Reel and Slide (Jan-Sep 1919)

REEL and SLIDE 13 Motion Picture Camera to Reveal Unexplored Africa Cinema Expedition, Accompanied by Smithsonian Institution Experts, Hopes to Bring Home to America Films of Great Instructional and Scientific Value I i it Top, left — Homer L. Shontz, botanist; center — Edmund Heller, naturalist; right — Henry C. Raven, field naturalist. Bottom, left to right — William Stowell, camera director; George Scott, chief camera man; Dr. Joseph Armstrong, business manager; Henry N. Kohler, camera man; Edward M. Thierry, newspaper correspondent; Pliny Home, camera man. By John P. Brand THE greatest educational motion picture expedition in the history of the industry, launched by the Universal Film Manufacturing Company, sailed from the port of NewYork on the steamship "City of Benares" in July to penetrate the unexplored regions of the world, landing at Capetown, and beginning a journey through Darkest Africa that will not be completed until the members of the expedition emerge a year later at Zanzibar. African exploration, halted during five years of war, is to be resumed by scientists, motion picture camera-men and directors, and a newspaper correspondent. Officially, this expedition is known as the Smithsonian African Expedition in conjunction with the Universal. It is the largest in scientific scope since the Stanley Expedition that went in search of Livingstone half a century ago, larger than that headed by the late Col. Theodore Roosevelt. The itinerary carries the party into unexplored parts of the Dark Continent and has been sanctioned by Dr. Charles Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal. For the first time in the history of the Smithsonian, it has joined hands with a motion picture company to enrich the archives of scientific knowledge and bring the wonders, curiosities, natural history and the results of anthropological research in vivid pictures to the cinema audiences of the world. Edmund Heller of Washington, D. C, a famous naturalist, is to be the director of the expedition, under the authority of the Smithsonian Institute, and Henry C. Raven, who was chosen as the field naturalist, has also had a wide experience in exploring and scientific work. Homer Leroy Shontz of Washington, botanist and agricultural expert, represents the United States Department of Agriculture. The newspaper correspondent is Edward M. Thierry, representing the Newspaper Enterprise Association. Long before the expedition returns to this country practically everybody will have heard and read about the experiences of the explorers. For the first time in the history of science the motion picture will play an important part in African explorations. Pictures of known and heretofore unknown forms of animal insect and reptile life, of races and tribes, some never before seen by white men, and unique life and customs, it is expected, will be brought to America and the mysteries of un tracked Africa be shown. Directing all of the motion pictures will be William Stowell of Los Angeles, who has gained a countrywide reputation. The chief photographer assisting Mr. Stowell is George Scott, one of Universal's most expert photographers. Two other expert camera-men accompanying the expedition are Henry Kohler of Chicago and Pliny Home of Los Angeles. Dr. Joseph R. Armstrong of Los Angeles was chosen as business manager. '*T* M A s Jk W. F. Alder, left, and Edward Laemmle, who are making the expedition into the Far East and expect to photograph some parts and places there never before seen by white men. The three scientists of the expedition will collect skulls, skins, and bones of animals, specimens of insect life, human skulls and bones, live animals and plants and seeds. The zoological and anthropological specimens will be for the Smithsonian Institute. The mission of Dr. Shontz will be investigations leading to the introduction of useful plants into America. The Roosevelt expedition had only five white men, including Colonel Roosevelt's son, Kermit. The Rainey expeditions usually had four, and most of the African expeditions have consisted of two. In this new expedition there will be nine white men. Much of the distance will be covered overland. The nine members of the party will head a large caravan or "safari." Negro porters of varied races will probably number between 150 to 200. Although three tons of food are included in the baggage carried for the expedition by the "City of Benares," it is planned to obtain much of the food by hunting and fishing en route. The complete and tentative itinerary of the expedition is as follows : From Cape Town north to Victoria Falls ; from there northward to the headwaters of the Congo ; thence following the River Luvua down as far as the River Lukuga, and eastward to Lake Tanganyika; LakeTanganyika to Ujiji; using Ujiji as base, with trips eastward into former German East Africa. Northward on Lake Tanganyika to Lake Kivu, thence westward toward the Lualaba Congo; from there northward to Albert Edward Nyanza; then to the Ruwenzori Mountains ; then westward in the general direction and course of the Aruwim River, returning to the Albert Nyanza and down the Nile for some distance. Returning to the Victoria Nyanza, the party will proceed to Nairobi, thence to Mt. Kenia, thence to the desert country in the northern section of British East Africa; will then probably turn southward to Mombasa and thence to Bagamoyo and Dar-Es-Salaa, where it will entrain for trips through the heart of the territory formerly known as East Africa. At this point the party may disband, some embarking for home via Mombasa, Suez Canal and Mediterranean, and some proceeding northward up the Nile. to Alexandria, the only route possible for transporting of wild animals. Another Universal expedition is operating in the Far East under the direction of W. F. Alder. Edward Laemmle is his assistant and companion. This party landed in Yokohama some time ago. The film exposed on this Far East journey will record subjects of interest heretofore not photographed. From Yokohama, the landing and starting point, the two men will go through the little frequented by-paths of the Orient, through Shanghai to the interior of China, filming the most educational and interesting phases of life in Hongkong, Canton and Macu. At Haifong it is planned to photograph a tiger hunt. From Haifong the two men will journey to Siam, photographing the most intimate phases of the life there. They will visit Calcutta, Ceylon, Borneo and the Sunda Islands. {Continued on page 15)