World Film News and Television Progress (Apr 1936-Mar 1937)

FILM SOCIETY News from Film Societies and Clubs MERSEYSIDE FILM INSTnTJTE SOCIETY: A performance was given at the David Lewis Theatre, Liverpool, on January 12th, when Sacha Guitry's Bonne Chance — "a film concerned with the adventures of a man, a woman and a lottery ticket" — headed the bill. It was supported by Canal Barge, a Dutch film directed by Otto van Nevenhoff and M. Franken : Elton's Housing Problems; The Band Concert (Mickey Mouse) and The Birth of the Robot, Len Lye's Gasparcolor production for Shell. This society is a branch of the British Film Institute — the membership subscription being Is. 6d. a year. Pertbrmances are strictly limited to members and their friends. The Hon. Secretary is J. Alex Parker, 5/6 Bluecoat Chambers, Liverpool 1. EAST KENT FILM SOCIETY: Hon. Secretary Miss M. M. Robson, M.A., 133 Northdown Road, Margate. This society was successfully inaugurated on October 25 th last year, and since then The Road to Life, En Nalt, Remous, Night Mail and Colour Box have been shown. January programmes included The King's Stamp, Rainbow Dance (both by G.P.O. Film Unit), Rene Clair's Sous Les Toits de Paris. Stanley Hawes' Chapter and Verse, and Pabst's classic. Kameradschadt, Anstey's Enough to Eat? (formerly titled The Nutrition Film), Landbuilders, and Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin are scheduled for showing on February 21st. Performances are held at the Cameo Cinema, Cliftonville. Membership has shown a steady increase at each performance. SCOTTISH CHURCHES FILM GUILD: Though progress has been somewhat hampered by lack of money, membership of this Guild has been increasing steadily, and Lord Tweedsmuir has consented to be Honorary President of the movement. Sir Stephen Bilsland, Bart., The Right Rev. Bishop Reid of Filming a Foreign Town — (contd.) was transported from the Forest of FontainbleuA close up of that boulder would cut neatly to a similar close up of one of the hundreds of rocks lying in the Forest, thus enabling the camera to leave Paris and continue its pilgrimage in Fontainebleu without a break or a jolt. In Brussels there always seems to be a quantity of very large and fashionable ladies, and the reason may be due to the equally large number of Patissiers, famous for enormous and ultra-sweet cakes. Stout, hardy women with men's voices sell newspapers, which are strapped to their waists. Anyone sits anywhere in Brussels — it is friendly and honest. Cafes are sprinkled with children drinking cocoa, and priests drinking wine — the white metal helmets of the police, and the English-looking shopfronts are worth a few shots, intermingled with some close ups of lace. It is by these httle, and, at first sight, unimportant incidents and objects that the true underlying character of places is built up, and I strongly advise the amateur to scour a locality for material, noting everything before attempting to shoot. HUMAN EVTEREST When he has definitely created what may be termed an impressionistic prologue, he is justified in beginning leisurely surveys of all the usual sights. But his main duty is to reveal the fact that each place he visits is inhabited by human beings, who, with past generations, have made the city what it is, and consequently, by firstly showing the creators of a place, the complete picture which follows, portraying the results of their labour, will be more easily understood and remembered, and what is of even greater importance, the true spirit of the locahty, which hovers over everything and everybody, will be actually felt b>' the audience at home. Edinburgh, and Sir William E. Whyte are among the Vice Presidents. The membership is being divided into three groups, according to geographical disposition, each group functioning under an Honorary Secretary and arranging for its own programmes and film supplies. The headquarters of the Guild is at Edinburgh, under the chairmanship of Rev. A. H. Dunnett. The address of the Hon. Secretary, John G. Bridges, is 100 Princes Street, Edinburgh. LEICESTER FILM SOCIETY : At the performance held on Saturday, January 23rd, the Russian film Deserter by Pudovkin, was shown. This film was Pudovkin's first experiment with sound, and its making occupied two years. Much of the film is taken from actual events, such as the Hamburg dock-strike in 1931. Supporting films were Papageno and Cover to Cover. This society's programmes, which are sent to all Film Societies, contain an article on the art of the film, and comprehensive descriptions of each film shown. CATHOLIC FILM SOCIETY: At the second general meeting on December 12th, 1936, Rev. Ferdinand Valentine pointed out that progress had been made in all three groups. Production, Projection and Mime, and that the society was gradually forming the nucleus of a Central Film Bureau, which by arranging exchange of copyright will help to circulate Cathohc sub-standard films throughout the world. At the same meeting. Rev. Valentine was elected Organising Secretary and Rev. Francis Young, Chairman. The January display included Morning Offering, Holy Matrimony, Aran of the Saints, Mount Melleray and The Dominicans of Woodchester. The next display is on February 3rd, at Millicent Fawcett Hall, when a new film entitled Just for To-day is to be shown. Tickets, price \s. and \s. 6d. may be had from the Organising Secretary, 36 Great Smith Street, S.W.I. LONDON SCHOOLS FILM SOCIETY: A prograinme of educational films and a demonstration of Kalee projectors were given to the society at the Institute of Education on January 21st. On February Uth, at 6 p.m., a meeting is to be held at the G.P.O. private cinema to see some of the recent films produced by the G.P.O. Film Unit. An address is to be given by one of the leading oSicers of the Unit. So far as accommodation will permit, the society will be pleased to welcome any who are interested, but appUcation must be made for tickets beforehand to the Hon. Secretary, 50 Ashridge Crescent, S.E.18. On February 18th, at 5.30 p.m., Mr. William Farr, of the British Film Institute, will speak on "Celluloid Text Books" at the Institute of Education. Admission is free, without ticket, to all interested. THE METEOR FILM PRODUCING SOCIETY had the distinction of being the first amateur cine club in Europe to be visited by Senorita Ida Luciana, delegate of the Cine Club of Argentma, who is making a European tour for the purpose of securing an international membership for her club. Glasgow was her first stop on this tour, and she proposes going on to London, Berlin and Rome, with the hope of furthering a free exchange of films and information between the RepubUc and Europe. The Senorita's club offers a silver cup for international competition amongst its members, the award being made to the film judged to have the highest artistic merit. Only members are allowed to compete, but films — which should be in the 16 mm. class, and not exceeding four reels — may be sent in from any part of the world. The club's headquarters are in Buenos Aires, and it is as well to warn intending competitors that the Argentines take their films very senously, and delight to compete with professional newsreel operators in securing local interest features. MANCHESTER AND SALFORD WORKERS' FILM SOCIETY: The programme given at the Rivoli Cinema, Rusholme, on January 1 7th, w£is headed by The Deserter. This film — Pudovkin's first talkie — is a tragedy of class struggle, unemployment and economic crisis, followed by new leadership, new ideals and new generations— a film of penetrating satire by an inspired director. It was supported by two French films — L'Hippocampe, a study of sea-horses, and The Pacific Problem, a film of Japanese expansion in the Far East. Hey Rup is to be the feature film of the next show of the society on February 14th, and Chapter and Verse has been booked for the following month. All applications for membership should be made to "The Secretary, 86 Hulton Street, Salford, 5. The subscription is \0s. a year. NORTH LONDON FILM SOCIETY: Raspoutine, the classical German film of the strange personality who controlled Russia's destiny in the period before the Revolution, was the chief feature of a programme given on Sunday, January 24th, which also included Anstey's Dinner Hour, for the British Commercial Gas Association, The March of Time, Fischinger's Lichtertanz, and Robert Fairthorne's new mathematical notation for differential calculus. The Equation X-\ X=O.On the same day Dr. F. D. Klingender gave a lecture on Social Backgrounds to American and Russian Films. Membership fee for the half season 1936-37 has been reduced to ds. dd. inclusive. This entitles members to one seat at the remaining three monthly performances and film lectures. Members may bring up to four guests to performances, and applications for guest tickets should be made to the Hon. Secretary, 8 King's Road, N.4. EDINBURGH FILM GUILD: In an attempt to give a lead to producers, members of the Film Guild have been invited to submit suggestions for (a) one-reel or two-reel documentary films, and (b) feature-length entertainment films, suitable for presentation at the Scottish Empire Exhibition in 1938. Two prizes of a year's subscription to the World Film News will be given for the best suggestions in each class. The programme given on January 10th at the Caley Picture House, included The Red Army (G.-B. Instructional), Soap Bubbles, Len Lye's Birth of the Robot, and Pudovkin's Deserter. A discussion at the Caledonian Hotel followed the show. Jean Vigo's L'Atalante, which contains "probably the finest things the cinema has yet given us," was shown on January 31st. Hon. Secretary: Douglas A. Donald, 16 Great King Street, Edinburgh, 3. NOTE: All Film Society and Qub News shoold reach W.F.N, not later than the 10th of each month. 45