IN FILMLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18577, 8 December 1923, Page 8 (Supplement)

IN FILMLAND.

Research by Camera.

Remarkable advances have recently been made by American biologists and technicians in the adaptation of the cinematograph camera to microscopic research. The result is that we may shortly expect to see a number' of films delving deep into Nature's dramatic underworld, showing in screen dimension all the wonders of insect, embryonic, and bacterial life. Tlie " ultra-microscope," as the apparatus has been called., started with two initial disadvantages from a film point of view. The first was that the strong light used killed many kinds of microbial life and only corpses appeared in the film. This wai overcome by passing the light through certain chemicals, which strained out the harmful rays, including heat. The second disadvantage was the difficulty ci lighting and filming the type of embryonic life which changed in appearance only at long in ten'.'lis. This was overcome bv uniting camera and microscope with a combined lighting battery and time clock. ; One of the embryonic studies, for example. was filmed through a small glass window inserted in the side of ail egg, and shows the entire process of chick hatching. The lighting battery flashed a strong beam every 10 minutes through the . window, and the clock moved the film one step forward at the same time. This process went on for thirty-three hours, at the end of which time the chicken s heart appeared and started to work. The window, sealed in place by paraffin, was about threequarters of an inch square. Notes and Comments. | A revised version of " Chu Chin Chow , reduced by about one-quarter _of its ' original length, has been made in England. | Tola Negri has started work on Her--1 bert Brenon's "My Man." the story of- ! fering exceptional facilities for this star 1 work, so it is said. George Robey, the celebrated English comedian, lias completed his first picture for Stoll, and will commence work on The Rest Cure" shortly. He insists on appealing in his vaudeville clerical garb, stating that if Chaplin can do so, ho can. Universal City has another Ziegfeld Follies beauty endeavouring to create a screen success. She is Brenda Lane, fresh from Mr. Ziegfeld's beauty garden and George White's " Scandals of 1922." She was first thrown to the screen lions as the feminine lead in a Bert Roach comcdy. One among the number of forthcoming British costume films. " Bonnie Prince Charlie," is certain to excite widespread interest, both from a romantic and historical point of view. The subject should afford ample opportunities for scenic effect and good acting. The Prince and his romantic rescuer, Flora Macdonald, will be personified by Ivor Novell and Gladys Cooper, respectively. James Oliver Kirkwood, moving picture star, whose skull was badly fractured two months ago -when he was thrown from a horse is said to have made a remarkable recovery. Very few persons have been known to recover from a basal fracture of the skull, so that this case has. been viewed in the light of something wonderful. Kirkwood was married, some little time ago, to Lila Lee, popular screen actress. ' " If Winter Comes" which William Fox has made into film form with' such signal success, is now receiving the unqualified endorsement of leading cities in all parts of America. Nofonlv New York, Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco have proclaimed it the one perfect example of a picturised best seller, but important cities in all Darts of the country are following suit. One of the latest places to join the chorus of praise is London, the home of its author, A. S. M. Hutchinson. Apart from the humour in the William Fox presentation of Tom Mix in his firstspecial production, " Soft Boiled," there is said, to be an unusual attraction for 'women. Beautiful Billy Dove, playing opposite Tom Mix, as the masked dancer in the road-house wears a wealth of remarkable costumes, and in the later scenes, her riding habits arc declared to be works of art. In addition there is a beauty chorus, chosen from the ranks of the prettiest girls on 1 the Western Coast. : Mae Murray, who recently completed her latest picture, " The French Doll,'' has already started production on her newest picture, " Fashion Row." This was written especially for Miss Murray by Sada Cowan and Howard Higgins. " Fashion Row" will have all the splendour of lavish sets that have made Mac Murray's pictures famous the world over. She announces that she will wear approximately 100 gowns in " Fashion Row'' and will introduce several new dance creations. The seventh anniversary of the opening oi; the Strand Theatre, Auckland, is to be celebrated during the week commencing on Friday next. Arrangements have been made for unique " birthday" festivities. The week's entertainment will be enlarged to include special music at each session by a specially-engaged orchestra, afternoon tea will lie dispensed each day in the foyer of the theatre, and patrons will be invited to partake of what is claimed to be the largest' birthday cake ever made in this city. The auditorium is to he gaily decorated and other means will be adopted to maintain an air of carnival. . The chairman of a famous London business house' states that he has been deeply impressed by the large congregations of young people at religious services held in cinema halls in Acton (London) on Sundays. He thought that the comfortable seats were a considerable attraction. "There are probably thousands of people." he says, " who, like myself, require to de- | vote part of their hard-earned day of rest to exercise in the open air. and they find it an effort at the end of it to spend an hour in a hard pew, listening to a service they know by heart, and a sermon on theological dialectics. The cinema hall gives them comfort without boredom. I should like to see more of these services." . » Interest is being shown in America over the forthcoming release of " Richard the Lion Hearted." This is based on Sir Walter Scott's famous novel " The Talisman." and relates pictoriallv the adventures of King Richard from the time lie was absent from his kingdom' on the Third Crusade. Coupled with the Douglas Fairbanks' production of " Robin Hood," the film makes the complete screen history of the Third Crusade of Robin Hood's time. The part of Richard will be played by Wallace Beery, who. it will be remembered, played the same part in '"Robin Hood." and his work in this last mentioned production was a gem in its way. Beery has been prominent on-the screen for several years, and is acknowledged, to be one, of the finest delineators of character in American moviedom. .Tames Kirkwood lias returned to screen work and playing opposite him in the feature role at the Thomas H. Ince studios will be Lila Lee. his wife. The announcement was made following the completion of the car,l for a Bruce Mitchell story temporarily titled, "Painted Women." arid -including Wallace Bppry and Matt. Moore. The story i* laid on the West American coast from San Francisco to Mazatlan. Mexico, with a Mexican locale ' ••edoiuinatimr. Attending physicians for Kirkwood have pronounced him entirely recovered from his serious accident, in which ho sustained a fractured skull. It was thought for a time that he would be unable ever again to appear upon the screen The accident occurred at the P.evcrlv Hills stablf. -where , he was thrown from » horse, i four v €%ks after li© was zu&xri&cL