Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-09-10
FILMS HIT OPERA.
Germany Shocked at Deterlora-
ton Of Public Taste.
People Are firing Of the Dist Of Ideal
Ism Portrayed on stage ANDY IN
MusIe-Prsfer The Movies
NJ Americans Blamed.

0OE11u.---A Abt01 .Cu1A4os r. = ~ y AAASsI
les have grand opera, classic and
heavy drama on the run in Germany,
the home OF grand opera and the intel
lectual stage. Privy councillors, high
brow" professors with long boards
and much learning. great musicians.
famed composers and playwrights
thunder" In vain In the daily press
against the, Deterioration OF taste OF
the opera and theater going public"
Learned psychological dissertations
are being written. seeking to explain
the "inexplicable preference Of the Ger
mans for movies. 'opersttas and
trashy light STUFF to grand operas and
classic dramas" s;8 #,
Figures talk. They tell the story
OF new bent and change in the Ger
man character. More than a dozen
theaters have failed. no less than
eight Of them In Berlin. since spring.
Their places have been taken by elab-
crate movies" From many German
cities comes the wall that the "mov-
les" are crowding the legitimate drama
and grand opera to the wall. 4. S5.
The Germans, ut least that portion
which comes under the "peepul. want
to be amused. And 4 goodly portion
Of those who consider themselves
above the .peepul" also seem to be tE.
ing Of the diet Of intellectualism. ideal.
Ism and Z musician. portrayed and
sung on the stage for years.
The German 10 getting less seri.
ous. In the gaysty Of Bsriin, Munich
and other cities which are imitat-
ing these he has discovered that in
letting Eo~ Of himself he has Q lot
Of fun new TO him. He 10 acquiring
taste Tor what the bespectacled pro
fessors characterize, % "svanescent
trash" He wants to - amused. He
10 tired Of being edited. And he
doean't give rap about the psychol.
ogy sof what ID causing the change in
his mind and character. He wants
amusement, not knowledge, and he
goes whore he gets It. That place
seems to be the movies"
Intellectual Germany Affects to be
more or less shocked at this tendency
to be less ssrious-minded. It 10 ar
gued that this deterioration" does not
argue we'll for. the future Of the ma
ton. "Deplorable Americanization OF
the German stage" ID what some writ
ers characterize It..
I" The theatrical managers have de-
clared war ON the movies" At . con-
ference attended by representatives
Of practically all the important the
aters and operas in the empire it was
decided that hereafter no actor, act
ress or singer may act for the "mov-
les" under penalty Of immediate dis
missal. But that has not increased
the box Office receipts Of the theaters.
An American invasion" Of the mo-
ton picture theater field itself Is tax
ing place. Two New York men. A. H.
Wood and F. u Goldsoll. have opened
eight in Berlin in the last three
months, and expect to have more than
a score in operation throughout Ger
many by fall Several of the bankrupt
theaters were bought and turned into
movies" They also built a new one
adjoining the American church,
beautiful unique structure entirely
windowless, which had a tremendous
run since it was opened. despite the
high admission, ranging from rs cents
to @1.00. That circuit IL strengthen
Ing its drawing power by adding va
riety artists to the movies" which
In an innovation In Germany.
The several variety shows in Der.
lin are high priced, and the ordinary