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beam of light is thrown momentarily through the three images and screens, the pictures being
changed in the period of darkness. The flashing must be carried out with uniformity, which is
assured by electric-mechanical means, independently of the operator. The results, it is stated,
show the most distinct advance so far made in natural-colour cinematography.

Although colour-cinematography has made remarkable strides, the monochrome picture has
become established more firmly than ever. The appearance of the new rival has stimulated
perfection in the technical excellence of the latter process. The monochrome possesses one
overwhelming advantage over its competitor—it is far cheaper. A subject which in black and
white requires, say, 500 feet of film, demands, as we have seen, 1,000 feet, or twice the quantity
of material, for the two colour record of the same subject. At present also the monochrome film
possesses finer and more brilliant detail, is clearer, and from the photographic standpoint, leaves
little to be desired.
It is becoming quite a common practice to relieve the monotonous black-and-white by the
introduction of colouring effects. For instance, the impression of a bright moonlight night is
conveyed by giving the pictures a prevailing blue tone; for other scenes brown or red tones are
given. These effects are secured by steeping the film in a chemical solution in precisely the same
way as platinotype and bromide papers are tinted after development.

“Toning”, as it is called, is coming into extensive use, especially in connection with the most
artistic films. The treatment imparts a solidity to the figures in the picture, and gives a pleasing
softness, so that the pictures upon the screen possess a quasi-stereoscopic effect highly pleasing
to the eye. The beauty of this treatment is revealed very significantly in the films of Italian
manufacture, and especially in the “art ” productions of the Cines Company of Rome. There is
no limitation to subsequent improving processes such as these, and their effect is to implant the
monochrome pictures more and more firmly in public estimation. Consequently, the black-and-
white picture is far from being eclipsed by its new rival; in fact, such a contingency is more
remote to-day than it was ten years ago.

EDITOR’S NOTES:
1. This would seem to be a weird description of what is basically the result of the movement of
the subject between the exposure of the red image and the green image. Because the
Kinemacolor system exposed the red - green frames one after the other, any movement of the
subject during that time, resulted in slightly differing images, and hence color fringing when
objects moved rapidly.
2. To see the full Pathecolor stencil color film, check my YouTube channel at …
www.youtube.com/channel/UC7a22xGM2LXQt13DUDwgICw (yes, all that stuff is necessary),
or go onto www.youtube.com and search for cinepix vintage movies (there are other vintage
films there, with more to come).

3. My thanks to Alan Vogt for the loan of the book referred to.

24 REEL DEALS September 2017