Picture Show (Nov 1919-Apr 1920)

10 Tin Tklur NEWS, NOTES, AND OPINIONS, BY FRED K. ADAMS. Films of the Future. " '""T'HE immediate need of motion picl tures," said Thomas H. luce, the well-known producer, in a recent Interview," is of production — thfe story, actors, settings. Advancement along technically artistic linos has been so great, it is hard to conceive of much improvement. I see no reason why," lie went on, warming to his subject, " a single motion-picture production shouldn't have as long a run as a popular play on the legitimate stage. And it's simply a matter of a short time until that will he the case. Griffith did it with his 'Birth of a Nation' " " And what about your own ' Civilisation ' ? " he was asked. " Yes," ho admitted, " but that was larcely spectacular in its appeal. I'm trying, now, to make the same sort of success with human interest pictures. And when the amusement seeking public awakens to that fact — that the producer is striving to give it the same satisfaction on the screen — then will a several months' run for a single picture be quite the usual thing. Picture making calls for an enormous expenditure of money. Tho exhibitor's profits, as you know, are immense. The public must be made to realise that not until a goodly share of tho gain returns to the producer, can the ultimate perfection of the picture be reached. After all it's simply a matter of the education of the individual. The old idea that a moving picture is a fairy tale, springing out of vague nothingness, must be replaced by the knowledge that tho industry is a vital one, sponsored by business men — men who are expending THOMAS 1NCE, the well-known motionpicture director. their best efforts for the advancement of the art." To Aid Crime Detection. THOMAS INCE, the well-known motion picture producer, recently gave a demonstration before it numberof police officials to prove his contention that tho cinema could be made a useful aid in the i lentification of criminals. Selecting a prisoner, Mr. Ince asked for Imh record and picture as made and filed under the old system. Holding the photo graph beside the face of the original ho pointed out that the subject, an old and clever offender, had resorted to a trick used by every experienced " crook," and had contorted his features under the camera, and assumed a strained and altered expression for the very purpose of defeating the ends for which the picture was made. Then posing the prisoner before the " movie " camera and directing him to walk, talk and act naturally without selfconsciousness, Mr. Ince made a picture, that, when developed and flashed on tho screen, depicted an exact life-size reproduction of the subject. No trait, mannerism or characteristic was missing. Every factor of physical make-up that tended to make the subject an individual distinct and different from others was caught by the camera. The officials were certainly impressed by the results obtained, and no doubt cinemas will be installed in all prisons in the near future. Photo-plays by Maeterlinck. MAURICE MAETERLINCK, the great Belgian poet, has just signed a contract to write a series of film stories for an American producer. The wellknown author of " The Bluebird " has never before been personally connected with motion picture art. M. Maeterlinck will write one story a year, and hewill cooperate with the studio staff in the presentation of his work. Although the poet has never written especially for the screen before, he has always entertained definite opinions about its possibilities as a medium for the wide diffusion of ideals of beauty and of other standards of life. Shortly after1 signing his contract M. Maeterlinck said": " It seems to me that America does not give the motion picture the artistic importance it merits. People seem to consider it an inferior type of art form. In my opinion, however, its potentialities are unfathomable, for it can teach in terms of beauty and of ideals in a manner not to be found in any other medium of expression." The art of Maeterlinck should be a great acquisition to the screen. Lessons We Learn From the Films. The instant a woman loves a man she'.* afraid of him, and of every other woman who comes near him. When you are in Home do as the Romans do, but don't try to out do the natives. The Week's Best Films. THE following is a list of the best photoplays which are being released lor exhibition at the cinemas during this week, and tho names of the star artistes : Vitayiaph . . " The King of Diamonds " IlABRY MoREY. Ideal " Vanity Pool " Mary MacLaren and Frankly Faun; m. Western Import "'The Maternal Spark" Ibenk Hunt'. W.. and F " The Spender " Bert Lytkix. Waltvrdaw Select " Heart of Wctona " Norma Talmadoe. F.L.F.8 "The Avalanche" Elsie P'eruuson. F.L.F.8 " The Roaring Road " Wallace Rejd. Vitagraph .. " John Tom Lit tlebear " Alfred Jen vinos. Batchers . . . . " Tho Starting Point " Constance Worth. ^TKGNecugKiv^