PARAMOUNT THEATRE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 130, 26 February 1929, Page 9

PARAMOUNT THEATRE

•TALKIE" TRIALS SUCCESSFUL.

Science has again triumphed over the “impossible.” It has ’made vocal an art which seemed destined by the very nature of its creation to remain forever a voiceless medium of expression. Through the revolutionary achievement of I-’ox Movietone, the motion pictures have been made truly, naturally, realistically vocal—a synchronisation of picture and sound of undreamed-of perfection—with the whole outdoor -world its stage. The faint rustle of the leaves, the chirp of birds, the distant bark of dogs, the beat of horse’s hoofs, the whirr of the aeroplane aloft, the boom of the surf, the patter of rain, the echo of thunder, the crackle of burning wood—all sounds of outdoors are heard with startling fidelity, clarity, and naturalness through the medium of Fox Movietone. Even in an age of mechanical and artistic marvels, the talking picture has made a notable debut. A public which watched the motor-car, the aeroplane, the motion picture, -and the radio develop from feeble experiments to today’s high achievement, has given the talking picture a kind reception. And yet their very experience with the marvels which preceded it in the last twenty years made the public expectant of not too long delayed improvement in the talking picture.

To-day, thanks to Fox Movietone, the favourite stars of stage, and screen may not only be seen, but heard, as well. The world’s greatest celebrities speak through Fox Movietone from the four corners of the globe—royalty in the persons of King George of England and King Alfonso of Spain, and international figures like George Bernard Shaw and Mussolini. Fox Movietone has developed with , amazing strides. The first subject shown publicly was Raquel Meller, Spanish artiste, in a. cycle of songs. On December 3, 1924, the first regular issue of Fox Movietone News, the.first talking newsreel, was shown. With world-wide organisation of newsreel crews recording the news in sound and picture, Fox Movietone News became a weekly feature, but its popularity with the public became so tremendous that two issues weekly were necessary. No less sensational has been the development of Fox Movietone all-talking features of short, and full length, for the production of which the world's largest sound studio plant has been erected in Hollywood. This site, known as Movietone City, .covers over forty acres of ground. The talking picture has reached maturity—its infant days are over. Henceforth tlie motion picture public may der mand and receive screen entertainment of a character and quality Hitherto unattainable. It will be the unceasing endeavour of Fox Movietcne Corporation to meet this expectation and merit the continued support which a loyal public has always given it. ' . ■

Of special interest" to picture-goers of Wellington, considering. the above, is tho announcement by the Paramount managoment that, following on a number of months’ experiment and trial with the new and amazingly complicated • Installation, the “Movietone apparatus,”, the first presentation in New Zealand of this wonder entertainment will take place on Friday, March 8, when an -“all-'Movietone programme” will be submitted. It is announced that the box plans will open next Friday morning at the Bristol, Begg’s an< Utility (next theatre), when a heavy demand for scats should result. ;