Films and The Studios

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 816, 9 November 1929, Page 27

Films and The Studios

BRITISH TRADE TODAY—

The position of the British film industry both on the producing and exhibiting sides continues to be difficult, says the “Trade bulletin.’’ Since the introduction of talking pictures the basis of the trade has been upset and business is still apparently far from being steady. There is a limited field for the sale of talking films, though the nublic at home is flocking to those halls where talking films are being screened. Audiences on the other hand are falling away at theatres where silent pictures only arc being shown. The language difficulty in talking fit™* is g eneraU y recognised cheti world sales are considered. This difficulty is being faced by y r J. D. Williams, who is well'noun from his association ivith Wide World Pictures, Inc., a concern which has sold a number of British films in the United States and elseichere. Mr. Williams is reported to be tanning a. new company for the Lrodu.ct.jn of multi-lingual films, in Spanish, French, German and Italian. . Experience is proving that while the general public is enthusiastic over good talking pictures, inferior films of this kind Will not be tolerated. For some reason a bad talking film appears much worse than a bad silent production. The prices, however, which are being asked by renters of American films for the latest talking pictures are so high, that is,