Motography (Jan-Mar 1916)

February 12, 1916. MOTOGRAPHY Paramount-Burton Holmes Films Shown "EASY CHAIR JOURNEYS" NOW that the new Paramount-Burton Holmes travel-pictures, released weekly through the Paramount Picture Corporation, have been shown the public , seems to have realized that more thought is being given to travel pictures than ever before. Travel pictures to be sure are not a new thing in the motion picture industry, but the affiliation between Paramount for the exclusive rights for the releasing of the pictures of Mr. Holmes, who is conceded to be the greatest traveler in the world, will mark a new era in travel motion pictures similar, to say the least, as was created in the lecture field by Mr. Holmes when he brought to that form of entertainment something new and human and up-to-date. No longer will travel pictures, such as these, be tised by the exhibitor as his polite means of telling one audience that it is time for them to make room for another crowd, or using them as "fillers" on any old program, for they are just the opposite from the old miscellaneous and ill-assorted pictures, depicting scenes in "any old place," poorly titled and a drug on the market. This collection of pictures, which is enormously large, is valuable in its every detail and will grant any person the privilege of traveling with absolute safety and comfort; quickly and economically — even in the war-ridden countries of Europe — seeing the world at close range with much thoroughness and with as much leisure as any multimillionaire possessing unlimited income and unlimited time. Here is granted the opportunity of giving one universal citizenship, taking them to alluring nooks and unfrequented corners of the world — off the tourists' trail — and on trips where tips are not required. Aside from the wonderful pictures which were given their first showing and which are to follow as "easy chair journeys" each week, most notable was the vast improvement in the titling and sub-titling of the pictures. In obtaining the co-operation of Mr. Holmes, Paramount has secured far more than a wonderful collection of pictures, for Mr. Holmes will personally arrange all of the films and write all of the titles, thus infusing them with that human interest, that correct and authoritative information, and those occasional bits of humor which, for the past twenty-three years, have distinguished Mr. Holmes' spoken travelogues. Novelty and variety are the keynotes of these latest travel pictures ; novelty because they take the traveler in the theater to the uniquely interesting places that are away from the beaten paths of the -average tourist and show them instructively interesting places that are rare, beautiful, and at times amusing; variety because in all his travel lectures and pictures that has been the great traveler's chief point. He knows through his twenty years of traveling that audiences like variety as much as he does, so he has arranged his weekly journeyings so that there is not too much at any one time of any one country, and he has edited his pictures so that there is just enough of this or that, a glimpse here or there, intermingled with a title giving some necessary information tersely, then an amusing incident, then something startling or of vital human interest, so that the little journeys — which closely follow the lines of a real travel experience and give a remarkable idea of the place visited — are always full of life and interest — never dry or monotonous. The principle that "every true American should see America first," is the one upon which the early releases of these pictures are based, for they will all treat of our native land. With this end in view the first two deal with a motor trip through the beautiful state of New Mexico, starting in Chicago, where are first witnessed the "Cliff Dwellers" of the Windy City, later visiting the ancient capital city of Santa Fe, thence to its ranches and marvelous mesas and its pueblos, where Indians of today dwell in prehistoric apartment houses which were old before Columbus discovered America. The second takes the fellow travelers to the Grand Canyon, the biggest, most beautiful thing in the world, and thence down the awe-inspiring, dizzy trails into its ver} depths more than a mile below the surface of the surrounding country. The third deals with West Point and the lives of our future generals, while the fourth takes you to Annapolis, getting familiar glimpses of the Naval Academy and what it takes to make admirals who will in the years to come carry the stars and stripes with honor on the high seas. BIDS FOR FILM STUDIOS Jacksonville Committee in New York Trying to Induce Manufacturers to Increase Importance of Film Center Jacksonville, Florida, is making a strenuous bid to become the motion picture manufacturing center of the country. Mayor J. E. T. Bowden, who is in the forefront of the movement, recently named a committee which now is in New York endeavoring to persuade the operating companies of the metropolis to erect their plants in the Florida city. The movement was started at a dinner given by the Rotary Club of Jacksonville to the motion picture men now working in and around the city. More than one hundred attended the dinner. The motion picture men were called upon to express their opinions of why Jacksonville was the logical point as a motion picture center. Louis Burstine, general manager of the Vim Company there, advised that he would do everything in his power to pave the way for the members of the committee when they reached New York, and George Welsh, of the Thanhouser Company, gave the committee letters of introduction. Those of the motion picture men who spoke were. : Louis Burstine, of the Vim ; Billy Sullivan, of the Thanhouser; Walter Heirs, Thanhouser; Riley Chamberlain, Thanhouser; Paul Price, assistant director for the RolfMetro ; Mr. Moses, of the Thanhouser ; Tom Boyd, of the Kalem ; George Welsh, of Thanhouser; William A. Howell, director of the Thanhouser; Arthur Albertson, Kalem; George Grimmer, general manager of Thanhouser ; Harris Gordon, Thanhouser ; Mr. Lewis, of the Vim ; Roy Gahris, Vim ; Bert Tracy, of Vim, and Billy Fletcher, of Vim.