ALPS IN “MOVIES.”

Hokitika Guardian, 12 August 1924, Page 3

ALPS IN “MOVIES.”

A.M MR [CANS’ .MISSION. “NEW ZEALANDERS TOO .MODEST.” CfIRISTCIICRCII, Aug. !). In spite of the modesty of its inhabitants. (he beauties of the Dominion are becoming known to people in distant parts of the world, and from an interview a representative ol The Press ” had yesterday with an American it appears that its charms will in the near future he much better known than at present, thanks in t lm medium of the “ movies.”

The gentleman referred to is .Mr Ulmer Clifton, of New York city, who is accompanied hv Mr A. 0. Penrod, another American, and his mission in New Zealand is to photograph scenes in the Southern Alps and other beauty spots for the cinema. Neither is connected with any of the well-known producers whose films are shown every week in the picture theatres of llm Dominion, bill they are acting in the nature of free lances, and will make arrangements for the release of their pictures when they return In New York. "Wo picked out two countries in which to take photographs.” said Mr Clifton “New Zealand amt India, and we will go to the latter country a.s soon as we have completed our mission here.”

ATr Clifton Kaid the scenery around .Mt Cook exceeded all expectations and provided more thrills than In- had experienced in filming .scenes in the Ciirrihhean Sea some little time ago in “Down to the Sea in Ships," although in this there was no lack of exciting incidents in -photographin'' the harpooning of whales. This picture has not yet reached Now Zealand. Tie had taken views of winter pastimes and sports, including ski-ing and simivlialling, around the Hermitage, and had also obtained some magnilieient phtuographs of Mt Cook from many different angles.”

“We made our headquarters at the llnll Hut,” he eontimu-d, "and remained there for eight days, ol which period only two days were so had as to prevent us working. The atmospheric conditions were so lavoiirahle that we were aide io work I rum daylight to dark, and during the whole ol that time, we did not take off our clothes. We were accompanied by Guide Krank Milne and others, each of us carrying a pack weighing between forty and fifty pounds. Our apparatus included a high-power telephoto lens. We were the first to go through to the Halt Hut this season, and were surprised at the comfort we found at this high altitude, considering that all the provisions left at the hut had to carried there on men’s hacks last autumn.”

Mi- Clifton is enthusiastic about the beauties of the Alps, which Imm a photgrapher’s point ol view he considers are greatly ahead ol the Itoektes of North America. The atmosphere is so clear, he says, that it enables one m get splendid pictures, and it is possible to get them from a low altitude, whereas in the Duckies one has to climb much higher to obtain the best results. Another advantage possessed by the Southern Alps is that, unlike the Hockies. they are not obscured by pi-i • trees, the mountains thus standing our more distinctly. More peaks can ills'* he taken in a single photograph, and. because of the low altitude from which a photographer can work, the mount,-in he is taking comes out in a more imposing aspect than is the ease ill the itoekies. Another feature of the Alns which appealed to the photograpliers is that on each day they were there the mountains looked different from what they did the day belore, these effects not obtaining in the Rockies. Tile photographers were also struck with the wonderful cloud effects they were able to obtain.

“Will von identify the Alpsjvhen the pictures are being screened,” asked the reporter. “Yes,” said Mr Clifton. “We have a scenario all readv. ami tin* nioiiDtuin views will Ik- incorporated into a continuous picture." lie added that New Zealand would gel a great advelti-e----nient from the picture, is only '! - mint beautiful scenes wet - talon screening purposes, “and” lie remarked "the screen is tlu* greatest mentis "I publicity there is." The apparatus used by .Messrs Clifton and Hen rod includes an ex-hack film, which is proof against weather conditions. Tiie films are sent to New soi k in special hermetically sealed trunks, which are unaffected by passage through the tropics. The films will he developed in the laboratories in New York. “We developed a piece ot film here by hand test,” said Mr ( liftoii. “and as we anticipated, it turned out cpiite successful.” It is interesting to learn how it was that Messrs Clifton and l’enrod derided to come to the Dominion. They read a book on Australia and New Zealand published by Mr W. 1). Royer, publisher of the Chicago “Blade" and other journals, in which he wrote enthusinsicallv of the glories of the Southern Alps. This gentleman, by the way. visited New Zealand in January. I'dtil. and an interview with him was published in “The Press” that month. Mr Clifton says wluit. so many other visitors have said of New Zealanders—that they are altogether too modest of the beauties of the Dominion, especially those beauties of the South Island. Re says lie has received every assistance from those with whom his (iiitjes brought him in contnet, find ho

speaks appreciatively of the Tourist Department, whose information he has found to be always reliable. Messrs Clifton and Penrod will leave io-dav for the West Coast, where they will take views of the Erail* Jos.i Glacier. Subsequently they will g*’ overland to Nelson, proceeding thence to Rotorua, where more idiot'graph will he taken.