STEREOSCOPIC FILM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19478, 22 December 1925, Page 14

STEREOSCOPIC FILM

THIKD DIMENSION ON SCKEEN | THROUGH COLOURED SPECI TACLES UNCANNY EFFECTS Practically everyone has looked through a stereoscope and seen fgures standing out as if they were re*al. ‘ Stereoscopic/a new method of taking films, is based on the same principle ,but instead of looking through a stereoscope one looks throupgh spectacles in which there are two gelatin discs—a blue one for the lest eye, and la red one for the right. The effect is uncanny. ■ A private exhibition of the apparatus, for which it is claimed that it ! puts the third dimention on the screen, was described recently by tho "New Zealand Times.” Tho first film shown ■ was extremely comic. Those present iwere instructed to look through the ! blue disc only, and on doing so saw la beautiful bathing girl disporting herself on what appeared to bo an ice ; pack. “Now look with the right eye.” was tho order, and tho bathing girl changed to a Kaffir woman and her i child doing the family washing. On opening the left eye the bathing girl I, reappeared. Through Both Discs After that the fun started. The i audience were told to look through both discs. Far in the distance were I seen tho head and arms of a young woman. Nearer and nearer they came, until they seemed to be only a’few inches from the eyes. Thereupon the damsel started to stretch the gum j which she was chewing. Her hand j appeared to be in mid-air. She I stretched the gum, and her head land I arms then disappeared into the disI tanco once more. j Then there appealed a skull, the eyes of which came out from the screen. After that camo a man who was pointing a gun at those watching. AVhon he approached to what seemed abut six inches from the eyes he fired, and the smoke seemed to fill the air. Everyone gave an involuntary shudder. The most realistic of all the subjects followed next. A cowboy sauntered out from nowhere, and stood still for a moment. He stooped down, picked up a lariat and threw it out. So natural was this that the frightened audience drew back in their chairs, and several gave cries of alarm. Scenery In Perspective

The next film was entitled “The Runaway Taxi,” and served to illusI trate how well the third dimension is suited to scenic films. Tho effect was novel and beautiful. Hitherto on the silver sheet, no matter how beautiful the scenery may be, there has alw'ays , been a flat look about objects. There ! is not the true sense of distance that lone sees when looking at real scenery, i I’v looking through the glasses one secs | everything “stand out” in detail, i In one part of this film the audience I is taken for a ride on a switch-back ! railway. Those who fear sea sickness lor train sickness should not look at i this. The views taken from the tops of •high buildings are wonderful. Those who get. giddy when looking down from la. height will soon realise that they are not looking at an ordinary film. I »Scen without the coloured spectacles the pictures are nothing but a confusI «'d mass of blue and red shadows and • : blurs. j ' Stereoscopic films are probably the I I greatest novelty of the kind since the “ movies” began. They give, true pcr- ■ spective to all figures, and should, if ! improved a little go a long way toi wards making the pictures an even • , greater source of delight than they are , now. The amusement which they caused to about twenty people was sufii- ; cient to show how popular they will 'become. ■ These pictures Pro being released by the Paramount Film Company, and are to be screened publicly in Vanganui