STILL ACTIVE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 738, 10 August 1929, Page 31

STILL ACTIVE

talkies had usurped the place held by the silent picture. Their standing is definitely established with the public, and showmen. “Nevertheless, the non-talkie picture is still a force to be reckoned with. The non-talking picture, by the way, will not be the same as the former silent picture. It will have every necessary sound effect, plus a full musical accompaniment synchronised to its action. “Silent versions of sound productions are* still being made and will continue to be made for, in spite of the tremendous swing to the sound product, there still exists a great number of theatres in every country that are unwired and likely to remain so indefinitely. This does not refer specifically to country towns, for there is, generally speaking, a proportion oE first-class theatres which, for one reason or another, will remain silent for the present. These theatres must, and will, be served. “The inclusion of talking pictures to the industry’s production schedules has worked many tremendous and startling changes. This was particularly apparent to me as, during my previous visit to the United States, talking pictures were just a vague possibility, if that. EMPIRE REPRESENTED “It was a pleasure to see the Empire so well represented, and the services of its talented artists so greatly in demand. Thanks to the voice purity of English stage performers, and their real ability, they are filling more and more important roles every day. “The voice test for the talkies proved a stumbling block to quite a number of “silent” stars and players in the industry. Registering perfectly for the cameras, with capabilities beyond the ordinary, they were unable to meet the exacting demands of the microphone, and are finding themselves restricted to the rapidly narrowing field of non-talking production. “The most potent sign that the novelty of the talking picture has waned was borne on my mind on Broadway where I witnessed one theatre advertising talkies playing to practically empty seats, while, alongside, was another house with queues a block long waiting to gain admittance to the same class of entertainment.