Reel and Slide (Jan-Sep 1919)

NOTICE TO SUBSCRIBERS If you fall to receive your copy of Reel and Slide Magazine promptly please do not think it has been lost or was not sent on time. Remember there is an unusual pressure on the railroads, moving troops, supplies, food and fuel. The demands on them are enormous; they have more business than they can handle, so delays are inevitable. Everything humanly possible is being done to expedite prompt delivery. The War Pictures CERTAIN prominent men in the motion-picture industry are claiming that war pictures are through, while others of equal prominence make the counterclaim that they are very much alive, in as great demand as ever and of' the same interest as before the close of the war. The much mooted question seems to refer more to the written war stories shown on the screen than to the pictures of actual scenes, the official films taken by the soldier photographers of America and the Allies. Of these latter it might be unquestionably stated that they are not through, are not lacking in interest and are not under the ban of discontinued public demand. In very recent showings of these pictures hisses come from all parts of the theaters to greet the German submarines, German soldiers and other scenes showing some part of the activities of the enemy, while uproarious applause greets the scenes of the activities of the allies, the many portions of the films that appeal to the exultation of victory in the hearts and minds of Americans. As long as great applause greets them, the war pictures shall live in the interest of the public. * * * Essentials in Pictures A GREAT many arguments have been put forward by a great many people of a great many kinds as to just why the moving picture screen produces a convincing argument. But there is one reason that is more important and more fundamental than all the rest combined. That is r the film necessarily presents essentials. It is, of its own nature, free from inconsequentials. Therein, likewise, are found its limitations. A score of savants, writing for twenty years, could not entirely exhaust the subject of India. Yet, the expert photographer, if he knows his business, can give the school boy a very comprehensive idea of India in thirty minutes, "screen time." Now, it is not, as a rule, necessary that the boy should know more. Voltaire calls attention to the fact that the scientists know exactly what the mathematical relationship of the rudder to the ship's keel shall be in order to steer a certain course, yet Columbus discovered America without understanding in the slightest degree these mathematical calculations. This is the day of mass education ; intensive educa tion is not our most vital problem. It is better for the world that one thousand school boys get a general knowledge of India and its people than that five boys delve into the musty tomes analyzing its social scheme, religion and geological characteristics. Nature Lovers ONE of the early Pathe special productions depicted a huge rose being born. In its day, this subject was a novelty. The public did not understand how the picture was made ; they did not care. Possibly, if they considered the question at all, they had a suspicion that it was a "fake." As a matter of fact, this picture has had the attention of more than one of ouf present-day floriculturists because it demonstrates a phenomenon of nature almost impossible to witness effectively in any other way. It took long hours to make this film, the rose before the camera, gradually bursting out from the bud, the camera man giving a slight turn to his crank at regular intervals. When run off at normal speed, the rose opened naturally but at a speed to be counted in seconds rather than in hours. What a wonderful field of activity for the nature lover! Science and Films THE advances made in science within the last five hundred years may be reasonably laid quite as much to the discovery of certain instrumentalities and mechanical inventions as to the genius, patience and ardor of the scientists themselves. The microscope offers one example, electricity another, photography a third. All of these instrumentalities have opened the door of knowledge just a little wider to the view of the savant. Though slow to get recognition, moving pictures are now looked upon as a Valuable addition to the working paraphernalia of the -laboratory in many of our most conservative institutions. \~\ Men of science are ^democratic enough to disregard prejudice in utilizing every medium that offers possibilities of aid in furthering their 'labors. Thus, we find the American Museum of Natural History filming the scientific phenomena of the circulation of the blood. The reason? Because the moving picture enables them to go one step farther than they have hitherto gone in demonstrating certain physiological theories and facts. Thus, in the dawn of knowledge, the naked eye "opened the door," as it were, the photographic art opened it wider, photo-microscopy opened it farther yet, and now — moving pictures give lifelike action in a line of study in which motion is an important element. Natural color-micro-motion-picture-photography will, in the future, do much for the man of science. What he knows and sees in his workroom he can pass on to mankind, giving them the result, yet saving them the time and labor he has given. ; ,