The Moving picture world (January 1926-February 1926)

February 13, 1926 Moving Picture World 667 A Prologue to ^^The Sea Beasf^ specially Devised for WARNER BROS, by COLBY HARRIMAN (A Prologue or Presentation for New Feature Pictures Published Each Week) ^^^T^iE SEA BEAST" is one of those I pictures which need Httle in the ^ way of surrounding program features. With the drawing power of John Barrymore and the superabundance of favorable press comment anent Dolores Costello combined with a good sea story when "sailors were sailors and whales were whales," a limited program is sufficient for any house. In analyzing the picture from an audience angle rather than in the chilliness of a pre-view room, we believe that a prologue, atmospheric in its introduction and constructed to introduce the theme music of chantrys, is the ideal and fiecessary treatment. It is with this purpose in mind we devised this prologue to serve as a link between the overture and the feature picture. The Overture should be one of those compositions indicative of the sea such as "Plymouth Hoe" (Ansell) ; "Prelude to 'Romances of the Seven Seas'" (Baron); "Before the Mast" (a March by Laurendeau) ; "the Third Movement of 'the Second Peer Gynt Suite' " (Grieg), or "Life on the Ocean," a selection on nautical airs by Binding. Or, it may be a medley of sea songs such as Herman Heller, director of Warners Theatre, New York City, has arranged in most commendable fashion for the orchestral feature attendant to the Metropolitan showing of this picture. Towards the last movement of the overture it is suggested that house lights be dimmed, closein curtains be slowly drawn revealing the scene as indicated in Plate 1 of the accompanying sketches. The treatment accorded this "scenic overture" will be given hereafter, but it is the link between the music and the prologue which introduces the chantrys, especially the one used in the picture "We Are Hanging Johnny." If the audience has been introduced to this lilting tune it will appreciate to a greater degree the scenes in the early part of the picture in which this theme is used, rather than wait for the second introduction. The prologue suggestion we are giving is effective for this particular picture, very simple to construct, and can be produced inexpensively. THE SETTING The principal units comprising the set and detailed under the various headings are (a) Painted Scrim; (b) Cut Drop; (c) Mast Piece; (d) Water Row; (e) Cutout Ship; (f) Back Drop. (a) Painted Scrim This scrim should be hung at the curtain line and be given a scenic treatment similar to the design indicated in the sketch marked Plate 1. White sailed ships on a green-blue sea. Here and there white crested waves, a deep blue sky with a huge orange amber setting sun. The batten in the pocket of the scrim should be fastened to the floor with the top batten drawn tight to eliminate any sagging of the scrim. If an artist is not available a very desir ~1 f\t.^r,ur. Tift