“CHANG” SHOWS SOUL OF THE WILD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18578, 28 September 1928, Page 7

“CHANG” SHOWS SOUL OF THE WILD.

“ Chang *’ is a story of love. Love of a mother for her babe, love of an elephant for its calf, love of a tiger for its mate. Who will say that tne love of either is the greater? But for love the mother will fight for her babe, the elephant for its calf and the tiger for its mate. And in that fight, set in the jungle of Siam, one sees Nature in all its gentleness. Peace! .And then, without warning Nature is ruthless. War! Then comes the tight. The whole drama of life is played in the jungle. It is “real" life; not “reel" life. It is the soul of the wild. Father, mother, children and an almost human gibbon monkey. They carve from the jungle a tiny clearing, build a house on stilts to protect them from the wild animals. It took Merian Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack two years to photograph and give to the world “ Chang.” When it was seen in London the authorities of the British Museum were so impressed with it that they requested Paramount to hand them a copy of the film. This was done and the film will not be opened until the year 1977. It was considered by the British Museum authorities that by the year 1977 —-fifty years from the time the film was handed over to them—many of the animals seen in the film would become extinct and they further considered that never again would another such film of intimate jungle-life be taken. Christchurch is having the opportunity of seeing this great film for a limited season, commencing on Monday next. A picture like “ Chang ” it is declared, only comes once in a lifetime. Full orchestral score as presented in New York and London will be played in Christchurch by an orchestra of eleven artists under Mr Arthur Lilly. Mr Gladstone Hill will conduct the orchestra in the overture “ William Tell.” In order that they may show their appreciation of Mr Hill’s services to music throughout New Zealand for many years, Mr Lilley and the members of the orchestra requested that Mr Hill should conduct them as mentioned. The box plan is now open at The Bristol.