Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-12
SCREEN
FROM THE
BY &. F.. NELSON.

spy who wrecks the career of an
officer, and then, because she
loves him, helps him to clear him.
self of dishonor. Conrad Nagcl
| plays the officer-and 1t Is said
that he wears a military NOUS
! tache.
THE production organizations
announce that, with the OPEN
ing of the Fall season, old stand
ards have been cast aside and
that the public will be invited to
readjuSt and enlarge its vision of
screen possibilities. In the front
rank of the advancing picture
makers, the Paramount-Famous-
LaSky Corporation, said to be the
biggest producer of films in the
world. announces program of
20 feature pictures for the new
season.
The present excitement over
sound pictures has turned the
eyes of Hollywood toward broader
fields. Scarcely less influential IS
the possibility of color pictures.
the processes now being perfected.
The effect of such mechanical
appliances, however, reaches far
beyond the actual films which
make use Of them Immediately.
In developing a technique for use
in sound or color pictures, pro-
0ucerS necessarily have changed
their entire attitude. Standards
have been altered for every kind
Of picture, and the new silent
black and white pictures will be
cast in a different mold.
Stories intended for picture
production will be more carefully
selected, according to the pro-
ducerS. Freshness of situation
will be demanded, since hack
neyed ideas will be more fatally
conspicuous when expressed by
the spoken word. More stage
plays will be brought to the
screen, and they will be repro
duced with greater fidelity. Music
will receive great emphasis, and,
as an example, the Paramount
organization announces that a
staff of famous composers will
write original scores to accom-
pany its pictures. The music VIII
not be left to chance orcheStraS
of varying quality. but will be dis
tributed just as played by artists
of outstanding rank.
The Paramount Company says
that it is especially fortunate in
taking up the sound pictures, for
nearly all of the company's
players have had stage expert
ence.
Among the new pictures re-
leased this Fall by Paramount
will be Wings" which has al
ready been screened in some CT
the large cities; Erich Won Stro-
helms long-awaited wedding
March," Emil Jannings in THE
Patriot" and the Anne Nichols
play, "Abie's Irish Rose" Sound
effects will go with each of these
pictures.
4 ND now it may be interesting
to turn to a statement of
Joseph M. Schenck, president Of
the United Artists. He says:
I'VE are not going to make talk
ing pictures. We have not shown
any talking pictures, and we arc
not going TO show any until We
are convinced that the public
wants them. I do not believe that
the present talking picture craze
is more than a public curiosity in
a novelty, and it is a badly done
one. I propheSy that the talking
picture viii not last more than
four or five months. I have heard
the talking movies, and I find
them too artificial and mechan-
zeal. For topicals, Movietone and
Vitaphone are excellent. But for
full length feature pictures, 1t is
unnatural and robS the picture Of
sincerity by its mechanical quail
ity.
THE danger is that the public
may be poisoned by the 'talkies.'
We have equipped sound studios
for sound films and synchronized
music and sound effects, for
which / think there is great
future. At the same time, / do
not think that the big key thea
tiers will ever give up their orches-
tras, and musicians need not fear
the mechanical music, the way
some people believe. Synchro-
nized music will simply kill the
two-man 'dud' orchestra OF the
small houses. Short 'talkies' may
take the place OF costly presenta-
tons, which are a ghastly and ex-
pensive failure in America"