Motography (Jan-Jun 1914)

18 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XI, No. ture Exhibitors' League of America, and the birth of a new body, called the International Motion Picture Association; but efforts are already under way again to unite and consolidate these two organizations, and before 1915 dawns Motography will undoubtedly be able to record the accomplishment of this much-to-be-desired event. The proverbial "In union there is strength," certainly holds true with respect to such a consolidation. Players' organizations, such as the Screen Club and the Photoplayers, have grown by leaps and bounds, created new and magnificent homes for themselves and bid fair to equal both in name and fame the older organizations of the legitimate stars. Names hitherto always seen in electric lights over the entrances to the nation's largest legitimate theaters can now be found as featured stars on motion picture posters, for celebrated players the world over are following the lead of Sarah Bernhardt and "going into pictures," having discovered that the work in films offers them opportunities far more to be desired than any rewards for work on the legitimate or vaudeville stage. This influx of new stars and the filming of gigantic spectacles and famous plays or novels has enabled the once-despised films to invade the heretofore sacred precincts of Broadway and Randolph street — in fact, so rapid has been the invasion and so unprepared were the magnates of legitimate theatricals to meet it that today we find the "pics" comfortably installed in the greatest temples of the drama in the land, and being booked out over numerous circuits with all the press work that would attend the coming of a celebrated star in the flesh. During this time, when financiers and captains of industry in all other lines are predicting the dawn of a new era of prosperity, when bankers and brokers and merchants and tradesmen are looking expectantly forward toward a period of renewed business activity and increased financial reward, it is not hard to predict that nineteen fourteen will have a proportionate reward in store for the makers and exhibitors of motion pictures, and that success and prosperity in the highest degree will be achieved. FILMS AS CHURCH AIDS. FOLLOWING a meeting of 600 Methodist ministers at 150 Fifth avenue, New York City, recently, it was said that in all probability moving pictures would be installed in a number of churches in and around New York within a short time. This is the first formidable step taken with a view of introducing the pictures in houses of worship and the prediction was freely made by many that every church in America will exhibit films as a part of its service in the very near future. The meeting was instigated by some of the more progressive ministers of the Methodist church, who admitted that attendance at religious services had fallen off alarmingly in recent years. They declared they believed the films would prove one of the surest means of "pulling back" their wandering flocks. Foremost in the new movement is the Rev. C. F. Reisner, pastor of Grace M. E. Church in West One Hundred and Fourth street. Dr. Reisner was perhaps the pioneer in using moving pictures as a part of the service in his church. "During the last year more than 17,000 children have attended our picture entertainments," he said. "I, for one, firmly believe that these entertainments do as much to stimulate interest in church and Sunday School work as anything else." Several other ministers have followed Dr. Reisner's lead. One of them reported that his Sunday school attendance alone increased 800 the first week moving picture entertainments were given. While it is proposed to show a number of religious films in the churches, Dr. Reisner declared that the entertainments would not be limited to these. "Why, I have already shown pictures of cotton growing in the South, wheat raising, etc., and for next Sunday have arranged for a number of motion pictures taken in China," he said. "Of course, I lecture on the subjects depicted with which I am conversant. "One of the larger film manufacturing companies has furnished our churches with a list of 5,000 excellent educational films, from which we may select our programs. The expense is comparatively small, and the good to be accomplished through this work will undoubtedly be very great. "Of course, I cannot speak for all the other ministers, except to say they are most ' favorably impressed with the idea. Many of them will doubtless install motion picture outfits and give the proposition a fair trial." While there was. no formal discussion of the advisability of introducing motion pictures into the churches, the consensus of opinion was that the films are destined to play an important part in church and Sunday school work of the future. GRAND OPERA VERSUS PICTURES. A A. McCORMICK, president of the Cook County • Board, thinks that motion pictures are being discriminated against when grand opera is allowed to pass uncensored in Chicago, for he considers that one, at least, of the recent productions of the Chicago Grand Opera Company would never have "gotten by" the police board of censors had it been a film productionComparing grand opera with pictures recently Mr. McCormick said : "I am used to almost anything as a result of my year's experience on the county board, but grand opera makes me catch my breath." " 'La Tosca' would not be tolerated for one hour in 5-cent moving picture theaters. "What I want to know is whether grand opera is to be brought up to the moral plane established for moving pictures, or will we allow the pictures to drop down to the level of grand opera? There is no question that the pictures are much cleaner. "If a film portraying anything approaching the fervent love scene that Mary Garden and Vanni Marcoux put on amid the applause of white-gloved hands at the Auditorium appeared in a moving picture house, a patrol wagon would be backed up to the door for the loading of that proprietor and his assistants as accomplices. "There is only one good thing about grand opera. It doesn't reach the number of people that the moving picture does. We have to be thankful that the prices make grand opera just about as nearly prohibitive as it could be," Mr. McCormick concluded. JAPANESE INSPECTION OF FILMS. The educational authorities are endeavoring to utilize the cinematograph for educational purposes in Japan, and government regulations for the inspection of films have been issued.