Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-22
Flashes From the Screen
BY c. E. Nelson.

IlISG we LnOugnC IL necessary TO
have absolutely Soundproof stu
dioS. Today we make sound pic
lures outdoors. We have made
mistakes, but we are getting rap
idly away from the early errors.
Every new picture marks a really
great advance. Today sound is
new. Tomorrow there will be
something else - the enlarged
screen, the third dimension"
This writer is convinced that
Will Hays knows what he is talk
ing about. But, naturally, there
are several little things in the
movie industry that need special
attention. The perfection of the
Synchronization is a matter which
will probably take care of itself
to a certain extent; perfection
will come as natural result of
the use of sound devices in the
studios. Slap dash production
methods are the fault of pro-
ducerS themselves, and there is a
little illustration of this in one
picture screened; in Washington
during the past week, With in
telligent direction, THE River"
might have been made into a
f1rSt-claSS picture-not a world
beater, but a really good picture.
Simply by the manner in which
it was treated in the studio it
turned out to be a flzZer.
Another thing which requires
attention from the producers is
the need for novelty. A lack of
novelty may have been one of the
reasons why the stage dropped to
such a low status. The cash Gus
toners of the movies are really
more difficult to please than the
old-time theater patrons. They
demand novelty; they must have
it. The picture "Hallelujah" is an
excellent example of novelty on
the screen. In other pictures
turned out by the same director,
King Vidor, the novelty element
has been uppermost. The short
reel subjects are showing more
variety, better direction and even
greater drawing power than
many of the full-length pictures.
And also the star system needs
attention. Not so much star;
more and better picture. All the
stars in Hollywood could not have
made better picture of "The
River" but a group of unknowns,
intelligently directed, could have
turned it into success.
Yes, we could mention a num-
Der of other little points-but Will
Hays will probably take care of
them in the days to come.
x x X X
NEWS AND VIEWS: David
Wark Griffith has signed
Walter Huston, we'll known stage
and screen star, for the part of
Abraham Lincoln in the forth
coming perturbation of the Great
Emancipation. Huston will leave
New York for Hollywood the first
week in January to start work in
the United Artists studio.
S. L. Rothafel, better known to
radio fans as Roxy" has an
nounced the report that he is to
leave the Roxy Theater, in New
York, early in January, as "all
bunk" Roxy" denies that he is
to become associated with r. c. A.
and take charge of its broadcast
ing chain, or that he is to become
a member of the board of direc-
tors.
And there is another report
that Greta Carlo has appeared
in her last picture, "The Kiss" on
account. of the demand for talk
ing pictures. However, if Greta
wants to make silent pictures, we
move that Greta be allowed to
make silent pictures. She is an
intelligent actress, popular with
millions. It would be difficult to
find some one to take her place
as box office drawing card.
Warner Baxter has a featured
role in "Such Men Are Danger
ous," started last week in the Fox
studio.
One big change made by the
sound films is the cutting down
of the love scenes. The latter do
not seem to strike a high note
with the audiences, as they did in
the silent pictures.
Graham McNamee has signed
as an official announcer for the
Universal news reels. You see the
pictures, as it were, and then
have an expert tell you what
they are all about. The announc-
ing voice with the news reel is a
penny with hole in it.
1t is estimated that 90 per cent
Of the complaints against the
sound pictures are concerned with
bad reproduction.