THE ALLURING KINE= MATOGRAPH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 127, 21 February 1908, Page 4

THE ALLURING KINE= MATOGRAPH.

"V"' — HOW THE EFFECTS ARE PRODUCED. A'PEEP BEHIND THE SCREEN. Tlio newspaper reporter. is the eternal how? what? why? of tlio community's constitution. He wants to know everything, and is never, happy until ho does—ergo, ho is enquiringly unhappy over. • Ono of tho class was not satisfied *to sit in tho auditorium at His-Majestv's .Theatre, and'.enjoy tho entertaining pictures'displayed.''-. He was worried about tho excellence and precision of the "effects" that accompany the pictures, so ho Went 011 211 expedition behind, and,learned tilings.' The stage was pitch dark, and after stumbling up a few steps tlio darkness was suddenly illumined by a flood of light that dimly lit tho sceno from an illuminated sheet, whereon was, written the namo of the next picture. Tlio words .disappeared and the picturo began—giant ifigures began to tell, a tale about the kidnapping of a little girl by a gang of very impolite gentlemen.' It was vividly told. Moro vividly, 0110 supposes, to t.hoso in front by reason of tho "effects" that were introduced which made tho action suit tho sonnd and the sound the actipu. These wero' produced by a', hardworking little man ill his sliirt-slcevcs —who is a combination of- tho property man, tho' actor, and tho stage manager of the theatre in: ordinary. Tho kidnappers are seen' waiting for the child behind somo bushes, audat 'the same time tho little man, assuiiiing n hoarso rough ..vitice, -is heard to say: • "Look alit; 'pro they come! Now then grab tho kid!" At' oricp the kid is grabbed, tho parents are knocked over, and tho kidnappers" decamp with their human-spoil. The distracted father receives .a letter from" tho scamps, and goes to a detective, and with this aid of the littlo man in the shirt sleeves you heara,dialogue between thom.. Then tho detective takes up the chase, gets to tho girl through a piecq of strategy, and :is making'off with her when the kidnappers aro heard remarking that they aro being "taken down." Tho .detective is - seized, and plumped ' upon a barrel of gunpowder, to which is attached-a lighted fuse. But the girl returns,, liberates the detective, and tKey seek refugo in' a loft—tho littlo man taps -011 tho floor to imitate tho pair scaling the ladder. 'They bar tho entrance, but, tbp kidnappers locate them, and break down tlio' barrier—while the little man throws pieces of wood about the stage. At tho same ;timo ho keeps.'up a running one instant impersonating tho detective, and the next getting violently excited as tho kidnappers enter tlio loft. Then thcro is the return' home with the child, and the. kinematograpkic /actor kisses tho back.of his hand fiercely in simulation r of. tlio,; glad welsomo. home ;ai;eordcd to tho hope of tho family., , . • , ■ The nest'picture 1 depicts a trip across the : Atlantic. Hero tho . sound ; actor seizes a largo tin tray , containing a. few hundred, -small'.'shot,'.and- as the linor movos occariwards tho tray,is swayed gently fiom .side 'to side,-giving an accurate oracular represent t-ation of the waves, whilo a > couple of youngsters rub : shoots of. sandpaper together to add to the elfcct. r When tho steamer ships -aj sea the tray is given a sudden incline, and tho rattio of the rushing shot, gives out the,exact sound of .tho intruding sea-:'"

For tho variety of pictures-a long table, strown with "props" is" necessary. To imitate tlio galloping of, a horse the halves of a cocoanut [Shell aro seized'and clattored on a couple of bricks. Two pieces of wood brought sharply give tho "riflo crack, and tho hissing, grinding row of a starting railway engine is mado by the manipulation of a long nnaiiy-wired switch drawn 'round agninst 'tlio interior of an iron cask. - There are pieces, of chain -to be jangled in the indust-rinl pictures, sacks of bimcn glass and a bashed kerosene tin full of glass represent crashes (when they are needed) in tho hands-of the skilled manipulator, who requires to be as' activo as a cat to keep pace with all tho incidents in a. lively picture. : . . ' The animat;d picturo lias come 'to stay, and in its' -train- has., come \tfic Cinematograph actor, who. Splays a big part : in any well-managed picture show.'.