Picture Stories Magazine (Sept 1914-Feb 1915)

On the iscreen EVAN STRONG Mr. Strong has for several years been connected with one of the largest houses in the Film Trade. In his monthly article this keen observer discusses happenings in the Picture World and gives his ideas and suggestions which, supported by such practical experience, prove valuable and instructive reading. HE past few weeks have brought a development in the cinematograph world which will please those that maintain that to provide for its lasting popularity the motion picture must take on a more educative character. This development is the advent of a number of lecturers who detail incidents and adventures, mostly personal, as the picture runs down the screen. I have heard one or two of them, and must admit that the increased interest was quite out of proportion to expectation. War topicals take on a different nature — the voice of a good lecturer puts real life into them ; and if the lecturer knows his subject, has lived through the episodes thijown on the screen, one gets a much better idea of what war really is. So far, I think, the war has done nothing so good for cinematography in general as this creation of lecturers to films. It is not entirely new, for sure, but in the past film lecturing has resolved itself into a series of pictures with a detached voice droning away at the side of the screen, and rarely in any sort of sympathy with the subject apparent. Now these new lecturers are generally men who have a purpose, apart from business, in their work. Most of them have a tale to tell the world ; a tale of woe it may be, or a tale of bravery. But whatever their lectures are chiefly concerned with, the sermon of them, in revealing the horrors of war, is going to have effect in the future. As aside from this the educational value is immense. One learns of places and happenings and characteristics which gain in the relating by being illustrated by pictures depicting the actual things explained. It is to be hoped that not only the few now engaged. but dozens and dozens more will take up this film lecturing, not only in relation to war and exploration, but in regard to all kinds of subjects which come within the scope of the camera. The status of cinematography will be raised thereby, and its longevity ensured. * * * AVERY distinct line is drawn between the average film and the " educational," and the latter is on the weaker side. The reason for this is that the average educational " is somewhat dry, rather like our old school books ; and instead of awaking interest and being taken in with some degree of pleasure, it is merely tolerated. Few want the purely educational, and when it appears in a programme it is more than half the time as a fill-up or on the score of variety. This is not because the people do not desire to be taught by means of motion pictures — the fault is entirely with the manner in which the educational pictures are produced. We cannot, it seems, get away from the notion that to learn one must take on the aspect of an owl, and chew over disagreeable pap. High brows and stolid reading is still the mark of the intellectual ! And unfortunately — or fortunately — the average person who goes to the cinema doesn't want to be an owl, does not mean to risk mental indigestion, nor has he much respect for the " intellectual " label. I AM with the average person every time. I do not want the dry-as-dust stuff " put over " on me after office hours. My mental agility is less than it was ; it has been at its topmost bent all day. My brain has been doing the half-mile at sprint pace,