Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 154, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 July 1914 — FLOCK TO "MOVIES" [ARTICLE]

FLOCK TO "MOVIES"

of the Far East Attracted . by Shows. ■■ ’ ’ \ In Singapore the Native* Have Been Quick to Seize on th* New Western Pastime—High - > ’ ■ .Admission Pried*.

The wide popularity of moving pictures in Singapore is only another instance of the rapid absorption of Western ideas by Eastern people, popularly considered as indifferent to the march of civilization, according' to United States Vice-Consul General Casper L. Dreier, writing from the Straits Settlements. < Going to see the “movies” ha* already become a favorite form of relaxation with the Singaporeans, Mr. Dreier says, and he predicts a great future for the cinematograph in all parts of the East.

“Singapore,” he says, “was by no means behind the rest of the world in its adoption of the bioscope. Many years have elapsed since the cinematograph was first introduced to local residents in a small show on High street, and the surprise of the native population when they witnessed moving and performing acts which eeemed more in place in actual life can much more easily be imagined than described. There are now five picture houses in this city, and in a short time more will, be added to the number. Some of the buildings used for motion picture purposes are ordinary frame structures with thatched roofs.

"An interesting feature of local cinematograph theaters is the way they cater to> the poorer native classes by arranging benches .made of planks at the rear of the stage or screen. Admission to this part of the house is ten cents local currency, or about 5.1 cents United States gold, and it is not unusual to have nearly a thousand people witnessing the pictures from the other side. They are compelled, of course, to. view the picture backward, but it seems to make little difference, as they do not read the English description and receive their sole amusement from the attractiveness of the picture itself. This feature is depended on by the theaters for a goodly of their revenue. Admission to the front part of the building eeems exorbitant compared with similar shows in the United States, the general price being |2 local currency, or |1.14 American."