Moving Picture News (Jan-Dec 1911)

24 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS OUR WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT Washington, D. C. On September 3d Tom J\Ioore expects to inaugurate Sundaj' concerts of motion pictures at the Gaiety and Academy theaters. This will show the best output of the Independent companies, to be supplemented by excellent musical selections of vocal and instrumental order. The Casino, one of our small vaudeville houses, is using first run reels, with changes twice a week. A talk with Manager Lucas, of the Washington Film Exchange, revealed the fact that this office is using almost the entire output of Independent films. With September several new houses will be added to the list of this exchange. During the recent run of Kinemacolor here a large force from Fort Meyer viewed these films and expressed wonder at the production. Manager Taylor extended an invitation to one hundred vacation inmates of Camp Good Will to witness the exhibition of Kinemacolor, and it is needless to say these mothers and children thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and profusely thanked Mr. Taylor for his kindness. ^Manager Boernstein, of the Feature Film Company, and Stanley James, stage director of this firm, and at present with the local Columbia Players, have become frequent visitors to the Government Aviation Station at College Park, Md., where they have been doing some low flying stunts in the Rex Smith machine. They are not satisfied with this, and anticipate doing "something great'' in the near future. "It is fine sport," declared Mr. Boernstein, "and I believe I will be able to make a cross-country flight soon." Surely, this is ambitious. Dante's Inferno is having a week's run at the Belasco Theater, with two exhibitions daily. It is meeting with success, while the lecture and appropriate music adds much to the appreciation of the great literary masterpiece, and gives it an excellent setting. The Howe Travel Festival again visited the Columbia Theater on Sunday last, with a full attendance. An auto trip through the Alps and Sidelights on Italy, India, The Grand Canyon of the Colorado, and views of our own city were among the interesting views shown. To be up to date and to be at the lead of the line of the "March of Progress," advertising and publicity matters must be presented in attractive and advanced style. This is what the Publicity Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Washington remembered in its recent meeting when it proposed to send on tour a series of motion picture reels and a competent lecturer to exploit the Capital City of our Republic. Exactly what company will take the pictures will not be determined until the middle of September, but there is much material that will interest people away from this city to be screened in Washington. The street life of the Capital, scenes in the Halls of Congress, how the money is made, and many other themes will be reproduced in the motion camera. While advertising the National Capital, such a series of films will also be of immense educational value, and should be sought for presentation by colleges and institutions of education. Exactly how this project will be disseminated has not as yet been determined; whether the reels will go through the present channels of exchanges now established, or whether it will be an independent scheme operated directly from Washington. Commenting on this plan, an editorial in the Washington Herald states: "Washington lends itself to the moving picture idea most admirably. It has beauty and picturesqueness and artistic quality. The panorama of its streets includes men distinguished in political and official life, whose, names are household words. Washington news occupies a prominent place in every newspaper in the United States and stories of Washington events are eagerly read. Illustrations of Washington life would appeal to audiences everywhere. "When the mountain would not come to Mahomet, he went to the mountain. As it is impossible for every American to see his capital, the city can be taken, in a pictorial sense, to every part of the country. Washington would be the gainer thereby, but none the less would a distinct advantage be afforded the men and women whose patriotic interest in the capital is intense, but whose opportunity to see the city never comes." Exactly how the matter became public gossip has not been determined; but, anyway, it was rumored that a local firm would take motion pictures of Beulah Binford, who has figured so conspicuously as the "affinity" in the Beattie murder trial in Richmond. A visit to the only company of this character in Washington, that of the Feature Film Company, found Manager Boernstein in righteous indignation over the matter. Suffice it to say he emphatically said he would have nothing to do with such an unwholesome subject or character. The managers of the licensed and independent exchanges seemed to know little of any such negotiations with Miss Binford and gave assurance that no such films would be displayed in Washington. For a while the better side of womanly instinct in the national capital was somewhat incensed over the matter; while it is scarcely possible the exhibitors would have desired such a reel for their screens. Some have declared that it was newspaper invention or a desire for notoriety for the young lady in question; but there is a strong rumor that two film companies were contemplating negotiations for having Miss Binford before the motion camera. It is the desire of the few non-discriminating parties connected with the motion picture industry to accentuate or perpetuate unwholesome, notorious characters that causes outcries against the film theaters. Omaha, Neb. — A moving picture theater to cost $4,500 is to be built at 24th and Lake Streets by J. Gregg and O. C. Fich. Brooklyn, N. Y. — Plans are being prepared by Shampan & Shampan for a new theater to be erected at Broadway and Varet Street. Salem, Ore. — John F. Cordray has sold the Grand Opera House to F. L. Watters. Racine, Wis. — A new vaudeville theater that will cost $70,000 will be erected at Main and State Streets. Sunlap, la. — L. D. Cogswell has purchased the opera house here. THAT WORD— SERVICE IMPLIES THE ABILITY TO SUPPLY THE EXHIBITORS WITH THEIR NEEDS The method of " SERVING" is just as important as the "QUALITY" of the goods served. That's where "WE SHINE" — in our methods. EVERY DETAIL of our service is carefully watched by experts who are trained to their particular task, and the whole scheme works into a FILM SERVICE we are proud to boast about. A trial will convince you. Standard Film Exchange JOSEPH HOPP. PRESIDENT 1G8-1T2 "West AVasuikgto.n St. CHICAGO, ILL.