Page 9 - RD_2024-12

pulled by five horses to dash through the A new Commissioner, James Hay, arrived
crowds to reach the next filming location. from London. He apparently believed that film
making was a tool of the Devil and that the
From his camera platform in Centennial Park, Salvation Army should not be associated with
Robert Sandall had the greatest responsibility it. He quickly closed down the Limelight
of all, to film the signing of the Federation Department. The uniquely talented production
Documents. His camera captured the very team was dispersed and a devastated Brigadier
moment the Commonwealth of Australia was Perry left the Army to join a private film
born. company. The financial fallout, too, was
substantial and the Army had lost an important
Two days later a great Military Review was source of revenue.
held in Centennial Park and again wave after
wave of troops from Britain, the Dominions Apart from segments of the Federation films
and Australia flowed past Perry’s cameras – and one or two other small fragments, virtually
the largest Empire Review we would ever see all of the film produced by Perry’s team has
captured and preserved for future generations gone....!
on Motion Picture film. At least 1½ hours of
film was rushed to Melbourne by train for There is no History - only Biography.
processing at the Bourke Street studios. The P. S. The famous statement by General Booth
result was another triumph for the Salvation “Why should the Devil have all the best
Army and the Limelight Department which, music” resulted in the Salvo’s wonderful
by the way, now had a new name, the Biorama Music Department with their famous Bands
Company and Choirs. It is sad that James Hay did not see
the potential of film.
The Federation coverage received great
acclaim and dozens of prints were ordered. Acknowledgements:
With so many prints being required (rep- I am deeply indebted to Chris Long for his in-depth
resenting hundreds of thousands of feet of research on the History of Film. This particular chapter
is covered in great detail in his series “Australia’s First
film) the Salvation Army decided to separate Films” published by “Cinema Papers”, Melbourne. No.
the commercial film operation from the 97/98, April 1994 pps 34-41 Part 7
normal Army work and established The
Australian Kinematograhic Company. “Screening the Salvation Army”.
No. 99, June 1994 pps 60-67 Part 8 “Soldiers of the
Cross - Milestone and Myth” (written with Clive
Government work flowed in with orders to Sowry) No. 101, October 1994 pps 56-61 Part 10
cover Royal visits to Australia and New “Federation” No. 103, March 1995 pps 40-43; 56-57
Zealand and the opening of Australia’s first Part 12 “The Royal Visit Films of 1901” (local
Parliament in Melbourne. Now equipped with producers), (written with Clive Sowry)
No. 106, October 1995 pps 38-41; 54-55 Part 15 “Under
the new improved Warwick Bioscope cameras Southern Skies (1902)” No. 107, December 1995 pps
and projectors, the Biorama Company 34-37; 56-57 Park 16 “New Light on the Limelight
continued making full length and multi-media Department”
documentation including Under Southern
Skies (100 minutes of film and 200 slides), a Video: Chris Long’s “Federation Films”: National Film
remake of Soldiers of the Cross called Heroes and Sound Archive 1992
of the Cross, and Scottish Covenanters, all Also, to The Salvation Army Heritage Centre Archives
major productions promoting the work of the and Museum for additional information and the
Salvation Army, together with hundreds of graphics used in this article. Special thanks to Mr
smaller film productions. It was Australia’s Lindsay Cox.
first film production company, and a
Their excellent booklet on “Soldiers of the Cross” is
brilliantly successful one, until 1909. available from The Heritage Centre, 69 Bourke Street,
Melbourne. (03) 9639 3618.
REEL DEALS December 2024 9