Up next: 'Don Q' at Coolidge on June 17, 'Unholy Three' at Leavitt on June 18

Outside the Somerville Theatre prior to a screening of 'Forgotten Faces' (1928).

Hi everyone! It's been a busy time in my other life as executive director of the Aviation Museum of N.H., so there hasn't been a lot of posting about silent film screenings.

I'm still out there. Recent screenings I've accompanied include Harold Lloyd's 'Speedy' (1928) at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H.; 'Forgotten Faces' (1928) at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass.; 'Underworld' (1927) at Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall; 'The Shakedown' (1929) at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.; and Buster Keaton's 'Go West' (1925) at both the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine and the  

I just haven't had time to write about all this. 

Apologies and hope to get back to a more regular cadence later in the summer when I hope the schedule clears up. 

For now, it's all I can do to just mention my next two upcoming screenings: 'Don Q, Son of Zorro' (1925) on Tuesday, June 17 at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in Brookline, Mass., and 'The Unholy Three' (1925) on Wednesday, June 18 at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine. 

A press release for 'The Unholy Three' is pasted in below.  See you at the movies!

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Lon Chaney stars in 'The Unholy Three' (1925).

 

THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Lon Chaney stars as criminal ventriloquist in bizarre silent film thriller at Leavitt Theatre

Historic Ogunquit venue continues 100th anniversary season with screening of 'The Unholy Three', crime melodrama with live music

OGUNQUIT, Maine—Who else but Lon Chaney would star as a ventriloquist-turned-scam-artist in a silent crime thriller?

That's the premise of 'The Unholy Three' (1925), a bizarre MGM film to be shown with live music on Wednesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at the historic Leavitt Theatre.

Tickets are $15 general admission and available at the door.

The Leavitt, located at 259 Main St. Route 1 in Ogunquit, is celebrating its 100th anniversary, having served the community continuously since 1925.

To honor this long record, the Leavitt Theatre has planned a season of vintage silent movie classics from 1925 with live music.

The series gives area film fans a chance to see movies from the pioneering days of cinema as they were intended to be shown—on the big screen, with an audience, and accompanied by live music.

 

The three conspirators in 'The Unholy Three' (1925).
 

'The Unholy Three' is a 1925 American silent crime melodrama involving a trio of circus conmen, directed by Tod Browning and starring iconic actor Lon Chaney.

The three criminals develop an elaborate criminal enterprise based on their circus skills, which include Chaney's skill at throwing his voice.

Chaney, then at the height of his career, was known as 'The Man of a Thousand Faces' for his ability to transform himself to tackle challenging roles in films such as 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

 

'The Unholy Three' marked the establishment of the notable artistic alliance between director Browning and actor Chaney that would deliver eight films to MGM studios during the late silent film era. 

The film enjoyed tremendous success in its original release, adding luster to Chaney's reputation and revealing Browning as a remarkable film stylist. 'The Unholy Three' was named as one of The New York Times 10 Best Films of 1925.

The Leavitt, a summer-only moviehouse, opened in 1925 at the height of the silent film era, and has been showing movies to summertime visitors ever since.

More recently, the Leavitt has added restaurant and bar service, and has expanded its entertainment schedule to include live music and special events.

The silent film series honors the theater's long service as a moviehouse that has entertained generations of Seacoast residents and visitors, in good times and in bad.

"These movies were intended to be shown in this kind of environment, and with live music and with an audience," said Max Clayton, the Leavitt's manager. "Put it all together, it's great entertainment that still has a lot of power to move people."

Live music for each program will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based performer and composer who specializes in scoring silent films.

In accompanying silent films live, Rapsis uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of the full orchestra. He improvises the music in real time, as the movie is shown.

In scoring a movie, Rapsis creates music to help modern movie-goers accept silent film as a vital art form rather than something antiquated or obsolete.

"Silent film is a timeless art form that still has a unique emotional power," Rapsis said.

After 'The Unholy Three' (1925) on Wednesday, June 11 at 7 p.m., other programs in this year's Leavitt silent film series include:

• Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 7 p.m.: "The Lost World" (1925) starring Wallace Beery. 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.

• Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, 7 p.m.: "The Freshman" (1925) starring Harold Lloyd. Welcome football season with Harold Lloyd's blockbuster silent-era hit about a college boy who dreams of success on the gridiron. One of Lloyd's all-time best!

• Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Risky Business" (1925) starring Vera Ralston, Zazu Pitts. No, not the 1986 film starring Tom Cruise. In this silent-era 'Risky Business,' Zasu Pitts stars with Vera Ralston in a tale of a society girl's love for a country doctor in a film that is by turns harrowing, hilarious, and heart-warming.

• Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Phantom of the Opera" (1925). 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. See it if you dare!

The silent film series continues with 'The Unholy Three' (1925) on Wednesday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Fine Arts Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; admission is $15 per person, general seating.

For more information, visit www.leavittheatre.com.

Three screenings, two states, one day: Chaney in afternoon, then Nosferatu at night

Tonight: Cue the theme from 'The Love Boat.' Not.

The spooky steeplechase continues!

Today's scheduled includes live music for three silent features: at 2 p.m., a double bill of Lon Chaney thrillers in Wilton, N.H., and then this evening it's another 'Nosferatu,' this time in Ogunquit, Maine. 

More on tonight's 'Nosferatu' is in the press release below. 

This afternoon's Chaney features, 'Outside the Law' (1920) and 'The Unholy Three' (1925), are a continuation of a mini-marathon at the Town Hall Theatre that began last night with a screening of 'The Blackbird' (1926), a film I'd never accompanied before.

Lon Chaney as 'The Bishop' in 'The Blackbird' (1926).

Like all the Chaney MGM melodramas directed by Tod Browning, the plot and interaction of the characters build to a level of drama that's almost operatic, even though it's a silent film.

Because of that intensity, 'The Blackbird' does well with music that can rise to the moments when needed. 

At last night's screening, I began with a quiet vamp in a minor key, meant to evoke the seedy music halls of old London in which so much of 'The Blackbird' is set.

As the film progressed, I found the vamp, without any accompanying melody, was able to be transformed in a multitude of ways to support the drama: by turns menacing, sinister, joyous, and/or exhilarating when needed.

Ultimately, with some dissonant notes held above it, the vamp was entirely capable of carrying the great "moment of truth" scenes always found in the Chaney/Browning collaborations.

Let's hope the same magic happens with today's two features, and with 'Where East is East' (1929), which I'm scoring tomorrow (Sunday, Oct. 31) at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre to finish out the Chaney series on Halloween.

And then I head down to Boston to create live music for the Browning-directed 'Dracula' (1931) at the Somerville Theatre on Sunday night—something I've never done before and about which I'm very excited.

But first things first! See this afternoon for two Chaneys, and then this evening for 'Nosferatu' at the Leavitt Theater in Ogunquit, Maine. More details in the press release below.

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MONDAY, OCT. 4, 2021 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Creepy classic thriller 'Nosferatu' to screen at Leavitt Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 30

Celebrate Halloween with pioneer silent horror movie on the big screen with live music—see it if you dare!

OGUNQUIT, Me.— Get into the Halloween spirit with a classic silent horror film.

'Nosferatu' (1922), the first screen adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula,' will be screened with live music on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine.

The screening will feature live music for the movie by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis. General admission is $12 per person. Costumes are encouraged!

'Nosferatu' (1922), directed by German filmmaker F.W. Murnau, remains a landmark work of the cinematic horror genre. It was among the first movies to use visual design to convey unease and terror.

To modern viewers, the passage of time has made this unusual film seem even more strange and otherworldly.

It's an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will enhance in improvising live music on the spot for the screening.

"The original 'Nosferatu' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time goes by," said Rapsis, a resident of Bedford, N.H. who accompanies silent film screenings at the Leavitt and venues across the nation.

"It's a great way to celebrate Halloween and the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places," Rapsis said.

In 'Nosferatu,' actor Max Schreck portrays the title character, a mysterious count from Transylvania who travels to the German city of Bremen to take up residence.

In the town, a rise in deaths from the plague is attributed to the count's arrival. Only when a young woman reads "The Book of Vampires" does it become clear how to rid the town of this frightening menace.

Director Murnau told the story with strange camera angles, weird lighting, and special effects that include sequences deliberately speeded up.

Although 'Nosferatu' is suitable for all family members, the overall program may be too intense for very young children to enjoy.

Modern critics say the original 'Nosferatu' still packs a powerful cinematic punch.

“Early film version of Dracula is brilliantly eerie, full of imaginative touches that none of the later films quite recaptured,” Leonard Maltin wrote recently.

Critic Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader called 'Nosferatu' "...a masterpiece of German silent cinema and easily the most effective version of Dracula on record.”

Despite the status of 'Nosferatu' as a landmark of early cinema, another scary aspect of the film is that it was almost lost forever.

The film, shot in 1921 and released in 1922, was an unauthorized adaptation of Stoker's novel, with names and other details changed because the studio could not obtain rights to the novel.

Thus "vampire" became "Nosferatu" and "Count Dracula" became "Count Orlok." After the film was released, Stoker's widow filed a copyright infringement lawsuit and won; all known prints and negatives were destroyed under the terms of settlement.

However, intact copies of the film would surface later, allowing 'Nosferatu' to be restored and screened today as audiences originally saw it. The image of actor Max Schreck as the vampire has become so well known that it appeared in a recent 'Sponge Bob Squarepants' episode.

The historic Leavitt Theatre opened in 1923 as a summer-only silent movie house. Now approaching 100 years of operation, it continues to show movies, but also functions as a restaurant, bar, and lounge.

In reviving 'Nosferatu,' the Leavitt Theatre aims to show silent film as it was meant to be seen—in restored prints, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," said Rapsis, who will accompany the film. "Recreate those conditions, and classics of early cinema such as 'Nosferatu' leap back to life in ways that audiences still find entertaining."

Rapsis performs on a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra, creating a traditional "movie score" sound. He improvises the complete score in real time during the screening.

"Creating a movie score on the fly is kind of a high-wire act, but it can often make for more excitement than if everything is planned out in advance," Rapsis said.

The classic early horror thriller ‘Nosferatu’ will be shown on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. at the Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St., Route 1 in Ogunquit. Admission $12 per person; tickets available at the door.

For more information, call (207) 646-3123 or visit www.leavittheatre.com.

Creepfest: actor Lon Chaney unmasked on 10/26 at Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre

Lon Chaney as Phroso the Magician in 'West of Zanzibar' (1928). Chaney's the one on the left.

With Halloween next week, the screenings are piling up like the unraked leaves in my front yard.

Last night, we had a great turnout for 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine.

But now I'm scurrying to post advance info about today's Lon Chaney "Creepfest" double feature at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

The films are lesser-known Chaney pics but worth a look—especially at Halloween time, I think.

First up is 'The Unholy Three' (1925), followed by 'West of Zanzibar' (1928).

Both were directed by Tod Browning and have that weird circus-y vibe going. And both are quite dark and sinister: each delivers hefty servings of the Chaney/Browning themes of obsession, murder, and death.

But neither requires Chaney to don extensive face-altering make-up. So it's interesting to see the guy himself in action. (The poster at left makes Chaney look almost normal!)

True, 'The Unholy Three' has Chaney posing as a kindly old grandmother for a good part of the film. And 'West of Zanzibar' requires him to play a man paralyzed from the waist down.

But otherwise, both movies show Chaney unmasked.

So, in a season where masks are basic equipment, think of this bit of counter-programming as a tribute to the artistry of this legendary actor.

Known far and wide as "the man of 1,000 faces" for his willingness to play hideously disfigured characters, here's a bit of counter-programming that shows Chaney didn't need crazy get-ups to create characters just as memorable as Quasimodo in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) or Erik in 'The Phantom.'

The show starts today (Sunday, Oct. 26) at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre. More details are in the press release below!

* * *

Chaney and his accomplices in 'The Unholy Three' (1925).

TUESDAY, OCT. 14, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Creepfest of twisted silent horror films at Wilton Town Hall on Sunday, Oct. 26

Double feature of bizarre Lon Chaney movies to be shown on the big screen with live music

WILTON, N.H.—Get into the Halloween spirit with classic silent horror films starring legendary actor Lon Chaney!

Two movies starring Chaney, 'West of Zanzibar' (1928) and 'The Unholy Three' (1925), make up a creepy double feature on Sunday, Oct. 26 at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

The late matinee program starts at 4:30 p.m. and will feature live music by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

Admission is free; a donation of $5 per person is suggested to help defray expenses.

'West of Zanzibar' (1927) features Chaney as a magician paralyzed in a brawl with a rival for his wife's love and who then vows revenge. The film co-stars Lionel Barrymore.

In 'The Unholy Three' (1925), Chaney plays a sideshow ventriloquist who joins forces with a midget and a circus strongman to unleash a crime spree on an unsuspecting town, with unexpected consequences.

Both films were produced by MGM and directed by Tod Browning, who specialized in exploring the dark and creepy side of circus and theater life. Browning's career later culminated with his bizarre early talkie film 'Freaks' (1932), starring a cast of deformed carnival performers.

Lon Chaney is today regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup.

Chaney remains famous for his starring roles in such silent horror films as 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces."

But Chaney starred in dozens of other films throughout the silent era, many of them aimed at the growing appetite among movie audiences for the strange, macabre, or downright weird.

In 'West of Zanzibar,' Chaney's magician character "Phroso" suffers an accident that paralyzes him from the waist down. Most of the film's action takes place in the primitive jungles of Africa, where Phroso, now known as "Dead Legs Flint," uses magic tricks to control a native tribe.

'The Unholy Three' requires Chaney to play a ventriloquist—an unusual role for a film without dialogue. But the plot then requires Chaney to transform himself into a kindly old grandmother for portions of the movie.

Both films continue to mesmerize audiences as odd early thrillers about crime, twisted love, obsession, and bodily mutilation. To modern viewers, the passage of time has made these unusual films seem even more strange and otherworldly.

It's an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will try to enhance in improvising live music on the spot for the screenings.

"Many of the Lon Chaney features seem to get creepier as more time goes by," said Rapsis, who is based in New Hampshire and ranks as one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists. "Today, they're a great way to celebrate Halloween and the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."

Both films are suitable for all family members, but the overall program may be too intense for very young children to enjoy.

Modern critics say 'West of Zanzibar' still packs a powerful cinematic punch.

"This is an absolutely brilliant—and economical—visual evocation of the relationship between sex and death, the erotic and the morbid...” wrote John Beifuss of the Memphis Commercial Appeal in 2012.

And 'The Unholy Three' continues to be recognized as among Chaney's best work.

"One of Lon Chaney's best movies and biggest hits, about a trio of sideshow 'freaks' who become criminals to get revenge on 'normal' society," wrote TV Guide.

All movies in the Town Hall Theatre's silent film series were popular when first seen by audiences in the 1920s, but are rarely screened today in a way that allows them to be seen at their best.

To revive them, organizers aim to show the films as they were intended—in top quality restored prints, on a large screen, with live music, and before a live audience.

"If you can put it all together again, these films still contain tremendous excitement," Rapsis said. "You can see why people first fell in love with the movies."

Upcoming films in the Town Hall Theatre's silent film series include:

• Sunday, Nov. 30, 2014, 4:30 p.m.: Buster Keaton in 'Seven Chances.' Finish off Thanksgiving weekend with a helping of laughter courtesy Buster Keaton. A pair of classic short comedies, then 'Seven Chances' (1925), a wild feature in which Buster has until sundown to get married or lose a fortune!

• Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014, 4:30 p.m.: Chaplin's Short Best Comedies. This Christmas, receive some laughs! Mark the 100th anniversary of Chaplin's iconic 'Little Tramp' character with a selection of his best short comedies. A great way for the whole family to cap off the holiday weekend.

• Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015, 4:30 p.m.: Silent Sci-Fi: 'Woman in the Moon.' An early sci-fi adventure epic about the first rocket ship to the moon, as imagined in 1929. Made on a grand scale; the rarely-screened final silent feature from German filmmaker Fritz Lang, director 'Metropolis.'

The Town Hall Theatre's 2014-15 season of silent film continues with a double feature of lurid and creepy Lon Chaney thrillers on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 4:30 p.m at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free, with a donation of $5 per person suggested to help defray expenses.

For more information, visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com or call 654-3456. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

On Saturday, Oct. 18 in Brandon, Vt.: Lon Chaney 'Chiller Theater' double feature

Lon Chaney relaxes with a cigarette and Joan Crawford in 'The Unknown' (1927).

A Lon Chaney double feature? Halloween can't be far behind.

And yes, the Chaney double feature this Saturday up in Brandon, Vt. is a great way to get in the mood for getting scared.

After all, if Halloween is about costumes, then Chaney, dubbed "the Man of 1,000 Faces" for his pioneering make-up wizardry, ought to rank as a patron saint of sorts.

Weirdly, the two films on the program are not ones in which Chaney obscures his face with some ghoulish get-up, such as he did so famously in 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

Instead, in the 'Unknown' (1927), Chaney is forced to cope with the disfigurement not of his face, but of another vital part of his body.

And in 'The Unholy Three,' Chaney does dress up as someone else, but it's a kindly grandmother!

I don't want to give away too much more about either film. If you're curious, the press release below has a bit more info.

Small, medium, large: humans come in all sizes in Chaney pictures such as 'The Unholy Three.'

But it's worth pointing out that as the years pass, the Chaney films seem to get more twisted and surprising. In other words, they're aging well.

In presenting them to modern audiences, I continually find people surprised at how intense these films can be as they explore the dark side of obsession, passion, and the grotesque.

At its best, silent film is about big emotions. And in many ways, no one worked on a larger emotional scale than Chaney.

See for yourself at our double feature this weekend up in Vermont.

As an added incentive, each Chaney film includes a big-name co-star. 'The Unknown' features Joan Crawford in an early role, while 'The Unholy Three' has Australian actress Mae Busch, who later achieved immortality as a colorful female nemesis of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.

Not enough? I'm doing an additional Chaney program on Sunday, Oct. 26 in Wilton, N.H. that includes 'West of Zanzibar' (1927), in which Chaney plays another variation "disfigured man obsessed with revenge" theme.

More on that next week. For now, here's the press release about the Chaney program on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at Brandon Community Center in Brandon, Vt.

See you there—unless you come in costume as the Invisible Man.

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A vintage poster for 'The Unknown' (1927) starring Lon Chaney and Joan Crawford.

SATURDAY, OCT. 4, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Silent film 'Chiller Theatre' at Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall on Saturday, Oct. 18

Double feature of creepy Lon Chaney movies to be shown on the big screen with live music

BRANDON, Vt.—Get into the Halloween spirit with classic silent horror films starring legendary actor Lon Chaney!

Two movies starring Chaney, 'The Unknown' (1927) and 'The Unholy Three' (1925), make up a creepy double feature at Brandon Town Hall in Brandon, Vt. on Saturday, Oct. 18.

The program starts at 7 p.m. and will feature live accompaniment by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis.

Admission is free; donations are encouraged, with proceeds to support ongoing renovation of Brandon Town Hall.

The event is being dubbed "Chiller Theatre" due to the building's lack of a heating system. Organizers ask attendees to check the weather and bring along sweaters and blankets if a cold evening is anticipated.

'The Unknown' (1927) features Chaney as "Alonzo the Armless," a circus knife-thrower with a dark past who uses his feet to perform his act. The film co-stars a very young Joan Crawford.

In 'The Unholy Three' (1925), Chaney plays a sideshow ventriloquist who joins forces with a midget and a circus strongman to unleash a crime spree on an unsuspecting town, with unexpected consequences.

Both films were produced by MGM and directed by Tod Browning, who specialized in exploring the dark and creepy side of circus life. Browning's career later culminated with his bizarre early talkie film 'Freaks' (1932), starring a cast of deformed carnival performers.

Lon Chaney is today regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and afflicted characters, and his groundbreaking artistry with makeup.

Chaney remains famous for his starring roles in such silent horror films as 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925). His ability to transform himself using makeup techniques he developed earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces."

But Chaney starred in dozens of other films throughout the silent era, many of them aimed at the growing appetite among movie audiences for the strange, macabre, or downright weird.

In 'The Unknown,' Chaney's character "Alonzo the Armless" is indeed without both arms. This forces him to use his feet to perform tasks that range from throwing knives in his circus act to smoking a cigarette. In one scene, Chaney uses his feet to strum a guitar.

'The Unholy Three' requires Chaney to play a ventriloquist—an unusual role for a film without dialogue. But the plot then requires Chaney to transform himself into a kindly old grandmother for portions of the movie.

A vintage poster for 'The Unholy Three' (1925).

To modern viewers, the passage of time has made these unusual films seem even more strange and otherworldly.

It's an atmosphere that silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis will try to enhance in improvising live music on the spot for the screenings.

"Many of the Lon Chaney features seem to get creepier as more time goes by," said Rapsis, who is based in New Hampshire and ranks as one of the nation's leading silent film accompanists. "Today, they're a great way to celebrate Halloween and the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."

The screening—the final installment of the Brandon Town Hall's 2014 Silent Film Series—is sponsored by Lake Sunapee Bank.

Both films are suitable for all family members, but the overall program may be too much for very young children to enjoy.

Modern critics say 'The Unknown' still packs a powerful cinematic punch.

The film "...revels in the seedy circus life, and creates some incredible set pieces, from Chaney's knife-throwing act to a sinister, cavernous doctor's lab,” wrote Jeffrey M. Anderson of Combustible Celluloid.

And 'The Unholy Three' continues to be recognized as among Chaney's best work.

"One of Lon Chaney's best movies and biggest hits, about a trio of sideshow 'freaks' who become criminals to get revenge on 'normal' society," wrote TV Guide.

All movies in the Brandon Town Hall's silent film series were popular when first seen by audiences in the 1920s, but are rarely screened today in a way that allows them to be seen at their best. They were not made to be shown in the home. To revive them, organizers aim to show the films as they were intended—in top quality restored prints, on a large screen, with live music, and before a live audience.

"If you can put it all together again, these films still contain tremendous excitement," Rapsis said. "By staging these screenings of features from Hollywood's early days, you can see why people first fell in love with the movies."

'The Unknown’ (1927) and 'The Unholy Three' (1925) will be shown on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7 in Brandon, Vt. Admission is free; donations are encouraged, with proceeds to support ongoing renovation of the town hall. For more information, visit www.brandontownhall.org.