JOHN BULL'S EMPIRE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 August 1917, Page 4

JOHN BULL'S EMPIRE.

DEPICTED IN NATURAL COLOKS.

The advance in motion, pictures during the past few years has been most marked, but the man who five years ago predicted that it would be possible to depict nature's own hues on the screen, absolutely without any assistance from the hand of an artist, would have been credited with a. very li,vely imagination. Cinematography, however, has recently been so perfected that the most delicata colors can now be faithfully shown, ai was seen at Everybody's 'last night, when Mr. AV, J. Shepherd opened a twonights' season with what is truly a wonderful programme, entitled < "John Bull's Empire," including raajiy views of life and activity in New Zealand. The pictures fulfilled all that was claimed for them, more. It was a glorious and glittering spectacle in all the colors of nature.

First were exhibited a lovely series of flower pictures, from the beautiful empiress of flowers, the rose, finishing with a truly marvellous rendering of "tho birth of flowers," To obtain the latter, cameras were set by the flowers in, a iorcing house, and after many Hays tha fun picture was obtained.. By "speeding up" the machine the flowers were seen to burst forth in all their glory. Then, ■came some very . interesting animal"' studies, including pictures of an alligator farm, portraits of prize dogs, horses, cattle, and so forth, A nufnber of "mystic manipulations," or clever conjuring feats, next astonished the audience, Tha New Zealand scenes included gathering' a cocksfoot harvest near Mt. Egmont, the Invercargill cattli? show, wheat .vesting, reaping and harvesting (a really delightful series of pictures), ship-, ping scene in Wellington, terrace formations, geyser displays at Rotoruq, pictures .showing even tha rainbows oa th« falling spray, Maori scenes, etc. Then the audience was taken on a trip to the beautiful soytli coast sounds, the lake scenery in Otago, through to Mt, Cook (perfect views of which were obtained), down the Wanganui river, br.ek to the Avon, Christchurch, surf: bathing and a regatta at Sumner. There were besidt's the world's review. Their Majesties King George and Queen ,Marv were seen in Ireland, visiting May. nooth and Leopardstown races; a run with the Exmoor hounds;, a Royal rejifitta at Cowes, with Its graceful' wliitewinged yachts; an athletic meeting in, London; motor-boat racing, and tha Richmond horse show, with fine jumping ! competitions. ! A visit to Canada was also included, ,and a fine series of winter sport pictures comprising tobogganing, sleighing, skiinjf and skating wars screened. The picture* of Niagara falls are supposed to be the best ever taken of the falls, and certainly nothing finer could be imaginod, Altogether it was a sumptuous' programme, tho most beautiful and th« .me.st instrutivo ever shown in New Plymouth, giving one a trip round Uie, world in the course of a little over two hours, Thofe is to be a inatinee performance this afternoon, and again to-night, nnd if merit count* for anything there should be large attmdanoes at both.