The Moving picture world (September 1923-October 1923)

The Pep of The Program News and reviews of ShofT subjects and serials Eminent Directors Working on Fox's "Sunshine Comedies' The Sunshine Comedy produced by Fox Film Corporation and now one of the oldest brands of successful two -reel fun films on the market, has been embellished during recent weeks by one of the finest staffs of directorial craftsmanship in the comedy field. Insistent demands for more Sunshines on the part of exhibitors has led the Fox organization to add considerably to the production resources of the famous line of mirth-makers. And not only has advancement been made in the direction of the short subjects. Comedians from every stage and lot have been marshaled to complete the efficiency of the laugh-producers. Much of the addition and elaboration of existing conditions relative to the making of Sunshine Comedies is due to the favorable reports from exhibitors in the United States, England. France. Italy. Japan and Australia. Included in the staff of directors now engaged in their production are: Thomas Buckingham. Jack G. Blystone. who recently directed Tom Mix in "Soft Boiled." a special for 1923-1924: George (Slim) Summerville, Lou Seiler. Erie Kenton and Bryan Foy, son of Eddie Foy, the noted comedian, who was recently promoted from the scenario staff to handle direction. August 26 saw the release of the latest Sunshine, "Jungle Pals." an excellent bit of fun work, with a trio of "humanzees" whose fame as flicker stars will soon be proclaimed. "The Explorers" is scheduled for an early September release and "Unreal News Real" will be issued September 23. October 7 will be the date for distribution of "Dance or Die," previously announced as "The Marathon Dancers." Scenic Tale Still Making a Hit "And Wotnt: Must W eep," one of KducationaPs Wilderness Tales by Robert C. Bruce, with a special musical accompaniment, was presented at the Newman Theatre in Kansas City a a prologue to the feature, "Homeward Bound," last week. This adaptation of the George Kingsley poem, "The Three Fishers," is a dramatic st< >r> of life among the fishermen and their families in a little coast village. It has attracted unusual attention both for its beauty and its dramatic values, in this country and abroad. At the Newman it* was presented with vocal accompaniment by the Misses Grace Elliot and Lillian Brown. A most effective introduction for the feature drama was provided in this way. Christie Providing Comedies with a New Angle of Film Sunshine and Ice" Fox Film to Be Released September 16 Advance information of the 1923-24 series of Christie Comedies for release through Educational Film Exchanges. Inc.. indicates that Christie will this season contribute a number of unusual comedies to the Educational program. The new series will be a radical departure from the last, in that there will be more broad comedy situations and faster action, it is stated. The same high quality in story, plot, settings and photog raphy will be maintained, while more of the "gag" situations, which are proving so popular with the theatregoers, will be incorporated in each picture. Action and thrills are promised in a number of the new comedies, particularly those featuring Jimmie Adams, whose two pictures under the Christie banner last season, "Green as Grass" and the blackface comedy, "Roll Along." were such decided hits with theatre audiences. The Fox Educational Entertainment, "Sunshine and Ice," to be released September 16, shows many particularly novel sights in South America. The railroad which threads its way across the lofty Andes Mountains is among the engineering wonders of the world. It has the distinction of being the highest railway in existence, climbing more than 13,000 feet above sea level. Scores of peaks are always above the clouds. The peculiar formation of ice caused by the action of sun and wind is bizarre in appearance. Spires of ice, almost as large as a man in height and width, cover the ground for miles. Then comes the descent into sunlit valleys where the inhabitants raise goats for a living. One of the humorous bits in the film is a five-year-old girl milking a goat. When the animal kicks over the milk bucket the little toddler registers remorse as deeply as the greatest of emotional actresses, it is stated. Ingenious Exploitation Aids Supplied to Pathe Exhibitors Salt Lake City Reviewer Praises Two Reel Comedies With millions of youthful movie fans delightedly absorbing Harold Lloyd "goggles" as fast as it has been possible to manufacture and distribute them, and the Ben Turpin moustache and "cock-eyed glasses" combination going with an almost equal rush, Pathe is expanding its exploitation novelties campaign to include most of the outstanding items among its current and forthcoming releases. The "Our Gang" 2-reel comedies are found to lend themselves most happily to this sort of exploitation. The release of Harold Lloyd's new feature comedy, "Why Worry," has inspired the issue of a novelty feather dart with a tag attached. One side of the tag is for the exhibitor's imprint; the other bears the pertinent advice: " 'Why Worry*' Tickle away your troubles. See Harold Llovd and be tickled pink!" For "The" Call of the Wild," Jack London's immortal dog story screened as a feature by Hal Roach, Pathe is issuing a novelty containing a special appeal to boys. The no • now in preparation for the Will Rogers 2-reel comedy series, shortly to begin release, is also ingenious. Century Has Comedy Called "My Pal" "My Pal," now in the first week of production, will be Pal the dog's third comedy for Century. Al Herman will again direct the canine comedian in this picture. That the value of two-reel comedies as real attractions to the movie fan is being appreciated by the newspaper reviewers throughout the country is attested by the following clipped from the motion picture reviewer's column of a Salt Lake City newspaper : "The value of the one and tworeel comedies is rapidly beginning to be realized as attractions that add to the box-office receipts. Often these short films draw as much applause and enthusiasm from an audience as the main feature. This i> particularly the case in modern day comedies which not only create an atmosphere but tend to leave an impression in the minds of the onlookers that is favorable to the theatre in which they arc shown. "The old time policy used to be drawn out comedies, chiefly featuring slapstick work. These soon became tiresome and were so overdone that naturally they fell into disfavor. Now comes the short, snappy style with something doing every minute." Fox Release Sept. 30 More Hal Roach Comedies on Pathe List of Coming Season's Releases "Full Speed Ahead" is the title of the next two-reel vehicle for the agile Fox comedian, Al St. John, ft will be released September 30. A Cook Two-Reeler Fox Film Corporation announces September 30 as the date for the release of the next Clyde Cook special two-reel comedy. It is called "The Pinhead." For the coming season Pathe's list of releases is again enriched by the creative versatility of Producer Hal Roach, whose "Our Gang" series of 2-reel comedies and his single-reel all-animal "Dippy Doo Dads" are novelties which established themselves in the estimation of exhibitors andpatrons. Pathe says: "The .latest Roach screen comedy invention is a series of 2-reelers dealing with the realistic adventures and bearing the general title of "The Spat Family." . An overbearing, know it all brother, a determined sister, and the sister's plaintive monocled young English husband, form a triangle of characters shrewdly calculated to carry out Mr. Roach's "Spat Family" idea. Pathe announces a series of six 2-reel "Spats" for the new season. The first release, scheduled for an early date, is called, "Let's Build."