TITLES IN TWO LANGUAGES

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 508, 10 November 1928, Page 14

TITLES IN TWO LANGUAGES

THE EAST GOES TO THE MOVIES With its population of 52 million* the Far Hast offers almost an unlimited field for motion picture enterprise, according to Mr. John W. Hick*, jun., managing director of Paramount Pictures, who recently returned to Sydney from a business trip to Java and Singapore. Several classes of people make up the population, the higher classes including Europeans as well as the educated Chinese. The natives, who form the masses, have been, for some time, receiving education from an excellent system adopted by the Government throughout the Dutch East Indies, General subjects are being taught in the schools, but emphasis is being laid on languages. English, Dutch and French predominating. The natives are also evidencing greater appreciation in pictures of a higher standard, such as "Beau Geste* and “Chang,” which were recently released in that territory by Paramouni Of motion picture stars. Douglas Fairbanks and Emil Jannings head the list in popularity. Bebe Daniels ana Laura La Plante also are great favousites among these people. Although American productions predominate in the East, Mr. Hicks stated that British pictures are receiving extensive releases throughout th# theatres, and all British pictures released in New Zealand by Paramount will also be released by that firm in the East. Continental pictures are also well received by the audiences, espeor ially those produced in Germany ar»4 France. In most instances the motion picture subtitles are translated into Dutch, ana both this version and the English language are shown on the screens at the same time, the Dutch appearing over the English. FIRST-CLASS THEATRES Taking the conditions of the Faf East into consideration, the higher class theatres there compare favourably with the better theatres in other countries. One that is being completed at Singapore appears to make a bid aa one of the finest of the world'! cinemas. It is being built on a splendid site, and A in its construction id really a double theatre—one sectioa for the Europeans, the other for the natives. The theatre has a huge War* litzer organ installed, and is complete in every derail, including an elaborate cooling system. It is now being wired so as to accommodate sound films which will, in all probability, be screened there during next year.