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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 18, 1921)
- i THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, . .PORTLAND.' SUNDAY - MORNING,. SEPTEMBER 18, 1921.. Visualization Vital Need in Film Scenes TRAINING as an illustrator, creator of pastelled beauty and decorative effects Is on of the biggest boosts a motion picture director can hare in undertaking his work, according to Penrhyn Stanlaws, whose beautiful covers and Illustrations have adorned Metropolitan Saturday Kvenlnr Pdst and otiier leading; publications and who has recently completed the production of ' At the End of the World." featuring Btty Compson, for Paramount. Producing pictures stanlaws likens to (he creation of an illustration with a very Interesting- comparison. In working out an illustration the ariist has to visualize the complete drawing, pose his models as if they were statu and depend An what might be called -still life' though It is difficult tr keep a life model very still," he says, "while In pictures the director visualizes the finished work in the, same manner, hul instead or5 creating the action by lines he directs the action of the live models along the lines that bring about the result of his brain picture. "The handling of light effects in mo tion picture Is a great Improvement over the lighting of an artist's studio, but the i i i ii i i yituc print-ipies are ine same. i uiiu f the 'mofleU' of the film studio much more Interested In their work than the models of the artist's studio and much more Interesting. In making a drawing the artlm has to pone his model Just so and then use his Imagination for num erous expressions and lightings. In the film studio he can explain the action 'desired and rely on the players to provide ths desired expressions and so arrange his lights that he does not have to manu facture anything that Is not visible in th effect. 'I find my art training a wonderful h0p to me In my motion picture ef forts," continued Stanlaws. "and I work on a photoplay as any artist would on a series of continuous illustrations visualising each scene complete before it is begun, and, as an illustrator does after reading a story to be illustrated, carry In my mind all of the action leading up to sort of a climax group and then work out the details that make the car rying out of the action as visualized, successfully.' "Making a motion picture Is much harder, even with Its active models and splendid lighting assiHtance than making an Illustration for there can be no eras ing of lines. Every change In a film means great expense, so the idea to be enacted must be carefully visualized and planned before Its execution is ever be gun." Some Film Lights Once Shown Under Bushel, Tis Said Anita Stewart's first picture "job" was that of a maid. Uockllffe Fcllowes was originally a bank clerk. ' Marshall (Micky) Netlan used to be a chauffeur. William H. Tooker, the veteran char acter lead, used to sell books. Rupert Hughes used to save his re jection slips to show to editors when he became famous. But they got so numer ous he had to give .up the Idea or move out of his hall bedroom, so he chose the former. Norma and Constance Talmadge, both were "atmosphere" for a long time, be fore they were given, parts in pictures. Oeorge Randolph Chester and Mrs. Lillian Chester, whose story, "The Son of Wallingford." will be Vltagraph's big gest release thin season, first collab orated In "Cordelia Blossom." Forest Halney. author of the screen version of "Disraeli," and other stage and screen successes, used to be an art .director before he started to write. nnrx holmes back Helen Holmes will soon" be seen In a new photodrama. "A Girl's Decision." ' i ' NQW PLAY'NG ' Mf y " " ipl M U Sunday Conor H Also: f 4 ;pi Salvatore Santaella I 1 " 1 " " 1 1 i the human dog, ZZZ j 1 l program i- , 1 r 1 j t : w" . v in . . h I m mm v0 y yJJ.y o j , .1 n : ; VA -::jti&2! l V' VXCs-milmJ R .V O I 1 Ne W . ($ (ilmmm l-'OnrtMuaia taCsderarld" ' 1 - II' I II " I K iff Owrtnrr.. .J., OHtriach mmmmm.mmm.mwm ,11 I II SI rt I HWi yrr j Comedy Review Mi, 5if 11 "-:""J V zL, li l -ll I II li If Issl BLANCHE WELLS is here perched in the howdah aboard a circus Jumbo. How, she got there and how others' may accomplish ..the trick without the aid of an elevator she here reveals. ! ! r " ' f tSl a It's no trick at all to climb Into the howdah aboard Jumbo's back tf we may believe Blanche Wells and some of her sister -workers with the Sells-Floto circus. Of course, it Is first necessary that one practicing the simple lesson Miss Wells teaches have the desire to climb Into one of the things. But she testifies that there is a very general desire, espe cially among . the young folk, who rei spond with interest to "the glittering galaxy of gorgeously gowned girls" who make the circus parade shine with their raiment, their paint and their smiles. So, to learn the simple trick of getting from the ground, up the side of Jumbo, no matter how high he may be. and over-the'-top into the howdah. First, have tne desire. Second, find the eler phanL Third, place the howdah on its back or better, have .it placed there. Fourth, train the elephant to lie down like a perfectly good Elephant should ; then make It lie. so to speak. Fifth ( take the lesson In Miss Wells' Film Revivals Look Hopeless To Henry King REVIVALS of old films that rfit public fancy in their first flush has lately been- agitated. Two :: pictures. ' "Quo Vadis" and "Cabiria," with which the Italians once showed the way in super features to American producers, have, been burnished up and. sent on tour, along with a few native .products. There the movement seemed td halt. Henry King, one of the ablest of our directors, believes revivals will never be popular, for several; reasons. The American temperament doesn't take kindly to revivals, he says a fact which sponsors for stage revivals will verify. Our audiences crave novelty. ' "In the case of films," says King, "the reappearance of old favorites Is almost always a disappointment. The changes In styles of clothing are so noticeable as to thrust themselves to the front. sometimes to the greatf amusement of spectators. ' "This objection does , not apply to purely historical films.: But . in : .their case the other chief detriment appears. The art of picture making Is advancing 89 steadily that the technique of acting and staging that prevailed a few years ago now seems, quite absur4 when it: is subjected to comparisons. "Until we reach the time when this technique Is firmly established we will find little pleasure In comparisons of revivals. Any story worthy of repeti tion is likely to be refilmed on the broader scope of present-day methods," said King. VERA GORDON ON KTGE Vera Gordon of "Humoresque" . fame and supreme exponent of mother: roles on the screen, after finishing her latest picture, "Her Daughter-in-Law." writ ten and directed by William Nigh for Warner Bros , is back in vaudeville for an extended engagement Csii mtnmmmmmmmimfmmm J own words. If you choose) : "Using; the recumbent pachyderm's left forearm, known sometimes to the uninitiated as a Meg,' as an Inclined runway, the pupil simply w alk up, clambers over - the R. P.s shoulder and with a quick twist of the left wrist vaults into the how dab" . - Certainly that procedure is as simple as making a tomato say "grandpa," es pecially if one has the desire, the ele phant, the howdah, the skill at training and the ability not alone to vault but to rMist the left wrist. In fact, any child can do it. Miss Wells declares. Incidentally. Miss Wells, who is said to have trained the biggest elephant herd with the Sells-Floto shows, which comes to Portland for two shows tomorrow and two on Tuesday, does the trick In the way she suggests with rare neatness and dispatch. It is permissible to assume, however, that an amateurish attempt might result in a considerable loss of costume and dignity. Maud' Destined to Put Kick Into Film " Maud" is the name of the newest screen star. "Maud" co-stars with Douglas MacLean in "Passing Thru," his latest picture. She puts real pathos into what is otherwise a rather trite and frivolous plot "Maud" deserves all the praise she gets, for she is subtle, pensive and imaginative in her delineation of the character she portrays. In fact she the real thing, for "Maud" and this is no detraction from her work as an artist is just a plain Missouri mule. The D'Artagnan moustache worn by Douglas Fairbanks in "The three Musketeers" has started a crop, of (Sim ilar Hp vegetation in filmland. Eric Von Stroheim was. painfully in jured when the rough sea off the Cali fornia coast hurled him against a "boat gunwale and wrenched his back. Elinor Glyn was so pleased with the reception of her first motion picture story, "The Great Moment," that she is writing another for Gloria Swanson. It will be called "Beyond the Rocks." In a scene filmed fjr her current play Constance Binney was married , to George Webb. It was then learned that the actor who played the role of the min ister Is a regularly ordained Episcopal minister. What's the answer? Only recently back from a visit to her native Sweden, Anna Q. Nilsson may re turn there to be' starred in a series of Girls With Pep rMovie Urcred To Enter Pulpit By 'James L. KUlgallea - ' United Sew Staff Correspondent CHICAGO. -Sept 17. Filmland's latest tragedy U warning to America's army of young men and women who are "craxy to go into toe movies" that there are other careers a thousand times safer and equally" fascinating. There is the ministry, for example. The ministry, according to Miss M. Madeline Southard, president of the International Association of Women Preachers, in convention here, offers wonderful opportunities to girls with personality. It needs the movie star type and it is fascinating. "Every girl who makes the selfish choice comes to grief. "We have vacant pulpits calling for capable speakers. "Our bright young women have an open door to the movie stage. We want the same open door to the church.' The tragic cases of Virginia Rappe. Olive Thomas and "hundreds of other girls Who have dropped out of sight dead or worse than dead, after a brief. hectic career of pleasure seeking and pleasure giying" illustrates the dangers of the moving, picture game as it exists today." Mtes Southard said. "Our young and beautiful actresses, in rendering the sex plays that motion pic ture people insist on putting out, must throw themselves into strange men's arms and permit of familiarity not oth erwise tolerated, she said. "The re sult is their undoing. "The motion picture game, with its fast background, is undoing itself. It has as actors men and women who have figured in the most sensational pub licity. "One leading comedian not Arbuckle had a fist fight in a hotel lobby with his wife's lawyer over a divorce matter. A prominent movie actress who has been loved by the children all over the country gets a divorce and everybody knows before hand who she is to marry, Another actor takes his wife to Paris and she dies after a night in the cafes. And so on. "The children of the country have in their rooms the photographs of these movie stars who have been married and divorced, remarried and divorced. It is breaking down a well-known psycho logical law our re'spect for monogamic marriage. The kind of shows these peo ple are putting before the minds of the country is destroying . the reverence of the nation for marriage. "I wish our girls would tlUnk less of the movies as a career and more of the ministry. The ministry as fascinat ing life work for any woman with per sonality. "Girls should go to work saving souls instead of losing them." Ibeen plays. While she was abroad the film beauty had numerous European offers. Clara Kimball Young has embarked on a vaudeville -tour via the Pantages circuit Numerous film stars are ap pearing now on the two-a-day. Juanita Haneen opened recently in Minneapolis, and Bessie Love is about to be launched in an act written especially for her. Lloyd Ingraham is writing his first scenario. He conceived the story white on a vacation in the Pacific North west. Although he has been a film di rector now for 10 years he has never at tempted authorship. His story, however, is to be filmed with an all-star cast. Yachting on the blue Pacific Is becom ing the ultra sport of the film famous. The latest 'to be won over to it is John Griffith Wray, noted Ince director, who not only owns two sea-going crafts but a beside, a member of three yacht clubs. . He spends all - his week-ends aboard with his wife, when he worka on the manuscript of a tag play he is writing. "The Little Minister." Sir James M. Barrie'a famous play- will be brought to the screen by Penrhyn Stanlaws, who ul direct it for Paramount Betty Compson will have . the role of . Lady Babbie, in which Maude Adantas made her debut aa a star under the banner of the late Charles Frohman. Editorial work will begin immediately on "Conflict." which PriacUla Dean has Just completed. Stuart Pa ton. who di rected it will work in collaboration with Frank Lawrence, film editor in chief, in assembling the footage for the screen. Conflict" is the picture Mies Dean was to have made In Portland. Harry Myers believes in putting in his spare time profitably. When he had two days respite from work in "Turn to the Right" at Metro he repainted bis auto mobile. "Sir Boss" has an unusual knack of mechanics and never yet has taken his car to the garage for re pairs. . Relative to the agitation for and against film censorship John Griffith Wray was asked by a leading Los An geles woman's club to ipeak on the sub ject He accepted and declared that un- 1ra tht rftnnonihin tid in rhfleeri ft will be financially impossible in two years to continue the making of motion pic tures. That Fannie Ward has decided neJer to rejoin the ranks of American film stars is evidenced by the fact that Ehe has ordered for sale the various art ob jects, curios and souvenirs left by her in her former Los Angeles residence: She has an independent fortune and is now in Italy with her husband. Juanita Hansen, the serial star, has signed a contract to play 14 weeks In vaudeville on the Pantages circuit She is appearing in a "single" turn, devised by herself, and is to be shown executing several of the film stunts which have made her famous. Miss Hansen is a sister-in-law of Salvatore Santaella. con ductor of the Rivoll theatre orchestra. , English films equal to American made movies need not be expected for some years, says Paul Powell, noted director, who has just returned from a year's film making at the Paramount studio in London. European scenery is wonderful in historical significance and natural beauty, but will not photograph well because of light, he says, and the greatest handicap to the British pro ducer, the fogs, will be partly overcome by the use of air-washing machines. r m llPff 1& Tilil A Dramatic mS&S ' ' ' Thunderbolt ; , Vi VtTv NfjlfrlT jS i. ' The ttory of a pretty wife whose . tj ,; ilj ifjS'Mi .cXV ' craving for pleasure and luxury ;, j A i ili&w- 'fcllt r finally led to a climax in the ' "! j !' 'i : I'r5 apartment of a man who thought Pique Dame . .Suppe M ' "' H ?rl Souvenir .....Drdla fa V V V W Wfcs JK yMzX? Y OREGON - . .Tcatue -r- -. - - - '"vl IET r yy ST L.JC mm PipeOrganLikeWeathervane Retuning Job IsPrpdigousTask OW that fall and winter are In sight. tremenduosj amount of organ, tun ing is in1 store for William Wood, wno takes care of the Jensen k. Von Herberg Instruments . and Is known as organ "nursemaid."" , In warm weather, heat contracts the metal and pip organs gradually work upward in pitch. Rain modulated wea ther of autumn and winter allows the pitch to remain practically steady so that at the present time it has become advisable to retune all five of the big theater organs. Indicative of . the dif ference the weather makes in organ tones is the fact that during the hottest summer days It was impossible to play the roartmba, xylophone or bells attach ment of the Liberty instrument In con nection with the attachments where reed Instead of metal was used. The metal in the xylophone and bells had contracted to such an ex tent that in early mftmlng' when the dif ference was greatest there was a one- quarter tone contrast between the metal reed attachments and pi pes. Extent of the work in tuning now be fore Wood and his helpers may be Judged if some conception of the size of the Liberty organ may be obtained. The Liberty organ, of course, is considerably larger than any other Instrument in the Northwest being a four-manual organ where the Columbia and Majestic organs have but two boards. A description, of difficulties in tuning . the Liberty or gan would therefore be similar in scope to those presented by other large orches tral instruments. Not all organ notee are tuned alike, contrary to the policy employed In tun ing a piano. Some notes are tuned sharper to give what is known as a "celeste" which imparts more body when a combination is used with it In ,the Liberty organ there are four vox sets of pipes one four, two in eight and one in IC-fost depths. One of the eight J lengths is tuned celeste. Naturally it is extremely difficult to get the celeste ef fect for the tuner who must at the same time retain the sound of the pure note. NOW PLAYING! h Direction of Jensen and Von . Herberg Tuning a pip organ presents delicat hand work and actual physical abor. The smallest pipe and f corsVhe tuner must to over vtr bm t one and usasily many, many times U r known as a . fifteenth and is seven I Inches long and one-eighth inch In diameter. The largest pipe 'Is 2 feet long and so large in diameter that three men may simultaneously climb Into It and slide down. There are seven chambers of pipes In the Liberty theatre and Ihey represent with the space taken by the console, pianos. marimba, aylophor.e and other attachments which may be seen in the house auditorium, a square footage of 1214 feet Many prominent Portland business houses have less square foot age than that occupied by the Liberty organ pipes. The pipes are Installed In chambers located on either side of the theater, back of the decorative balconies leading to the stage. The chambers go down into the building lower than the auditorium floor and up on the sides of the building to the ceiling. . The echo organ, which Is located in the exact middle of the auditorium ceiling, la in Itself larger than the entire organ cham bers installed in the majority of the big Portland churches. Two rooms. 10 by 20 by I feet In the basement of the build ing contain the relay chests while a room, also in the basement and half this size, is used entirely by the blower. Estimation of the exact number of pipes in the Liberty organ Is difficult as J-hf sets range from 49 to (1 notes each. There are about ISO such ses for the Liberty organ. None of these pipes are visible from the theatre auditorium. Beneath the four keyboards are hidden from sight Intricate pedals fcr the organist to play with his feet These pedals and keys, which are in addition to the black and white key boards. Include three stops for pedals combining the toe pistons, five swell pedals, -one crescendo pedal, one sfor sando pedal, two thunder pedals (loud) and one echo thunder pedal, one pedal for the bass drums snd cymbal, one for the snare drums and three for pedals which connect attachments Imitating bird a v . ir Sounds. This is all beneath the fesr visible keyboards for tb bands. Above the keyboards, slso to b operated by the bands, are ltl tablets or atop, en abling, tbe organist to throw on the switch .connecting the pipes with , lb keyboard. Organ pipes are as varied aa they art numeroosL Some are made of wood. seme of brass, some of silver aad some of various alloya.. They are tuned by means of slits which may be opened and closed, by collars which turn no that holes in the pipes may be opened and closed W lids w hich turn round by method which is technically known lb "roll your own." The "roll your f. own pipes are literally roued oo o or up until the desired tone is obtained. Working from ll:li p. m. w hen lb C eaters dose until 11 a. ro when they apaln open their doors. It will take at least two months to tune th five Port land Jensen A Von Herberg organs. Awful Crime of Our Movies Is Worrying British Patriotism Washington. Sept 17. America mov ies are charged with a new crime th "Americanization" of the British .col onics. Official cable reports state that New Zealand importers of Americaa -films will protest a proposed dominion ruling to bar the shipment of films from the I'nited States and require that . per cent of all movies shown In New Zealand be of Brit If h manufacture, la sponsoring the ruling former Minister f Internal Affairs G. J. Anderson said he regarded ss undesirable "the American ization r-f New Zealand through the In fluence of picture theatrea" KK3YOX AND UlMi AT WOBK Charles Kenyon. photo-dramatist, has begun work with Basil King on the film adaptation of the latter's novel", "The Dust Flower." WITHER STORIEH FILMED "The Leather Pushers." by 1L C Wit wer. is to be made into a aerie of two rel dramas, H. L. Messmore and Harry Iollard will produce them. ASX IX "THE BLTE FOX" Ann Little will be seen ss the star In the new Ben Wilson serial. "Th Blue Fox." fir If mJ am' f