The Moving picture world (November 1921)

692 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 10, 1921 Selling the Picture to the&Public On the Other Hand Many stores have mentioned picture attractions in their advertising, so just to be different, Oscar Kantner, Paramounteer, helped the Chic Theatre, Indianapolis, put over a reverse of the idea, the amusement advertising the fact that two locol department stores were rapidly losing their supply of copies of "The Sheik" and advising the early bookworm to get a hustle on. The stores paid a portion of the cost of the advertisement and also distributed 10,000 heralds on the Paramount attraction in the packages they sent out. • The wise manager will give the local stores at least a free slide if they promise to make window displays of the book, and he will start in a couple of weeks ahead. Let Lobby Dressing Feature His Week Every production company now has its annual "week" if it does not horn in more often, and they worked so well that Milton Grostein, who runs the Star Theatre, Portland, Oregon, decided that he might build on this a little. He had "The Golden Snare" booked in the usual program course of his First National franchise, and he figured that "Nomads of the North" would make a capital team-mate for the newer Curwood, so he booked that for a return the first three days of the week, with "The Golden Snare" to follow. This offered a number of good angles, not the least of which was the fact that one lobby dressing would do for two plays, which meant that he could afford to spend more money on the single display. But that was just a starter. The double event looked more important to the public than single bookings. It was a gala week and not just a stright program event. Most people tried to see both plays. And it gave him a chance to do a lot of talking. The box office was the final test, and that the balance was on the right side of the books is shown by the fact that Mr. Grostein is now planning a series of weeks. He is going to Hyman 's Novelties at the Mark Strand After two weeks of shutout business with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Edward L. Hyman plans to put in an unusually elaborate musical program for the week of December 4, not alone to appeal to his regular patrons, but to give the new patrons the specials have brought in a proper idea of the Strand's real appeal above the usual picture program. His specials attracted a lot of newcomers who like the general atmosEDIV. L. HYMAN phere of the house. The same class of discriminating spectators will be brought in by John Barrymore in "The Lotus Eater," but with a shorter length film program Hylan can sell them on the musical idea and hold them regular patrons of the musical program irrespective of the plays. He starts off with the overture to "Aida," played straight, but with light effects in the way of foots and floods and on the setting. This preludes a ballet number in which four girls will interpret Moskowski's "Air de Ballet," with a soloist leading. The setting is a silver cyclorama with a French window in the centre, through which the performers make their entrances. A glass prism chandelier, in Colonial style, will hang above and accentuate the lighting effects. Just in passing, nothing will dress your stage better where you want a big show. The chandeliers are costly if made to order, but if you watch your chance, you can pick one up cheaply, though you may have to wait until some old fashioned building is torn down. The cyke will be flooded with magenta, with a blue flood through the window and pink spots on the dancers, the pink harmonizing better with the magenta than the white. The orchestra will be flooded steel blue with amber side lights and house lights in red. The Topical Review will give setting time for the prologue, which is the "Bell Song" from "Lakme," employing a coloratura soprano and the ballet. The setting is a tropical beach fronting the sea, with palm trees either side. As the curtains open this will be seen in silhouette, the lights all being between the palms and the sea drop, with all but the necessary house lights out. Blue lighting will throw the cutout scenery into strong relief. After a moment for the enjoyment of the picture, the front lights will be worked up as the dancers appear. These are barefooted and are dressed in chiffon, with floral head dresses. The solo will be sung by the soprano, who impersonates the "Mavis" of the picture. At the conclusion a tenor enters, dressed in the character Barrymore plays and sings the "Invictus," Hunn. Here the lighting changes to lightning effects with the thunder roll. The curtain tableau shows the singer at the feet of "Mavis." The play follows, and this, in turn, gives way to the prologue to "II Pagliacci," sung by a baritone in front of the curtains of the production stage. Harold Lloyd in "Never Weaken" supplies the comedy touch and the organ postlude is Chopin's Polonaise in A major. This would seem to be the best musical program Mr. Hyman has offered this season. It is practically all operatic, but it is tuneful and appealing to those who like music, whether it be classical or not. have a Constance Talmadge week, and then a Norma Talmadge week, and then split it 50-50 and let you decide between the sisters. That gives him three big weeks at intervals, and after that First National will give him a Ray week, a Marshal Neilan week and a few others. It conserves advertising and swells the box office at the same time, costing less and making more money. HERE IS A LOBBY DRESSED FOR THE AUTHOR AND NOT FOR ONE PARTICULAR FEATURE "Weeks" seem to be the craze, and Milton Grostein, manager of the Star Theatre, Portland, Ore., could not see why an author's week would not work as well as for a star or production company, so he hired "The Golden Snare," booked a return of "Nomads of the North" and used one lobby display to put over "Curwood Week." It worked so well that he will use other First National stars and authors and producers in the same way