REFRIGERATED STAGE

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 193, 17 August 1936, Page 2

REFRIGERATED STAGE

Filming Winter Scenes

The filming of winter scones has always been a great source of expenso to the film industry which, locatod in tho mild climate of southern Cali* fornia, has had’ 1 frequently to send equipment and actors up into the high Sierra. There they had to wait, too, until tho weather condition, whether a blizzard, light snowfall or mild winter sunlight on snow-clad fields, wa3 as demanded in the scenario. Naturally tho' axponse involved was almost prohibitive, and many such scenes wore "shot ” in the studios with bleached lorn flakes substituting for falling snow, or gypsum and salt would do duty for fallen snow with shredded asbostos skilfully arranged on trees and bushes to heighten the effect. Just recently one of tho large Los Angeles ice refrigerator companies with huge warehouses hit upon tho plan of a Tefrigeratod stage. With a floor splice equivalent to a third of an acre, capable of carrying 10,000 tons of weight, and controlled temperatures, any desired winter scene may be taken in this stage. Water can ,be run in and frozen to form an immense natural ice skating rink within a few hours, and a special machine, termed a show-slingcr, will crush up huge blocks of ice to tha consistency of fine snow. By means of a blower this snow may be directed afc any section of the stage, may bo shot out as a fine driving mist as in a blizzard or in the form of heavy snowfalls. Tho snow-slinger may be moved to tho outdoors ou location or, in fact, used anywhere that electrical power is available for its operation. Within this refrigerated stage, as this special warehouse is designated, icicles of any desired length or thickness may be manufactured by tho simple expedient of allowing water to drip in the desired locations. This docs away with tho need for imitation icicles of paraffin-dipped cellophane, and real winter conditions may bo created whenever desired. Another thing which has not hitherto been possible under winter conditions artificially created for film photography is that within this stage tho actors' breath may actually be photographed in the form of a fine vapor, thus adding another realistic touch to the filming of winter pictures. ■ -

BOY PROGIDY

Bobby Breen is the latest prodigy to come to the screen. He makes an auspicious debut in RKO’s "Let's Bing Again.” His voice is winning thousands of friends for him via tho screen. "Let’s Sing Again” is handled with warmth and care and neatly fashioned for the abilities of it’s young star, who has really an exceptional voice. "Let’s Sing Again” is his very first picture. For - the past four years his audiences have sat enthralled at tho radio listening to his Caruso-like voice. His radio performances have eanreet him invaluable fame. Hi 3 charm, his poise, his amazing dramatic ability, his ingratiating personality, abetted by his wondrous singing voice, will probably place him in the forefront of juvenile luminaries. Eddie Cantor says of Bobbie Breen: "There’s no ono on the screen, of any age, with a greater personality.” And Cantor should know what he is talking about. In recent Cantor radio programmes Bobbie Breen has played the tolo of "Bobby” and is billed as Eddie’s adopted son. A happy featured cast headed by Henry Armetta, tho inimitable Italian dialectician, in this musical drama tuned to a galaxy of contrasting rhythms, topped by the raro dramatic and melody performance of Bobby Breen make "Let’s- Bing Again” a powerfully popular entextainment.