Cinesound Varieties

Cinesound Productions
Industry	Film production
Founded	1930s
Headquarters	Sydney, Australia
Key people	Ken G. Hall (director)
Products	Films

Cinesound Varieties is a 1934 Australian short variety film directed by Ken G. Hall. It was created as a supplementary feature to accompany The Silence of Dean Maitland. Of the original hour-long production, only an 18-minute segment remains extant.

Synopsis

The film is divided into two principal parts:

1) Evolution of a Waltz – a musical segment led by Hamilton Webber and the State Orchestra, illustrating the waltz's progression from the era of Mozart through to compositions by Irving Berlin.

2) Nautical Nonsense – a comedic musical revue showcasing Australian variety talents, including:

Fred Bluett presenting a Boy Scouts-themed pirate tale set in Sydney
the Tom Katz saxophone ensemble
soprano vocalist Angela Parselles
tap dance performances by the Lowell brothers
vocal pieces performed by the Cinesound Octette
the Cinesound Beauty Ballet, featuring twenty Australian dancers

Additional performances comprised Emanel Aarons playing the grand organ and an adagio dance by the Orlandos.

Cast

Production

Due to Charles Chauvel utilizing Cinesound’s main studio, filming took place over a fortnight at a local showground, with certain sequences shot on location around Sydney harbour. Director Hall later reflected on the film as being quickly scripted and of inferior quality, remarking, "I'm not proud of it."

Critical

Reviews at the time were predominantly unfavorable. The Sydney Morning Herald highlighted issues such as sluggish pacing and a weak screenplay, commenting that Australian productions frequently suffer from inadequate storytelling and humor, which impedes their international appeal. The critique stressed the importance of enhancing literary standards in film projects.

The Argus expressed skepticism that Cinesound Varieties originated from the same studio responsible for The Silence of Dean Maitland, criticizing it for failing by neglecting key components and making numerous missteps.

The Advertiser labeled it an over-embellished musical revue plagued by common shortcomings typical of early sound films, though notably lacking American colloquialisms.

Box office

A trade publication from the period estimated that the film resulted in a financial loss near £1,200.

External links

Cinesound Varieties on the Internet Movie Database
Cinesound Varieties at National Film and Sound Archive
Cinesound Varieties on Australian Screen Online
Cinesound Varieties at Australian Variety Theatre Archive. Accessed 27 January 2018.