The Washington times., 1914-10-15
THE BEST
Photopldy Department in
WASHINGTON
No Letting Down Of
Film Quality Can
Be Tolerated By
The Public.

In the fight for the maintenance OF
the highest standards of both pro-
duction and exhibition in the motion
picture industry particular attention
has been called to two very import
ant facts. The exhibitor must be
careful TO let the matter of quality
be his STANDARDIZED quantity. ANA
the exhibitor must also remember
that he is dealing with very So
phisticated public, a public which Is
not going to a photoplay theater out
q curiosity but TO be entertained.
The day when the film was freak
has long since departed. The day
when men, women and children
Hooked to the theater to see the
wonderful pictures that actually
moved, has passed. That is the
matter of seeing Just PICTURES mat
at moving pictures has never passed
and never will, but the man who
shows them is compelled to exhibit
something more than a marvel or
science, these days. He must COM
binc clean, wholesome entertainment
with his science if he wants people
TO come to see his films.
Not so very long ago We called at
tention to the fact that the product
OF some of our producers did not
seem to be of as high quality as
formerly, while the quality OF other
producers films are better W.
Stephen Bush in the current issue
of The Moving Picture World mas
something to say on the suoJeCl %
quality which strikes us as so peril
nent TO our own views that we are
printing it.
"A very serious question which
must agitate every friend and well
wisher of the industry Is the prop
lem of a sufficient supply of that
quality upon which the present sue
cess has largely been tounde a..
men engaged in the production and
distribution of motion pictures are
quite confident and ready with their
answer that this supply Will last.
Perhaps il will, but something more
than hope and assurance is needed
10 maintain the supply.
THE film plays of the great pro-
ducers, whose successes are well
known and who have enabled the
exhibitor to appeal to the best
classes Of patrons, show no rercep-
tible loss of quality. 1t seems, how
ever, that these productions alone
are not sufficient to meet the de-
mand for quality films. The desire
for and appreciation OF quality on
the screen is by no means confired
to one or two houses in the big
cities of the land. The hunger for
quality has become well nigh uni
Versal Not one or two, but scores
Of quality theaters in the same city
are looking for quality films. Is 1t
possible to provide all these thea
tiers with films Of uniform stan
dard of excellence? We make no
pretence of being able to answer
this question, but We cannot fall
20 observe that within the last few
weeks comparatively weak features.
plainly below a previous ironclsd
standard of quality, have found
their way into the company OF wnat
Is admittedly excellent. Such things
are perhaps unavoidable, especial
" in the present state Of stress in
the film market, but a frequent
repetition of these weaker produc-
tons undoubtedly constitutes a
grave menace to an exhibitor Who
depends upon uniformly good pic
lures.
IF it is impossible now. or at
any time hereafter, to guarantee
features of undoubted quality, once
a week or once a month or at any
other interval of time. then 1t will
be far better all around to discon-
tinue the feature as a regular and
Indispensable part OF the motion
better both for the exhibitor and
for the welfare of the industry TO
take an occasional feature chosen
in the open market by the exhib-
flor himself than to offend the pic
ture-loving public with too many
weak productions, which come in
the regular course OF the service
1T is humanity impossible to main
tain the same standard Of excellence
and to score 100 per cent with every
photodrama. 1t is. however. not only
possible. but absolutely necessary to
maintain a high average quality.
I'VE cannot lose sight Of the fact
that the public will never again be
satisfied with any but a high average
of quality. and this is especially
true OF features. They say that
poor clothes look particularly bad
on large men. For a similar reason
do multiple reels show up particu-
larly bad on the screen. Whether
the multiple reel is an absolute ne
cessity in motion picture work is q
question on which even experienced
men are apt TO hold a variety Of
opinions.
I'VE wish the greatest measure Of
success for every fine new motion
picture theater. We are gratified to
know that superior methods Of pre-
sentation coming into vogue every
where will be a great help in win
ming and holding popular favor and
patronage. The main thing how
ever. is. and always will be, the pic
ture OF quality. No house can long
live without it II the time table re-
lease system is destructive OF quail
fly. keep away from it. II you find
there is no denendable quality fea-
ture service go into the open market
and be blind to everything except the
trademark of quality. We want
every one of the many fine new
houses to prosper, and we know OF
no better advice to give them than TO
be persistent in the quest Of quality.
Quality cannot forever perch on any
single banner: quality must be
sought and wooed and picked. a
final bit Of advice to the exhibitor: