Motography (Apr-Dec 1911)

July, 1911. MOTOGRAPHY of ordinary discretion can select a program of motion pictures fully equal to, if not the same as, that of Mr. Howe. In fact, many of them do show programs as good, and in addition have musical attractions far more pretentious than Howe's piano — although Howe's pianist, it must be conceded, is an adept at playing the pictures. Why can Howe get a dollar where you get ten cents, or only five? If it isn't the pictures and isn't the music, what is it? There are probably several factors, all more or less psychological, responsible for the condition. In the first place Howe continues to throw an atmosphere of mystery about his show. He convinces the public that his pictures are different and more wonderful. His advertising and press notices all subtly convey that impression. He gives the public the privilege of seeing his collection of films. Howe's projection is better than the average — for the average is low. It is no better, however, than that of many first class ten cent houses. As a rule, he projects a bigger picture, because he uses bigger theaters and hangs his screen clear across the stage. The large magnification dims the picture a little, and so during projection his house is darker than most picture theaters are. Then, too, he uses an ordinary cloth screen, whose translucent properties are necessary because the sound effect man stands behind the screen and takes his cues from its rear surface. Having a scale of prices, Howe can reserve his seats. This system always adds prestige to a show of any kind. It allows the patron to buy his tickets at his leisure, and to enter with his family or his guests in unruffled dignity. In this frame of mind, he unconsciously invests the show itself with dignity and importance. The numerous attendants and ushers — made possible, of course, by the increased revenue — also add a tone of refinement and luxury. It is noteworthy that the better class of permanent picture theaters in England operate on this principle, and are thereby enabled to charge higher prices than we are accustomed to here. We have always argued against vaudeville in the picture theater. Our reason was, not that good vaudeville is not interesting and worthy, but that the picture theaters cannot afford good vaudeville, and the poor variety is worse than nothing. But, if it is really good, most people enjoy it. Now Lyman Howe shows no vaudeville. But he does arrange to get the merry atmosphere of good vaudeville into his show, solely by the use of efficient sound effects. A good many exhibitors use sound effects with their films. But few indeed — so very few, that we have never witnessed any — use effects as Howe uses them. With him they are half the show. He is not contented with the sounds of trotting horses, and crashing crockery, and running water. His effect men actually talk the pictures. He doesn't lecture his scenics; but if they show, for example, an Italian view, the boatmen on the river shout in Italian or sing a boating song. Every little detail has a sentence of its own. His lions roar, his women scream, his machinery has its appropriate hum or rattle, even the policeman in a London scenic has a word to say. In short, he makes his pictures, however ordinary they may be in themselves, live, real and entertaining. Lyman Howe's sound effects are so big a factor in his success that we question if he could make good without them. Any exhibitor can make as complete use of effects as does Howe ; but he will need Howe's ingenuity in devising and applying them. Effects are not merely a lucky thought with Howe ; they show a full appreciation of their value on his part, and a painstaking and exhaustive study of their possibilities, as well as a lot of experimenting. He also shows applied ingenuity in some of his "novelties," but it is of a kind that every exhibitor should be able to equal. His "Runaway Train," for example, is a travel film taken from a railway train traveling, through the Alps. His projecting machine is so geared that it may be speeded up until the train (on which the spectator is supposed to be traveling) appears to be running down grades and around corners at a frightful speed. Then, at last, it hurls itself down a steep grade, straight at an obstruction on the track. There is a flash of blinding white light on the screen (from the spot-light) the effect man fires a pistol — and the show is over. Simple, but very effective. We have asserted before, and we say again, any exhibitor with enough nerve and average brains could operate a picture theater in any large city, with an admission price of twenty-five cents to a dollar, and fill his house every performance. When will somebody start the new order of thing's ? MORAL TEACHING BY FILMS The moving picture, if rightly used and if handled by the right sort of people, can be made an educational instrument of great service and a source of wholesome, uplifting recreation. Edison is quoted as believing that "geography will be taught by moving pictures as soon as machines and films become inexpensive enough." Mary B. O'Reilly, a Boston school teacher, is reported to have declared that "if we put moving pictures into the schools the truant would be a rare thing. The young will learn more with their eyes in ten minutes than in a week with their ears." The eye gate opens almost a royal road to learning. All students, whether children or grown-ups, learn more readily and easily when interested and pleased than when attention has to be compelled. Delight in a task lends wings to the worker. A series of pictures of beautiful scenes in foreign lands, of famous buildings and of the striking costumes of strange peoples would vitalize the study of geography. The case is the same with some of the work of the churches. The life of Christ, for example, has been presented at Chicago in a series^of moving pictures exhibited at a public place of entertainment and the effect on the audiences was inspiring and uplifting. Other personages and occurrences of scripture are capable of use by the churches for the same purposes. Why not make a good use of the moving picture, as some ministers have already done, to give sane and sanctified recreation instead of stopping with negative denunciation of the abuse ? — Spokane" Spokesman-Review. CLEVELAND IN FILMS Motion views of Cleveland, Ohio, taken by Lyman Howe's representatives were recently shown in that city. This is the first time that motion pictures of scenes in and about Cleveland have been made. A delegation from the Chamber of Commerce and a number of city officials attended the first showing. Among some of the things shown are coal and ore ships loading in the harbor, an automobile ride up Euclid avenue at midday, scenes in the parks, the Rocky river concrete bridge and traffic at the Public square.