AUCKLAND "TALKIES."

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19814, 30 December 1929, Page 6

AUCKLAND "TALKIES."

FIRST FILM SCREENED

Tha first talking pictures to be made in Auckland were given a successful trial screening at the Strand Theatre in that City last week. They were all short subject films, made by New Zealand . Kadio Films, and the review was attended by local exhibitors and representatives of the New Zealand Government Publicity Department. Favourable comment was made regarding the realistic reproduction of sound effects (states the "Herald"). A news reel, the first sound picture of its kind made in the Dominion, included scenes taken along the. waterfront and at the foot of Queen street. The scream of the siren on the Ferry Building was a feature of the sound reproduction. A few scenes followed from "The Romanco of Maoriland.'' including some interesting excerpts of. Maori songs and music. The film emphasisfd the value of the talking picture in presenting New Zealand attractions before the people of other lands. The chief item of tho news reel was the funeral of the late Bishop C'eary. the tolling of the bell at St.' Patrick's Cathedral. and the service at the graveside at Panmure being graphically reproduced. A final scene was a silhouette of a trumpeter on the skyline sounding the "Last Post"—an effective_ ending to the film. Organ and other music has been synchronised to the titles in this picture. In the six months during which talking pictures have been experimented with in New Zealand great progress has been made in the new Sim medium. An official of the New Zealand Radio Films. Limited, stated after the review that the first attempt w-as not considered to approach perfection, and that further equipment, now being landed, would enable the company to record the smallest sounds and the most delicate music.