Evening star., 1934-03-11

swaying perfect rhythm, sliding
down twisting runways into a pool
4 of water, maneuvering in water to
form strange designs with their
bodies, weaving in and out of tall
moving pillars dancing before many mirrors.
All of this and more, Is seen In todays
screen musical productions. Productions wn1cn
never could be presented on any stage a1e be-
ing flashed on the silver screen with consider
able regularity. They are to the modern screen
what the parting of the Red Sea in THE Ten
Commandments" was to the silent film era.
There seems to be nothing left undone. Even
the impossible is accomplished
And the master creator whom all others are
following In fashioning these elaborate spec
tacles is an unassuming 120-pound man, Busby
Berkeley
1t Berkeley who created the dance num-
bers for Forty Second Street." the picture
which started the current cycle OF musical
productions. And it has been Berkeley VINO
has been the leader of the parade ever since.
directing those spectacular numbers in Gold
Diggers of 1888" 'Footlight Parade" Roman
Scandals" and Wonder Bar the last one
just having been completed
Every studio now has its dance directors to
mold the spectacular numbers which are so
much q part of musical films In fact some
studios have two or three men devoting their
entire time to the creation of such dance
routines. But so far no one has been able to
climb as high as Berkeley. He is the master,
the one who leads that others might follow.
A ND how does Berkeley known throughout
the film colony Buzz achieve those
spectacular results 50 far denied to others OF
his craft?
All, that is a story and . most interesting
one.
Unlike the directors of the pictures for which
Everything is done from the cuff" and built
Is he goes along.
An excellent example of just how he works
can be seen in the creation of one Of the num-
bers In wonder Bar" his latest picture. In
this number find scores of beautiful girls
tripping lightly through q veritable forest OF
TALL white pillars, which are constantly NOV
ing.
Originally the only idea Berkeley had for
this humber was that he wanted a lot of pill
lars which would be movable. So the set was
built for him. And when it was completed
he spent three days sitting on 1t all by him.
self, figuring out just what he was going to
do with the girls and the pillars.
The first day all he did was sit and look At
those pillars. Then he started making crude
sketches Of the action he wanted. Almost .
he completed a rough idea Of how the dance
would be staged and from what angles he
would photograph it.
Photography, by the way, is q very impor-
tant part Of the dance directors work, because
after creating his number he must make sure
It Is photographed in the most effective man-
ner.
Once he had rough idea of how the num-
ber would work out, call was sent out for
tn In ha
studio class room used by Buzz for prelm-
tnary instruction.
THERE, on a large blackboard, he drew
u more rough sketches to show the girls just
what they would be expected to do He verbal
y elaborated upon his sketches and had small
groups Of girls 60 through the routine, in
order to impress it upon the rest Of the group
and also to satisfy himself that it looked all
right.
The classroom work finished, rehearsals
were started on the set where the scene was to
be filmed. complete crew Of men was ON
hand to move the pillars. according to Ber-
keley's directions. That went on for about
two weeks, with Buzz making some changes
In the routine almost every day. Finally he
had 1t the way he wanted it, and two more
days were spent in filming it.
The actual shooting of these dance num-
hers has a great deal to do with the spec
tacular effect seen on the screen. Berkeley
seldom permits q scene to be shot straight.
He has found that by sticking the camera in
unusual places he can double the effectiveness
II any routine.
Thus, on one of his sets you are apt to find
the camera almost any place-on high paral-
lei. shooting down on the human figures be-
low; right on the floor. shooting up at the
dancing girb. to give their legs exAg-