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FUTURE OF THE FILM

A CHANCE FOR BRITISH INDUSTRY

AMERICAN COMPETITION

,(By a "Times" Correspondent.)

London, Mai'cli 7. The next five years, without a doilbt, will see an enormous development of the lcineihatograpli industry. If British film producers realise their opportunity there is no reason why England should not become one of the main markets of the world. In the early years of the moving picture America had the field to herself; no other country seemed to realise tho vast possibilities which 'the camera opened up. Before they did so America lad stoked her claim and had practically - monopolised the market, and it is only now, -at this lute hour, that films produced in other countries are beginning to imiko lliei.r presence felt. That they will be welcome goes without saying. The English audience is growing very tired of the American '.film, with its American methods and American atmosphere, and even in America, oiie gathers, there are many who would hail with relief pictures which show them something that is not California. The winding Thames, tho lanes of Devon,' and the Lake District provide wonderful opportunities for scenio oii'ect, which California, even if it can equal, certainly cannot improve on, arid American audiences would' welcome quite as warmly as those in this country an opportunity of seeing pictures taken in such surroundings. If a plebiscite could! be taken of English picture-theatre audienfces, probably 75 pel- cent, would be'perfectly willing to see'the United States film dispensed with altogether •(oven tho'lramours of Miv Charles Chaplin can grow wearisome after a'time). " '. A Changed Attitude.' The difficulty is that at the moment there, is little to take Exhibitors are.crying out.for home-made productions, but the number of English films of any considerable value is small in comparison with the requirements. This state of affairs is not likely to continue indefinitely; even since the signing of the armistice a great change has come over the situation. Tho British film industry will have little difficulty in finding the capital it requires, and new companies, are springing up in every direction. The one great anxiety-is the policy these new enterprises intend to pursue. , If those in authority aro able to visualise the demands of the picture theatre audience of the future, there will be little to-fear.

One foot has to be recognised at the outset, that the attitude of the public towards the kincmatograpli has ohanged. The old idea that' the picture theatre was the resort only of children and people With an hour to spare before catching a train has gone for . ever. The extraordinary success of such places as the New Gallery Kinema, tho West-End Kinoma, the Marble. Arch Pavilion, and the London Opera House (how paying its way for the first time) has .proved that if tho programme is sufficiently attractive the samo audience will go to the picture theatre week in and week out throughout the year. • America quickly realised that the regular rather than the casual patron was the person to rely on by the development of the serial film.

By this means a thrilling Btory of adventure was carried on irom week toweek, often for a period of three months or more,, and every week the hero or heroine was left in an apparently impossible position from whicn escape was boneless. A. week Inter, of course, the unhappy person duly emerged from his ordeal only to fall into worse difficulties at the end of the instalment. But the film served its purpose in bringing .the public to the theatre week after week, and in thus establishing the picture house as a recognised form of entertainment to which whole families went with the -utmost) regularity./, Kinemas of the Future. . One thing ivhich hnsl to be recognised is that the picture theatre is not a passing, orazo. It has como to ala y and to take its place, in 'the entertainment of the people. But the picture-theatre of the iuturo will be a very different matter from that of . the present. Within nest year or two theatres will 'bo springing up in every direction |in London and tho country, and the great at. traction will be that the entertainment provided will be cheap and, if the British film producer has his way, wholesome. 1

The kinema is essentially a family institution, and the programme must be above suspicion. There will bo no room in the.theatre of the future for the film which "skater on thin ice" or which depends for its sensation upon the notoriety of any members of the cast. The recent discussions with regard to the drug evil have led to the production of one or two films which could well be done without. Not that tales of adventure should- bo barred. A film like that bapl 011 the American novel, "Tarzan of the Apes," which is about to be shown in. this country, will be : welcome in any programme. In such cases as this wo cannot hope at present to challenge the American producer, but in a variety of directions England could take the lead at onco. 'llie public are clamouring for English films, and will not be content merely "with pictures. adapted from nlays and novels. These are good up to f point, but there is plenty of room in this new industry for original work if the author, can bo" persuaded to turn his attention "'to it. Some of them have already realised the possibilities of the film as a new method of expressing themselves—Sir James Bnrrie, Sir Hall Caine, and Mr. Louis Parker, to mention some of the most notable—but', on the whole, the author has been contented to leave someone elso to adapt his novel ii.to a scenario for. a film. There is a danger in this, for the producer is apt to adapt th) book out of all recognition to suit his own ends, liko the famous case of the film of "Adam Bede," wherein Hetty ■Sorrel's child does.not die and there is a double wedding, Adam and Dinah being married on tho same day that Arthur Donnithorne leads Hetty to the altar. . An Ever-Increasing Demand, One does not, of course, suggest that even up to the present the English manufacturer lias altogether ncglccted his opportunities. Sqme extraordinarily goal films have been turned out of late, as," for instance, that dealing with the life, of Lord Nelson, in many ways a model production, with its accuracy of detail and its vivid portrayal of the times of the great- hero. But the supply of such work, is out of all proportion to the d,emand. The number of films of this high quality could bo multiplied tenfold, and still the American invasion would not bo entirely stopped. There is little doubt that tho English manufacturer is now alive to his chance. What is to be ejirnefltly hoped for is a friendly working between the producer, the author, and the actor, all of them realising the possibilities of the film. If each section is encouraged flto give its time and attention to this nei field, the English film five years hence will bo in a position to challenge all its competitors.

"What doest thou here, Elijah?" is the question which his conscience will ask of everyono who gives way to the reaction consequent oif> the strain of. war, whether that reaction takes tho form of sheer idle frivolity, nnfaitli and discontent, or some more active and aggressive, form of selfishness. We liavo dreamed greatly, and we can make oiir dreams como true. iiut if we nre content to dwell in our'dream-city wo aliall destroy ourselves."—"Tho Observer."

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19190507.2.14

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 190, 7 May 1919, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,267

FUTURE OF THE FILM Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 190, 7 May 1919, Page 3

FUTURE OF THE FILM Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 190, 7 May 1919, Page 3

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