BETTER THAN EVER

Evening Star, Issue 20150, 15 April 1929, Page 4

BETTER THAN EVER

GGTAGCiVS SECOND MOVIETONE PROGRAMME Dunedin has waited a long time fox' talking pictures, and it scorns that now; they have arrived wo are being except tionally well treated, for in many ways the change of programme shown at the Octagon Theatre cu Saturday was better than its predecessor. The supports were certainly a step above those shown before, but the feature picture, ‘The Air Circus,’ could not climb to gieater heights than ‘ The Street Ann ge!.’ As was the case with the first movie-' tone programme, the Roxy Theatre Or-' chcstra (New York) is beard in an impressive rendering of ‘ God Save tho King ’ before the pictures commence.A Fox movietone newsreel _is _ tho opening subject, and again it is a, source ot great delight to both sea and hear what is goi ig on in other parts of the world. One of the most effective little snaps in too reel is tho ceremony in connection with tho christening of a newly-built airship. An American brass band, ilanding beside the plane, is heard iu the beginning playing ‘Three Cheers lor tho Bed, While, and Blue,’ and later Airs Coolidge breaks the bottle of wine over the nose of the plane and gives it i,he name of Christopher Columbus.; Quite a number of other events wo crowded into the newsreel, and all aro of an interesting nature, but they aro too numerous to be mentioned here. Next on the programme comes Beat-> rice Lillie, an American comedienne worthy in all respects of the title, for her vaudeville offering had the house in a- continuous roar of laughter. hi one scene, for instance, she oils tho inside of her mouth with a scent spray before commencing to trill up anddowii the scale and perform all sorts of vocal, gymnastics, and it is indeed funny to bear her reach a top note and to see a huge lampshade move from its position with the vibration. Ben Bernie’s Jazz Band of fifteen musicians certainly played itself into the hearts of Saturday’s audiences witn three or four offerings of the popular type. It is Ben Bernie himself who introduces his band in the beginning.- “ The first item on the programme, ■ he said. “ will be ‘ The Girls of Iwenty Years Ago are Just As Good as the Girls of To-day,’ but, _ be added hastily, “provided they’re nob the same girls.” Alter the first jazz selection had been played two members of the baud entertained with a song,and were accompanied on the guitar by one of tho singers. The rest of tho music played by the band evidently, pleased the audiences, judging by applause at the endThe comedy on the programme is certainly much funnier than the first talking" comedy shown here. It is ‘The Bath Between,’ and shows tho doings of two “dud” vaudeville artists sharing one bedroom Due. however, wanted the bed all to bimsell, with the result that tho other had L> enter the adjoining room and sleep m the bath therein. But the bathroom has two doors, the other leading m.o a bedroom also, and in tins there is HU attractive girl. Then the fun .ff:. gins in real earnest. The dialogue that follows is well laden with sparkling '"'Last, but by no means least, on ilia nrooramme is the Fox aviation ston. ‘The Air Circus-’ Buddy, and fepcei..,two young lads who become enamomed of aviation, leave their homes to go to the Pacific School of Aviation, there to learn how to stage a circus m the air. One lad makes good as an aviator, but the other, who is very keen to flv, becomes afraid of the air and makes little progress, until Ins friend goes up but loses his landing gear through bitting a log of wood while taking off. Immediately Buddy, tho backward one, climbs into a machine to warn the other not to attempt lo take the plane back on to the ground,as that would mean almost certain, death. He accomplishes his purpose, with the result that his friend and a lady passenger descend by means of a. parachute and avert the disaster that otherwise would have come. As the dare-devil Speed, Arthur Lako is quite at home in the part, and it is a treat to see him acting Ike “goat •, and making love to an extremely pretty ; girl (Sue Carol). David Rollins is re-; sponsible for tome fine acting ns th« other young man, while tho part of his worried mother is taken by Louisa Dresser, whose ability to fill such a, role need not be spoken of again. Like ‘The Street Angel,’ the feature picture on the new programme is not a “talkie,” except in one portion near the end, when the figures on the screen suddenly burst into audible speech, and just as suddenly lapse back into silent shadows again- Every time an aeroplane engine is set in motion there is a distinct drone, which, however, is not objectionable to the ears. Then, throughout the picture there is p. splendid musical accompaniment by the Roxy Theatre-Orchestra. Graimn phone records have made other American orchestras 1 anions in this country,and the Fox Alovietone pictures prove again that the IJO players in the Roxy combination aro certainly masters of their musical instruments

Praise must be given the Do Forest equipment at tho theatre for the manner in which it manages the films. As before the installation gives a good account of itself, the loud speaker giving \olumo or soft tones as the occasion demands, with as true a note as is at present, possible. For three-quarters of an hour before the performance begins tho Octagon Orchestra, under the baton of Monsieur* De Bose, plays a selection of chosen melodies in its usual polished style, while the short waits brought about by the changing of the reels arc fil.ed iii bv the orchestra.