STEREOSCOPIC FILMS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1929, Page 9

STEREOSCOPIC FILMS

1 LATEST MODERN WONDER. Stereoscopic cinematography, the ’ revolutionary invention for which the ! whole cinema world is waiting, was successfully demonstrated during a recent week-end in the private theatre of the Radio Corporation of America, East Twenty-fourth street, New York (writes the cinema correspondent of the Sunday Express). The film shown was a feature length adaptation of a musical comedy called “Lady lingers,” and was fitted -with full scenic eifects. The inventors are G. K. Spoor, the famous cinema pioneer, and Professor Berggren, a Swedish engineer, The camera used is a “two-eyed” affair, with lenses which are so adjusted that they are an improvement on human vision. The two images thus obtained are brought into single focus in the film, which therefore has a.third dimensional quality depth up to a range far in excess of the human eye, and the actors are seen as they would appear in real life, taking on “body” instead of appearing on a fiat surface. The film used is twice the'width of an ordinary film. The picture can fill the entire stage opening of any theatre up to a width of lOOft. The width of the average proscenium opening is only about 40ft. Thus the Spoor-Berggren film makes all other films look like postage stamps. It presents the complete illusion of actual life, and, if necessary, can give stereoscopic background up to a depth of five miles. George Spool’ is. the founder of the Essanay Film Company. He is the Edison of the American film industry, and was one of the first men in the world to make the show films. “S. and A.” are the original letters of Spoor and Anderson, and the Anderson represents G.M. Anderson, once famous as “Broncho Bill.” The name of Spoor is one that carries great weight in the film industry. The idea of a camera combining the functions of human vision came to him nearly 20 years ago. Ten years ago he relinquished all his film interests in order to perfect the idea. He is estimated to have spent nearly £400,000 on it, but as he is already a millionaire he has been able to shoulder the expense, j He has taken out scores of new patents, but the camera itself, by permission of the American authorities, he has been, allowed to patent without disusing its : nature to any patent officials—significant of its value.