NATIONAL PICTURES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 899, 19 August 1910, Page 7

NATIONAL PICTURES.

The National Pictures, which are to be shown at the Opera House, during tho next fortnight, attracted a fairly numerous audience .last evening. Apart from a g6od selection of kincinatogranh pictures, the public, was introduced to the latest invention', which aims very closo to perfection in a' collaboration' of tho kinematograph and the graphophoiie. By an electrical device the.machines work in splendid unison, and tho long-sought-after ett'ect of reproducing the songs with the singer-' on the screen is, successfully achieved. .Chief among tho items supplied by the name of the. new contrivance—were the Harry Lauder songs.. This high-salaried humorist was seen and heard, in such "favourites in his repertoire as:. "I Love a Lassie," ."Stop Your Ticklin', Jock," an<l "Tho .'Saft'est of the Family,", and from - the combination so'bappily brought about ono was able to form an. excellent impression "of Ae drollery of this comical Glaswegian,, That the effect, was merely' mechanical was the sole and : only reason, why, tho semblance' of. the comedian was not recalled. time' and again;V;So: greatly wei'o his ™! comicalities',"' appreciated;' .; Other' ehrono-megaphone .items were: Tho Captain's, song from .Gilbert, and Sullivan's opera, "H.M.S.: Pinafore," a solo and chorus, "Waltz'Me Around Again, Willie," and the. Venetian, Song' (duet), perhaps -the. most exact record on tho. programme. The pictures, in ordinary varied and interesting subjects, though the slight flicker apparent was at times a little, trying to the eyes.: "Scene's in Stamboul" was ..equivalent, to. a trip through one of the most interesting cities in Europe, and, gave a capital idea of the mosques and minarets peculiar to, ; the city ..where the East and West meet. "Tho New Red Riding Hood," is a comic' .drama founded on the old'nursery rhyme wherein Mr. Wolf—a gay benedict—pursues Red Riding Hood to her grandmother's, .where he meets his .own wife in company with another, the double game thus exposed giving rise to a farcical ending. A subject of much scenic beauty is that treating with life and industry on : . a coconut plantation near Singapore. The rich Oriental' colouring enhanced the picture- greatly. . "The Heart of Thellas," which is also developed; by the natural colour process, is a dramatic incident in , Greek mythology. Anthea, _ the beautiful . daughter of Cyclon, is beloved by the wealthy Ithi's, but the lady has given her heart elsewhere,, and makes, no reservation about disclosing the fact. For her,pains, her lover is_ seized and flogged, and she is dragged" away by Ithi's. Tiring of Anthea's stout resistance Ithis seeks diversion in' pleasure, in the course of which ■he gambles-for high stakes and loses to .an unknown/party, who tempts him to stake .Anthea en the throw. Ithis does so -and.loses. The unknown is .Fatinia, the favourite of Ithis, who -.resents hav-. ing been displaced:in, the affections of her lord, by Anthea. On winning the human stake, Fatinia orders Authea's death, but ho who is commissioned to do the deed relents at the last moment and leaves her bound to a. stake for Fate to tako a hand. Fate arrives on the scene in the form of her true love,' and the end is bliss. Other pictures shown are: "The End of the World," "Keeping Afloat," "His New.' Appointment," "Monte -Learns to Swim," and "Sandwich Men." A capable orchestra, under Mr. S. Cimino,' accompanied the pictures with appropriate music. The National Pictures will ho shown again to-night.