The Third Dimension on the Screen at Last -- July 20, 2024

Anderson Herald, 20-July-1924

Plastigrams were 3-D movies that used a process invented by Frederic Eugene Ives and Jacob Leventhal. The movies were viewed with red- and blue-lensed glasses. Note that Plastigrams were billed above the feature. 

Anderson Herald, 20-July-1924

This article has more details about the contents of the film. "So startling were the effects seen by the spectators that they experienced an entirely new set of thrills when articles seemingly were thrust in their faces from the screen, of when a beautiful girl held a foaming drink out to them, or when taken for a thrilling and dangerous ride in a speeding automobile."

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Customers at Seattle's Coliseum enjoyed Plastigrams. 

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

Lee De Forest, a pioneer in vacuum tubes and radio, introduced his Phonofilm sound-on-film picture process in 1923. By 1924, his movies were showing in major theaters.

Washington Evening Star, 06-July-1924

De Forest talked about making a talking adaption of Trilby, a popular novel. It was just talk. We will see more about Vitagraph's new color process later. 

Washington Evening Star, 07-July-1924

De Forest had even planned his cast. Arthur Edmund Carew would play Svengali and Hope Hampton would play Trilby.

This ad refers to Phonofilms as "De Forest's Marvelous Radio Talking Pictures." 

Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924Exhibitors Herald, 19-July-1924

This article carefully does not describe Vitagraph's new color process but says that it will be used for parts of the movie Behold This Woman.

Chicago Tribune, 14-July-1924Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

This fancy ad invites film people to see a demonstration of a new natural color process created by Claude Friese-Greene. Claude Friese-Greene was the son of William Friese-Greene, who claimed that he had invented motion pictures in the 1880s. William went on to try to develop a natural color motion picture process and Claude carried on his father's work.

Exhibitors Herald, 05-July-1924

Exhibitors Herald, 12-July-1924

In lieu of successful and affordable natural color processes, many films were printed on tinted stock, or shots were tinted after printing. 

Feet the Whole World Worships -- July 31, 2023

Motion Picture News, 07-July-1923

George du Maurier published a novel called Trilby in 1895 and it was a best seller. Someone named a hat after the heroine. 

In 1923, First National released the fourth of eight movie adaptions. French-born actress Andree Lafayette played Trilby, a beautiful artists' model known particularly for her feet. That would explain the image in this trade ad. Arthur Edmund Carewe, whose name I have always liked, played villainous musician and hypnotist Svengali, who is obsessed with Trilby. Trilby is beautiful but she can't carry a tune in a picnic basket. Svengali hypnotizes her and makes her a great singer. This was Andree Lafayette's first and last film in the US. She went back to France and continued her career. James Young directed. 

Motion Picture News, 14-July-1923

Motion Picture News, 21-July-1923

listal.com

The first talkie adaptation, titled Svengali, starred John Barrymore and Marian Marsh. This had to have been a great role for Barrymore. Archie Mayo directed.