Motography (Apr-Dec 1911)

MOTOGRAPHY Vol. V, Xo. 5. as often as I do Maurice Costello. I mention this to show how very many child dramas Vitagraph has turned out. All the world loves a lover but it loves a child even more. And Vitagraph knows it. There is great wisdom somewhere in the Vitagraph camp. Vitagraph measures the public better than any other maker. Another thing Vitagraph does : it releases these fancy films every now and then, biblical and classical subjects — you know the kind. Some of these have been of highest merit and some have not (at least I didn't like some of them), but they all showed ambition and went -to swell the Vitagraph prestige. You may remember how well they were boosted in advance. Vitagraph knows how to advertise. Another reason why Vitagraph is popular is their stock company. The same players month after month — good dependable faces whom }rou come to like from very familiarity. And Vitagraph hasn't shown any foolish aversion to featuring their players. Maurice Costello and Florence Turner are the best known names among the actor folks today, simply because they have been known so long, if for no other reason. Their names were well known long, long before anybody else's. Now all the companies are featuring their players, except Biograph. Biograph is so silly about that. I tell you personality counts in this business, and it pays to advertise. That's no small part of the Vitagraph success. From Mr. Rock down they're all known — the whole kit and boodle of 'em. They call Mr. Rock "Pop." That shows he's friends with everybody. I hear there are some of the other high-and-mighties, though, whom you can't touch with a ten-foot pole. A man from the exchange told me that. "I hear Selig is going to release three films a week beginning pretty soon. Well, I don't doubt they can do it, but I'm afraid the films will get rather monotonous. For, don't you know, Selig never produces but one kind of film? The spectacular film — the film of physical sensation. I mean, with any success. Of course they try other things, but their dramas are always melo-dramas and their comedies farces — in spirit if not in action. Just this minute I can't remember that I ever saw a Selig film that stirred the simple, tender, everyday emotions. Selig is very clever at creating large backgrounds and sensational actions — in fact he is the master of that sort of thing ; but can he do it three times a week? Hardly. Nor would we want to see it that often. I think Selig has got to learn how to make those effective little everyday dramas of the heart-interest type. He's got to tame that big strong hand of his. "Speaking of Vitagraph — I think I said I thought their ability to hit the public taste was due to shrewdness on their part. Well, I'm not so sure after all that that is so. They, like most every other company, I guess, turn out what they think is the proper thing, and it just happens that the Vitagraph taste lines up better with the public taste than any other does. Vitagraph caters to the four million and Biograph to the four hundred. Biograph has fewer followers than Vitagraph but I think they are more loyal." Just then the house lights went down and the pianist began to bang out chords preliminary to the show. "Oh, here the show is on again," exclaimed Mother Squeers, "and I haven't mentioned several of the American makers, nor the wonderful foreign makers, or any of the Independents !" "Mother Squeers," somebody inquired, "which do you like best — Vitagraph or Biograph?" "I'll tell you some other time," whispered Mother Squeers, with her eyes on the screen. Minister Will Give Film Snows Rev. E. T. McFarland of the Memorial Christian church of Rock Island, 111., is planning a novel feature for his church in the way of free entertainment for the children of the church and the community. He has not been blind to the fact that the moving picture shows hold great attraction for old and young in every community and that these places of amusements are always well filled for two reasons : The picture shows appeal to the people and, again, it offers a form of amusement that everybody can afford. He has also realized that oftimes the form of the picture shows is not what it ought to be and that the moral uplift and the social uplift is not considered always in the kind of pictures that are presented. He is planning to install a moving picture machine in his church basement and to secure a line of pictures that are wholesome and uplifting, and to give to the children of the church and the community as well as to the older people a clean entertainment under the auspices of the church, absolutely free of charge so far as an admission fee is concerned. His plans include several shows a week, together with a brief lecture, and tickets for the show are to be distributed to the pupils at the Sunday school. Others will be admitted at some of the entertainments, but the great idea is to hold the children in the Sunday school and the church and to bring their parents into the church and under church influence. The pastor is confident that the scheme will work out and that the money for the entertainments will be well spent and the returns to the church and the community will more than repay the outlay. State Censor for Pennsylvania State censorship of moving picture films and stereopticon views intended for public exhibition is provided in a bill presented to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by Mr. Allen, of Allegheny. The bill requires the Governor to appoint an official to be known as the State Examiner, who is to be qualified by experience and education to pass upon all films and views so that none offensive to morals shall be displayed. The examiner is to be paid $3,000 per year and is to give bond for $10,000. He is to be paid a fee for the use of the State of $1 for each film examined and ten cents for each view. Persons showing films or views not approved are to be fined $50 for the first offense and $200 for subsequent offenses. Bars All Picture Shows Montclair, N. J., is a very high-toned place. The common council has barred out the moving picture show indefinitely from this city by refusing to. grant licenses to any applicants. Eleven applications were turned down by a single vote at the last meeting of the council. One of the applicants was a charitable organization which planned to make its moving picture show the nucleus of a social welfare center for work among the poor.