The San Francisco call., 1908-10-11
By Jack Iungmeyer

4
10 which the cinematograph, or
kinetoscope. as it is more famiI-
iariy known. perhaps. has risen
in the realm Of popular entertainment.
comes now the presentation, more or
less finished and elaborate. of Shakes
pearean drama in moving picture in
terpretations.
On that white square OF Illuminated
canvas whereon move the phantasma-
goric projections OF the newly perfected
wonder camera. witnessed in this coun-
try alone by over 100000 people daily.
Hamlet" Macbeth" 'OtheIo,' "Ju-
liet" and her Romeo" the vicious
hunchback and constantly increasing
troupe Of the immortal company. now
enact their roles of somber desire, mad
ness. unreasonable jealousy or adora-
tion I'm realistic pantomime to an en-
thusiastic audience.
This marks radical revolution in
regard 10 the matter heretofore dis
played in the average nickelodeon,
namely. more or less vulgar horseplay,
extravaganza of the Aladdin lamp va
riety, and the caricature which can be
so readily negotiated by the moving
picture machine. These transitional
phases OF subject matter have about
reached the limit Of their appeal: and
films with a vaudevillian SAVIOR are no
ticeably giving way TO those which
hold higher order Of dramatic inter
est. The kinetoscope has become too
familiar to the masses to be longer
regarded as purely the scientific toy it
was at first accounted, TO be consid-
cred a curiosity Of a season or two, a
mere laugh producing. mechanical buff
foon: il has become a deeply vital part
Of a peoples daily life: almost as neces-
sary as food and clothing. since liter
ally thousands Of men and women, espe-
ciaIy the foreign element, deny the
stomach its fun measure in order that
they may crafty the mental stimulus
which the nickelodeon has brought
within their reach. This great new
class Of theater going folk, especially
that predominant element of the nickel
odeon attendants in whom the awaken
ton Of the more serious, fine, elevating
racts and phases Of the life plane to-
ward which they are cropping, as well
as that which they already know, has
by the process Of selective patronage
brought about this radical change in
the character OF the films.
Plays in the better grade theatori-
ums began. in recognition Of this de-
mand, to put on shows with the senti-
mental appeal; presentations of life and
its multifold reactions which, even in
this dumb show OF the cinematograph,
had power to stir the finer sensibilities,
TO broaden the sympathies or to en-
large the mental horizon. Dramatiza-
tions Of the more popular books and
familiar short stories followed natur-
ally, and finally the heavier productions
Of Shakespeare and his compeers were
arranged for film Interpretation. The
nickeIodeon show has reached the
stage where it demands serious con-
sideration as an educational influence.
Romeo and Juliet
Critical and appreciative as the taste
Of the cinematograph audience had be-
come, the presentation Of such ponder
Gus drama as the Shakespearean plays
was yet attempted with much doubt by
the film manufacturers. The principal
question was, would those pleasure
seekers who gauge their entertainment
by nickeIs and dimes welcome drama
of this caliber2 On the other hand
there were many handicaps. The plays
must necessarily preserve the Shakes
pearean SAVIOR, else the attempted ar
rangements would be useless. farce.
Interpretation OF the great bard's plays
in the animated picture, limited as they
would be purely to silent action, was
deemed a decidedly difficult matter;
the limitations were obvious. Manu-
facturers, manager and audience were,
however, agreeably surprised at the re-
suit The plays. staged, costumed and
thought out with the utmost care. met
with enthusiastic approval.
Romeo and Juliet" made tentative
debut In arranging this play it was
correctly surmised by the film manu-
facturers that the strong love interest
could not fail Of its mark. and that the
conaaarative facility with which the ac-