Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

April 6, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 667 Uses Music in Making Films Strongly convinced that music has a profound psychological effect on the director and the players while a photoplay is in the process of making, Jack Conway, Triangle director, has presented a new musical angle for consideration. "We know that it is distinctly beneficial," he said, "to have the tempo of the melody match the tempo of the scene being photographed. But I believe in going still further and having that quality in my music that must be in every successful photoplay — that something that is generally known as 'pep.' "I work out all my scenes in rehearsal to give them speed, though to an inexperienced eye some of them may look as if they were slow-making. For, by the very nature of the make-up of the photoplay, the story must move forward with lightning-like rapidity — although as I say, the movement of the actors themselves may seem slow. "Now, getting down to the music end of it, every melody that I have played during the taking of my scenes has that element of quickness in it — music pressure, you may call it; that which, without seeming to, urges and hastens. All so-called 'jazz' music has that element in it, but it is not often possible to use that during the taking of a scene. It frequently would throw a scene off-color. "You can imagine what results I would get if I played a death-scene before the camera to the strains of 'Alexander's Ragtime Band,' or 'They Go Wild Over Me.' But even some hymns, particularly those of the Church of England, have that pressure-element that I contend is necessary. All of Puccini's music has it." Big Boom in Nashville With the coming of new capital and thousands of new citizens to Nashville, as a result of the government's huge munitions plant now being constructed Three scenes from the new Triangle play, "The Vortex," featuring Mary Warren. at Hadley's Bend, a suburb, amusement men are flocking to that section with all kinds of plans looking to the erection of motion picture and vaudeville houses. The plans of the government, originally calling for an expenditure of $60,000,000, have been broadened to such an extent that more than $200,000,000 will be expended. In addition to the Crescent Amusement Company's $100,000 house to be erected on Fifth avenue, north, there are reports of Marcus Loew having obtained options on the old Parthenon Theatre property on Church street, plans as outlined calling for the erection of a motion picture house. Loew has been active in this territory for more than a year, having erected houses in Memphis, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Atlanta and other nearby cities, and it seems but natural that he should enter Nashville at a time when so much prosperity is at hand. Further reports have it that a prominent theatre owner has arranged to purchase the Orpheum, a legitimate house, and remodel it to such an extent that pictures can be shown at popular prices. The Orpheum is one of the largest houses in the city and would make an excellent motion picture theatre. Sunday Shows Barred Exhibitors of Quebec, Canada, have failed in their attempt to conduct Sunday shows. After being open a few Sundays, following a decision of the Court of Appeals that a local Sunday observance act was not legal, the Dominion Lord's Day Alliance instituted proceedings against the exhibitors on the ground that they were violating a Federal blue law which was enacted many years ago. The theatre men promised to oppose the self-appointed moral uplifters, but when the opportunity came only one man, Arthur Drapeau, who is the manager of three houses, ventured to respond. It was his determined purpose to fight the case, but when he saw that he was alone on the job he balked at the heavy expense. As a consequence all theatres in Quebec will be compelled to close on Sundays in future. It is a significant fact that in other cities of the province many theatres are regularly operated on Sundays. Naturally, these houses come under the jurisdiction of the same law. The Dominion Lord's Day Alliance is helpless, however, because the exhibitors of these cities have opposed it strongly. "Ruggles of Red Gap" Pleases Reports from exhibitors show that Taylor Holmes' last release, "Ruggles of Red Gap," is making a bigger hit than any of his pictures. "A Pair of Sixes," written by Edward Peple, which was released April 1, as a George K. Spoor Special, is declared by critics to be even a stronger production. Many critics declare it is the greatest farce comedy ever screened. It has an unusually strong cast, including besides Holmes, Maude Eburne, Robert Conness, Alice Mann and Edna Phillips Holmes, all well known both on the screen and stage.