Important Developments in Shadow Land

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 146, 10 September 1927, Page 23 (Supplement)

Important Developments in Shadow Land

New Talking Pictures SUGGESTED “DROP IN” THEATRE HP HERE are half a dozen important developments on foot in the motion picture industry that promise revolutionary movements in the business. The three chief things that strike the looker-on are the rush to make news reels and short subjects; the many speaking movies that are coming into existence, and three dimension stereoscopic pictures. A Hollywood correspondent sends an interesting letter to the Movie Editor, in which latest developments are discussed: The Spoor-Blackton picture, “The Flag Maker,” in this last medium, is

about ready for showing, and some one has just brought another perfected method from Europe. EXPENDED A MILLION Spoor has been working on his process for three or four years and has spent one million dollars in bringing it to perfection. Commodore J. Stuart Blackton came into the company late and himself directed the making of the first picture, which has Charles Ray and Bessie Love as its chief players. Everybody connected with these devices for making the films speak or sing, or for giving solidity to the houses and other objects, claims to be fully protected by patents in the various countries of the globe, but it seems that there must be legal battles over them, for the principles involved must be the same, or nearly so. The latest of the “speakies” to reach the exhibition stage is the Movietone, sponsored by the Fox Film Corporation, although a separate organisation, the Fox-Case Corporation, is directly in charge. In a press view in New York of this one there were on the programme “Chic” Sale in one of his characterisations, and Raquel Meller singing “Noi de la Mare,” “Flore del Mai,” "La Tarde c}el Corpus” and “La Mujero del Torero,” each a separate film, and other entertainers. MUST SPEAK LINES The owners of the patents for this process have been wise in making it so that it can be used in a projection machine equipped with the apparatus necessary for the exhibition of Vitaplione. The latter is the property of Warner Brothers, who are going in for its manufacture on a large scale. They have already four or five programmes ready for use and are making more. It is claimed for the Fox-Case it can be used to give dialogue perfectly so that the characters on the screen will talk instead of having titles and subtitles to explain what is being done. So the movie actors will have to learn to speak lines, a thing they have affected to despise. The, other movement, the short film movement, is more definite than either of these already considered. Famous Players-Lasky is arranging for a news service and to make one and two-reel comedies and the other short subjects. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer has just announced an amalgamation with Hal Roach for short comedies, and with the International for news reels, Producers Distributing Corporation, the Cecil de Mille organisation, is negotiating with Pathe, which will make a strong combination, for Pathe is established as a short subject and news distributing enterprise. IDLE HALF HOUR A proposed chain of theatres for the ; exhibition of short films only, drop-in laces for people with an idle half hour or hour on their hands between engagements, is also in the air, and would seem to be near concretisation, for the powerful organisations who are announcing affiliations giving them short subjects and news reels must have other outlets than the theatres they control individually.

Don Alvarado. United Artists player, has been selected for the role of Felipe in "Ramona,” in which Dolores Del Rio will be starred. Nils Astor will be seen in the role of YAllesandro, the other important male part in the story.

Marceline Day lias been signed to a new contract by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. After she has finished her part in Ramon Xovarro’s “Romance” she will play the leading feminine role in "The Hypnotist.”