Moving Picture World (Jan-Jun 1910)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 421 &&y&jg,/&. LOW GRADE VARIETY ACT ONE OBJECTION TO PICTURE SHOWS. New or Unskilled Performers Furnish Interludes, Which Are Usually of a Cheap or Vulgar Character — Singing Pleasant. [From the "Christian Science Monitor," Boston, Mass.] One of the most objectionable features of the large majority of moving picture shows is the extremely low grade of variety acts that are given under the name of vaudeville between the pictures. Under the present law no series of films can be shown un interruptedly for a period longer than twenty minutes, and between each such period there must intervene a period oi not less than five minutes, during which period some othei form of entertainment must be provided. In a few of the better class of moving picture houses especially those built and conducted under conditions that conform to the building laws governing theaters, the receipts are large enongh to permit the management to provide series of lectures illustrated with stereopticon slides, showing his torical subjects and incidents of travel in foreign lands. In many such cases one-act sketches of good quality are also shown, as well as singers, whistlers and players of musical instruments. Such acts have a refinement that is most commendable for this class of entertainment. Unhappily the very large majority of the shows in the cheaper theaters do not come up to this standard. Stereopticon lectures are regarded as a dull bore, so cheap variety acts are used in the intervals between the films. These acts are performed by two classes of performers, generally speaking. They are either old performers whose talents have gradually fallen behind, or else they are wholly untrained beginners of small talent who are thus entering the amusement world. The quality of the entertainment provided by these performers is of decidedly low grade. Many of the patrons of the picture shows are children who are having their first taste of theatrical entertainment, and never having seen talented people perform, they may get an idea that the rough, knockabout acts are as good as the stage affords. Tt is impossible here to give any adequate idea of the vulgarity of some of the acts offered. It is an old theatrical trick to get a laugh with vulgarity when all else fails. Most of these performers being lacking in originality resort either to time-worn stories and minstrel jokes, or else fall back on "gags" and stories of a nature so objectionable that it is impossible even to hint at their nature in this paper. Moreover, these questionable doings are not confined to the masculine performers. After one of the periodical emptyings of the hall or store that serves as a theater, the scores of children can be heard repeating the wretched jokes among themselves. Little girls talk glibly of subjects of which they would not dare speak at home. The effect of such exhibitions on voung people, children especially, is to harden them and familiarize them with criminal and vicious ideas that cannot but have a degrading effect upon their characters, when one realizes that the patron of the moving picture shows usually has the "habit," that is, goes at least once a week, and often two or three times. The gregarious tendency in human nature is well understood and well worked upon by the providers of the moving picture shows. Sentimental illustrated songs are a popular feature. In these the performer sings the several verses to the accompaniment of stereopticon slides that visualize the scenes dwelt upon in the song. At the close the words of the chorus are thrown on the screen in letters large enough to be read in all parts of the hall, and the people in the audience all sing together. Every provider of entertainment knows that this is one of the surest ways of making the audience enjoy itself, and it is probable that many visit the shows especially for the pleasure of the singing. The opportunities offered in the country, let us say, for neighbors to gather together for an evening of singing, or at the old-fashioned singing school, have no counterparts in the city, where there is little of the spirit of neighborliness in the country sense. So it is that many seek the moving picture theaters for the sake of being where others are, to overcome the sense ol loneliness that is the cause of so much unhappiness in the teeming city. This feature of the entertainment is usually unobjectionable, although the songs are often maudlin and false in sentiment, as well as being wholly uninspired as to melody and versification. The acts in which musical instrument selections are played and the performances of prestidigitators, trained animals etc., are usually unobjectionable also, though of poor quality owing to the small remuneration. It is the so-called monologue artist, the knockabout comedians, and flashy "sister acts" that provide chief cause for objection. just as it is almost inevitable that among the series of moving pictures shown there will be one or more depicting scenes of criminality and violence, so it is practically certain that every moving picture show, of the converted store variety at least, will contain one or more variety turns of a nature tending to have a degrading effect on those who witness them. License Clerk Casey, who has charge of the issuing oi licenses to moving picture shows in Boston, tells "The Monitor" that he prosecutes most rigid investigation into the character of every applicant for a moving picture license and the nature of the surroundings under which the exhibitions are to be given. Mr. Casey and others who have this work of supervision in charge are doing all they can within the present laws to make the conditions surrounding these exhibitions as good as possible. THE AGFA SPECIAL DEVELOPER. Continuing their, policy of catering for the developing end of moving picture making, the Berlin Aniline Works, of 215 Water street, are putting out a special developer for moving picture films which we have no doubt will be popular with those having charge of darkroom work in moving picture factories. The developer is sent out in the form of powder, packed in airtight tins, ready for dissolving. One dollar sample set of this developer will make 400 ounces of solution if required. We would advise those of our readers employed in developing moving picture films, either positives or negatives, to send $1.00 to the Berlin Aniline Works for a sample of this Agfa special developer. Having regard to the excellent quality of all Agfa productions, we have no doubt that this developer will be found of great convenience and good quality by those who use it. C. S. Abell, of Keokuk, Iowa, has just placed an order with J. H. Hallberg for one 500-volt direct current Economizer for the control of one moving picture lamp at 35 amperes in combination with double dissolving stereopticon. This Economizer will save over 85 per cent, on the current bill and will do away with the large rheostats usually required for 500 volts. The unsteadiness of the pictures sent out by an American independent manufacturer who makes a specialty of depicting Western scenes in the wild woods of New Jersey, prompted us to ask him what camera he was using. He replied that it was a "Billiken." American independent manufacturers are no doubt handicapped in choice of apparatus, but we certainly can recommend the "Billiken" for producing unsteady pictures. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE MOVING PICTURE BUSINESS, YOU SHOULD SUBSCRIBE FOR THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. $2.00. .