The Iron Claw

The Iron Claw ad, 1916
Sunday Oregonian, Mar. 26, 1916, p. 7. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

Pathe exchange advertises their movie The Iron Claw  and the serial that will be published in the Sunday Oregonian above. The advertisements are for the release date of April 3, 1916 as well as the story that will be released in the Oregonian previous to the release date of the film. The first ad describes how audiences can read the story in the paper beforehand and then see it in the theater the following week. As we have learned sound on film was not introduced until 1927 therefore "The Iron Claw" would have been a silent film. While the film was most likely accompanied by a band or music of some sort having the story published in detail in the Oregonian beforehand could have helped audiences to understand the story more thoroughly. Additionally, having the story published would have drawn viewers in just as a trailer would serve to attract movie goers presently. Furthermore, the ad lists the actors in the film as well as their previous popular films that they have been in. We have learned that it was common practice for studios and their films to build popularity for their movie off the stars in it.

Pantages Theater ad, 1916
Sunday Oregonian, Apr. 2, 1916, p. 7. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

The second ad is from the next week (April 2nd) and presents the story, while additionally serving as an advertisement for the film that will debut the following day at the Pantages Theater in Portland. As we have learned previously in class it was common for films to play at only one or a small amount of theaters. This would bring people from many towns away to see movies because they would not be playing near their home. While the advertisement does list theaters that The Iron Claw would be playing at on later dates it was very common that a movie would not reach these theaters for many weeks, months, or even years after it originally premiered.