Talking Films

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1921, Page 3

Talking Films

THE “CINEPHONE” AND i'l’S POSSIBILITIES. The publication of the news 1 rum Stockholm that a Swedish engineer has solved the problem of the talking film lias decided two Italian inventors, the brothers Pinesclii, to make public some details of their invention in the same field of science (reports the Rome correspondent of the London “Observer”). These two men claim that their 1 Cinephone,” as they call it, makes the talking film a commercial possibility. A demonstration of the new invention has just been given to a number of Pressmen in Rome, and it must be stated that the performance was quite successful. The trouble experienced hitherto iu attempts to com hi no the gramophone with the kinema has been the synchronising of the two operations. The Pinechis’ invention, as far as one could judge, seems to overcome this difficulty. In previous attempts to produce a talking film all kinds of tricks have had hi he employed. Unless the actor spoke almost directly in the trumpet of the gramophone, the disc did not register properly. With this “Cinephone,” according to the statement of the inventors, the actors and actresses can speak ns far off ns twelve yards, and vet theii voices will be registered simultaneously with their gestures. In one film that was shown n dog barked, and one heard the barking even after the animal had flickered out of the vision. Severn offers for rights have been made to the TKnncohi brothers.