Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-15
By JESSE l.. LASKY,

BY JESSE l.. LASkY,
Tirs, Vice President. Paramount-Fsmous
Lasky Corporation.
THE problem OF presentations
which has been arousing SO muci
Comment In the trade recently, Is
vexinx one and is not to be dismissed
Rightly. As q producer OF motion pic
lures I welcome this opportunity .
discuss various phases Of this Ques
flor which necessarily must nave
rreat effect on production.
In the first place. the word presen
tat;nns' is a misnomer. think i
rev out of the prologue" vogue o.
a few wears ago. Prologues were IN
trnduced by exhibitors who felt ina
properly TO show a picture they mrs
had TO put on a stage act. winch
through dialogue and music, woulc
create the proper atmospheric setting
This ALWAYS struck me as being rather
ALLY. ANY well made picture carries
its own atmosphere. put into the pic
ture at the studio. II seems aosurc
that. after a studio has spent thou
sands Of dollars on a production. the
house manager Of theater. with MS
necessarily limited resources. should
feel obliged 10 stage a brief act Il
interpret the picture 10 the audience
II would be just as sensible 10 expeci
the house manager of q legitimate
theaier on Broadway TO- stage a pro
iogue To-. say. The Trial Of Mary Du
gan" or The Racket"
Out Of these prologues grew the
Presentation. which term covers the
Vaudeville. music and other stage at
fractions given with a picture in ouI
big motion picture theaters. AS they
are constituted at present. these
vaudeville acts. bands. organ solos and
other attractions that make up the
bin are not a presentation OF the pic
ture and have no relation to the pic.
ture Therefore. in describing thest
attractions IL seems to me that we
must invent some new term.
In arriving at a proper appreciation
OF this exsra-nim entertainment We
must give some consideration to thu
problem OF the exhibitor. BY exhib
nor. In this particular instance. !
mean the management OF our big first
class houses Of from three 70 six thou
sand seats-because II IL with them
that the problem In most acute. As 9
producer Of motion pictures my hear,
and thought are naturally centered ir
The picture. Nevertheless. I have 2
very deep sympathy for the exhib
i'or, ] appreciate that he has on hi.
hands question which we mus,
answer his house In to produce q
proper profit. believe / have had ar
unusual opportunity 10 study this sit.
nation in Our own Publix Theaters
and know that Mr.. Katz and his as
sociates are giving the ma tier their
most serious thought
In these large houses. the de luxe
snow. ss a whole. runs about 2 hours
ana 10 minutes. The exhibitor believes
from experience that this In the proper
amount OF entertainment 10 give his
patrons for their money. OF this 2
hoors and 10 minutes the motion pic
lure entertainment usually takes ur
en hour and 10 or 10 minutes
This does not include the newsreeI
and q .wo.reei comedy or other screen
novelty. Even with these the exhib
for is faced with the pecesss.y OF pro
x,1ing something which viii occur,
the rest Of the time.
TO 90 this he has resorted 10 eta "a
SHOWS. These shows are created b,
producers Of stage acts. The produce,
of the stage show. being q creator
OCCASIONALLY allows HIS enthusiasm 10,
ns own han6iwork TO run away with
BIN. Then the stage entertainment
ehcroachsf on the time and position
which rightfuiiy belong TO the screen
Inen ~ In that the so-caIled preseuts
''y'' Incomes a menace To the picture
want 10 make myself perfect,
ee@f the nIm must always be The
main attraction IA any motion etur.
theater. The time consumed by ths
feature and the supporting film enter
i@1nfnent should he the basic tim.
around which the stage ms mage,
builds bis show. When stage acts srs