• Upcoming Silent Film Screenings

Here's a running list of upcoming screenings of silent film with live music by Jeff Rapsis.  

• Sunday, March 24, 2024, 2 p.m.: "King of Kings" (1927) directed by Cecil B. DeMille; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Long before he played Old Man Gower in 'It's a Wonderful Life,' actor H.B. Warner tackled the much meatier role of Jesus Christ in this Cecil B. DeMille blockbuster. Just in time for Easter; crucifixion scene comes complete with earthquake, landslides, and a cast of thousands. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.

• Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 7 p.m.: "He Who Gets Slapped" (1924) starring Lon Chaney; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. After Baron Regnard (Marc MacDermott) steals both his greatest invention and his wife, scientist Paul Beaumont (Lon Chaney) loses all self-regard and joins a circus sideshow to become the most famous clown in France, known as “He Who Gets Slapped” by other clowns. When Paul falls in love with bareback rider Consuelo (Norma Shearer), she and her partner, Brazo (John Gilbert), mock him. He is heartbroken, but determined to shield Consuelo when Regnard shows sudden romantic interest in her. Paired with 'Blood Ship' (see below); double feature part of the Somerville's 'A Tale of Two Studios' series. Silent film on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. Tickets online or at the door: single feature $16 per person, members $12; double feature $18 per person; members $14. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.   

• Wednesday, March 27, 2024, 6:45 p.m.: "The Blood Ship" (1927) starring Hobart Bosworth; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Shown in 35mm. An American silent drama film directed by George B. Seitz and starring Hobart Bosworth, Jacqueline Logan, and Richard Arlen. A disgraced sea captain signs on as a hand on a cargo ship, which turns out to be captained by the tyrannical man who ruined his reputation. The other crewmen have mostly been shanghaied aboard and are kept in line by the captain and his brutal first mate. The former captain begins to plot a mutiny to take control of the ship from their brutal regime. A 35mm print (missing the final reel) of this film was held at the Academy Film Archive in Los Angeles. The final reel was located in 2007. Later that year, the film was screened in its entirety for the first time since its original release. Paired with 'He Who Gets Slapped' (see above); double feature part of the Somerville's 'A Tale of Two Studios' series. Silent film in 35mm on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. Tickets online or at the door: single feature $16 per person, members $12; double feature $18 per person; members $14. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.   

• Thursday, March 28, 2024, 7 p.m.: "The Ten Commandments" (1923), directed by Cecil B. DeMille; The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.; (603) 668-5588. Long before Charlton Heston played Moses in Technicolor, director Cecil B. DeMille filmed this silent blockbuster on a grand scale. Many say it surpasses the remake—see for yourself as we mark the Christian calendar's Holy Week with this ground-breaking (and Red Sea-parting) Biblical epic. Join us for a series of silent film programs with live music in a wonderful restored theater in downtown Manchester. Timeless silent film on the big screen! Tickets $10 per person general admission. 

• Friday, March 29, 2024, 5:30 p.m.: "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928) starring Renée Falconetti; The Jane Pickens Theatre, 49 Touro St., Newport, R.I.; (401) 846-5474; https://janepickens.com/. Danish director Carl Dreyer's intense recreation of the trial of Joan of Arc set new standards for cinematography and expanded the language of film in new directions. Extreme close-ups, expressionistic photography, and a stellar cast (including, in the title role, the only film performance of legendary stage actress Renée Falconetti) combine to create a movie-going experience that remains riveting today. Tickets $16 per person.  

• Saturday, March 30, 2024, 2 to 5 p.m.: "Shoes" (1916), 2nd Annual Lois Weber Film Festival at the Elm Theater, 35 Elm Court, Millbury, Mass. 'Shoes' is a remarkably frank and progressive feminist film by the great Lois Weber, one of the most prolific and high-ranking directors of the silent era. One of Universal's biggest box office successes of 1916. More details to come...

• Monday, April 1, 2024, 6:30 p.m.: "Safety Last" (1923) starring Harold Lloyd; Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield, Mass.; call (413) 773-9260 or visit www.gardencinemas.net. The iconic image of Harold Lloyd dangling from the hands of a downtown clock is only one small piece of a remarkable thrill comedy that has lost none of its power over audiences. See it for yourself on the big screen and with an audience. Tickets $10.50 adults; $8.50 students, seniors, and veterans. 

• Tuesday, April 2, 2023, 1 p.m.: "Short Italian and French Comedies," part of Cinema Ritrovato 2024; University of N.H, Memorial Union Building (the "MUB"), 83 Main St., Durham, N.H. On this year's program: two Italian short comedies from the "Lea" series, a French short comedy from the "Leontine" series, and Charlie Chaplin's Keystone-era short comedy "Mabel's Busy Day" (1914). Free and open to the public!

• Wednesday, April 3, 2024, 7:30 p.m.: "The Kid Brother" (1927) starring Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston; The Walker Lecture Series, Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street, Concord, N.H. Free and open to the public. Often cited as Lloyd's masterpiece, this ambitious silent film comedy/drama tells the story of Harold Hickory, youngest son of a powerful rural sheriff. When his father is unjustly accused, Harold is forced to prove himself and clear his father's name. Program includes a Lloyd short comedy.

• Sunday, April 7, 4 p.m.: "Ben Hur" (1925) starring Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman; The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.; (508) 647-0097. In the Holy Land, a Jewish prince is enslaved by the occupying Romans; inspired by encounters with Jesus, he lives to seek justice. Based on the classic 19th century historical novel by Gen. Lew Wallace. One of the great religious epics of Hollywood's silent film era, including a legendary chariot race that's lost none of its power to thrill. Silent film with live music in a renovated firehouse that's now a terrific arts center. Tickets $12, Center for the Arts members $10.  

• Sunday, April 21, 2024, 2 p.m.: "Metropolis" (1927) directed by Fritz Lang; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. The eye-popping silent film sci-fi masterpiece of German filmmaker Fritz Lang is a vintage look at things to come. 'Metropolis' stands as an stunning example of the power of film to tell a compelling story without words, and reach across the generations to touch movie-goers from the real future that came to pass: us! Silent film shown on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse. Buy tickets online or at the door: $17 per person; $13 members; $12 seniors/child. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.  

• Sunday, April 28, 2024, 2 p.m.: "The Last Laugh" (1924) starring Emil Jannings, directed by F.W. Murnau; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Towering performance by Jannings as aging doorman at posh city hotel whose unexpected change of jobs robs him of self-respect and identity. Directed by Murnau as a purely visual tale devoid of any dialogue intertitles. A masterpiece of the silent cinema celebrating its 100th anniversary! Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged. 

 • Friday, May 10, 2024, 8 p.m.: "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) starring Conrad Veidt, directed by Paul Leni; Epsilon Spires, 190 Main Street, Brattleboro, Vt.; www.epsilonspires.org. Tickets $20. Silent film adaptation of Victor Hugo's historical novel about a man cursed with a permanent carnival-freak-like grin on his face. The make-up job for actor Conrad Veidt inspired the look of Batman's arch-nemesis the Joker. Directed by Paul Leni, who pioneered the visual style used in Universal horror classics such as 1931's 'Dracula' and 'Frankenstein.' See it if you dare! Epsilon Spires is an organization illuminating the relationships between creative arts, natural sciences and sustainability using multimedia platforms. Epsilon Spires operates out of a renovated Baptist church built in 1868.  

• Saturday, May 11, 2024, 7 p.m.: "The Gold Rush" (1925) starring Charlie Chaplin; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. The Little Tramp prospects in the Klondike in Chaplin's silent comedy epic. Full of classic laugh-out-loud sequences and heartfelt drama. Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work. 

• Sunday, May 19, 2024, 2 p.m.: "College" (1927) starring Buster Keaton; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Just in time for graduation! Freshman Buster, an inveterate bookworm, arrives at a college campus to find sports is the only sure-fire route to popularity—and to win the girl of his dreams. One of Keaton's most gag-filled comedies offers timeless visual humor and a look at the silent star's athletic prowess. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.

• Tuesday, May 21, 2024, 7 p.m.: "The Gold Rush" (1925) starring Charlie Chaplin; Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St, Brookline, Mass.; (617) 734-2501. The Little Tramp prospects in the Klondike in Chaplin's silent comedy epic. Full of classic laugh-out-loud sequences and heartfelt drama. Silent film on the big screen with live music: the Coolidge's long-running 'Sounds of Silence' program recreates the experience of early cinema so today's audiences can experience why movie-goers first fell in love with the silver screen.  

• Saturday, June 8, 2024, 7 p.m.: "The Thief of Bagdad" (1924) starring Douglas Fairbanks Sr.; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of this eye-popping cinematic spectacle; starring Fairbanks in top form as Arabian adventurer who must complete a series of epic tasks to save his beloved. Timeless tale told imaginatively and on a grand scale, complete with cutting edge special effects. Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work. 

• Wednesday, June 12, 2024, 6:30 p.m.: "Our Hospitality" (1923) starring Buster Keaton, Natalie Talmadge; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Silent comic Buster Keaton's film about a backwoods feud in the 1830s pokes fun at everything from southern customs to early railroad trains. Filled with great gags and a timeless story that culminates in a dramatic river rescue where Buster almost lost his life for real! Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H.

• Sunday, June 16, 2024, 2 p.m.: "The Kid Brother" (1927) starring Harold Lloyd; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Often cited as Lloyd's masterpiece, this ambitious silent film comedy/drama tells the story of Harold Hickory, youngest son of a powerful rural sheriff. When his father is unjustly jailed, Harold is forced to prove himself and clear his father's name. The first offering installment in our Silent Comedy Summer Series! Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.

Note: No performances mid-June through mid-July.

• Sunday, July 14, 2024, 2 p.m.: "Tramp Tramp Tramp" (1926) starring Harry Langdon; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. As part of our Silent Comedy Summer Series, rediscover forgotten comedian Harry Langdon in his first-ever feature film. Riotous comedy about a cross-country foot race. Co-stars Joan Crawford (unbelievably) as Harry's love interest. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.

• Saturday, July 20, 2024, 7 p.m.: "The Cameraman" (1928) starring Buster Keaton; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. In 'The Cameraman,' Keaton tries to impress the gal of his dreams by working as a newsreel photographer. Can he get a break and get the girl? Classic visual comedy with Keaton at the peak of his creative powers; set in NYC and includes 1920s shots of Midtown Manhattan and the old Yankee Stadium. Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work.   

• Sunday, July 21, 2024, 4 p.m.: "The Gold Rush" (1925) starring Charlie Chaplin; The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.; (508) 647-0097. The Little Tramp prospects in the Klondike in Chaplin's silent comedy epic. Full of classic laugh-out-loud sequences and heartfelt drama. Shown as part of the theater's 'Foodie Film Festival' by virtue of Chaplin's famous Thanksgiving Dinner made out of a shoe, the bun dance, and a scene where Chaplin's hungry cabin mate imagines the Little Tramp as a succulent chicken. Silent film with live music in a renovated firehouse that's now a terrific arts center. Tickets $12, Center for the Arts members $10. 

• Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024: Silent Film Festival at Colonial Theatre, Augusta, Maine. Details to be announced. 

• Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, 7 p.m.: "Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse" (1921) starring Rudolph Valentino; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. Sweeping drama of a divided family with members caught up on opposites sides during World War I. Breakthrough film for Rudolph Valentino, introducing the sultry tango and launching him to stardom. The real deal! Shown both in honor of the 110th anniversary of World War I's outbreak and the anniversary of Valentino's untimely death in 1926. Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work.  

 • Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, 2 p.m.: "To Be Announced"; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Silent film shown in 35mm prints on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.   

• Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, 6:30 p.m.: "The Pagan" (1929) starring Ramon Novarro, Renée Adorée; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Rarely screened late silent film shot on location in Tahiti! A carefree South Seas native falls for the half-caste ward of a religious white man who desires her for himself. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H.  

• Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, 7 p.m.: "The Last Laugh" (1924) starring Emil Jannings, directed by F.W. Murnau; Ludlow Auditorium, 37 Depot St., Ludlow, Vt. Towering performance by Jannings as aging doorman at posh city hotel whose unexpected change of jobs robs him of self-respect and identity. Directed by Murnau as a purely visual tale devoid of any dialogue intertitles. A masterpiece of the silent cinema celebrating its 100th anniversary! Silent film with live music in the lovingly restored Ludlow Auditorium in Ludlow Town Hall in Ludlow, Vt.  

• Sunday, Aug. 25, 2024, 2 p.m.: "Spite Marriage" (1929) starring Buster Keaton; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Our Silent Comedy Summer Series concludes with Keaton's final silent feature, which finds the poker-faced comic smitten so much by stage actress Trilby Drew (Dorothy Sebastian) that he joins the cast of her production. But the fun really begins when she impulsively asks Buster to marry her just to get even with an old flame. Classic Keaton comedy, underrated and full of great routines, and featuring a shipboard climax reminiscent of Keaton's classic comedy 'The Navigator.' Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.

• Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, 7 p.m.: Details to be announced; The Rex Theatre, 23 Amherst St., Manchester, N.H.; (603) 668-5588; https://www.palacetheatre.org/rex-theatre/. Private event. 

• Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, 7 p.m.: "Speedy" (1928) starring Harold Lloyd; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. Harold's final silent feature cis a tribute to New York City, baseball, and the idea that nice guys can indeed finish first, highlighted by one of the most exciting races to the finish in all silent cinema. Complete with an extended cameo from none other than Babe Ruth! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work.   

• Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, 2 p.m.: "To Be Announced"; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged.

• Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, 4 p.m.: "The Cat and the Canary" (1927) directed by Paul Leni; The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.; (508) 647-0097. Can a group of distant relatives survive the night in a haunted house to learn the secret of a madman's will? Find out in the original Gothic thriller from silent film director Paul Leni. Just in time for Halloween, a movie filled with deep shadows, dark secrets, and a surprisingly timeless mix of humor and horror that will keep you guessing. Remember: in silent film, no one can hear you scream! Silent film with live music in a renovated firehouse that's now a terrific arts center. Tickets $12, Center for the Arts members $10.    

• Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, 7 p.m.: "Phantom of the Opera" (1925) starring Lon Chaney; First Congregational Church of Reading United Church of Christ, 25 Woburn St., Reading, Mass. Long before Andrew Lloyd Webber created the hit stage musical, this silent film adaptation starring Lon Chaney helped place 'Phantom' firmly in the pantheon of both horror and romance. Suggested donation $10 per person.

• Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, 7 p.m.: "Phantom of the Opera" (1925) starring Lon Chaney; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. Long before Andrew Lloyd Webber created the hit stage musical, this silent film adaptation starring Lon Chaney helped place 'Phantom' firmly in the pantheon of both horror and romance. Just in time for Halloween! Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work.

• Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, 2 p.m.: "To Be Announced"; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged. 

• Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, 6:30 p.m.: "The Lost World" (1925) starring Wallace Beery; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. First-ever movie adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary tale of British explorers who discover pre-historic creatures still thriving atop a remote South American plateau. Great entertainment; ground-breaking special effects by the same team that later created 'King Kong' mesmerized early movie audiences and remain impressive today. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. 

• Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, 7 p.m.: "Nosferatu" (1922) directed by F.W. Murnau; Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry; sponsored by Derry Public Library. Experience the original silent film adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous 'Dracula' story. Still scary after all these years—and some critics believe this version is not only the best ever done, but has actually become creepier with the passage of time. Timeless silent film on the big screen and with live music. Free admission! For more information, contact the Derry Public Library at (603) 432-6140. 

• Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, 2 p.m.: "To Be Announced"; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Silent film shown in 35mm prints on the big screen at the Somerville Theatre, a 1914 moviehouse and theater. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700.   

• Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, 7:30 p.m. "Title To Be Announced"; the Edison Theatre at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum, 37417 Niles Boulevard, Niles, Calif. Wonderful vintage Edison theater from 1913 now fully restored; shows weekly programs of silent films with live music. 

• Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, 7 p.m.: "Barbed Wire" (1927) starring Pola Negri, Clive Brook; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.com. During World War I, the French government commandeers a family farm for use as a camp for German POWs, setting the local population at each other. Intense drama about forbidden love and the human condition with a special holiday twist. Join us for a series of silent films and live music in a wonderfully restored town hall in Brandon Vt. that features great acoustics. Admission free, donations accepted, with proceeds to help continuing preservation work.  

• Sunday, Dec. 8, 4 p.m.: "Metropolis" (1927) directed by Fritz Lang; The Center for Arts in Natick, 14 Summer St., Natick, Mass.; (508) 647-0097. The eye-popping silent film sci-fi masterpiece of German filmmaker Fritz Lang is a vintage look at things to come. Restored version includes nearly a half-hour of lost footage that was rediscovered in Argentina in 2008. Silent film with live music in a renovated firehouse that's now a terrific arts center. Tickets $12, Center for the Arts members $10. 

• Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, time TBA: "The Lost World" (1925) at the 50th Annual Sci-Fi Marathon presented by the Case Western Reserve University Film Society, 10900 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio. Live music for 'The Lost World,' a featured attraction in this year's annual 36-hour (!) sci-fi marathon at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. First-ever movie adaptation of Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary tale of British explorers who discover prehistoric creatures still thriving atop a remote South American plateau. Great entertainment; ground-breaking special effects by the same team that later created 'King Kong' mesmerized early movie audiences and remain impressive today.

• Friday, Feb. 21 and Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025Kansas Silent Film Festival at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas. Annual pilgrimage to multi-day celebration of silent film with live music. Check it out at www.kssilentfilmfest.org. My 26th consecutive year of attending this festival, which includes during the pandemic in 2021, when it was held online but we recreated it in New Hampshire. See you in the Sunflower State!  

• Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 7:30 p.m.: "Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy" starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy; The Walker Lecture Series, Concord City Auditorium, 2 Prince Street, Concord, N.H. Free and open to the public. See the famous comedy duo make the transition from silent films to talkies. Details to be announced.