RANDOM NOTES

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 186, 4 May 1937, Page 8

RANDOM NOTES

Sidelights on Current Events YRy KickshaavsA The Japanese, it seems, are showing no interest in their elections. Perhaps their Diet lias given them indigestion, g: V * The attitude of New Zealanders to their scenery, states a visitor, is that of a busy man with a beautiful wife. Yes, sir, you can trust that wife to produce records in scenes. « * * Judging by the review of massed tanks and armies held on Alay Day in Germany and Russia, that day is developing into might day. « « 4 A reader has asked for particulars of the card game called Preference. There appears to be no such game. Probably tlie card game referred to is Boston. This is a close relative of solo whist. Two packs are used. Due pack is dealt in the ordinary manner. The second pack is cut. The top card of the bottom half is turned up and called the preference suit. The suit of the same colour is called the second preference suit. ♦ * * The average New Zealander, says a visitor from America, fails to appreciate the beauties of the Dominion in which he lives. This is probably correct. AA'e form our standards from what is available. If one lives in a world of super-scenery, super-scenery tends to become ordinary scenery. At least, we do not shout in a super way about our super-scenery. AVe merelj - permit it to enter ordinary everyday normal life. Possibly, in that respect we are living up to our scenery. It is not so with other things. An astounding commercial optimism has made of many ordinary things a welter of superlatives. The result is that a superlatively good thing is to-day just an ordinary thing. AVhen one reads of a super-hyper-extra special-ultra, one knows that it is just an average thing made in an average way. The difficulty begins when someone makes something out of the ordinary and wants to find an adjective to fit it. The makers of the best car in the world have solved the problem b.v referring to their product as the "best car” in the world. The other superlatives make a good background. c « * Certainly our scenerj’ is good. In their own waj - New Zealanders appreciate this fact. They drive along the harbour roads, they tramp over the mountains and into the bush. They build their houses with a view of the harbour. But they do not talk much. It is probably no exaggeration to say that the roads that skirt AVellington harbour offer scenery that cannot be excelled anywhere in the world. There are parts of Italy that can be compared with this road.' Nevertheless, at certain times this road gets beyond superlatives, and weary motorists plodding home curse the bends. There is, moreover, onlj' one competitor with Egmont. Tiiat competitor is considered so unique it is sacred. Certainly the dwellers around Egmont almost worship their own mountain. There is a distinct Egmont cult to be observed. Yet those who dwell within the range of the cold blasts from the mountain refer mostlj’ to those cold blasts. Unfortunately, there is no similar cult for Ruapehu, unless the prisoners at its base worship the mountain. Nevertheless, the Maoris were sufficiently impressed with the wonders of Ruapehu and Tongariro to bandage the eyes of visitors as thej’ passed along the plains below.

Alaybe one day the marvels of New Zealand scenery will be written down in tourist books complete with the latest superlatives. The wonder of our scenerj’ will then be measured by the superlative standard by visitors who read the books. They will know that a wonderful, marvellous, unique view is an ordinarj’ view. Alaj'be, thej' will be surprised when they come, but those who don’t come won’t believe those who have. The printed superlative, is law. AVho ever heard of a “good” cinema actress? The term would be insulting. Unfortunately, photographs do not always do justice to our scenery as they do to stars. It is the sort of scenery that is not easy to photograph and views of Mitre Peak are already well known. AA’hat, then, can we do about our scenery? It would be a pity to submerge it in superlatives. AA’e cannot photograph it adequately. Artists ask so much for their opinions in colour only a few can acquire them. Perhaps, if we used the methods of the makers of the best car in the world, and simply said it was the best scenery, those who really understood the use of superlatives, or their non-use, would appreciate that we really had something worth while. Aleanwhile, the KaikouFas and Rimutakas with snow on them are still sufficientlj’ beautiful to be a matter of comment even to New Zealanders.

Leading film stars, it was stated in the news, have been forced to put on their own make-up on account of a strike of operatives iu Hollywood. Probably the stars made a prettj’ bad job of the task. Making-up for the films is uot the simple thing one imagines, because the camera, if left to itself lies unremittingly and blatantly. Or perhaps the camera does not lie but tells the cold truth. AVhichever it be, make-up has been the main pillar ot film stars. At any rate, the film producers have now produced face charts. The general scheme is a dark chin with a light patch between it and the mouth. Two dark ellipses along the jaw bones, a light bridge to the nose with an otherwise dark nose, two light patches above and to one side of the eyes.. This chart gives merely a general idea. Each time tlie lighting changes the make-up must also change. Charts suitable foi one type of light produce grotesque effects in other lighting. Iriwill be seen, therefore, that many film stars are in for a busy time if they decide to do their own make-up. The task, in fact, is impossible in some cases.

In spite of all the aid of make-up and other tricks the cinema camera still insists on disliking certain types of faces, no matter how skilled the make-up. Film cameramen, in fact, are not gentlemen because they hate blondes. Fair-haired women are difficult to photograph, whereas brunettes are plain sailing. Blondes offer little contrast to the camera. The outbreak of platinum blondes made the cameramen rave—uot on account of their intriguing beauty. In the case of special stars who “went platinum” special colour filters had to be used to deplatiuise them. Men with grey hair offer difficulties comparable with blondes. Men, however, are accepted as being easier to “shoot” than women. Modern improvements in photographj’ have made the lot of cinema actors and actresses a little easier. The. days are over when those participating wore cheese yellow faces and green eyelids. The modern star applies soft pastel shades of tan.