OUTBUILDING HOLLYWOOD.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 47, 24 January 1936, Page 10

OUTBUILDING HOLLYWOOD.

BRITISH FILM ENTERPRISE. The American film industry has barked for so Jong as top dog that its pathetic growling at British competition leaves our hearts untouched (writes a London commentator). As the English studios go from triumph to triumph, and the procession of American “artists” to these shores gets longer and longer, the magnates of U.S.A. feel their little world shaking under their feet. From motives of seifpreservation, some of them have already resolved upon a policy of “cooperation and investment” lest worse befall them. Since nothing succeeds like succss, it lias now been decided to extend the already vast film equipment at Elstree (which, by the way, is only one of several of our film colonies) by constructing the biggest group of studios in Europe at a cost of £SUI),(JOO. They will be for the use of producers from any country who may wish to hire them. Mr S. H. Soskin, a wellknown financier in the city, is said to be the moving spirit of this gigantic enterprise. Being of a progressive turn of mind he believes that these studios will: . Make London the centre of the him world. Bring the best movie “stars to England. Develop British film genius in all its potentialities; and Employ a permanent working staff, exclusive of actors, of 10UI). Discussing the scheme, Major Bell, a consulting engineer, of Wardour Street, said that the new studios, which would be ready within six months, will 'provide accommodation for 16 productions at the same time. They would be equipped to Hollywood standard to meet the most exacting demands. As to details, there would be eight large studios, two review and rerecording theatres, each equal to a 1000-seat cinema; 16 cutting-rooms, four private projection theatres lor each producer, 20,000 square feet of set-building shops, 100 “ crowd ” and part dressingrooms, and costume space for 5000 players. In addition, of course, there will be laboratories incorporating the latest devices for trick photography and the development of negative and positive films. “There are no such studios on this side of the world, even in Paris or Berlin,” said Major Bell. “England will be proud of them.”