third installment depicts the lives of wild animals in Central Africa. This picture was taken at a great risk on the part of the operator, who did not have anyone to help him if needed. Lions and jackals eating their food and burying what was left are shown. Vultures are photographed so nearby that the camera was nearly touching them. The most beautiful but dangerous leopard finished up this reel. The fourth reel consists of birds and animals we meet in our daily life. Among these might be mentioned the kinglet, cat playing with young rabbits, wild-cats and rabbits and ferret. The fight between a water-beetle and a worm is something original to the picture world. The concluding part consists but of two subjects, namely, doves and moor hens. The latter were very well pictured indeed. Every school in the world should have these pictures on exhibition as part of the curriculum. A. D. M. Rogers Lytton, both members of the Vitagraph staff. Miss Rita Moya, of 127 Brixton Road, S. E., England, who is a wellknown comedienne there and shows lantern slides in the motion picture theatres of the British Isles, desires to hear from American manufacturers of song slides with a view of obtaining lantern slides to show in her entertainment. SCENE FROM "A MOMENTOUS DECISION" Lubin.