Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

January 5, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 25 Fox Sees 1918a Year of Achievement PRODUCER LOOKS FOR MARKED ADVANCE IN PICTURE IDEALS BY WILLIAM FOX Spectacular achievement and advancement will mark the motion picture art in 1918, in my opinion. There will be a spirit of persistent betterment — a striving for the attainment of higher ideals. Greater stories than ever before will be told on the screen: the themes will be closer to the heart of the American public and the action of the photoplays will be more human. Productions, while not more lavish, will depict actual occurrences in a more convincing way than ever before. Learns from Pictures America will learn from the motion picture camera the progressive story of the world war. I believe, too, that our national cause will be greatly assisted by the motion picture, due to the fact that the American branch of the industry is united behind President Wilson. During the next twelve months I propose to take the motion picture patrons through the library of classical literature, as well as the popular writings, including farce and melodrama. Producers should not decry the lack of material when there remains the work of Victor Hugo, Dumas, Dickens, Scott, Thackeray, Balzac, De Maupassant, Daudet, Bulwer Lytton and all the renowned American writers to draw upon. American Brains Get Chance I hope to develop playwrights by giving the young American brains of both men and women the opportunity to write original stories for my scenarios. The photoplaywright will be paid double the previous prices for original scenarios during 1918. During the next twelve months the writer for the screen will receive a well earned recognition. The creation of his brain will be exploited under his name, instead of giving all the credit to a star actor or actress in the picture. The only way to develop big brains and imagination is to give them public recognition in addition to liberal payment. Give Relief from Distress Cheerfulness is contagious and a large percentage of the plays during the next year will be light comedies, farces, etc.j, as a relief from the daily news from the war-torn countries. The great film play of the future will not necessarily be the spectacular. It will be a straightforward story, naturally acted, staged with newly invented light tion. That character of story will appeal to every clean human mind. Sees Censorship's Demise Censorship by a single-handed controller of thought and intellectuality will die in the coming year. Xo person on earth is qualified to pass first and final judgment on any subject, whether it be in law courts or in the legislation of the Government. And much less should motion picture censorship be intrusted to one man for first and final decision, whether that man be intellectual and broad minded or whether William Farnum in the William Fox production. "Les Miserables." that man be stupid, arrogant and narrow minded. Russia rebelled against censorship and the Czar. So, too, will the American people rebel against the Censor Czar, whether it be of the press or the motion picture. I feel that my 1917 pictures, "A' Daughter of the Gods," "The Honor System," "A Tale of Two Cities," and "Romeo and Juliet," have evidenced the advance in the motion picture art. Children's pictures such as "Jack and the Beanstalk," "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," "Treasure Island," have been exceedingly well received by school teachers, women's clubs, the press and others interested in the better class of pictures. During 1918 I will present Victor Hugo's immortal masterpiece, "Les Miserables"; William Farnum will appear in the role Jean Valjean. I consider this production a classic. Theda Bara in "Cleopatra" is another picture to be seen throughput the Cnited States during 1918. "Queen of the Sea," with Annette Kellermann will inaugurate genuine underwater photography, which I know will be acceptable to the American public. "Du Barry," "Jack Spurlock, Prodigal," and a host of other fine novels will be issued by my company. I also have ready for presentation "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves," the most charming picture of its type I have ever seen. We have a children's fairy tale made in Japan which I am sure will point the way to advanced picturization of foreign atmosphere. Invades Southern Continent During 1918 I shall send producing companies to Brazil and Argentine. This will serve to show the glorious scenery and the development of the Pan-American countries. Arrangements have been made by which I shall film fifty-two extraordinary productions, known as Standard Pictures; fifty-two feature plays, running on the screen from one hour to seventy-five minutes, and twenty-six' comedies. In addition to these, we shall stage a few films which will show the occasion for the entry of America into the world war. List of Fox Stars Under my management during the year 1918 will be Theda Bara, William Farnum, Annette Kellermann, George Walsh, Jewel Carmen, Virginia Pearson, Tom Mix, June Caprice, Sonia Markova, Jane and Katherine Lee, Francis Carpenter and Virginia Corbin, Gertrude Messinger and Georgie Stone, Gladys Brockwell and others. Fox distribution offices encircle the globe. Exchanges and branches are to be found in every civilized country in the world. The Fox organization .was the first American film company to lead the way into foreign fields. Rastrelli Is Lively Amedee Rastrelli, Essanay's French comedian, successor to Max Linder, performs some of his livliest feats in funmaking in "A Depot Romeo."