Mr. A. E, Laura, pioneer cinema producer of Shanghai, came to grief thirty years ago at his first attempt to do bigger and better things, but still has hopes for the cinema in China, For about a year in 1905 Mr. Laura had been contenting himself with one-reelplelures of such into develop as fast as she should. At the moment the pictures made here fare only bad copies of European pic. tures, with the technique of the silent films "We are years behind the American and British producers. The trouble is that these pictures are still very good for the lowest classes here, bastt debate applied to a total nocuous subjects Cenk uc which might be regarded as picturesque scenes in Shanghai streets, a fixed amount plus a 25 per cent.
But one day he felt the stirring of ambition, and determined to make surcharge, was to bring that revenue a real story film, with Chinese actors, back to the original gute. entitled "The Curse of Opium."
Surplus Carried Over "The trouble began, and for that matter vended, with the Chinese The Council's letter to the Com-factors. They weren't actors, they pany of March 22, 1994, provided were amateurs, and nothing would That the 20 per cent. rebate would keep them from looking straight into bbe reconsidered after it had been in the camera, dropping out of charac-force for one year, and in this ter, and in general committing all the connection it was stated that there crimes of the beginner, Moreover. was a. surplus of $265081.15 from they. were timid and needed 1004 which had been carried over to coaxing. There were no ladies in the the Tari? Revision Suspense ost at all: Chinese ladies could not count. be. persuaded to act, so Mr. Laura The Treasurer and Controller followed ancient Chinese custom and advocated an Increase in, the rebate dressed. up boys to act the feminine 25 per cent, which, it was estlparts, For four months he strugsied, mated, would not cost appreciably and he gave in, admitted th more than $200,000 during 1938. This was several years too early, ant ner ease in the Tebate would mah committed "The Curse of Opium" to Ittle ditterence in the final settle-oblivion, However, he has Kept some ment of a new tariff, of the negative, and sometimes he The Committee was informed that, fakes. it out and looks at it, and according 10 the Franchise Agree the charges could not be He made more than two hundred ya except with the consent of pictures in the old Jays. He had both the Council and the Company.
Been trained in Italy at the Cines The Council adopted the recom: Company, and made one unsuccess. mendation of the Committee that ful attempt 33 years ago to start films the Company be asked to increase here, for he has always believed the rebate from 20 per cent. to 25 firmly inthe future of cinema in the Orient. Three years later he tried per cent, from Aprit 1, 1935, and to Tins the Company has agreed. Adjust-again, this time with better results, nents in respect of accounts already Started In Tea House Tendered for April will be made in {he Company's accounts for May.
The first cinematograph in Shanghai was started by Mr. Laura in a tea house. He later removed to a Chinese theatre, the Chung Sion, near
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.