Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1073 you in your position of music editor. I am a pianist in a moving picture theater, have had several years experience and mostly improvise for pictures but read and memorize readily. Always try to fit the right song, or right idea, in the right place and above all, try to keep the soft pedal on in nearly everything. In the theater where I was employed the manager was death on having drums and lots of noise. We had several conflicts on the subject but I always held to my original idea of keeping the music rather subdued. The climax came the night we had Kalem's "Vampire." I was improvising in what I tried to make a soft and weird manner; the drummer insisted on butting in with his drums (guess he was afraid he would be forgotten if he didn't play), and the manager came down and called me proper for not playing "rag" to it. Can you imagine anything more of a sacrilege than playing rag to "The Vampire?" Also, as a little side issue, I got fired for refusing — I am writing this merely to show you what reception an honest eflfort in the right direction will sometimes meet. Comment on this managerial attitude has been made a number of times in the past and I feel that very little can be added to what has already been said except that I believe the obsession for mere noise is not so prevalent as it was a few years ago. Still it exists in spots. I know of more than one theater whose pictures would be enjoyable but for the incessant and silly racket made by an unthinking drummer. I say "unthinking," because many of them become accustomed to the sound of the drums and imagine the music sounds "empty" without them. And possibly many are compelled to do it by managers like the one mentioned by our correspondent. As to playing rag-time stuff to pictures like the "Vampire," comment is unnecessary. Playing to the Costumes. It seems as though some musicians cannot rid themselves of the habit of playing to the costumes and overlooking the essentials of the picture. This is observed more often in Mexican, Spanish and Indian pictures — nossibly because tunes of this description (or "these descriptions"), are familiar. And again the sound effect man is the villain. Quite recently I saw a Mexican picture in which a pathetic scene was accompanied by castinets. In the name of wonder. Why? Castinets are appropriate enough in dances and lighter music of a Spanish character, but wholly out of place in sad or sentimental scenes. Simply because a character is wearing a Mexican dress is no reason why we should hear a clicking of castinets or the sound of a tambourine. These instruments are suggestive of gaiety^not grief. Whenever a picture is shown of a priest at the death bed of any one garbed in Mexican or Spanish dress, it seems to be the signal for the man with the castinets to get in his deadly work. He may be so accustomed to it that he does not notice the incongruity, but it jars on the nerves of any one with a sense for the fitness of things. The Spanish music may be all right for such scenes if chosen' (and played), with judgment — as for example, our old friend "La Paloma," (which, by the way, was being played for the scene I have in mind), if kept subdued and on the plaintive order; but the castinets were all wrong. It detracted from the picture. Keep them for the lighter parts of the picture. Mexican Music. From Columbus, Ohio: Am enclosing musical program for two pictures as played by us last week. Let me know what you think of them, also what in your opinion should be played for the Mexican War pictures. Should it be all Mexican music? The musical program's referred to were not received. You must have changed your mind or forgotten to enclose them. As to the music most appropriate to the pictures mentioned, I should imagine it would depend altogether on the story and situations of each individual picture. Mexican music might accompany the greatest part of one picture and very little of another. The battle scenes are usually worked along similar lines in all war pictures. Heavy, stormy music, hurries and patriotic songs of the country represented during the more strenuous action. The patriotic songs, however, are liable to be introduced anywhere; that is a matter for your own judgment to decide. Other national songs or dances when they can be introduced naturally — not forced. One of Mexico's national airs is "Mexicanos, al Grito de Guerra" (by J. Nuno), in the usual 4/4 tempo. Spanish waltzes and "Habanaro's" can be used as they are peculiar to Mexico, also. But don't think you must play them every time a sombrero appears, and don't let your drummer rattle castinets in death scenes or pathetic scenes. Some people imagine that every measure of Spanish or Mexican music must be accompanied by tambourine or castinets or both. Pay some attention to the character of the scene itself. I saw a beautiful scene spoiled sometime ago in just this way. A Mexican woman lay dying, a priest bending over her and two or three mourners kneeling near. The pianist played "La Paloma," of course, slowly and softly. The number is a love song but it would have got by at that if the drummer had kept his castinets still. Castinets are expressive of gayety, not grief. "The Triumph of an Emperor" A Stirring Drama of Ancient Roman Times Released by the World Film Corporation. "T N HOC SIGNO VINCES" ("By this sign you will conI quer"). An Historical Drama of Draga, offered by the World Film Corporation. This beautiful picture offering is in five reels and is a wonderful production of the film art in all respects. Those who are familiar with Roman history will certainly enjoy it. The actors in the cast could scarcely be Jmproved upon. D. Lombardi as Maximian, Arturo Garzes ' as Constantine, F. Bonino as Masentius, the three emperors, gave masterly renditions. A. Durelli as Licinius, M. Mariani as Saint Maternus, A. Costamagna as Fausta (wife of Constantine and daughter of Maximian), M. Jacobini as sister of Constantine, E. Garrone as Elvius Brutus, J. Bay as Saine Helene (mother of Constantine), and M. Tarabini as Saint Viktor, supported by perfectly drilled courtiers, soldiers, slaves, populace, etc., were nothing short of marvelous. The directors deserve the highest encomium for their careful work in every minute detail. Scene from "The Triumphs of an Emperor" (Savoia). The scenes are laid at Milan, at Rome, and in Gaul, three hundred years after the birth of Christ. The costuming is gorgeous and historically correct. The number of people used in this production is hard to estimate, but must run into hundreds ; several scenes of bacchanal orgies are shown, which, if indulged in at the present time, would make the cabaret look like a Sunday school picnic. These scenes mar somewhat the picture, but they represent the mode of life at that early period. There are other scenes where Constance, the young neophite, is forced to view, by her persecutor, the gladiatorial games, at the heticomb of martyrs. The dragging of the dead over the sand with hooks is not a pleasant sight, even in a picture. In the latter part, war is declared between Constantine and Masentius, and the spectacle of Constantine's army crossing the Alps into Italy is entrancing, and the battle scenes gripping, in the extreme. The scene in the camp the night before the battle, where Constantine has a vision of the cross in the heavens, is beautiful ; also where Christ appears to him in his tent and tells him to emblazon the cross on their shields and banners and victory will be theirs._ The strife between the pagan and the Christian imbues this picture with an educational value, which should be recognized by the average spectator. Constantine, victorious in war, signs a decree giving full liberty to Christianity. In the triumph of faith and justice, love is also victorious. The scenic effects in this picture are perfect, especially the forum and arena settings. The lighting could not be improved upon. Everything pertaining is in continuity. It will make a great hit. $15,000 PICTURE THEATER FOR IOWA FALLS, lA. W. A. Middleton and D. D. Gephart, of Iowa Falls, la., will build a $15,000 moving picture and vaudeville theater on Washington Avenue. The house will be modern and up-to-date in every respect.