ENTERTAINMENTS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3505, 3 December 1913, Page 3

ENTERTAINMENTS

, OPERA HOUSE PICTURES, ' Something special is announced fertile Opera House to-night in the shape of a magnificent drama by the Vitagraph Company under the title of “A Vampire of. the Desert.” It is a strong story of poetic justice and is; tense with human emotion from start to finish, containing a rare grip and holding tile audience as if spell-bound. On the edge of the desert lives Hagar with her son, Ismael. With them live Lispeth, the Vampire. She plays upon the feelings of Ishmael, leading him on and driving him mad. Lispeth persuades William Cord ay, a wealthy hanker, to take her away from the old hag, Hagar, who will not tether go until she has been paid a ransom. In the beautiful--home of iho Cor days, Bispath becomes a new being, and lias Corday entirely under her spell, but so clever is she that Mrs Corday has not the remotest suspicion of her husband. One day he beseeches Lispeth to fly with him, an t is overheard by. his son, Derrick, who has silently entered. He denounces his father. Lispeth tells Derrick that lie has misunderstood what he has heard, and it is him, and not his father, whom she loves. She at last arranges to elope with the elder man. As they are leaving the house Derrick enters. Suddenly Ishmael appears, and taking Lispeth from the two wondering men, he forces her to return with him. Back again at her desert home, the Vampire throws herself down despondently upon the ground. Ishmael, still raging, approaches her, but she pushes him back. In a burst of maniacal fury, lie thrusts his knife 'into the prostrate form of the woman, and all is over. A fine vaudeville turn, magnificently colored by Pathe Freres, is also shown in which some very clever and original acrobatic feats are undertaken by the brothers Ernesto. The ■ Warwick Chronicle” contains some of the latest and most interesting Home news, while “Lordly Nigger,” “Piihple’s Sporting Chance,” and “Papa’s Baby” are in pleasing contrast to the star subject. “Near to Earth” is a. fine A.B. photo play full of power and appeal, and “The Runaway” is a powerful Tlianliouser production containing a soul-stirring story of an unfortunate marriage. The balance of the films are of a valuable and interesting character and the programme as a whole is cue that- can be confidently r eco rr.m ende d. PATHE PICTURES.

Lovers of the silent stage will be delighted with the new films which Pathe Pictures will throw on to their screen at His Majesty’s Theatre tonight. The star drama, “Ashes,” is as glorious a conception as lias ever emanated from a moving pietrue studio. The story tells how an old man, alone in his mansion, decides to give a dinner to the memories of the girls ho loved,and lost. There is a bunch of violets at the first plate. As he stoops over the fragrant blossoms, lie lives again the first romance <lf his life when lie met and fell in love with pretty Betty, a country lass. There is a bunch of lilies of the valley at the next plate. They bring back a girl just as white and cold as the flower. . She was a society belle, and he mot her when he first visited the big city. She said she loved him and he believed her; but when a richer man proposed, she cast him aside for'wealth. Orchids at the next plate; their purple depths held sweet memories of/a bewitching face, the face of the lovely Countess, whose most ardent admirer lie was when he first went up to Washington, a young attache 'in the diplomatic service. But into the midst of his joy came the shock of discovering that his sweet Countess was a foreign spy. Red roses! What memories their perfume held! That night in Paris when he first met the dark-eyed Spanish dancer Carmencita. How he loved her, and how she loved him, until her lover, the count, challenged him to a duel on her account. Returning to America ah older, wiser man, .he finds his ideal in the charming daughter of some old friends. Realising that he is very rich, this girl’s parents insist upon her accepting him. But he discovers in Time that her heart is given to his secretary and for her sake lie gives her up. ' The sweet peas at this last plate are perhaps., the dearest flower of all to him. As he rises to toast these ladies of his past, the stem of. his wine glass snaps- and he falls across the table, dead. An overturned candle sets fire to the draperies and before many minutes each flower is reduced to a small heap of ashes. This beautiful film created a remarkable stir in Sydney recently, and the “Sydney Morning Herald” described it as “the film play of the year.” Among the bright cluster of supporting-films may be mentioned “A Gambler’s Honor” (a fine A.B. feature drama), “Two’s Cpmpany” (a superior Vitagraph comedy), “The Greater Gift” (an exceptional A.K. drama), the latest “Warwick Chronicle,” and the last “N.Z. Animated News.” A wholesome leavening of humorous subjects are. included, and the new films arc about as attractive a set as have yet appeared at the popular playhouse.