Le cinematograph et l'Analyticon de G. H. Philp et T. J. West (Corn Exchange, 7-9 février 1898)

G. H. Philp et Thomas James West présentent des vues animées au Corn Exchange au début du mois de février :

SCIENTIFIC MARVELS AT THE CORN EXCHANGE.— During the first three days of this week the Modern Marvel Co., Ltd., appeared at the Corn Exchange with an exhibition of cinematography combined with the latest optical invention, which has been called by the somewhat unwieldy name of the Analyticon. On the opening night there was a better audience than has assembled in the hall for an entertainment for a very long time past. The company's mechanical apparatus is of an elaborate character, and was admirably managed by Mr. G. H. Philp, Mr. T. J. West acting as guide. The Analyticon is really a scientific appliance for obtaining a stereoscopic effect out of an ordinary flat lantern view. It was invented by Mr. J. Anderton, and the method of showing was for each one of the audience to be handed a small analyser or stereoscopic opera glass, with which to examine two pictures thrown upon the screen of the same object. The pictures were thrown over each other, and did not, necessarily coincide, but when looked at through the analysers the stereoscopic effect was undeniable, and very striking. The contrivance is very ingenious and produces an extraordinarily life-like effect. A number of pictures were projected of animals at the Zoo, but perhaps even more effective were such views as statuary and well-known architecture, and one or two miscellaneous views such as tropical vegetation and a cotton farm. A large proportion of the evening was devoted to animated pictures, of which a first-rate selection, twenty or so in number, had been got together. The mechanical difficulty of getting these pictures quite steady has not yet been overcome, but when it is remembered that about a thousand pictures are projected in the course of a minute's display, there can really be no wonder at the slight movement, and it was rarely sufficient to interfere with a perfect appreciation of the object shown. It would be hard to select any particular view as the best, but two selections illustrating a recent Spanish bull fight were, perhaps, the beat combination of a striking subject and a clear photography. The headlong dashes of the bull in the later stages of the fight, recorded with marvellous faithfulness, together with the matador's nimble escapes from the animal were a perfect triumph of photography. Other good pictures were of the recent diamond jubilee procession, snowballing a cyclist, ultimately compelling him to descend from his mount, a dance by a French music-hall performer, the march past of the Gordon Highlanders when they were leaving barracks before going on active service, a Belgian dock scene, and a whole crowd of subjects humorous and serious. The intervals between the pictures were filled up with ordinary lantern scenes and dioramic effects. The former gave rise to one interesting point. The Shakespeare scenes were received almost in silence, and at their conclusion Mr. West said perhaps they should not have been shown in Stratford. The exhibition had only just been taken to a few large towns up to the present, and had never been in one nearly so small as this, and so far he had found that the Shakespearean scenes were always received with the utmost enthusiasm. The audience cheered this announcement much more than they had the pictures, which were of scenes from the plays too familiar to particularise. There were also a number of capital slides of cattle and dogs, the latter being of celebrated animals owned by Sir Humphrey de Trafford. Taken all round the entertainment was an extremely interesting one, and may be heartily recommended. Further performances were given on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, but a matinee that had been announced for Wednesday afternoon had to be abandoned, owing to its being found impossible to sufficiently darken the hall. A large number of people who had intended to witness this performance were disappointed in consequence.

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The Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, Stratford-upon-Avon, vendredi 11 février 1898, p.  5