The Washington times., 1914-08-11
THE BEST
Photoplay Department in
WASHINGTON
Interpreters Of Film
Are Employed in
All Japanese
ThedterS.

The leader and announcement part
of 1lrn has tecome something or
Q bother to the people engaged in
producing and exhibiting photoplays,
and they are torn between a conflict
Of opinion. Since the publication of
Comment in this column on the mat
ter of leaders and cast announce
ments the editor has received many
notes and frank statements regard
ing the views of the photoplay en-
thusiasts, the exhibitors, and the
producers. While most of them COM
mended the attitude assumed. the
most interesting were the views of
the producers. They are frankly
trying to do the right thing, but
they cannot learn exactly what the
right thing is except by experiment.
There is a large class of people at
tending film shows who regard the
interjection of a leader as an un-
warranted interruption to the action.
These people are imaginative crea-
tures who are able to catch exactly
what the actors are trying to do,
and do not need further explanation.
But there is another-and a larger
class which cannot keep up with the
action Perhaps that is not exactly
the right term, as they could keep
up with the action, but prefer to
have it explained, in order to avoid
mistakes. They have just the same
rights as the other class. The pro-
ducer cannot please both of these
groups of patrons, and he is rather
at q loss to know exactly what he is
TO do. The big producers. are con-
stzntly experimenting in this regard,
and il is promised that sooner or
later they will hit upon a scheme
that can be depended upon to suit
al parties.
II appears that In some countries
they do these things a little better
than they do in the United states.
In Japan, for instance. there Is no
question as to what is taking place
on the screen-just as there Is no
question as to the great popularity
Of the photoplay. Homer Croy has
written a most interesting article on
this subject for the Dramatic Mirror.
He tells a great deal about the Japa-
nese motion picture, and then states:
When the Japanese go to a NOV
ing picture theater they want to get
their moneys worth. They don't
drop in for few minutes and out
again. but come with their whole
family, when the doors open at Z,
and stay until II, when the show
closes, running out between films to
ill up on tea.
The Japs don't think they are get
ting value received at a picture show
unless there is some talking going
on They are not content to sit and
watch the pictures go by-their ears
have a fellow who stands on the
stage and explains what is going On.
He explains 1t in rapid-fire Japa-
nese. which makes him sound as
though he was trying to talk while
eating a sandwich at a railway lunch
counter. The Japanese understand
the pictures perfectly. but they think
they are getting more IL they have a
rellow standing out in front telling
what Is happening on the film.
They check their shoes. because
rheir shoes are wooden and because
g Japanese theater hasn't any seats.
They sit on the floor, square piunk
down on the floor The Jeps have a
way OF turning their feet back. with
their toes squarely behind them, un-
" their toes are going in the oppo-
they sit as comfortably as II they
had boxes at the Metropolitan.
II they do not have a man to tell
what Is going on, they have two or
three people standing in the proscen-
ium arch speaking the words of the
people in the pictures. One Of these
takes the villains part all the way,
while another is the romantic young
lover until the end of the film.
Sometimes these actors have to in
terpret two or three parts each,
changing their voices for each char
acter, so that once In a while they
forget to use the shift key, and you
are dumfounded to hear the villain
using the romantic young lovNTs
throbbing, full tones
Their idea Of comedy isn't anything
Ike Willie Golfers. Suppression is
ar unknown art 10 them; there are
no subtleties about their comedy.
Somebody's got to get hit or kicked
% bring down the house. The fun
niest thing Of all is when somebody
falls in the water. Then the house
breaks into a full-throated, Joyous
peal. Nothing can be funnier to them
than for a man to try to walk a foot
log, miss his step. and go kerplunk
into the water. When such a thing
happens. japanese women become
hysterical and strong men drink