Moving Picture World (July-Dec 1910)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 247 CHICAGO NOTES. Although ni.mv persons trj to make us believe that the moving pictures have seen their best days and that the industry 1 going to the dogs, we are pleased to hear that many exhibitors are still making good monej and are iar ing discouraged. Mr. M. Christie, proprietor of the Majestic Theater, oi Victoria, B C., is in town on his way to New Vork and a pleasure trip to Europe, a sure proof that a well-conducted e theater can make some money and allow a ng vacation to its owner. \\ ,. do not deny the fact that the industry 1 suffering in certain districts, hut it is what we have repeated many tinier, the fault of the exhibitor. Although Chicago 1 ahead ew York on moving pictures, Chicago has not yet the perfection, and Mr. Christie told us that h he was t«> manage tie Theater like most of the exhibitors of Chicago .otild have a hard tune to meet both ends. It Mr. Christie was not pleased with Chicago what will be his impression of New York? J M. B. Woodlawn any advantages for high class picture houses, in that it is a centralized outlying business center in which the family enjoys the evening together, visiting the shop along Sixty-third street, and other diversions within their bound-. There are lour moving picture theaters 3 xty thud street, and two of these being closed for the Summer leaves but two to offer amusement for the many ile who pa-> along this busy street every night. The Comus Theater, an Independent house, is located at Sixtythird street and Cottage Grove avenue and the other, the Palace 'Theater, is at Madison avenue and Sixty-third street. There lies a wide area of separation between the two. Mrs. Henry, who owns and manages the Comus, seems to shrewd and capable business woman who personally ds to the running of her house, which has a large mage. This theater is of a good size, seating in the neighborh 1 of _>oo people. The operator, Mr. Hagle. who is to know his business, projects a clear picture on the enNumerous electric fans keep the house cool and comfortable even on the warmest night, which is one reason for its i patronage. 'The side lights here are of purple and n, properly shaded so as to reflect the light away from .-urtain and not in the eyes of the audience. The seats are so arranged as to give an excellent view of the screen 1 any part of the theater. In the Comus was brought to notice the tact that many families were present, showing that the patronage was for the most part regular. This, in our estimation, is what count-; that steady, praise inspiring patronage that spreads publicity broadcast and unsolicited. 'The Palace 'Theater, a licensed house, owned and man! by Mr. ("has Fecher, gets the strollers from the other end of Sixty-third street and was crowded with all ages and on the night visited by our representative. The seatcapacity here is about 250 and so well arranged that an ellent view is obtainable anywhere in the house. 'The operator, Geo. Govey, projects his pictures in first class style. He has the same difficulty t<> contend with as Mr. Hagle, of the Comus. old films. But he. in spite of this fact, makes a good showing and pleases the audience to the utmost Tight pictures seem to have taken a fast hold on the con-lonaires of the leading amusement parks as a moneymaking proposition in the show line Out at Riverview F.xsition, in the Passion Play building, was just finished a most successful run with the Johnson in training pictures, the first of this class of films to be shown. Mr. De Shon. who manages this concession, wears a beaming smile of satisfaction, which denotes wealth in the symbols of the show business, and is more than pleased with his new find. Fully convinced of the worth and public interest in such films, he has now taken on the portrayal of the Nelson-Wolgast contest, issued by Mr. B. E. Clements, the Chicago representative of the Great Western Film Company, of San Francisco. The result has already pleased him beyond all reason of bounds and promises well for the future. Sans Souci Park also has these pictures and reports show an enormous increase for the concessionaire, and this success we attribute to the tact that people have now come to realize that the picture show is all that is painted on the display boards outside and that the showman in charge has no* reason for exaggeration Mr. De Shon, of Riverview. has stated that if possible he fully; intends to obtain the big light picture for his concession as soon as they can be placed on exhibition in Chicago. 'The Haymarket Theatei ted at West Madison Halsted streets, has asked tor a permit from the pulu Chicago to run the picture ol the tight between Johnson and Jeffries. It has ool been given out whether this permit will tie granted or not, but 1 ral opinion is that t; will in no interference if the management wil certain provisions that will eliminate harm to the youngei SLIDES OF THE PUGILISTIC CONTEST. A set of highly colored and photographically p depicting the most interesting incidents in the hght betw Johnson and Jeffries ai Reno, have recently been placed at the di-posal ..f the exhibitors by the Cosmopolitan S .Makers, of Chicago, who have established a reputation l>> the high-grade quality ol then work. 'These pictures were taken at the ringside and show I fighters at so close a range that each move and facial pression is clearly and easil} discernible. Each s(-t of t' slides is sent out with a printed reader, covering the fight round by round and greatly adding to the interesting teatures of the pictures themselves. Another added attributeis a large photogravure Showing in one poster eleven v of the lighters in characteristic poses, which makes a most attractive lobby display. There are fifteen slides in this set, each of which is colored by hand by experienced color artist-, who stand unsurpassed in' their line ol work. The pictures when projected on the screen present to the view a sight as natural and in realitymore interesting than the original tight which took place on July the 4th, in that little town of Reno, the outcome of which defied the laws of physics and allowed darkness to conquer the light, long before the sun set in the "Golden West." C. J. P THE DRAMAGRAPH COMPANY. A New Independent Film Manufacturing Firm. This newly formed company commands our sympathy and 1 wishes in virtue of the fact that they have been quietly at work for several months, have not been precipitate in the matter of releases, and are in no hurry to release now. In fact, it will not be for a month hence, before their pictures are on the market. It is too much the fashion with newmanufacturers in the Independent field to succumb to the fascinations of the virus photographica. Do we not all know the Kodak aspirant who has a feverish passion for making his exposures and yetting his prints? We have observed something of the same trait amongst the Independent manufacturers, who have come into the game these last twelve months. They have been in too much of a hurry to makereleases. The consequence is that neither photographically, dramatically nor in any respect have they done thems< ' justice. So they have had to "try back" and begin all over again, learning the useful but expensive lesson that the making of moving pictures — good moving pictures — is something more than is involved in the possession of a respect balance in the bank. Mr. Shaw, who is the manager of the Dramagraph Company, is a successful Xew York exhibitor, who should know what the taste of the public is. The company has adapted premises in a convenient section of Xew Jersey at Tort where, amongst agreeable surroundings, they have every opportunity for making good studio and out-of-door pictures. We feel some pride in welcoming the Dramagraph Company into the field. A year ago there were no Independent manufacturers round about the city of Xew York. Xow then are many, thus constituting the Empire City the world's metropolis of the moving picture. The two sample Dramagraph pictures that we inspected this week. "Beyond Endurance" and "Only a Jew." show that the Dramagraph Company have command of very fine dramatic talent and have certainly, for new beginners, climbed high up on the ladder of photographic technique. Indeed, in this latter respect the company is to be distinctly congratulated; it was the consensus of opinion of those before whom their picturewere shown that, despite here and there some slight faults, if we may so term them, of dramatic construction, the general photographic and productional qualities of the pictures were quite the equal of the best Independent subjects. The Dramagraph Company has made an auspicious start upon which we expect them to improve, because Mr. Shaw and his able partner, Mr. Sherwin. have so much intelligence and enterprise that we are confident they will not rest content until the Dramagraph picture is the equal of. or superior to, the best that is made in this market.