The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-06-13
TRICK PHOTOGRAPHY
From The London Maii.

new realms to conquer in fiction.
1t has become juggler or, as it might
prefer to call itself, an ''illusionist, and
the uncanny feats it performs will soon
put its more human competitors to shame.
1t commences its performance by show
ing on the white screen two men seated
at small table. They seem to be carrying
on an excited conversation, but, after some
discussion, agree to make a wager on the
cause Of the dispute Then each takes
from his waistcoat pocket tiny doll,
dressed like boxer ready for champion
ship match. The dolls are placed on the
table, Immediately come to life, and
commence sparring in the most scientific
manner The two Gullivers applaud the
Lilliputian pugilists as they fight vigorous
ly in space that might be covered by a
dinner plate, and when at last a FIVE grain
glove inficts the knockout blow on a
head that is smaller than an early green
pea, the conqueror aud the conquered are
picked up and ANONYMOUSLY replaced in
the waistcoat pockets Of their owners.
This clever effect, the manager Of the
biograph company explained, Is obtained
by superimposing two films. which are ex-
posed separately First the two men seat
ed at the table act their part Of the per
Torrance in front Of the camera, and then
another biograph photograph is taken Of
boxing match, and the two rolls of films
are then skilltully placed together. The
difference in the size of the boxers aud the
onlookers Is accounted for BY the fact that
the latter are placed much nearer the
camera than the former.
But even more startling illusions than
this can be produced For instance, the
biograph throws upon the screen a picture
Of headless man standing by huge egg,
from which one might expect healthy
young roc 10 emerge. The decspiiated
man cracks the egg with mallei and dis
closes his missing head inside
The face smiles recognition and allows
the hands to take few hundred ordinary
sized eggs from it, mouth, toI no particg-
lar reason except to show that It Is capable
of further miracles. Then It looks long
ingl, toward the neck and shoulders fr1m
which ii has b,en exiiei aud : finally
lifted into IT. place. The complete man
then bows to the audience aud disappears.
Il spells a good illusion to describe too
fully its inner mysteries. but it msy be
limited that thi> effect l. obtained by the
judicioas use Of black velvet curtains.
Black velvet, IL fact. j. the material from
which the modern blogT1ph magician shapes
his invisible cloak, aud sbe garment =
quite a. effective a. the one the prince in
Andersen fairy tale wore when he 81
out to discover the wicked ioin.s of the
witch
The Prisoner Dream l. the name Of
auo,heT piece Of Geographic Juggling The
prisoner j. shown in his cell asleep On
the fogbiddins Stone wall alis,ily Outliocd
figures appssar Gradually they become
more and more sharply defined though
the wall can S,ill be sceu through she sub
stane,.ls=,s forms. 0uc IT the figures Is
recognized Is that q she ,lsrFinG pri>oaer,
the other i 4 girl.
There l. a quarrel. the flash u q Weapon.
and the giTl falls Imply Ia the groand A.
the real prisoner starts from hi siccP
and ztsres yisiiiy At she dream picture II
hiutsel. aud Iii, victim The vision fades
away, aud in Is place the ghysgly iscc Of
the .irl floats acFuss the wall
The snbjeet : somewhat morbid. bu; a.
an example Of irck photography ii i an
extremely clever piece % work The rcsuF
i obtained, as ia The case of the boxsr-.
by the combination e ESQ films
Al the socnts are acted IN . s5gdio u
Illuminated by what Is perhaps the usgas
uuique electric lighting apparatus IN Lon
don-how effective can b. judged when IL
is .aid that each af the thousands that
compo>e 4 biosrapb moving pie,ury oaly
receives about one f0ar hanirelth par. IL
a second exposure
Actors % ~slsBe ,ln~lirrai.1- auliliy are
required ior il i b. nt means - easy
matter to tell story entirely "a pautomime
~ that every o8e can clearly csgeh the
meaning and careful rehearsal l. generally
necessary before the actual photograph Is
taken. 4 really succs~siul biograph neg
alive. however. is worth striving ior. q,
It may prove li,ile gold n.iue. Tor hun
drteis Of films mas h. printed in1tn Il. aud
they arr sent all over the world and "a
hibiled before millions ii people in the
course Of few mouths The trick pho
tographs are certain to be popular, a. the
variety Of subjects that may ~ produced
Is endless, and the widest dreams Of the
most imaginative cajur0r may BE- realized
The Arabian Nights stores of magic
carpets upon which their lueky owners nav
igase the air bose their saver when com
pared with the feats che biogTaph wiil
make possible
Already the Aims have been shown in
few provincial theatres, and they are
shortly To be seen in London. and !, +
probable that the new Illusion making
scheme viii be 4 Standing feature for man,
months