Modern Trend in Films

Waikato Times, Volume 118, Issue 19762, 18 December 1935, Page 22 (Supplement)

Modern Trend in Films

Demand for Oriental Plots. PICTURES TO BE LONGER. During the past twelve months the film industry has paid £675,000 for 679 stories. In some instances greatly successful plays have fetched £25,000, but on the whole the prices paid for film rights have tended to be moderate, the average being slightly less than £IOOO. Perhaps the most remarkable feature has been the great number of original stories acquired by leading studios. Of the 679 total 337 have been originals, while 254 have been published books and 88 plays. Fantastic Prices. This is of great importance since it marks the first year in which the film industry has given striking encouragement to those who write direct for films. Producers have decided to encourage original stories since they have discovered that published books or plays have popular value only when they have been exceptionally successful. Also in many cases the owners of book or play rights have asked fantastic prices which can be paid only in respect of the most outstanding works. Another interesting tendency is that many producers are making new versions of formerly successful films. It is felt that filmgoers wish from time to time to see in new form films which were formerly outstanding just as playgoers desire to see revivals of famous stage successes. At present about thirty such films are being produced. ' Three of the most famous of the silent films made by D. W. Griffith are being produced as talking pictures. They are “The Birth of a Nation,” “Broken Blossoms,” and “Way Down East.” “Oliver Twist,” “A Tale of Two Cities,” “Rose Marie,” “The Prisoner of Zenda.” “Show Boat,” “Ramona,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” “Silas Marner,” and “Quality Street” are some of the famous films to be remade. Longer Films. With the reproduction of these'films another important tendency of 1936 will be for pictures to run to greater length. When “The Birth-of a Nation” was presented twenty years ago it lasted three hours. Recently Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have received many complaints from filmgoers that “David Copperfield,” which ran for two hours and fifteen minutes, was too short.