ALPS IN "MOVIES."

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18147, 9 August 1924, Page 8

ALPS IN "MOVIES."

AMERICANS' MISSION. "NEW ZEALANDEES TOO MODEST» In spite of the modesty el its fahabitants, the beauties of the Dominion are becoming known to people in distant parts of the world, and from an interview a repiC.'entative of "The Press" bad yesterC-y with an American it appears thai its charms will in the near future be much better fcnowi than at present, thanks tc the medium of the "movies." Tho gentleman referred to is Mr Elmer Clifton, of New York city, who is accompanied by Mr A. G. Penrod, another American, and his mission ib New Zealand h to photograph scenes in tho Southern Alps and other beauty snots for the cinema. Neither is connected with any of the well-known producers whose films arc shown every •week in the picture theatres of tho Dominion, but they are acting in the nature of free lances, and will make arrangements for the release of their pictures when they return to New York, "We picked out two conntries is which to take photographs," sadd Mr Clifton—"New Zealand and India, and we will go to tho latter country as soon as we have completed our mission here." Mr Cliftoa said the scenery around Mt. Cook exceeded all expectations, and provided more thrills than he had experienced in filming seenes in the Caribbean Sea soma little time ago in connexion with a picture entitled "Down to the Sea ia Ships," although in this there was no lack of exciting incidents in photographing the harpooning of whales. This picture had not yet reached New Zealand. He had taken views of winter pastimes and sports, including ski-ing and snowballing, around the Hermitage, and had also obtained some magnificent photographs o£ Sit- Cook from many different angles. "We made oar headquarters at the Ball Hut," he continued, "and remained there for eight days, of which period only two days were so bad as to prevent us working. The • atmospheric conditions were so favourable that we were able to work from daylight to dark, and during the whole of that time we did not take off our clothes. "We were accompanied by. Guide Prank Milne and others, each of us earying a pack weighing . between forty and fifty pounds. Out apparatus included a high-power telephoto lens. We were the first to go through to the Ball Hut this season, and were surprised at the comfort we found at this high altitude, considering that all the provisions left ] at tho hut had to be carried there on men's backs last autumn." ; Mr Clifton is enthusiastic about the beauties of the Alps, which from a photographer's point of view he considers are greatly ahead of the Rockies of North America. The atmosphere is so clear, he says, that it enables one to get splendid pictures, and it is possible to get them from a low altitude, whereas in. the Bockies one has to climb much higher to obtain the best results. Another advantage possessed by the Southern Alps is that, unlike tho Rockies, they are not obscured by pine 'trees/ the mountains thus standing out more distinctly. MoTe peaks can also ,l>o taken, in a single photograph, and, "ueeanse of the low altitude from which a, photograpberican work, the mountain lie is taking comes out in a more imposing aspect than is the case in tho Booties. .

Another feat Die of the Alps which appealed to the photographers is that *>n each day they were there the mountains looked "different from what they did the day before, these effects not obtaining in the Bockies. The photographera wore also struck with the wonderful eland effects they were able to obtain.

"WiH you identify the Alps when tlte pictures are being screened?" asked the roporjwr"Yes," Baid Mr Clifton. "We have » scenario all ready, .and the mountain views will be incorporated into a confinuons picture," He added that 2?ew Zealand would get a great adver? lige'ment from the picture, as only the aost beautiful scenes were' taken for screening purposes* "and," he remarked, "the screen is the greatest means of publicity there is," ' iThe' apparatus used by Messm Cfifion and Penrod includes an ex-back film, which ia proof against weather flonditioßS. The films aro sent to New York ii special hermetically scaled •ttunks, which are unaffected by passage through the tropics. The films •#lll be developed in the laboratories fa New York, j <* We developed a piece of film here l>y hand test,'? said Mr CEfton, "and as we anticipated, it turned vrt awte Buceessfnl." It is interesting to learn how it was that Messrs Clifton and Penrod deeid;ed toi came to the Dominion. : They .read a, book oa Australia and New Zealand published by M? W. D. Boyoe, i publisher of the Chicago "Blade" and <■ other journals, in which he wrote en--1 thnsiasticalVy of the glories of the ; Southern AJps, This gentleman, by • the,, way, visited New Zealand: in Janu- ' axyy 1921, and an interview with him was published in "The Press' > that month." Mr; Clifton says "what so many other'visitors have said of New Zea-landers—-that they axe' altogether too modest of the beauties of the Dominion, especially thoao beauties of the South Island. He says he has weeived, every assistance from those with whom his duties brought him in contact; and he speaks appreciatively of the Tourist Department,: whoie information he has ..{found to be always reliable. Messrs Clifton and Penrod will leave to-day for tho West Coast, where thoy ■vrill takg views of the Franz Joseph , .Glacier, Subsequently they will go overland to Nelson, proceeding thence to Botorua, where more photographs win be takes.