Next up: music for 'Phantom of the Opera' at the newly opened Park Theatre in Jaffrey, N.H.

Happy Halloween as I preview a frightening schedule of spooky screenings.

As we enter the busiest stretch of the Halloween silent film season, the state of my mind is best represented by the above selfie, taken just prior to doing music for a screening of 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) on Thursday, Oct. 21 in Plymouth, N.H.

In a word: Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!

It's been a wild ride so far, with spooky screenings last week in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont, and for good measure a pair of vintages railroad melodramas last Sunday afternoon.

Next up: 'Phantom of the Opera' again, tonight (Wednesday, Oct. 27) in the brand new and recently opened Park Theatre in Jaffrey, N.H. More details are in the press release pasted in below.

Thursday night brings 'Nosferatu' (1922) at the Rex Theater (another new venue) in downtown Manchester, N.H. Friday brings the first installment of a three-day series of Tod Browning/Lon Chaney thrillers at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., while Saturday night finds me in Ogunquit, Maine for another 'Nosferatu.'

Sunday night is a biggie: live music for the screening of a 35mm print of 'Dracula' (1931), a talking film with virtually no background music. 

It's the first time I've tried adding a live score to a "talkie" and I'm really looking to trying to help Bela connect but without getting in the way of director Tod Browning's eerie atmosphere—one in which silence plays an important role.

The show marks my return to the venerable (and recently reopened) Somerville Theatre, of of the Boston area's most highly regarded venues. It was where I accompanied my last screening (a Rin Tin Tin program in March 2020) before the pandemic shut everything down.

And the spooky steeplechase continues on Monday with music for 'Nosferatu,' this time for the relaunch of the 'Sounds of Silents' series at the Coolidge Corner Theatre, another Boston-area landmark.

Before plunging ahead, a few scenes from recent screenings.

- After doing music for 'Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde' (1920) on Sunday, Oct. 17 in Natick, Mass., I was delighted when a woman paid me the ultimate compliment: "I was so absorbed in the movie that I forgot someone was playing the music live."

To accompany the film, I used a harpsichord texture (with percussion mixed in where needed) that I felt was very effective at evoking both the genteel world of the mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll and the depraved manner of his alter ego, Mr. Hyde.

Most importantly, it was one texture that didn't have to change with the various on-screen transformations. Rather, it was the music itself (the notes and chords and so on) that transformed, while still keeping within the same basic sound world.

And I think that's crucial, because anything more would have called attention to the music, which would have taken people out of the film. 

Strange: the 'Dr. Jekyll' story is a tale about transformation. And in scoring it, I managed to make myself invisible! 

- Before setting out on the 2½-hour drive home after accompanying 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1922) in Brandon, Vt., I was warned to look out for moose, as the herd was on the move.

I didn't see any Bullwinkles. But while driving full speed down I-89, a fox darted out from nowhere into my headlines and right in front of my car. 

I actually screamed, and instinctively started to swerve to avoid it—a dangerous think to do at 75 mph. But the fox was foxy enough to quickly scoot back to where it came from as I barreled on through.

Wow! It took it as a good reminder of the experience that people seek when they come to see 'Phantom' and 'Nosferatu,' films I've seen a hundred times. So I'll do my best.

- Sometimes you get unexpected comments. This past Sunday (Oct. 24), after accompanying a screening of the railroad melodrama "West-Bound Limited' (1923) in Warner, N.H., a woman came up to me and posed this question: "What would you do without the diminished chord?" 

Wow! Praise or a slam? I'm still trying to figure out what she meant.

Okay, below is info on tonight's 'Phantom of the Opera' in Jaffrey, N.H. If you're within driving distance, come join us! If you're not, there's still plenty of time to get on plane. 

And remember—in silent film, no one can hear you scream!

*  *  *

A vintage poster for 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925.)

MONDAY, OCT. 18, 2021 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Phantom of the Opera' with live music at Jaffrey's Park Theatre on Wednesday, Oct. 27

Just in time for Halloween: Pioneer classic silent horror flick starring Lon Chaney shown on the big screen with live music

JAFFREY, N.H.—Get into the Halloween spirit with a spooky silent horror film!

'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the silent big screen adaptation of the classic thriller, will be shown with live music on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at the newly reopened Park Theatre, 19 Main St., Jaffrey, N.H.

The screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

Admission is $12 per person. Tickets are available online at www.theparktheatre.org or at the door.

The show will allow audiences to experience 'Phantom' at the Park Theatre the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.  

Jaffrey's original Park Theatre opened in 1922, and was a center of community life until closing in the 1970s.

The newly rebuilt Park Theatre opened this past August, the result of a decade-long grassroots effort led by local residents that saw the old theater replaced with a new performing arts center.

'The Phantom of the Opera,' starring legendary actor Lon Chaney in the title role, remains a landmark work of the cinematic horror genre. 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 try to enhance in improvising live music on the spot for the screenings.

"The original 'Phantom' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time passes," said Rapsis, who is based in New Hampshire and frequently accompanies films throughout New England. "It's a great way to celebrate Halloween, and also the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."

'The Phantom of the Opera,' adapted from a 19th century novel by French author Gaston Leroux, featured Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts the opera house. The Phantom, seen only in the shadows, causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to force the opera's management to make the woman he loves into a star.

The film is most famous for Lon Chaney's intentionally horrific, self-applied make-up, which was kept a studio secret until the film's premiere.

Chaney transformed his face by painting his eye sockets black, creating a cadaverous skull-like visage. He also pulled the tip of his nose up and pinned it in place with wire, enlarged his nostrils with black paint, and put a set of jagged false teeth into his mouth to complete the ghastly deformed look of the Phantom.

Chaney's disfigured face is kept covered in the film until the now-famous unmasking scene, which prompted gasps of terror from the film's original audiences.

"No one had ever seen anything like this before," Rapsis said. "Chaney, with his portrayal of 'The Phantom,' really pushed the boundaries of what movies could do."

This screening not brought to you by the American Dental Association. 

Chaney, known as the "Man of a Thousand Faces" due to his versatility with make-up, also played Quasimodo in the silent 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and circus performer 'Alonzo the Armless' in Tod Browning's 'The Unknown' (1927).

The large cast of 'Phantom of the Opera' includes Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé, as the Phantom's love interest; character actor Snitz Edwards; and many other stars of the silent period.

'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal Studios to launch a series of horror films, many of which are also regarded as true classics of the genre, including 'Dracula' (1931), 'Frankenstein' (1931), and 'The Mummy' (1932).

The silent film version of 'Phantom' also paved the way for numerous other adaptations of the story, up to and including the wildly successful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical from 1986 that continues to run on Broadway and in productions around the world.

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925) will be shown on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Park Theatre, 19 Main St., Jaffrey, N.H. Admission is $12 per person. Tickets are available online at www.theparktheatre.org or at the door. For more information, call the box office at (603) 532-8888.

To scream or not to scream? Find out: Attend 'Phantom' on 10/31 in Keene, N.H.

Lon Chaney as the Phantom: A face worth reacting to.

It's a movie-going experience worth screaming about.

Really! It's the original silent version of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), which we're running on Halloween night (Wednesday, Oct. 31) at the Colonial Theatre in Keene, N.H.

Details in the press release below. But what about that screaming?

For the first third of the picture, the title character (played by Lon Chaney) sports a smooth mask that conceals his face.

Why? Well, we find out when the mask suddenly gets removed, revealing his true visage.

The mask-removal scene is an early masterpiece of timing and suspense, I think. The way it's edited, and of course Chaney's hideous make-up job, led Universal to warn theaters that doctors should be stationed at all screening to attend to those prone to fainting.

What an experience that must have been to early movie-goers! And it's hard for us to appreciate these days, nearly a century later, because—well, we've just seen it all.

But there IS a way to recapture some of that early shock that 'Phantom' gave audiences. And it's to employ the audience itself.

When I accompany 'Phantom' screenings around Halloween, I tell the crowd that they have a role to play.

When the Phantom is unmasked, their job is to scream. Loud!

And they do—sometimes for quite awhile. And the screaming, with the music rising up underneath and Lon Chaney glowering at the camera, creates a kind of emotional tidal wave that I think captures a something of the magic that early cinema offered its audiences.

I wouldn't do this at any other time of the year. (But then does 'Phantom' ever get shown other than at Halloween?) But around Halloween, it seems to help the film connect with people, many of whom are unfamiliar with silent film.

Plus it's pretty cool to actually hear a lot of people scream all at once. How often do you get a chance to experience that?

So think asking people to purposefully scream at the unmasking isn't turning the 'Phantom' into a gimmicky novelty or diminishing the film's impact.

I look at it like the sequence in 'Peter Pan' (1924) in which the audience is encouraged to applaud to restore Tinkerbell to life. It can really add to the experience, and encourage people to explore what else vintage cinema has to offer.

Trick or treat! And if you're anywhere near Keene, N.H., lend your voice to our chorus of screams by attending 'The Phantom of the Opera' on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. Details below.

* * *

An original poster for 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 10, 2018 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Phantom of the Opera' with live music at Colonial Theatre on Wednesday, Oct. 31

Celebrate Halloween with pioneer classic silent horror flick starring Lon Chaney in the title role

KEENE, N.H.—Get into the Halloween spirit with a spooky silent horror film!

'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the silent big screen adaptation of the classic thriller, will be shown with live music on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St., Keene, N.H.

Live music will be performed by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis. Admission is $6.50 per person.

'The Phantom of the Opera,' starring legendary actor Lon Chaney in the title role, remains a landmark work of the cinematic horror genre. 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 try to enhance in improvising live music on the spot for the screening.

"The original 'Phantom' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time passes," said Rapsis, who is based in New Hampshire and frequently accompanies films throughout the state. "It's a great way to celebrate Halloween, and also the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."

'The Phantom of the Opera,' adapted from a 19th century novel by French author Gaston Leroux, featured Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts the opera house. The Phantom, seen only in the shadows, causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to force the opera's management to make the woman he loves into a star.

The film is most famous for Lon Chaney's intentionally horrific, self-applied make-up, which was kept a studio secret until the film's premiere.

Chaney transformed his face by painting his eye sockets black, creating a cadaverous skull-like visage. He also pulled the tip of his nose up and pinned it in place with wire, enlarged his nostrils with black paint, and put a set of jagged false teeth into his mouth to complete the ghastly deformed look of the Phantom.

Chaney's disfigured face is kept covered in the film until the now-famous unmasking scene, which prompted gasps of terror from the film's original audiences.

"No one had ever seen anything like this before," Rapsis said. "Chaney, with his portrayal of 'The Phantom,' really pushed the boundaries of what movies could do."

Chaney, known as the "Man of a Thousand Faces" due to his versatility with make-up, also played Quasimodo in the silent 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and circus performer 'Alonzo the Armless' in Tod Browning's 'The Unknown' (1927).

The large cast of 'Phantom of the Opera' includes Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé, as the Phantom's love interest; character actor Snitz Edwards; and many other stars of the silent period.

'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal Studios to launch a series of horror films, many of which are also regarded as true classics of the genre, including Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932).

The silent film version of 'Phantom' also paved the way for numerous other adaptations of the story, up to and including the wildly successful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical from 1986 that continues to run on Broadway and in productions around the world.

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925) will be shown on Wednesday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. at the Colonial Theatre, 95 Main St., Keene, N.H. General admission $6.50 per person. For tickets and information, visit www.thecolonial.org or call (603) 352-2033.

Taking a different approach to Halloween: this year, no plan or pattern whatsoever!

Let's see. Tomorrow it's Frankenstein. Friday it's Houdini. On Saturday, it's Satan. And Sunday, a Hunchback.

With an appointment calendar like that, Halloween can't be far off. And sure enough, the big day itself arrives Wednesday next week, when I have a date with the Phantom of the Opera.

It's the busiest time of the year for silent film accompaniment. The calendar is packed with screenings for boys and ghouls in search of an other-worldly experience.

Hence I'm keeping appointments with everyone from the Vampire Nosferatu to Mephistopheles, a.k.a. Satan.

This variety is a change for me. For previous Halloweens, I've generally picked one film to concentrate on accompanying, and then taken it around to all the various venues looking for a silent film spook fix.

Also, I tried to focus on films that aren't shown as often as the two biggies: Murnau's 'Nosferatu' (1922) and Lon Chaney's 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

So one year it was Alfred Hitchcock's early silent thriller 'The Lodger' (1927). Another year it was 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927), Paul Leni's Gothic haunted house picture. And another year it was Barrymore's 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' (1920).

By concentrating on one film for Halloween and taking it on tour, so to speak, I could really get to know the picture, and so burnish the improv-based accompaniment to a high gloss.

Well, not this year. This time around, it's a different title for nearly every screening. The only repeats: two Phantoms and two Hunchbacks. Otherwise, it's one-offs throughout the season.

Which I don't mind. It's a different kind of challenge to create music for a variety of films, one after another. And I've always felt that for me, the key to doing it well was doing it a lot.

That's what happened last week, which included a four-day stretch of shows in three different states. On Thursday in Massachusetts, it was 'Hunchback of Notre Dame,' followed by 'Wings' (a non-Halloween title!) on Friday up in Maine. Then on Saturday, it was the German thriller 'Der Golem' (1921) over in Vermont then on Sunday 'The Phantom of the Opera' down in Massachusetts again.

And I have to say, but by the time I sat down at the keyboard on Sunday night at the Aeronaut Brewing Co. in Somerville, Mass., I felt I was playing with a fluency and ease that simply wasn't present when I started the four-day run.

So doing it a lot, and mixing up the titles to challenge myself, really seems to work for me.

Does it work for you? Find out by attending one of the upcoming Halloween screenings on my calendar:

• Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, 7 p.m.: "Frankenstein program" at the Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington, Mass.; (781) 646-4849. A triple feature of Frankenstein films, including the early (and short) silent Thomas Edison version. Tickets $8 per person. For more info: www.regenttheatre.com.

• Friday, Oct. 26, 2018, 8 p.m. "Harry Houdini Celebration"; Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington, Mass.; (781) 646-4849. Celebrate the birthday of Harry Houdini, legendary illusionist and escape artist, with an evening that combines live performance with a silent film starring Houdini himself as a James Bond-like action/adventure hero. Silent film with live music in a treasured neighborhood theater and performance space. Tickets $15 in advance, $20 at door. For more info: www.regenttheatre.com.

• Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, 7 p.m.: "Faust" (1926) directed by F.W. Murnau, starring Emil Jannings; Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; http://www.leavittheatre.com. Join us for another season of vintage cinema at the historic Leavitt Theatre. Emil Jannings stars in F.W. Murnau's terrifying version of the classic tale. A visual tour de force, full of creepy characters and frightening images. See great silent films with live music in a summer-only theater opened in 1923 and barely changed since. Admission $10 per person.

• Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, 4:30 p.m.: "Hunchback of Notre Dame" (1923) starring Lon Chaney; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456; www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com. Just in time for Halloween! Lon Chaney stars in the original screen adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel about a deformed bellringer in medieval Paris. A moving and timeless drama filled with classic scenes and capped with a thrilling climax! Monthly series of silent films with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912! Admission free, donations of $5 per person encouraged.

• Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, 7 p.m.: "The Phantom of the Opera" (1925) starring Lon Chaney; Colonial Theatre, 95 Main Street, Keene, N.H.; (603) 352-2033; www.thecolonial.org. Celebrate Halloween with one of the all-time classics. 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. Silent film with live music in a theater that originally opened as a silent movie house in 1924. Tickets: $6.50 per person, general admission.

'Phantom' in Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, 10/30: Plus traffic jams, Peruvian food, aspect ratios

See 'Phantom' on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

We're getting near the end of this year's Halloween silent film decathlon, with just two shows remaining.

Tonight (Saturday, Oct. 29), I'll do music for this year's final screening of 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928), the film in this year's "rotation."

And then Sunday afternoon, it's Lon Chaney in 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H. Showtime is at 4:30 p.m.; more details in the press release attached to the end of this post.

It's been such an eventful week that there's a lot to round up. Here's what happened since last time I checked in, day by day.

John Barrymore and English actor Brandon Hurst in 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' (1920). I've seen a lot of Hurst this month, who also plays Barkilphedro in 'The Man Who Laughs.'

• Sunday, Oct. 23: Pulled into the parking lot of library/town office building in Whitingham Vt. at precisely 1 p.m. to see a large sign promoting their silent film screening...at 1 p.m.!

What?! I thought showtime was 2 p.m. Ooops!

I rushed into the library to find librarian Kristine Sweeter completely unruffled.

"It's okay," she said. "We're pretty relaxed around here."

And so they were.

It's embarrassing to blow into a venue at the exact time when everyone expected the show to start, but the people of Whitingham could not have been nicer.

Geography note: the library is technically in the Village of Jacksonville, which is part of the Town of Whitingham. Just to be clear.

After setting up in record time, the screening of John Barrymore in 'Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde' (1920) took place in a corner of a sprawling 19th century function hall, with people arrayed in chairs behind me.

No one was more than 15 feet from the screen, I think. And it all went very well—people really enjoyed the experience, and lots of good questions afterwards.

Fun fact about Whitingham: It's the birthplace of Brigham Young!

I would have stayed longer, but had to hit the road for the drive to Boston, a two-hour-plus Nantucket Sleigh Ride mostly along Massachusetts Route 2 that took me from deepest rural New England to the big city, where I would accompany 'Phantom' that night at the Aeronaut Brewery in Somerville, Mass.

I pulled out of Whitingham at 3:30 p.m., which allowed exactly enough time for a half-hour stop at Machu Chicken, a Peruvian "pollaria" in Somerville's Union Square (not far from the Aeronaut) that does a great inexpensive roasted chicken.

And don't confuse it with Boston Market: the place received a special permit to import a rotisserie oven from Peru, similar to the kind you'll see in the windows of restaurants lining the streets in Peruvian cities. It's roasted chicken, but really quite different.

And thus would I fortify myself for what promised to be a big show at the Aeronaut: not only was a heavy turnout expected, but a well known and highly regarded silent film accompanist was in town and planning to drop in.

For me, it's always a big deal when another accompanist is in the audience. It serves as special motivation to be at the top of your game and do your very best.

I made it all the way to Somerville right on schedule. Great! About a quarter mile from Union Square, I was just starting to congratulate myself on how everything was working out when blue lights appeared ahead.

The street was closed! (I found out later it was for a Halloween Parade in, yes, Union Square.) And cops were directing all vehicles into a maze of sidestreets where traffic just STOPPED.

When we didmove, it was half a car length before stopping again. Dinner time came and went. And never mind dinner—I began to be concerned I wouldn't make it to the Aeronaut in time.

I eventually made my way in a giant improvised loop through streets I'd never heard of, finally getting to Park Street and reaching the Aeronaut via the back way.

It was 6:20 p.m., with showtime at 7 p.m. So not as close as Whitingham, but close enough!

We did have a good turnout, and reaction was strong. (And for the first time ever, I was preceded by a magician!)

Alas, our guest of honor was waylaid and couldn't make it. But it lent an air of excitement to the evening that I think helped the performance. Hey, whatever it takes!

One interesting wrinkle to 'Phantom' was that we tried to work in an audience participation angle, billing it as a "Collaborative Phantom."

Prior to screening, I asked the audience to be prepared to do two things.

One was any time there were scenes of the opera house audience applauding, I needed them to applaud, too.

The other was at two points, they needed to scream their heads off.

The first time was when the chandelier falls from the ceiling, crashing to the ground floor. The second: when the Phantom's mask is removed.

We tried a few practice runs, and everyone seemed into it. And during the film, it worked great!

The unmasking scene seemed especially magnified by the intentional loud shrieks. So I might keep doing it.

Afterwards, two very stylishly dressed women with jet black hair came up to chat. Turned out they were visiting from Peru!

We had a nice talk about Inca Cola and other things peruvian, including my missed “Pollo a la Brasa” meal.

They said it sounded like the place where Peruvian families would go on a Sunday when no one wanted to cook.

Afterwards, this was enough for me to circle around Union Square on the off chance that Machu Chicken was still open at 10 p.m. on a Sunday—and it was!

So yeah, I had a couple of good screenings. But boy did I enjoy that Peruvian barbecued chicken!

'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) in Plymouth, and several other locations.

• Tuesday, Oct. 25: Driving north for 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H., hit my first snow squall of the season.

This Halloween, 'The Man Who Laughs' is my "project" film: the one I run in multiple places as an antidote to all the screenings of 'Nosferatu' and 'Phantom.'

Audiences have really responded to it, and Plymouth was no exception. Lots of great conversation about this film, which is based on one of Victor Hugo's lesser-known works.

I recall someone wondering how the book differed from the movie. I didn't know, but someone said something along the lines of, "I bet the book ended with everyone dying, and Hollywood had to change it to a happy ending."

Afterwards, I checked. That's exactly what happened!

Original promotional layout for 'The Man Who Laughs.'

• Wednesday, Oct. 26: 'The Man Who Laughs' again, this time at Merrimack College's Rogers Center for the Arts in North Andover, Mass.

Very large turnout for this—maybe about 80 people. Another good screening highlighted by my goofy remark referring to larges jars of candy in the lobby.

"Halloween is fast approaching, yes, and the organizers of tonight's event hope you enjoyed your share of the candy out in the lobby. Tonight's screening, by the way, is sponsored by the American Dental Association."

Chaney and friends in 'The Unholy Three.'

• Thursday, Oct. 27: Drove in driving rain down to the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, Mass. to do music for 'The Unholy Three' (1925), a very strange vehicle in which Lon Chaney plays a sideshow ventriloquist who turns his talents to crime.

This being the first screening at a new venue for me, so turnout was limited. I think we had about a dozen people.

Alas, no image check was done prior to the show. I didn't think to ask for it because the Capitol is sister theater to the Somerville Theater, where I've done shows for years now, and where on-screen image concerns are top priority.

So I was surprised to see 'The Unholy Three' start up in wide-screen ratio! What? It didn't help that the first image of the film is of the "fat lady" in the circus, who was wide enough without being stretched further.

After a minute, when I sensed that no one was going to fix this, I decided I had to stop and fix this. So I did something I almost never do: I stopped playing, stood up, and told the people there we had to stop and start over because the picture was in the wrong aspect ratio.

They stopped the picture, but then nothing happened. So I went back to the keyboard to play some interlude music while things were fixed.

After a few minutes, a woman comes down to talk with me. It's the manager. And she's great and understanding and all, but says there's simply nothing they can do to change what's on the screen.

Really?

So we chatted, and it was soon clear that yes, they had no ability to fix the problem on the equipment in the booth. Sheesh!

So I had to stand up and change my whole pitch to the audience, saying that we were now going to discover how good this film was by finding out if its impact is at all diminished by showing it in the wrong proportions.

No one seemed to mind, though. And off we went, it after awhile you really do kind of forget about how things are stretched horizontally.

Makes me wonder what else we come to accept as natural even if it's dead wrong. I guess we'll find out with the upcoming Presidential election. Har!

On the marquee! In green!

• Friday, Oct. 28: My one screening of 'Nosferatu' (1922) this year is at the Regent Theatre, not that far from the Capitol. (See yesterday.)

The Regent, a busy artistic hub for all manner of performances, does show film, and silent film with live music worked so well as part of their 100th anniversary celebration last April, they thought it was worth trying again, hence tonight's screening.

Wasn't sure what to make of the Regent's "ear plug box."

Well, they were right: About 140 people crowded into the screening, one of those where everything really came together. Great audience reaction throughout, and a fairly sizeable group came down to the keyboard for questions some demonstration.

One woman was so into it, she pumped me for details about tonight's screening at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, where I'm doing one more 'The Man Who Laughs.'

We call it 'Chiller Theatre' in part because it's Halloween weekend, and also because the summer-only theater has no central heating.

It's tonight at 8 p.m., and she's planning to go. Hope you are, too!

And if you'd like more information about 'Phantom of the Opera' on Sunday, Oct. 30 in Wilton, N.H., here's the press release:

* * *

Lon Chaney as the 'Phantom.'

MONDAY, OCT. 10, 2016 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Phantom of the Opera' with live music at Wilton Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 30

Just in time for Halloween: classic silent horror flick starring Lon Chaney shown on the big screen with live music

WILTON, N.H.—Get into the Halloween spirit with a nerve-rattling silent horror film!

'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the first screen adaptation of the classic thriller, will be shown with live music on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 60 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

Live music will be performed by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free, with a donation of $5 per person suggestion to help defray expenses.

The screening is part of the Town Hall Theatre's ongoing monthly silent film series.

'The Phantom of the Opera,' starring legendary actor Lon Chaney in the title role, remains a landmark work of the cinematic horror genre. To modern viewers, the passage of time has made the picture 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.

"The original 'Phantom' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time passes," said Rapsis, who is based in New Hampshire and accompanies films at venues around the nation. "It's a great way to celebrate Halloween, and also the power of silent film to transport audiences to strange and unusual places."

'The Phantom of the Opera,' adapted from a 19th century novel by French author Gaston Leroux, featured Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts the opera house. The Phantom, seen only in the shadows, causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to force the opera's management to make the woman he loves into a star.

The film is most famous for Lon Chaney's intentionally horrific, self-applied make-up, which was kept a studio secret until the film's premiere.

Chaney transformed his face by painting his eye sockets black, creating a cadaverous skull-like visage. He also pulled the tip of his nose up and pinned it in place with wire, enlarged his nostrils with black paint, and put a set of jagged false teeth into his mouth to complete the ghastly deformed look of the Phantom.

Chaney's disfigured face is kept covered in the film until the now-famous unmasking scene, which prompted gasps of terror from the film's original audiences.

"No one had ever seen anything like this before," Rapsis said. "Chaney, with his portrayal of 'The Phantom,' really pushed the boundaries of what movies could do."

Chaney, known as the "Man of a Thousand Faces" due to his versatility with make-up, also played Quasimodo in the silent 'Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) and circus performer 'Alonzo the Armless' in Tod Browning's 'The Unknown' (1927).

The large cast of 'Phantom of the Opera' includes Mary Philbin as Christine Daaé, as the Phantom's love interest; character actor Snitz Edwards; and many other stars of the silent period.

'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal Studios to launch a series of horror films, many of which are also regarded as true classics of the genre, including Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), and The Mummy (1932).

The silent film version of 'Phantom' also paved the way for numerous other adaptations of the story, up to and including the wildly successful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical from 1986 that continues to run on Broadway and in productions around the world.

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925) will be shown on Sunday, Oct. 30 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 60 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission is free; suggested donation of $5 per person. For more info, visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com or call (603) 654-3456.

Halloween: The busiest time of the year for spooks and silent film accompanists

Conrad Veidt and Olga Baklanova in 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928).

Last night I attended a rehearsal of the N.H. Philharmonic, a local orchestra which later this season will play through a score I've composed.

More on that as it develops. But for now, the prospect of a world premiere was scary enough to remind me that we're entering the busiest time of the year for silent film musicians: Halloween.

Yes, the remainder of this month is crowded with silent film screenings all over New England, and all designed to put people in a mood macabre.

And it's fitting. One of the lasting images of silent film is Lon Chaney as the Phantom of the Opera, playing subterranean pipe organ.

(And yes, I'm doing 'Phantom' a couple times this cycle, plus a lot of other titles. The full schedule is below.)

It's not just me. Other area accompanists such as Peter Krasinski have heavy schedules of Halloween fare.

So silent film fans, prepare for a scary smorgasbord of spooky silents ("Alliteration, the newsman's poetry!") in locations ranging from rural towns to the big city—in our case, Boston.

You'll notice 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928) is programmed several times. It's this year's example of a worthy movie I believe has been overlooked. And so it's the one "in the rotation," meaning it's the film I play to avoid wearing out known classics such as 'Nosferatu' and 'Phantom.'

Original promotional material for 'The Man Who Laughs' (1928).

Also, two screenings mark the start of new silent film series in the Boston area that I'll be accompanying.

At the Capitol Theatre in Arlington, Mass. a screening of the rarely seen Chaney film 'The Unholy Three' (1925) will launch what's intended to be a monthly program of silent film screenings with live music.

The Capitol is sister theater to the Somerville Theatre in nearby Somerville, Mass., where I also accompany a monthly silent film series. The difference is that the Somerville is committed to showing 35mm prints; the Capitol is where we'll run worthy titles for which 35mm prints simply isn't available.

And at the Regent Theatre, also in Arlington, Mass., I'm pleased to report that last spring's screening of Mary Pickford's early feature 'Rags' (1916) was successful enough for this 100-year-old venue to add periodic silent film screenings to its regular schedule.

First up is on Friday, Oct. 28, when we'll run 'Nosferatu' (1921), a great Halloween film and one which I think gets even creepier as the years go by.

The Regent intends to include silent film with live music on a regular basis for this season, and I hope we'll be able to build a good audience there.

Okay, here's the spooked-up calendar through the end of the month.

And remember: in silent film, no one can hear you scream!

• Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2016, 6 p.m.: "The Leopard Woman" (1920); Carpenter Memorial Auditorium, Manchester Public Library, 405 Pine St., Manchester, N.H.; (603) 624-6550; Manchester Public Library. Battle-of-wits jungle drama about an British explorer and a female spy from a rival goverment ordered to foil his mission. The fun begins when rather than killing the explorer, she falls in love with him—and then he goes blind! Monthly series of rarely screened silent films presented with live music in 1913 auditorium. Admission free, donations encouraged.

• Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, 6:30 p.m.: "Woman in the Moon" (1929); The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551; http://www.flyingmonkeynh.com/. The final silent film of director Fritz Lang ('Metropolis') is an amazing epic about mankind's first-ever lunar voyage, complete with espionage, romance, stowaways, and spectacular visual design. Part of a monthly silent film series at a newly restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Admission, $10 per person.

Actor Tully Marshall is about to meet his end in 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927).

• Friday, Oct. 14, 2016, 7 p.m.: "The Cat and the Canary" (1927) directed by Paul Leni, starring Laura LaPlante; Red River Theatres, 11 South Main St., Concord, N.H.; (603) 224-4600; http://www.redrivertheatres.org/. Can a group of strangers 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! See if if you dare! Silent film with live music at this popular venue for independent and arthouse cinema in New Hampshire's state capital. Admission $10 per person.

• Saturday, Oct. 15, 2016, 7 p.m.: "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) starring Conrad Veidt; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt.; http://www.brandontownhall.org. 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! Preceded by spooky comedy short subjects. 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. 16, 2016, 2 p.m.: "Lon Chaney Double Feature", Charlestown Old Town Hall, 19 Summer St., Charlestown, N.H. Just in time for Halloween: two movies starring Chaney, 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) and 'The Unknown' (1927), make up a creepy double feature presented by the Charlestown Historical Society. 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) ranks as one of the most revived films of the silent era. With Chaney in the lead role, the original movie adaptation of the story of a deformed musician living beneath the Paris Opera House remains an audience favorite. '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. Admission is free and the public is welcome; donations are encouraged, with proceeds to support Historical Society activities.

• Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, 8 p.m.: "The Unknown" (1927) starring Lon Chaney; Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.; http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. Celebrate Halloween with a twisted circus drama starring Lon Chaney as 'Alonzo the Armless' and a very young Joan Crawford as the woman he loves but cannot have. Directed by Tod Browning, who would go on to create the cult classic 'Freaks' (1932). Part of a planned multi-day "TerrorThon" at the Somerville Theatre, a 100-year-old moviehouse committed to keeping alive the experience of 35mm film on the big screen. Featuring outstandingly exacting work of legendary projectionist David Kornfeld. For more info, call the theater box office at (617) 625-5700. Admission is either single ticket or through multi-day pass. Check with theater for details.

Original poster art for the original screen adaptation of 'Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.' (1921).

•Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, 1 p.m. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (1921) starring John Barrymore; Whitingham Free Public Library, 2948 Route 100, Jacksonville, Vt.; (802) 368-7506. Just in time for Halloween! John Barrymore plays both title roles in the original silent film adaptation of the classic novella by Robert Louis Stevenson. A performance that helped establish Barrymore as one of the silent era's top stars. Free and open to the public.

• Sunday, Oct. 23, 2016, 8 p.m. "Phantom of the Opera" (1925) starring Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin; Aeronaut Brewing Co., 14 Tyler St., Somerville, Mass. Admission $10 per person, limited seating. 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! Part of the Aeronaut Brewery's commitment to showcase local music, art, and performance. Limited seating so reserve early; for more details on tickets, visit Aeronaut Brewing online.

• Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, 6:30 p.m.: "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) starring Conrad Veidt; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551; http://www.flyingmonkeynh.com/. 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! Preceded by spooky comedy short subjects. Part of a monthly silent film series at a newly restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Admission, $10 per person.

• Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, 7 p.m.: "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) starring Conrad Veidt; Rogers Center for the Arts, Merrimack College, 315 North Turnpike St., North Andover, Mass. (978) 837-5355. Creepy and unnerving 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. Great Halloween film, set the stage for Universal horror classics such as 'Frankenstein' and 'Dracula.' Silent film with live music on the campus of Merrimack College. Free admission. For more information, visit the Rogers Center online.

• Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016, 8 p.m.: "The Unholy Three" (1925) starring Lon Chaney, directed by Tod Browning; The Capitol Theatre, 204 Massachusetts Ave., Arlington, Mass.; (603) 536-2551; http://capitoltheatreusa.com/. In this hypnotic mix of creepiness and crime, the man of a thousand faces (Chaney) plays a ventriloquist who dons a granny disguise to team with a strongman and a little person in a bizarre robbery scheme that ends in murder. The film is the first collaboration between Chaney and director Browning, who would helm seven more Chaney movies before making sound era horror history with 'Dracula' (1931) and 'Freaks' (1932). A great way to get into the Halloween spirit. See it if you dare!

• Friday, Oct. 28, 2016, 7:30 p.m. "Nosferatu" (1921); Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington, Mass; (781) 646-4849, www.regenttheatre.com. Admission $12 in advance, $15 at door. Celebrate Halloween by experiencing the original silent film adaptation of Bram Stoker's famous 'Dracula' story. Still scary after all these years—in fact, some critics believe this version is not only the best ever done, but has actually become creepier with the passage of time. See for yourself, if you dare. Silent film with live music in a theater that's been operating for more than a century!

• Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, 8 p.m.: "The Man Who Laughs" (1928) starring Conrad Veidt; Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123; http://www.leavittheatre.com. 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! Preceded by spooky comedy short subjects. See great silent films with live music in a summer-only theater opened in 1923 and barely changed since. Admission $10 per person.

• Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016, 4:30 p.m.: "Phantom of the Opera" (1925) starring Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456; www.wiltontownhalltheatre.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! Part of a series of silent films with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912! Admission free, donations of $5 per person encouraged.