The Optical Lantern and Cinematograph Journal (Nov 1904-Oct 1905)

THE OPTICAL LANTERN AND CINEMATOGRAPH JOURNAL 3« market within twenty-four hours of the boats arriving in harbour, when a wave of national sympathy was passing through the kingdom. It is films like this which show how important it is for the cinematograph business to keep abreast with the times. <*> Messrs. Gaumont lS: Co., we notice, in their recent advertisement in 'The Era," ask the question, " Whom do the Trade look to to fill their programme ? " We must say that this particular firm is most prolific in the manufacture of new and interesting films, both comic and otherwise. These gentlemen secured a most interesting and excellent film of the Funeral of the late Mr. Dan Leno, a beautiful picture being secured of the coffin being reverently carried towards the hearse ; also a number of well-known music-hall friends who attended to pay their last respects to this most popular and highly-respected comedian. From all the halls where this film has been shewn, we gather that it was received with great attention, and that the general public were glad to have this opportunity of shewing their sympathy with the bereaved family. Amongst comics that they have, the one we prefer above all others is entitled His First Cigarette. This is a beautiful film, the great attraction in it being the marvellous acting of the two little children during the course of the cigarette being smoked. In only one or two instances can we remember anything so beautifully carried out as this particular film. For those who are looking for a rather bolder sort of comic, we might mention that The Fruits of Matrimony is one likely to appeal to showmen. Messrs. Hepworth & Co., were well to the front with the picture of the crippled trawlers at Hull, also the funeral of the victims, which was of excellent quality, and they, together with the Warwick Trading Co., appear to be the only firms who secured views of this incident. Another film of greater length, but which should be extremely useful to all exhibitors who run tours of any description, is called A Trip to Paris, in which the spectator is practically taken from Charing Cross, past the booking office, on to the train, down to Dover, across the Channel, and finally landed at a cafe in the Champs Elysees. This is of fine quality, some of the panoramas being exceedingly good. The marine views are very pretty, and will not only form a source of amusement to anvone who may see it, but will also afford considerable instruction with regard to our neighbours across the water. The latest film of theirs is entitled A Den of Thieves. This again is a film of different character to the preceding one, being full of exciting incidents and hairbreadth escapes. Messrs. Pathe Freres, as well as the Charles Urban Trading Company, are placing on the market the latest film manufactured by Mr. George Melies, of Paris. This is an exceedingly long film, but at the same time in a number of parts it is extremely interesting, in fact it is safe to say that all films manufactured bv Mr. Melies are of a high standard, The Warwick Trading Company, Ltd., are not left behind in any respect with regard to the Outrage in the North Sea, as we understand they did an extremely large business in the serial film they got out, giving as nearly as possible the actual incidents as they occurred. We understand that the demand for this particular film was unparallelled. Another film that we saw, entitled How the Russians Coal their Battleships at Sea, is of great interest, owing to its being practically unique. The process by which the sacks containing a ton of coal are brought to the stern of the ironclad and dropped from a height of 15 feet to the deck, has, we believe, only been once tested by the Admiralty, when the picture was secured. Their latest film, however, is one in which they have secured representations of battle incidents taken in Japan, in which genuine Japanese soldiers are engaged. The weak point in most of the so-called faked battle pictures which have been put on the market up to the present, is that it is practically impossible, whoever the photographer may be, to secure men who will give the appearance of being what they represent. In this case there can be no doubt as to who the men are. as the well-known Japanese cast of feature is unmistakeable, in fact, to all intents and purposes, there may be an actual battle proceeding, as far as the camera is concerned. A Japanese General Officer and his staff are seen reconnoitering the position of the enemy ; a battalion of the Japanese Guards are then shewn rushing up a precipitous cliff and assaulting the enemy's position ; the next picture shews some skirmishing going on, with wounded Russians lying disabled on the field, and the film concludes most effectively with a number of Japanese wounded being conveyed to the rear for safety. We feel certain that this film will sell in enormous numbers, as it deserves, as it can only have been with the expenditure of a considerable amount of money that the Warwick Trading Company could have secured the services of such a number of Japanese troops in their own country, to say nothing of the trouble of securing the permission of the military authorities to the troops being so engaged. We feel certain that there is a great future in front of this film, especially as at the present moment there seems to be very little, if any, matter coming from the seat of war.