The orchestra is in part a blundering effort by the local manager to
supply the human-magnetic element which he feels lacking in the pictures
on which the producer has not left his autograph. But there is a much
more economic and magnetic accompaniment, the before-mentioned buzzing
commentary of the audience. There will be some people who disturb the
neighbors in front, but the average crowd has developed its manners in
this particular, and when the orchestra is silent, murmurs like a
pleasant brook.
Local manager, why not an advertising campaign in your town that says:
"Beginning Monday and henceforth, ours shall be known as the
Conversational Theatre"? At the door let each person be handed the
following card:--
"You are encouraged to discuss the picture with the friend who
accompanies you to this place. Conversation, of course, must be
sufficiently subdued not to disturb the stranger who did not come with
you to the theatre. If you are so disposed, consider your answers to
these questions: What play or part of a play given in this theatre did
you like most to-day? What the least? What is the best picture you have
ever seen anywhere? What pictures, seen here this month, shall we bring
back?" Here give a list of the recent productions, with squares to mark
by the Australian ballot system: approved or disapproved. The cards with
their answers could be slipped into the ballot-box at the door as the
crowd goes out.
It may be these questions are for the exceptional audiences in residence
districts. Perhaps with most crowds the last interrogation is the only
one worth while. But by gathering habitually the answers to that alone
the place would get the drift of its public, realize its genius, and
become an art-gallery, the people bestowing the blue ribbons. The
photoplay theatres have coupon contests and balloting already: the most
popular young lady, money prizes to the best vote-getter in the audience,
etc. Why not ballot on the matter in hand?
If the cards are sent out by the big producers, a referendum could be
secured that would be invaluable in arguing down to rigid censorship, and
enable them to make their own private censorship more intelligent.
Various styles of experimental cards could be tried till the vital one is
found.
There is growing up in this country a clan of half-formed moving picture
critics. The present stage of their work is indicated by the eloquent
notice describing Your Girl and Mine, in the chapter on "Progress and
Endowment." The metropolitan papers give their photoplay reporters as
much space as the theatrical critics. Here in my home town the twelve
moving picture places take one half a page of chaotic notices daily. The
country is being badly led by professional photoplay news-writers who do
not know where they are going, but are on the way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account