Moving Picture World (July-Dec 1910)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1165 die linlf unsaid Recently something was said in the Mo> ire World about revn time songs. Ihis schemt was trui! .nit with success .it the "Nostrand" some little time ago. Mr. Marvin Savage, who has charge of this d< partment, has been in the game :i long time, and judging from I" gray hairs he might be said t" be .1 veteran in it He was tormerl) connected with the Vitagraph Comp and was sent to Canada by them as a player some time ago He operate with 1 10 ellent taste about fifty-three "trap-," and 0 a proficient bell ringer. He keeps his bells "ii th< table at the front all the time and renders selections on them between reels. This is the nearest approach to vaudeville that will probably ever enter the "Nostrand." The "Nostrand" is owned and operated by partners, Mr. William Haasc and Mr. Henry L. Schloh. These two men can I" casilj classed among the leading exponents oi moving picture exhibiting in Brooklyn, They arc at present completing a new theater which will open in about two weeks It will eclipse anything yet seen in Brooklyn. 0 this \ "ii will hear more later. The Picture on Its Trial. Durin.tr the recent conference of the Humane Societies in the National capital, the moing picture proposition was discussed from all points. Various opinions, widely differing, were advanced as to the good and evil tendencies of the motion picture, the educational and degrading influences of the firms, censorship of reel-, legal restriction of the number of houses, the necessity of such amusements, the prohibition of children unattended at these shows, and many other points relative to the motion picture business. In order to discover the practical needs of the city of Washington, The Times has selected a committee of men and women in various pursuits to visit the local houses and give their opinions on this much-discussed problem. These are being printed daily in The Times and form interesting material for thought. Extracts from some of the most recent statements are printed below: Rev. John Van Schaick. Jr., pastor of the Universalist Church of Our Fathers, has said in part: "1 must acknowledge frankly that I went to these theaters with reluctance, that 1 dreaded the vulgarity 01 which I had heard so much, that I expected to be bored, but that, on the contrary, I was instructed, entertained and amused. . . There were hus bands and wives and mothers with their children, as well as children alone. There were representatives of all ages and many classes. They all conducted themselves like ladies and gentlemen. ... As to the amusement itself, I am compelled to speak in high praise. This is not an unqualified endorsement: I intend to seek further. . . . There were some very silly things, of course, and some grotesque. unreal and exaggerated. There were some things I would not show if I were running the business. But there was a deal of real instruction, much that appealed to the imagination and emotion, and what is vastly more important, so far as these places go, amusement. That is what the masses need — rational amusement that amuses. It must be cheap. It must quicken and stimulate the man or woman who is dead tired of the monotony of his toil. If the 5-cent theater does all these things it is a benefactor to the race. . . . Prof. Patten, of the University of Pennsylvania, has said. 'Amusement is stronger than vice and can stifle the lust of it. It is the basis of economic efficiency upon which depends the progress of multitudes.' All the forces which cooperate to save man from becoming a machine are religious. Amusement is one of these. I wish that "we had more playgrounds of various kinds for adults as well as children and that all knew how to play as well as work." Mrs. Edna Kcene Rushee, chief attendance officer of the public schools, has this to say about the moving: picture theaters: "As a substitute for something worse, the 5-cent theater is no doubt a good thing. Standing alone, however, it possesses many features which tend to lower the standards and hurt the morals of our children. . . . The theaters have increased in numbers and their springing up represents in a large measure the waste earning of those who can least afford it. ... I know children who evening after evening visit these places and are away from their homes until the late hours of the night without the supervision of any older person. . . . You may say that this is due to lack of parental control and home conditions, and that is true, but these places, large in number as thev are, easy of access to the homes, within the reach of all financially serve as meeting places for boys and girls. ... So far as my knowledge of these places is concerned, I have never seen an obscene picture in them. I have seen pictures, however, which J would consider highly demoralizing for children, anc while nol ■> hurtful, pi I upon older ertairily have notn plifl in them and t< nd to lower standards oi morality. V "I much the yellow backed novel . bul in mj opinion, their inflm 1 as nothing compared with that "t the moving picture sh,,w 9. . . . Km I wi ui, 1 11, >t have ti" abolished; thej may be n real power tor good. It has been said that they preserve the family unit and to some extent, 1 believe thej do. Pleasure, in my opinion, ii ti ■ life as work, and the che ipness oi th ure brings it within the r< 1 ... I would, how ever, a reduction and on in the number, a strict censorship— and the el nation ol vaudeville acts where young children perform With these safeguards, I believe that the moving picture shows could be made to take their pr| iper place as one of th "1 in the city ol \\ ashingti in." r. James P. Mackin, pastor of St. Paul's Catholic Church, gives his opinion of the moving picture houses as follows: "The moving picture, like all modern inventions, may be made a mosl useful instrument or a most terrible scourge. In the hands of intelligent educator-, it may be made to illustrate scien rj and travel as no other agency can. ... In the hands of selfish mercenaries it will become a potent for destruction of the faith and morals of the young and here, in my opinion, the greatest danger lies. . . . Young children are allowed at will oil the streets after nightfall, without c-eort or older companion. :liid as a natural consequence are attracted by the brilliant lights and the glitter surrounding these establishments. ... I am strongly in favor of the recommendation made at the Humane Conference that children be prohibited from attending moving picture shows unless esc by their parents or proper adu't . . . Next to the restriction of children. I am impressed that the most important feature to the moving picture houses that needs to be regulated is that of the films, ... for there can be no estimating tin consequences on a child's mind of a picture l upon criminal or immoral suggestion. When good, clean pictures are displayed and the children who see them are properly chaperoned, the moving picture theater has become largely an instrument for good. . . . Regarding the operation of moving picture houses on Sunday, I can not say that I am opposed to this feature, provided that they are not allowed to be kept open when church services are in progress. . . . During the hours when there are ordinarily no religious services being held. I can see no objection to their being patronized as a place of rest and recreation BOSTON. Manager Broune, of the Old South and New Washington Theaters, Boston, has also recently gone on a trip to the "big town" to take a look at the "center of things." October 12, 1910, was the first date that Columbus Day was officially recognized as a holiday in Massachusetts. The day was clear and cold and the moving picture men made a gala day's business. It is safe to state that the great majority of Boston's moving picture theaters were filled to their" utmost capacity from early morning until late in the evening. Some houses even recorded the best day's business in their career up to that date. Napa, Cal.— The Hayes Theater opened this season under new management. Since the opening the S. R. O. sign has had to be put up on several occasions. The Hayes will seat 1,000 people and will easily accommodate from 200 to 300 more. It is not a theater with a lavishly decorated lobby and nothing inside— but is the opposite. The lobby is fixed up very nice, but inside it is decorated by hand, beautifully, and is the work of an artist who has had wide experience. Your plea for good lighted theaters docs not apply here for it is very light inside. Manager Goldsmith docs not let expense stand in his way. You will see from the program enclosed the show they are putting on. Yes; they show vaudeville, but not the class you justly decry. Last week a star of the Bevani Grand Opera Company, which has been nlaying in 'Frisco, scored a great hit here with his selections from "Carmen," "Rigoletto." "II Trovatore." etc. A superior rlass of film service is shown at the Hayes. I am sure if eon ever saw the Hayes you would say it is one of California's best. The Unique Theater (Independent) is drawing a good business. Thanhouser, Itala and Great Northern are deservedlv the biggest attractions here. The Novelty ran the "Passion Play" to record houses last week. A special lecturer was cmploved for this. R. D. KYSER.