The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-08
rHE MOVING PICTURE PLAY.
Reasons foe Beii-vinx % u Net Passing.
hot More Popular rhan Ever.


staggered by the editorial article In INA
sux Of December q The Passing film.
L. there a recent loss % interest all over
the country in the moving picture shows
| am in q position 90 know something of the
present CONDITION Of affairs In the photo
play world. In the United states mere
are about l, O0o theatres using tho moving
picture ar about I SD more than year
ago. There isn't town In the country
large enough 10 support weekly news
paper which hasn't one or more houses
where canned drama - shown. There are
exceptions. Mon;clair. for example. where
the pictures are interdicted for some myste-
rious reason bur the exceptions are not he
cause OF any public lack OF appreciation.
Are YOU not bit on in saving further
more that the loss OF interest has
been follow ed by the formation or new
theatrical circuit. evidently Intended tn
attract the public which has for the last
few years support ed them the pic'ure-'
New theatrical circuits form and dissolve
year in and year out. and occasion no COM
ment in the passing The present example
may find its public. but 10 has nothing TO do
with the photo plays" Cheap melodrama
has been killed as dead as Mariey's ghost.
and certain theatrical interests may imagine
there - q chance Of a resurrection.
Is there any decline OF interest in the NOV
ing picture In New York? when and where
has the change in popular approval taken
place. True, there may he fewer hve cent
exhibitors showing pictures on the Fast
Side. and because of climatic conditions the
open air shows are out OF commission. but
there are more people and better people
looking ~ moving pictures to-day in View
ork than have ever been looking at moving
pictures before. The cheap exhibitor II
heing forced out OF business. but men with
money and brains who can look ahead are
taking his place and building better theatre 60
where better photo PLAYS are shown IN
lighted houses and refined surroundings
Ia he people who appreciate the improve
ment
In Newark, for inst anc~. several OF the
cheaper theatres have been turned back
into grocery storrS and saloons Four of
thus class have gone out OF business during
1910. But nine new ones have replaced
them. all large and well appointed theatres
devoted To the pictures or TO pictures and
NRudsN Ill- Dor year Their. has been no
sunday show IN Newark. hut not one of the
better class picture houses has been forced
out OF existence. There IL not only no sign
Of l.tup IN popular interest in the photo
play in Newark. but there - every evidence
that tho pictures are here To stay. And
why not
Zach municipality has its own met nod
OF regulating the picture shows. and con
diiions vary In New York tho uthOritIes
are goinS after tho dark houses and the
irresponsible machine operator with yenge
anca that u working havoc among the
cheap exhibitors on the Eas, side. This
is as u should ba. There l. no excuse for
dark house where unmen, ionable evils
may flourish. and there - M excuse tor
ten dollar a week foreigner turning tho
crank Of a picture machine on tho ground
floor Of a tenement containing hundred
other eIcitabls foreigners. These are con
ditions which exist in few other cities Of
large population. and ~ is time Manhattan
got busy and eliminated rhem. lhr the
elimination l. no, going In put an end {"
the photo play industry
That IN" world has taken 10 tn. sway of
canned drama" l. an undisputed and visi-
BILE far' ia every traveller sydney. Aus
rralia. for instance. has now eighty four
moving picture houses with appliCat ions
befor" the Municipal council for eighty
one more. Johannesburg. south Africa.
with a population of 7np0 has twenty
two pictur. shows Their. are sit in Hang
kok siam Blrnoa Ayre- has forty eight.
Winnipeg has sixteen The world l. full
~ these little inch wide thousand feet long
examples nf the universe in motion. and
the world appears TO he well satisfied with
them
Are these -fitterina views fad? IL
IL Inc virabl- That the taste which delighted
in them should ultimately be educated to
point which required something more
elevated Come down out OF the clouds
IBID IN. writer Of The SrN editorial ever
500 a Gaumon' scenic Aim or q Biograph
character play ar a Patha pastoral? Was
he ever in q photo play theatrs. Which
needs -elavsting" m. most. IN. pictures
ar the obscene and name musical comedies
and problem plays seen IN tho 'legrI-
mate stage There are seven PLAYS nov
performing on Broadway which zen years
ago would not have been permitted to
show for one night IN Hubosen. More ele-
Waiting
WHY MOI give rho moving picture little
, reiIt for tho good u mas done in the world.
n ha- driven the Nellie the Cloak Model"
type of mslodrama out of existence II has
provided millions Of sensible. hard working
American citizens " no never saw problem
play or - Salume dancer With a cheap. moral
and interesting substitute for these The
-, Us dream ~ 81 nv industrious space writ
.r> Of boys cd into Grim" hy attending pic
ture ShoU-and the ike ar. generally dreams
md nothing more True. the posters often
seen outside the cheaper grade Of theatres
are lurid and sensational IN the extreme.
but they ar" drawing cards. and the plays
10 not come up 70 the expectations of the
seeker oG sensation All photo plays are
passed hefor" release by the National Board
or censorship. OF which many workers for
he publ" good are members The makers
oi the moving picture are business men who
have made fortunes from the industry and
" no realize that stagnation means ruin and
I, hat progress usually merits a reward They
ar. rnplovInx better actors. making better
and using every effort Ia OBJ
tain better material for the photo plays
Scenarios that might have been accepted "A
wear or more ago come back to the unlucky
5 ri,erS with blunt and s,arhing criticism
Actors Who fail TO max" good IN the "legiti- !
mate" no longer get jobs o pose in NOV ing
picture studios. And picture actors are
no longer looked down upon by the pro
fqS-ion II ia a recognized branch OF dra- |
matte art. and the up to date dramatic per-
odical has it- moving pi"tur. department. !
With criticisms NJ current photo plays" ana |
news Of the trade
" II Is true that this evolution II aleady 1
Omple'e IN the moving picture public 4
hen tine evolution Is a remarkably quiet
one and not fst n itS vortex OF gravity.
There - no wall from the manufacturers. !
he average exhibitor ~ saving nothing ana |
roin,ng money. and the ma jority NJ theatre@ |
10 the tnbted states formerly devoted TO |