THE CINEMA

Radio Record, Volume X, Issue 9, 11 September 1936, Page 7

THE CINEMA

Tremendous Force In

Soviet Russia-But

W hatIn New Zealand?

T: has ‘been said more than once that the greatest ' invention of recent times is the cinema, since more ’ than‘any other influence has it moulded and directed the thoughts, habits,. and outlook of the masses of the peoples "of all. nations. One-would hesitate, perhaps, to support so sweeping a statement; but.all must concede ‘the tretnendous influence exercised to-day by the .noving picture, éspecially the sound film. In a be'oad sense, the cinema exerts an educational influence en people of all ages-children, adolescents, ‘and adults. In’ this sense it interests and informs, creates new. thoughts for the mind, does this more’ rapidly than any other media, gives greater detail, and induces: retention, Motion pictures, besides being universal educators, may well become factors in international understanding, transcending national barriers and language difficulties, and giying information concerning the lives, traits and character, und the policies. of the people of one country to another. World peace must be based on world acquaintance. War must be depicted as something hideous rather than something great and important. Since upon motion pictures far more than upon diplomatists do the peoples of the world now depend for their information concerning the lives and mentiulity of peoples of other countries, the cinema has come to. have incalculable inter-racial implications and responsibilities. . In this country we have so:far had little experience of the cinema as a factor for the promotion of social bygiene aid health,: but one may easily visualise the new opportunities: it may open up in the fields of medicine, public pealth, and physical training. To-day, in some American towns.. local health officers use films to instruct the public in sanitation and: to supplement health talks and lectures. Medical schools are beginning to use films to instruct students in methods of performing operations, while the biology of human reproduction js explained’ to adolescents by suitable films,

For many years now the commercial or industrial film has been exploited in all countries with real success as an advertising medium; but little, if anything, has yet been done in New Zealand to utilise the film for instructional purposes in connection with our primary products. A development. that is: bound to come soon will be the making of films to illustrate’ and demonstrate all the processes of farm. ing, .whether dairy, sheep, or agricultural farming. In spite of all difficulties, farming is, and will remain, the finest ‘occupation, for the young New Zealander to follow. It is the occupation. upon which the prosperity.of our country will continue mainly to depend. But hitherto insufficient facilities have been made‘ gvailable, to give. either adolescents or adults a_ real

scientific instruction in the many processes connécted with farming.. Short winter courses or schools for farmers have proved of some benefit; but what is required is a properiy organised scheme of farming instruction embodying all branches, including bee and poultry-keeping, in which the aid of the film will be freely called upon, Of course, the films have first to be made, but we ‘have in New Zealand the equipment and the expert knowledge available to proceed with this great work.

it is difficult. to foretell what use may be made in the future of the cinema for the purpese of national propaganda. We are aware of. the tremendous foree it has been in Soviet Russia, as an educative foree, and as a means used by the rulers of the country te impress upen the masses its ideas, its Aims, and even its com-.’ mands. We know, too, that the cinema as a Government | agent has had a powerful tirective influence upon the people of Italy and Germany. When President Rooseyeit: launched his emergency fécmployment campaign as a fen-~ ture of his National Recovery Administration, a tremendous (Continued on page 58.). .

Cinema’s Power in Education

(Continued from page 7.) burst of patriotic support was stimulated per medium of specially prepared newsreels and short featurettes. Our Government has begun to use the radio to supplement the newspaper as a means of contact with the general public. It may well happen that the cinema will find a similar use, which in many ways will prove to be much more effective, One hesitates to predict what may happen when television comes into more general use. The development of this wonderful discovery, while not likely to supersede the cinema, is bound to affect its influence in ways we cannot at present forsee. There will be, though produced in a different way, moving pictures in every home. Even the housewife engaged in the preparation of meals may be able to follow out step by step .the visual instruction accompanied by the human voice coming through the ether. In a consideration of the genera) influence of the cinema to-day, one must notice the growing influence of the cinema on the spiritual life of our people. In America, there is a Religious Motion Picture Youndation which. is producing pictures and distributing them among churches for re- ligious and missionary education and for Sunday night screenings. The Bishop of London is at the head of an organisation in England whose aim is to bring religious instruction to those within and without the church to whom established forms of religious services do not appeal. And now we may glance at the place of the cinema in our schools and its influence on the adolescent mind. The non-theatrical film is making rapid development and school cinematography finds a place in all discussions to-day in which the education of the child and the adolescent is concerned. Even in Japan there is a section of the administration of education which deals with school cinematography. In Italy, Germany, Sweden, France, Hngland and Séotland, not to mention other countries, experimentation is proceeding in the use of the motion picture as an aid to education. A little is being done in Australia and officially nothing at all in New Zealand. Yet the importance of this aid to education has been demontsrated beyond all dispute. The Commission on educational films set up in Wngland finds that the effect of the film in education is stimulating, it wakes up the lazy pupil, it induces a sustained concentration because both sight and hearing are directed and irresistibly held by the moving picture, and the instruction thus imparted leaves a more lasting impression than if giveu without this visual and aural aid. Young people of to-day are filmminded. It is therefore difficult for us who were not brought up in close association with the cinema to gauge the reactions of adolescents to-day to the theatrical film. The majority of adolescents in our towns and cities attend picture theatres at least once a week, Here they absorb much information about the lives and customs of peoples of other countries as well as a great deal of knowledge about the

countries themselves. For young women, and even for young men, the film has superseded Paris as the originator of fashions. The pictures we see in New Zealand to-day reach a moral standard as high as, if not higher, than the average modern novel; and if visits to picture houses are not too frequent I believe the effect on adolescents is not evil. If one read too many novels and-these of a poor standard, one’s mind would soon become sodden and incapable of sustained effort and concentration. In all good picture programmes to-day there is so much excellent material offered in the supports and shorts as

wel] as in the main film that seldom indeed does a picture programme fail to be informative even when not very edifying. There is, then, little danger to-day in New Zealand of the commercial picture theatre exercising a harmful influence on our young people, provided their: visits are not too frequent and provided, too, they exercise their critica] faculty and make their. minds active and not merely passive participants in the performances.