Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-08-21
Salem's TASTE In Movies"
Does Not Include
the Mere Sensational

"Does the taste of the average Sa-
lemite in the matter of motion pic.
lures differ from that of the average
person of any other similar city7
"In what way does it differ, and
is it higher or lowers
Clowns are as different from one an
other as individuals. As to 'high
or rlow, it depends somewhat upon
how you look at it. 1t is n fact that
Salem supports better class of pie
lures than do many towns Of its size
and is slower in its approval Of pic
lures of questionable standard.
"But after this fact is admitted, and
we have stuck out our chests and patted
ourselves on our backs, comes n bump.
Just when il is least xpected-when
the picture is exceptionally high grade,
the actors capable, the settings beau
tiful and costly, the photography be-
yond criticism-the Salem public fails
to respond. And there you are with n
new job for your thinker.
"In other cities the same picture
with the same publicity filled the houses
where it was shown day after day and
night after night. The newspapers raved
over it. Even the pulpiteers Joined in
commencing it. Rut in Salem-nothing
of the sort. One Of the theatre IS best
patrons went TO sleep and added insult
to injury by snoring.
"Nor does the Salem public seem to
care greatly for the high.pressure love
stuff with its International tricks.
This sort Of thing will do as novelty.
Salem folks have their share Of old
Mother Ewes curiosity but after they
have seen the show and have satisfied
II moderate appetite for unwise love
and crushed hearts and hanks Of haiT
and ruined homes and splotches of gore
they drift off in another direction,
"Salem people are not given to ex
4 tremc enthusiasms. We all thought we
were in for bowling spell of certain
comedian who is much in vogue in pic
turedom at this time. Other cities have
gone violently insane over him. But
so fur as can be determined from the
general aspect of this field we we pret
ty well gotten over il already 1t II
to our credit Of course, although it il
not necessarily Il reflection upon the
good taste of community that II
wants something strong TO make il
laugh, especially when times are hard
and laughter is difficult to start. We
have all laughed at this comedian, some
of us once others several times. But
a change seems to hnyc come over the
spirit of our dreams. The kick in the
bosom of the trowsers, the slap in thI
face, the iab Of the fork, the jerk OF
the cane, the sit.down on the pavement
all have palled upon our senses anC
we have set out to look for something
else.
Eventually Salem folks al
ways come back TO the same thing
Sooner or later you will find them pack
ed in at some theatre where the pro
gram includes an honest everyday
normal love story, acted by peopl,
whom their sympathies go out to ant
whose parallels and preeedents they un
dorstand, set in scenes for which thei
hearts have ready response-the house
which are like their own houses, th
fields and woods Of their own liking
They find permanent enjoyment in thi
and doubtless somewhat Of an uplift
So, to sum it up, Salem s taste may b
high or It may be low, but one thin
is spre-it averages good, F"
In words to this effect did Manage
Waters of Yc Liberty theatre express
himself to u representative Of the CAP
ital journal yesterday
How nearly Mr. Waters may be righ
we are not in a position to know, ye
IL is gratifying to have the assuranc
that Salem people are not in their show
going or in other things straining 70
the sensational and abnormal.
The moving picture has become th
greatest amusement institution in th
world. IL is impossible TO accuratel
estimate the influence upon the publ
mind and morals which flows from tn
theatres where pictures are shown. ]
is perhaps not unreasonable 10 say tha
people may be accurately Judged b
the simple method Of observing the sor
OF pictures they favor and what typ
of actors and actresses they are draw
10.
The Capital journal trusts that MI
Waters Is correct. It believes he is.