The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-08-17
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
What the Audiences
Think of the Man
Who Speeds Up
His Film

On several occasions attention has
been called in this column ID the
practice of some exnIhit)cs in rush
ing their film so that the special DTS
set little chance to judge the real
merit Of the picture shown. With
The increase in the nunIbnr of Eerial
films this practice has become moro
noticeable and has caused much
unfavorable comment from the pco-
pie who support the film shows.
While such a system of exhibition
is bad at any Tina, It is particu-
larly bad where the serial fiIrI is
concerned. The backbone uf any
business institution is its regular
customers. In the amusement bust
ness the absence of regular custom
ers is what injects the speculative
feature. The serial film comes near
er than anytf ing yet developed to
eliminating the speculative feature
II creates a steady patronage among
the people who want to see
every number of the serial. Such
people become regular customers,
they go to the theater at least once
every week to see this film and II
they are treated courteously there
isn't the slightest doubt but that they
will return on other evenings to see
other films.
One of the finest ways to drive peo-
pie from the theater, therefore, is to
show the serial films rapidly with
the idea of concluding the exhibition
as quickly as possible to get new
crowd into the theater. 1t happens
that many new people are brought
TO a theater when a serial is first
produced. II the film is rushed those
people are not coming back again
they will find somG other theater
where the serial is shown. If this
raSnot conveniently be done, at least
they will not spend money on other
shows in the same house. And they
VIII not hesitate to talk about the
manager and his system of doing
business to their friends. The re-
suit is that while a land office bust
ness might be done on the night
when the serial is shown, the other
nights will be notable for slim audi
ences.
These things, as we have stated.
have been commented on in this col
INN before. But the effect on the
-erial film was not referred to. 1t
would not be now but for the fact
that an interested reader has writ
Ten US a letter on the subject-a sub
Jet so interesting in its comment
and so helpful. if the exhibitor will
take il as constructive criticism, for
which il is meant-that il is re-
printed in full, suppressing only the
names of the theaters mentioned:
This evening i attended a thea
ter, on upper Fourteenth street,
where there was a very good pro-
gram consisting of a two-reel COM
edy and a three-reel feature Short
" after the beginning of the last
reel of the latter, the operator be-
gan to speed up the film and ranstne
whole thing through at a speed so
fast that the flickering was so mark
ed that il was almost impossible to
read the leaders. The action. also.
was ruined. Unable to understand
what had gotten into the operator.
I hunted up the manager and ask
ed If he could not get the operator
20 slow up. The manager pointed at
q large crowd that was waiting In
the lobby for the end of the show so
that they could get in and get seats,
and said, 80 We have to do. it, all
these people standing out here are
dead on their feet
e Well, you have a right to run
those pictures at a reasonable rate
so that the patrons who came early
end paid their admission can enjoy
them ! suggested.
You can have your money back
II you are dissatisfied he replied.
i don't want my money back l
told him. but when / go to the pic
lures l want to see them presented
5 they ought to be, and you are
going to lose some regular patrons
II YOU keep this up"
This 'kind-hearted' man Che was
a Fat man, and fat men are kind
hearted as a matter of courseD could
rot bear to see the people standing
dead on their feet" so he ordered
his operator to speed up the film and
get rid of the first-show crowd He
said that he was giving an hour and
three-quarter show as il was, and
Just had TO speed them up.
Is II necessary for all the theaters
on upper Fourteenth street to vie
with each other in giving the most
reels for the money and then have
excellent feature-films ruined by
Would it not be great deal saner
70 give fewer reels and present them
properly?
Il am told that there are ethics
IN the moving picture business. This
looks 10 me like about as fragrant
f'DAa14'4l VI SllO"Ii4eil > eIHlCS dS
ever saw. The managers Of the
theaters in this neighborhood are
courteous 10 a degree, and study<the
interests Of their patrons Until to-
night the management of the theater
! referred TO was as considerate as
any. believe that 1t has changed
hands. and the sooner the present
incumbent learns a few things about
moving picture ethics the better il
will be for all concerned -
There isn't anything that can be
added to what our correspondent has
said. The public, through him. has
spoken G. NJ.