Moving Picture World (Jan-Jun 1910)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 429 ered by all who know it, as exceptionally fine for pictures of this sort, as the flicker which interferes so materially with the proper viewing of a rapid pugilistic encounter, is entirely eliminated. The pictures are to be shown only on Pathe machines, which will travel with the pictures wherever they go. Pathe Freres will release, in the near future, a film of exceptional strength and merit — Shakespeare's "Othello." The story ef the famous Moor of Venice will be released as a film d'art. The pictures were taken in the famous Queen of the Adriatic, and the beautiful Venetian buildings, the charm of the Grand Canal, and all the exquisite beauty of / the famous palaces of Venice are all shown in the picture, \ in addition to the marvelous pantomimes executed by the leading actors of Italy. Many have seen '"Othello," but never in such setting. The stage has been noted for wonders of scenic fidelity, but to enact this marvelous tragedy along the very waters and in the very gardens and palaces as the immortal Shakespeare pictured them with his versatile pen, is to add an interest which could not be obtained in any other way. We are shown Othello and Desdemona in the palace. We see Iago going to the palace of the Doge, along the Grand Canal, and we seem to be in the gondola with him as it sweeps steadily along, propelled by the muscular gondolier who so ably handles his oar. Imposing facades, beautiful colonnades, magnificent porticos and marvelously wrought gateways, all come under our view as we pass from one scene to another of this great play. The film is colored with the usual Pathe excellence, and it is well to note that the costuming and the interior decorations are absolutely correct to the period. R. W. Teed, the Pathe travelling representative, after a most successful and gratifying month in Boston, during which time he demonstrated and sold a large number of the "Pathe Professionals," has made a victorious march through New Hampshire and Vermont, inspecting the various Pathe machines now in use and in many instances installing new ones. A demonstration of the Pathe projecting machine seems to be absolute proof of its great superiority, and Mr. Teed is experiencing no difficulty in placing them wherever a new machine is needed. LUBIN NOTES. It does not always happen that accidents in picture making improve the film. The other afternoon one of the Lubin directors was working on a comedy picture, soon to figure in the releases. In the middle of one of the scenes, in which a man was being dragged into a house, two huge dogs came bounding across the lawn from opposite sides and attacked the heels of the victim. Had they been rehearsed their entrance could not have been more opportune nor their comedy better and the result is an added comedy value to an already funny picture. The Lubin automobile has proven such a convenience to the production department that the charter of a power boat is contemplated for the Summer season. The shores of the Delaware are most picturesque and it is planned to make these trips a relaxation for the players during the hot spell, while the storks planned will be the better for their handsome settings. The other day the scenario department received a letter accompanying a picture suggestion which ran in part, "Please telegraph me when you get this how much you will pay me for it. Send it collect, the enclosed is to pay you for the trouble." The enclosure was a five-cent stamp, which was returned with the story. In the past week the scenario department received eighteen St. Patrick Dav stories, but meanwhile the printing and joining rooms had the "Irish Boy" in plenty of time to make the extra prints called for by alert exhibitors who appreciated the value of the first run of this film on St. Patrick's Day. IMP NOTES. As a rule Mr. Storey, of the New York Board of Film Censors, is a very quiet, august individual and, outside of the morality comb he wields, he's a pretty reliable barometer for picture plays — or rather, his face is. Besides his official capacity, he is a profound student of moving pictures, in both execution and effect. He was at the Imo headquarters the other day (official call), and he saw "The Stage Note," which will be released Thursday, March 24. The first part of this farce represents a rehearsal of a drama by some amateurs. The ordinary observer would immediately recognize the work as a clever burlesque on amateur acting, and Mr. Storey laughed loud and long. When the picture was finished another of the spectators remarked that it was a pretty good "take-off." "Take-off, nothing!" said Mr. Storey. "I have seen amateurs rehearse, and I tell you that that scene is true to life!" One is moved to remark that if that is his experience, it is no wonder he is such an ardent advocate of "the uplift of the drama." As usual, there were numerous visitors at the office, on Fourteenth street, on Monday, to express their opinion of the day's release. It was "Mother Love" last Monday and the compliments were many. One visitor was a picturesque old gentleman, and it was his fourth call. He had something to say: "Do you know, since the Imp came to Mr. Robcnquest's house I have gotten the habit, as they say, and 1 have fallen in love with them. And," he added, "I have become a regular Imp "first runner.' " That's going the "first nighter" one better! NESTOR FILiT NOTES. The Nestor Stock Company, that has been operating in the vicinity of New York, leaves for the West this week to make a series of cowboy and mining pictures, and great care is to be exercised in the selecting of picturesque backgrounds. Those who are best familiar with the country to be visited declare it to be the best in the United States for the purpose. Nebraska Bill's cowboys will be seen in Nestor films exclusively, and negotiations are in progress with an Indian troupe, said to be the best in the show business, to appear in Nestor films, in a series of Indian pictures in preparation by a writer on Indian subjects of national reputation. The demand for the cowboy subjects of the Nestor make has become so great that it has been decided to release one of these every week until further notice. The dramas and comedies that are on hand and in preparation will be put out as a separate release to be announced as soon as a constant supply can be guaranteed to the trade. With the opening of the office of Mr. A. G. Whyte, in Chicago, a step in advance was made by the Independent interests. In the few weeks that he has been in the West, Mr. Whyte has brought "order out of chaos" and the exchanges are now in a position where they can depend on knowing exactly what film they will release on any given day. NEW YORK MOTION PICTURE COMPANY'S NOTES. Mr. Chas. Baumann, general manager of the New York Motion Picture Company, some months ago, realizing the values and possibilites of California as a natural studio foi producing motion pictures, secured a large ranch in the southern part of the State, on which he has installed the famous Bison Stock Company. The ranch covers more than a thousand acres of land. There are orange and banana groves grape vineyards, and in fact almost any kind of a tropical scene can be found upon the ranch. Mt. Lowe, with its snow capped peaks, is within a short distance and affords an excellent spot for producing Winter scenes from one end oi the year to the other. The ranch, which borders on the Pacific Ocean, has a fine beach front, a mile in length, where pictures depicting tales of the deep blue sea can be verv readily produced. Of the one thousand acres there are about three hundred acres of prairie land, where a number of ver\ fine subjects of "life on the plains" have been produced Among the buildings on the estate, of which there are quite a number, is an old colonial mansion in which the members of the Bison Stock Company live, enjoying the vast pleasures of this modern "Garden of Eden."