Looking back at a RR double feature; looking ahead to 'The Crowd' on Sunday, 10/5

Must be a screening coming up because here's the poster!

A much-anticipated screening (by me, and others, I hope) of 'The Crowd' (1928) in 35mm is coming up on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass.

I do hope 'The Crowd' draws a crowd. But before getting into that, first let me tip my engineer's cap to two great silent train melodramas I accompanied this past Sunday at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Both films were bottom-of-the-bill programmers intended to play theaters for maybe a week, and then be forgotten.

But the folks who put together this pictures knew what they were doing. Their work holds up today, judging by the huge reaction each got from our audience.

'The West-Bound Limited' (1923), released by Joseph P. Kennedy's company FBO, focused on a rivalry for the affections of the daughter of the railroad's president.

Opening with a dramatic action sequence, this hour-long flick played like a house afire, with one intense scene after another.

'Transcontinental Limited' (1926), from second-tier studio Chadwick Pictures, focused more on the human side of things, and had a lot more humor in it.

But it too came through with a rip-roaring railroad climax that sent our audience (and me) home breathless and smiling.

Both these pictures are great examples, I think, of how the value of a particular silent film is hard to know unless you show it before an audience in a theater with live music.

Time and time again, I've encountered films that seem like nothing special when viewed on my own, but which sprang to life when screened as originally intended.

In addition, both train pictures were of interest because they focused on an aspect of American life that's completely different from today.

Gone are the days when the nation's cities and towns were connected by a dense network of passenger rail services. So it's fascinating to see society arranged and functioning in such a different way.

One issue with accompanying 'Transcontinental Limited' was the prominent role played by a then-popular novelty song, "Mademoiselle from Armentières," better known as "Hinky Dinky Parlez Vous."

I took a snatch of the melody, and also the rhythm of the song (which I didn't otherwise know) and used it extensively as the score emerged.

But that wasn't enough for about a half-dozen people in the audience, who came up afterwards to sing the whole thing in an impromptu recital right there in the theater.

Sliding into 'The Crowd,' with cast members on location at Coney Island.

About 'The Crowd': this was one of the first films I attempted to score. At the time I only had access to a blurry digital transfer, but the power of King Vidor's vision still came through.

I haven't done it since, due mostly to the inability to get a decent-looking edition. Also, I wanted to make sure my technique was up to what this film required.

Well, the "good-looking edition" question was solved earlier this year when Ian Judge, manager of the Somerville Theatre, got access to a 35mm print of the film, and scheduled it as part of the theater's monthly 'Silents Please!' series.

So I'm really excited to see this film on the big screen as originally intended. Why? Plenty of reasons are found in the press release below, which has all the details.

And as for technique—well, I don't know. I'm planning on doing an "all strings" score, using material that will grow out of open fifths with a kind of "Fanfare for the Common Man" kind of feel.

I think one of the keys to having music help tie the film together is to have some specific and easily recognizable music for scenes with clowns in them.

I won't say why, because I don't want to spoil the picture if you haven't seen it. And also, there's one specific tune (played by record on a Victrola) that I need to have ready.

Still, no matter how much experience I get, when I sit down to accompany a film, it's like stepping into the batter's box. Anything could happen, from a home run to a strikeout.

But my confidence is growing. Just today (Tuesday, Sept. 30), I'm headed down to Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. to accompany a program of Chaplin films for a silent cinema course.

Harvard! As I've been joking lately, I might not have received that acceptance letter 32 years ago—but I knew if I waited long enough, I'd eventually get the call!

Hope to see you in the crowd at 'The Crowd' on Sunday, Oct. 5. More info in the press release below...

* * *

Tension is on the breakfast menu for James Murray and Eleanor Boardman in 'The Crowd' (1928).

MONDAY, SEPT. 29, 2014 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Silent film masterpiece 'The Crowd' to be screened in Somerville

Program on Sunday, Oct. 5 features 35mm film print, live musical accompaniment

SOMERVILLE, Mass.—One of the first major Hollywood films to use the life of an average family to create intense and moving drama will highlight the next installment of the Somerville Theatre's "Silents Please!" series.

'The Crowd' (1928), an MGM silent film that probed the dark side of the American dream, expanded the language of cinema and earned two nominations at the first-ever Academy Awards.

'The Crowd' will be screened on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theater, 55 Davis Square in Somerville, Mass. Admission $15 for adults; $12 for students/seniors.

The movie will be accompanied live by silent film musician Jeff Rapsis. 'The Crowd' will be shown in the Somerville Theatre's main theater using a 35mm print.

'The Crowd' follows one man's story from birth through young adulthood, marriage, and family life. Although a drama, the film embraces a wide range of emotions from comedy to tragedy. Above all, it used the then-new art form of motion pictures to transform an ordinary life into a powerful narrative and universal story that even today maintains its power to move audiences.

In addition, director King Vidor insisted on giving 'The Crowd' an unprecedented realism, shooting scenes on location on New York City streets. Unusual for a big studio production at the time, the film featured scenes shot in a small apartment's cramped and unglamorous bathroom, including Hollywood's first-ever on-screen flush toilet.

Irony Department: An New York apartment meant to be a cramped walk-up actually looks kinda spacious by today's standards.

"This is the one first pictures that compelled audience members to think hard about their own lives—where they were going, and what it was all about," said Ian Judge, manager of the Somerville Theatre. "It connected powerfully with audiences, and showed the power of the movies to really move people in ways that no art form had done before in the same way."

The film stars James Murray in the lead role as John Sims and Eleanor Boardman as his wife, Mary.

'The Crowd' mixes striking visual styles and moving camera cinematography, influenced by 1920s German cinema and F.W. Murnau in particular, with intense, intimate scenes of the family's poignant struggle. Vidor avoided casting big-name stars in the film to attain greater authenticity; Murray was a studio extra, and Boardman was a minor actress and Vidor's second wife.

Vidor's great financial success as a director at MGM in the 1920s allowed him to sell the unusual scenario to production head Irving Thalberg as an experimental film as the silent era was ending. MGM chief Louis B. Mayer reportedly disliked the film for its bleak subject matter and lack of a happy ending. In fact, several alternate upbeat endings were filmed and previewed at the studio's insistence, but Vidor persevered and the film was released with the original, logical conclusion.

At the first-ever Academy Awards in 1929, 'The Crowd' was honored with a nomination for "Unique and Artistic Picture" and Vidor nominated for Best Director.

James Murray in 'The Crowd.' After an amazing performance, Murray sank back into obscurity and died young in the 1930s.

With then-new talking pictures capturing the public's attention, 'The Crowd' was only a modest box office success upon its initial release. Since then, it has been consistently hailed as one of the greatest and most enduring American silent films.

In 1989, this film was one of the first 25 films to be selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Although 'The Crowd' was recognized as a brilliant achievement, few directors followed in Vidor's footsteps right away. Depression-era audiences sought escapist entertainment over the stark realism of 'The Crowd,' which filmmakers would not embrace again until after the end of World War II.

Director Jean-Luc Godard was asked in the 1960s why more films were not made about ordinary people, and his response was "Why remake 'The Crowd?' It has already been done."

Recent reviewers have found 'The Crowd' as compelling and timeless as ever.

"Certainly one of Vidor's best films, a silent masterpiece which turns a realistically caustic eye on the illusionism of the American dream. ... The performances are absolutely flawless, and astonishing location work in the busy New York streets lends a gritty ring of truth."
—Tom Milne, Time Out

"Perhaps the best silent film ever made and undoubtedly the most existential. If you don’t like the silent era, think again — and take a peek at The Crowd."
—AMC Movie Guide

'The Crowd' will be shown using a 35mm black-and-white print on the theater's big screen with correct lighting, speed, and aspect ratio. Although the Somerville, like most movie houses, recently installed digital projection for first-run pictures, the theater remains committed to keeping alive the experience of film in the 35mm format.

"For more than a century, movies were shot and edited and watched using 35mm film," said Rapsis, who will create live music to accompany the film. "Today, the chance to see a vintage film in its original format and in a theater is increasingly rare. The Somerville's screening of 'The Crowd' is a chance to experience this movie in the format and setting it was designed for."

The screening is the latest in a series of silent film events celebrating the recent 100th birthday of the Somerville Theatre, where movies have been shown since 1914. Upcoming screenings in the 'Silents, Please!' series include:

• Sunday, Nov. 16, 2 p.m.: 'The Strong Man' (1926) starring Harry Langdon. With World War I over, baby-faced soldier Harry Langdon searches for the girl who sent such moving letters to him in the trenches. Directed by a very young Frank Capra, 'The Strong Man' is today hailed as Langdon's best feature, and also one of the great comedies of the silent film era.

'The Crowd' will be screened in 35mm with live music on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theater, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Admission $15 adults, $12 students/seniors. For more information, call (617) 625-5700 or visit http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Coming soon (like this afternoon)... 'Ben Hur' (1925) at the Somerville Theatre

If you're checking out this blog either in advance of or just after the screening of 'Ben Hur' (1925) at the Somerville Theatre, welcome! It's been a busy week for me, so I'm afraid I don't have a lot of specific info about the show or the film other than to say I'm really looking forward to it.

If you're considering joining us today, please do! It's a one-of-a-kind program (including an earlier one-reel version of the story produced in 1907) and a chance to see one of the great films of early cinema on film and on the big screen with live music and an audience -- the way it was intended to be experienced.

And if you've just seen it, thanks for coming and I would love to get your thoughts and opinions on the movie, the music, or the overall experience, thumbs up or down. You can comment on this blog or reach me via e-mail at jeffrapsis@gmail.com. Feedback is really helpful because I often have no idea what it's like out in the audience.

If you're seeking info about additional screenings, just click on "Upcoming Silent Film Screenings" at the upper right, and you'll see a list of my engagements. A simple search online will lead you to many other silent film screenings as well.

For more info about the screening and the film, I'm pasting in the text of the most recent press release that we sent out. Here goes....

* * * TUESDAY, JULY 2, 2013 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Somerville Theatre unearths early 1907 15-minute version of 'Ben Hur' story

Ultra-short version, filmed in NYC, to precede screening of epic full-length ‘Ben Hur’ (1925) on Sunday, July 14

SOMERVILLE, Mass.—One of early Hollywood's greatest epics returns to the big screen with a showing of 'Ben Hur, A Tale of The Christ' (1925) on Sunday, July 14 at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass. The screening, in 35mm with live music by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis, starts at 1 p.m. Admission is $15 per person.

This week, the Somerville announced a special added attraction to the July 14 program. Preceding the blockbuster 1925 version of 'Ben Hur' will be a rare one-reel adaptation produced in 1907 by the Kalem Film Co. of New York City. The earlier version, which runs just 15 minutes, was filmed on location in and around New York City, with Manhattan Beach in Brooklyn substituting for the Holy Land.

The Kalem one-reel edition is highlighted by an early screen appearance of actor William S. Hart, who had toured for many years in a stage version of 'Ben Hur' in the key role of Messala. Hart would later turn his attention full-time to Hollywood, where he pioneered the western genre during the silent era.

The 1907 'Ben Hur' will be shown via a rare 16mm print as a warm-up for the MGM's 1925 version of 'Ben Hur,' which will be screened in 35mm. Live music for both films will be provided by silent film accompanist Jeff Rapsis.

"This earlier version of 'Ben Hur' is a real find," said Ian Judge, Somerville Theatre manager. "It's very unusual to get a chance to see it on the big screen, and we're thrilled to include it with the MGM version of 'Ben Hur' as part of our 'Silents, Please' series."

The one-reel version of 'Ben Hur' was not without controversy. The film was made without obtaining the rights to the story, the usual procedure in the industry at the time, and Kalem was sued by the estate of author Lew Wallace, who had published the immensely popular 'Ben Hur' novel in 1880.

The parties reached an out-of-court settlement in 1911, in which Kalem paid the estate $25,000—an extremely large amount for the time. The action helped to establish the necessity of film studios obtaining motion picture rights to the properties they used for their stories.

The main attraction for the screening on Sunday, July 14 remains the MGM version of 'Ben Hur,' starring Ramon Novarro and Francis X. Bushman. Among the first motion pictures to tell a Biblical-era story on an enormous scale, the film helped establish MGM as a leading Hollywood studio, employed a cast of thousands and boasted action sequences that included a large-scale sea battle.

The 1925 'Ben Hur' is highlighted by a spell-binding chariot race sequence that broke new ground in film editing and still leaves audiences breathless.

Set in the Holy Land at the time of Christ's birth, 'Ben Hur' tells the story of a Jewish family in Jerusalem whose fortune is confiscated by the Romans and its members jailed. The enslaved family heir, Judah Ben Hur (played by Novarro, a leading silent-era heartthrob) is inspired by encounters with Christ to pursue justice, which leads him to a series of epic adventures in his quest to find his mother and sister and restore his family fortune.

The screening is the latest in the Somerville Theatre's monthly series of silent film screenings. Dubbed 'Silents, Please,' the series aims to showcase the best of early Hollywood the way it was intended to be experienced: in 35mm prints, on the big screen, with live music, and in a theater with an audience.

"Put together those elements, and it's amazing how much power these films still have. You realize why these films caused people to first fall in love with the movies, said accompanist Jeff Rapsis, who will improvise a full score for the 2½-hour epic.

For each film, Rapsis improvises a music score using original themes created beforehand. None of the the music is written down; instead, the score evolves in real time based on audience reaction and the overall mood as the movie is screened.

'Ben Hur,' directed by Fred Niblo, was among the most expensive films of the silent era, taking two years to make and costing between $4 million and $6 million. When released in 1925, it became a huge hit for the newly formed Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio.

The film was remade by MGM in the 1950s in a color and wide-screen version starring Charleston Heston that garnered 11 Academy Awards. Some critics believe the original 1925 version offers superior drama and story-telling. MGM executives at the time, aware of the quality of the original version, attempted to destroy all prints of the 1925 'Ben Hur,' sending the FBI out to confiscate collector copies in the 1950s. However, the studio did preserve the negative of the 1925 version, so the film remains available today.

"We encourage people to attend, as it's a rare chance to see the original 'Ben Hur' from a studio 35mm print," said accompanist Rapsis. "Also, people should come because silent films were communal experience—one in which the presence of a large audience intensifies everyone’s reactions. If you've never attended a silent film with live music, this one is worth checking out.”

Upcoming films in the Somerville's silent series include:

• Sunday, Aug. 4, 1 p.m.: 'The General' (1927) starring Buster Keaton. Stone-faced Buster's cinematic masterpiece, set during the U.S. Civil War, finds Keaton playing a Confederate train engineer forced to pursue his locomotive when it's hijacked by Union spies. One of the grandest adventure/comedy films of all time.

• Sunday, Sept. 8, 1 p.m.: 'The Freshman' (1925) starring Harold Lloyd. Get in a back-to-school mood with Lloyd's genre-defining comedy about a young man's climb to social prominence via the college football squad. Great story aided by top-rate silent film comedy.

Both silent version of ‘Ben Hur’ will be shown on Sunday, July 14 at 1 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Admission is $15 per person. For more information, call (617) 625-5700 or visit http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com.

'Mommy, what's that needle for?' Highlights from a busy week of screenings

Chaplin the Cop sits on the syringe in 'Easy Street' (1917)

The title of this post is what I heard behind me while doing music for Chaplin's comedy 'Easy Street' (1917).

This is the one where Chaplin's gal, Edna Purviance, is menaced by a man who plunges a large syringe into his forearm. ("Say No To Drugs" was far in the future.) The needle is left on a bench, poised upright; Chaplin later sits on it, and the effect on him is similar to the effect of spinach on Popeye. In short order, he routs the bullies and saves Edna.

And in the middle of it all, the voice of a young girl asking, "Mommy, what's that needle for?"

Well, so much for the image of silent comedy as family entertainment. It's more like a mine field, actually, where every now and then something explodes into racism, sexism, or just plain bad taste. Drugs can pop up at any time, even in the most innocent of light comedies.

In 'Get Out and Get Under,' Harold Lloyd's car breaks down in front of an opium den. Harold borrows a syringe from a junkie and injects his recalcitrant engine; the car takes off with renewed energy and Harold must chase it down the road.

And then there's Douglas Fairbanks in 'The Mystery of the Leaping Fish' (1916) a Sherlock Holmes spoof in which Fairbanks stuffs himself with cocaine throughout the film. Really. His character's name is "Coke Ennyday," and the face of his apartment clock reads only EATS, DRINKS, SLEEPS, and DOPE.

Ah, the good old days!

But doing four screenings in four different states in one week can lend itself to a kind of hallucinatory state. Last night, while loading my gear in car after a screening of 'The General' (1926) at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, I told theater owner Peter Clayton that sometimes my head keeps doing music after the movie's over.

"Just coming out of the theater with my keyboard, I was thinking of a little arpeggio in F major," I said.

Who needs syringes when you have silent film music? And before experiences of the past week get buried by experiences of weeks to come, here's a quick round-up of impressions from four screenings in four different states.

Douglas Fairbanks and his ever-present cigarette in 'The Gaucho.'

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, Plymouth. 'The Gaucho' (1927) on Thursday, June 13. One of the few Fairbanks swashbucklers that I hadn't done before, 'The Gaucho' was well received by a relatively small audience of about 30.

I first saw this picture earlier this year at the Kansas Silent Film Festival, and it didn't do much for me, I think primarily because Fairbanks just shows up as the famous 'Gaucho,' feared by all. Why? To me, it was as though Fairbanks was coasting on the reputation of characters from previous films.

Same thing with "Ruiz the Usurper," played by Gustav von Seyffertitz. Who is this guy, and what is he usurping? We're never told, and Fairbanks seems to be just asking us to take it on faith that Ruiz is even nastier than the Gaucho. (He could have improved the film by borrowing a page from Harold Lloyd's book and having Ruiz do something like throw a stick at a cat, which Lloyd used to define the bully in 'Grandma's Boy.')

And then, in the climax, it's not Fairbanks who saves the day, but a huge herd of stampeding cattle! (Cue the jokes about stock footage.) Oh, for the magic of Fairbanks in 'Zorro' or 'Robin Hood' or 'The Black Pirate,' where he vanquishes hordes of villains single-handedly, without the help of a single steer!

So I was curious to see if music could help mask what I felt were some rough edges of what ought to be a major Fairbanks adventure from the height of the silent film era. What I found was that I couldn't do much for the character issues, other than to make the music for Ruiz and his cronies even more foreboding than that of the Gaucho. But the stampede really did come to life by amping up the accompaniment out of all proportion, which I imagine what a stampede must be like (I've never been near one) and is probably the effect Fairbanks was after.

Though I've never been in the presence of an actual stampede, I've seem them in the movies. And I was very impressed with what Jon Miralis did this past March at Cinefest in Syracuse, N.Y.  when he accompanied a climactic stampede in 'Wild Beauty' (1926) not so much with music, but with some very deep and constant rolling and growling in the bass. I asked him about it afterwards, and he just said, "a lotta notes."

To understand what I did for 'The Gaucho,' you first have to understand that at the Flying Monkey, I plug my digital synthesizer into the house sound system, which is designed to handle extremely loud bands that are often booked into the space. So during the silent film sound check we have to take things way down to get the level that works for me. This usually means keeping my master volume at a fairly low level.

And now here comes the stampede, which I accompanied by this low and shifting trud in the bass and percussion. To bring it out, I decided to try something I never do—notch my volume output up just a bit as if to say "movie climax." To my surprise, it was really effective at creating this sense of dread and of powerful forces being unleashed, even as things were just getting started.

So, thinking you can't have too much of a good thing, I touched it up another notch, all the while building the booming accompaniment, which was really filling the hall by that point. And then again, and, as the action warranted, yet again, and also slowing increasing the tempo, too. It was very exciting and clearly had "BIG MOVIE CLIMAX" written all over it as the audience sat there mesmerized. (You can sense this from the keyboard.)

In one of those fortunate freaks of timing, I was able to build the sound up to a competely thundering degree at just the right moment, when the stampede allows the Gaucho and his fellow outlaws to rout Ruiz and his troops. Sitting there doing it, making all that noise as the film built to a climax, was one of those exciting, I-can't-believe-I'm-doing-this moments that I love.

So, note for the future: at the finish of 'The Gaucho,' take a cue from the cattle, and don't be afraid to let loose.

Prior to the film, I had one amusing line, I thought. I pointed out how in recent years, parental warnings about the content of contemporary films now include "scenes of characters smoking" as something to watch out for. If smoking is a concern, families with children might want to consider leaving now, I said, as would anyone trying to quit smoking.

Afterwards, a guy said something I thought was funny: "You know, if I could do what Douglas Fairbanks could do with a cigarette, I'd smoke all the time."

One of the joys of watching six Chaplin Mutuals in a row is getting to know Chaplin's "Not Ready for Prime Time Players" stock company, including (from left) Eric Campbell, Edna Purviance, and Henry Bergman.

VERMONT: Brandon Town Hall, Brandon. 'Charlie Chaplin Short Comedies' on Saturday, June 15. This was an unexpectedly tough program because one of the backers of this silent film series was tragically killed in a car accident two days before. Maxine Thurston, 81, was a lovely woman who had specifically asked us to do a program of Chaplin's short comedies this season. Her sudden death came as a huge shock to the whole community—and here I was, coming up to do a program of slapstick comedies two days following this horrible news.

In a word, awkward! Should we postpone? Should there be a Plan B? But I credit Dennis Marden, Mei Mei Brown, and all who organize the Brandon series for thoughtfully considering the situation and concluding that going on with the show is what Maxine would have wanted and was best for the community. So we did, with me saying a few words about Maxine's loss prior to the show.

Any thoughts that the program wouldn't be appreciated or appropriate were dispelled by a turnout of over 100 people, who roared at Chaplin's antics in 'Behind the Screen,' 'The Rink,' and 'Easy Street,' all Mutual two-reelers. It was during the latter that I heard the girl ask about the needle. Also, 'Behind the Screen' mocks homosexuality, which I sensed was another unpleasant surprise for some in the audience. Ah, the good old days!

For the program, I had chosen to show Chaplin's last six Mutual comedies, in part to make it easy on those manning the project. Just load them in and off we go! A fun two-hour show. But it took several minues to cue each film, and intermission ran long, and the films themselves are closer to a half-hour each. So the way things worked out, it took well over three hours, and I'm afraid the overall effect of all-night slapstick was like eating nothing but dessert for three hours.

Unlike the stampede in 'The Gaucho,' in Chaplin's slapstick, you really can have too much of a good thing.

One of those "perhaps a tear" moments in 'The Kid' (1921) where you can ramp up the accompaniment.

MASSACHUSETTS: The Somerville Theatre, Somerville. 'The Kid' (1921) on Father's Day, Sunday, June 16. This all-35mm program at the Somerville was a high point, with more than 200 people showing up to laugh at Chaplin's antics in 'The Rink,' gawk at the propganda of 'The Bond,' and let the mastery of 'The Kid' wash all over them. Seeing these films on film and on the big screen, with master projectionist David Kornfeld in the booth, was an experience to be savored.

Musically, the Chaplin Mutuals the night before acted as just the right prelude, so I was able to get quickly into the zone and stay there. I started with organ accompaniment for 'The Rink,' which I think works well, if only because it has a kind of skating-rink feel to it. And the fact that I'd run the film the night before helped me nail much of the comedy, even as the print seemed to be running a bit too fast for my taste at 24 fps.

'The Bond' was a lot of fun, and special in the sense that I don't ever expect to see that film again in 35mm. And 'The Kid' worked well, with me coming in strong with dramatic music in the opening and then trying hard to back off once Chaplin appears. The comedy is on the screen, not in the music, but the right music can help the comedy. But you have to be careful not to overpower the comedy. Too much music, and the audience can't hear each other laugh. And that kills the audience experience, one of the great glories of silent film done right.

But then you can get dramatic when the occasion calls for it. Chaplin called his film a story with "a smile, and perhaps a tear," and the "tear" is when you can broaden the accompaniment into something a bit more robust. In the scene where little Jackie Coogan is being taken away from Chaplin, bound for an orphanage, I amped things up quite a bit, almost too much, I feared, because at the moment when Chaplin jumps into the moving truck to battle the orphanage thugs, there was no audience reaction!

What? Usually, that's when people break into spontaneous cheers. Rats! The moment passed and you have to continue on, but I wondered if I had somehow killed the reaction. I drew back just a bit, allowing the audience a chance to hear each other, and sure enough, we did get the cathartic outburst, a little delayed, when Chaplin scares off the driver of the truck by throwing bricks. Phew! The moment was not lost.

Overall, I felt it went really well. And this is in Boston, mind you—the big city around here, home to some of the world's best musicians and ensembles, from the Boston Symphony Orchestra on down. And here I was, right in the middle of it, doing my stuff in front of a large and appreciative crowd. I wonder...if I had pursued my adolescent desire to study composing at, say, Boston University, would I have ever made this kind of music in this kind of environment, and found it this satisfying?

As Roger Ebert sometimes would write: "I dunno." But I am profoundly grateful to the folks at the Somerville, including David and also manager Ian Judge, for their support of what I've been doing. And I'm really looking forward to doing music for the silent version of 'Ben Hur' (1925) on Sunday, July 14.

A vintage poster for 'The General' (1926), which Peter Clayton of The Leavitt Theater in Ogunquit, Maine went to the trouble of blowing up to actual poster size and putting on sandwich boards in front of his theater.

MAINE: The Leavitt Theatre, Ogunquit. 'The General' (1926) on Thursday, June 20. Opening night of our summer/fall silent film series was a success, with 54 people turning out for Buster's masterpiece. I just love the Leavitt because it's so improbable. Here's Peter Clayton, who's owned the hulking old building for 40 years, still cobbling together a living from renting out the storefronts and running the theater, spending all winter installing vinyl siding on the building's massive three-story north facade, seemingly as large as a football field on its side.

On show nights, he pops the corn, sweeps the lobby, and sits in the theater's tiny booth out front, selling tickets, all the while keeping up a running commentary on his efforts to broaden the theater's offerings as 35mm first-run prints become harder to book. Ogunquit has a big gay community, and so in July, he's worked with a group to book a specialty feature film about 'Bears,' which is the term for gay men who are large and hirsute. Two days later, the comedian Gilbert Gottfried is playing the Leavitt.

But it's still a movie theater, which is why Peter agreed to a silent film series this summer as a way to hedge against thinning first-run bookings. He still gets them, but it's unpredictable for the summer-only theater. He opened in May with 'Quartet,' the Dustin Hoffman film that's been out for something like six months. But then, he was delighted to get a print of the new Superman movie, Man of Steel,' just for weekends. Even so, attendance is sparse at this time of year: our paid admissions of 54 for 'The General' was the biggest audience he'd had so far this season.

Things tend to pick up for the Leavitt in July and August, but ticket sales in recent seasons are nothing like the glory days of the 1980s, when Peter would pack the theater all summer long. Among the culprits: home video, changing tastes, and lousy movies, he says. But still, he perseveres, and I'm glad he does, because I love the place, which in many ways hasn't changed since it opened in 1923. Some of the wooden seats still have wire loops underneath them for gentlemen to store their hats during performances!

For 'The General,' I was off my game for some reason, and had a hard time getting into the zone. Not sure why, as I know the film and I love the way my synth and speakers sounds in the Leavitt, which is all wood from top to bottom and makes the accompaniment sound full and rich at all levels. I like nothing more than just sitting there before the show and playing different chords, enjoying the sheer quality of the sound. Perhaps I overdid it on the warm-up and so was tapped out by the time the film started. Sometimes that happens.

But the film is strong enough and the audience clearly enjoyed it, cheering lustily when Buster's cannon misfires but succeeds in hitting the Northerners on the curve ahead. (I've always been fascinated with that action scene, all captured in a single absolutely gloriously timed shot.)

Afterwards during Q & A, I was surprised to hear a woman say we should all be honored that Buster Keaton was with us tonight in the theater. I wasn't sure what she meant at first, but then I noticed her gesturing to an older gentleman sitting by himself. And then I realized what she must be getting at: that the gentleman's name was actually "Buster Keaton," and it was. (He even had a driver's license to prove it, which he had shown some people before the show.) Amazing! So we all gave him a round of applause and I congratulated him on a nice job. What else can you do?

I later found out that he's a regular presence around Ogunquit, and often attends movies at the Leavitt. So that's another reason to love the place: it's where Buster Keaton himself goes to the movies.

Adventures in silent film accompaniment: snowbanks, orgies, and missing sustain pedals

Coming off a busy stretch of accompaniment leading up to the Kansas Silent Film Festival later this week. Here's a few snapshots from the life of a silent film accompanist based in northern New England.


• Today's screening of 'Bardelys the Magnificent' (1926) at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre went well, except the side entrance that I use to load my equipment in and out was blocked by a large snowbank that had been pushed up against the building, covering the stairs and partially blocking the door. The perils of performing in mid-winter New Hampshire! Seriously, it looked like that scene in 'The Gold Rush' where Chaplin shovels a huge pile snow from one business to another.

A stiff wind and temps in the 20s didn't make things any more pleasant. Fortunately, I wore my sensible winter shoes, so it didn't matter that much when my feet plunged down to mid-thigh while struggling to muscle in my synthesizer. It takes three trips for me to carry everything in, and each time the stiff wind banged shut the outside door, forcing me to go all the way around to the theater's main entrance. Ah, the glamour of the movies!

About 40 people were on hand for my first attempt at 'Bardelys.' I can tell when I'm overscheduled because I start to show up at screenings with nothing really prepared. That, alas, was the case with Bardelys, which offers a lot of potential for music, but I just wasn't in the zone through most of the film. I lucked out with one good melody that came to me on the way in, and that carried most of the picture. A harpsichord setting I used seemed to stomp on any on-screen subtleties, and about two-thirds of the way through I switched over to my fallback orchestral setting.

The music all seemed pretty sloppy to my taste, and I was concerned that audience reaction seemed to die down quite a bit after John Gilbert met Eleanor Boardman. So, near the end, I was pleasantly surprised (and a bit relieved) when the room erupted in cheers during Gilbert's exuberant escape from the gallows. Even theater owner Dennis Markaverich said afterwards he "laughed my ass off" at Gilbert grabbing a curtain and using it as a parachute, something Douglas Fairbanks hadn't thought to do just yet.


• A much more satisfying screening took place on Valentine's Day (Thursday, Feb. 14), when we screened Harold Lloyd's 'Girl Shy' (1924) in 35mm at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, Mass. About 100 people turned out for this show, which had Lloyd's short 'Never Weaken' (1921) as an opener. I knew we had them when, in 'Never Weaken,' they laughed uproariously at Lloyd consulting the dictionary to make sure his suicide note is spelled correctly. (It is a very funny scene.) Lloyd's subsequent antics on the steel skeleton of a skyscraper under construction produced shrieks and gasps just as he intended.

For the music, I used just a traditional organ setting for the short, in part to make the full orchestral settings for the feature seem that much more grand by comparison. For 'Never Weaken,' a jaunty tune I've used here and there proved all I needed to carry all the action up until the suicide sequence, which I punched up by turning serious (minor key, repeated notes) and then going silent to underscore his thinking and reactions, which made room for the laughs. And for the skyscraper sequence, I reverted back to the jaunty tune for the rooftop jazz band that gives Harold a rude awakening, but then kept it low for much of his mid-air antics, again to make sure the audience could hear itself react.

It all came together wonderfully, I thought, especially with me plugged into the Somerville's house sound system. I switched to the full orchestra for 'Girl Shy,' but muffed the beginning because it just came up so fast. But it came together nicely, with scene after scene falling into place. A few rough spots happened in the train sequence and when Jobyna Ralston's car breaks down, but by then the film had them and it didn't matter so much.

Things really got fun when Harold returns to the publisher and all the female office staff go crazy over him. What laughter! For underscoring, I just used the main rhythm and melody from the Habanara of Bizet's Carmen, which lent just the right touch of mockery to the scene, I thought. And the reaction was again strong when Harold receives an envelope in the mail that he thinks is a rejection letter, but which we know contains a check. As Harold motions to rip it, people behind me shouted "NO! DON'T DO IT!" When he actually did rip it, he was accompanied not by music, but by groans of anguish that filled the theater.

At this point, the energy never let up. Next thing you know, Harold and his uncle are piecing together the check. $3,000! Hooray! Then Harold looks at the newspaper and sees his sweetheart is getting married that day. Oh no! Then the man's "other wife" wanders in, sees the wedding announcement, and exclaims, "Someone should stop it for the girl's sake!" Guess who that someone is? Hooray again, as Harold dashes from the tailor shop, this time vowing to make it to the church on time.

I just can't describe the excitement in the theater by this time. It had built up to a point where I think it actually worked against some of Harold's gags early on in the chase, because we want him to be making progress. Example: the guy teaching his girl to drive, which causes frustration for Harold as they repeatedly stop and start and go in circles. The audience stopped laughing during this, and I think it's because everyone wanted him to just get going. It's the same reason Keaton cut the "underwater traffic cop" gag from 'The Navigator'—by that part of the story, the audience couldn't tolerate comedy just for comedy's sake, because the gal is in danger.

Harold quickly recovered, and so did the audience. And by the time he was whipping a horse-drawn wagon through downtown, everyone was totally into it. Scoring this was a ball—I was able to keep things relatively light for most of the time, which allowed audience members to hear each other and really helped the overall reaction, I think. For the last few minutes, people were spontaneously shouting at Harold to 'HURRY UP!' It just doesn't get any better than that, folks.

One challenge of 'Girl Shy' is the intercutting between Harold's mad dash and the placid pre-wedding scenes at the church. These happen at various intervals, and I did my best to "feel" them coming and change the music on the fly. (There's one particularly tough place where Harold is on a motorcycle and has gone through a grocery store, and we swap back and forth several times quite rapidly.) But once Harold is on the horse-drawn wagon, the cuts come so frequently that it wouldn't make sense to change the music, so instead I just kept pounding away, working my way up the keyboard with repeated notes in the left hand and Harold's driving melody in the bass. I think it makes for really effective cinema.

I'm pleased to say that after 'Girl Shy' finished, I got a bona fide standing ovation, and in Boston, too! It was totally thrilled and rewarding and gratifying, and I very much appreciated all the folks who came up afterwards to get my card, ask questions, and offer congratulations. One woman even asked if I would consider being part of a burlesque show! (To play music in, not dance.)

Afterwards, I dashed off a note to a friend that made me realize some things about the experience of doing live music like that. Get a load of this:

Wow, about last night. Wish you could have somehow been there. Things really fell into place, with a large audience that really reacted to the experience, and the music seemed to flow out of me so naturally and easily.

So to me, it was like this great communal orgy in which everyone kept their clothes on (as far as I know), but was in the dark and filled with intense physical releases such as laughing and shrieking.

At 'The End,' I finished with a bang as the lights came up, and then got a prolonged standing ovation! Wow, who doesn't want to receive a standing O after such an intimate experience? :)

Afterwards, I had a lot of people come up to say hi, including one woman who asked if I wanted to be in a burlesque show! She meant it in terms of playing music, but you can imagine what this whole conversation did to my already sexed-up imagination.

The only wrong note in the melody was that shortly after the start of 'Girl Shy,' I kicked my sustain pedal into the Somerville's cavernous orchestra pit. I was still attached to the synthesizer, but I had not way to retrieve it, other than ceasing to play and then hoisting it up. I decided I could do without it, and I did, but that's the first time it ever got away from me like that.

• Lots of other things. Our local television station, WMUR-TV Channel 9, is doing a piece on me for their half-hour feature program "New Hampshire Chronicle." This required me to spend four hours in the Wilton Town Hall Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 12 to be interviewed, and for them to get scenes of me in action. I think they shot enough footage so that even Eric von Stroheim would be satisfied! But seriously, I'm looking forward to the segment, which I'm told will air sometime near the end of the month. We'll see how I feel after I said it. We'll see if what veteran CBS News reporter George Herman said about me is true: that I have "a good head for television."


• On Monday, Feb. 11, I had the pleasure of doing 'Metropolis' (1927) for students in a film history course at Southern New Hampshire University taught by my friend and colleague Bill Millios. This took place in a computer lab (all the school's theater-type classrooms were booked) but something about it clicked and it turned into one of the most satsifying scores I've produced in awhile. The students stayed with it from start to finish; one of them said in a note to Bill:

"And thank you for inviting Jeff Rapsis to come in and play live music for "Metropolis"; I've been interested in learning about the history of silent films, but this was the first time I've ever seen a feature-length silent film and I was completely blown away!

I think I was more wrapped up in "Metropolis" than I have ever been with any movie I've seen before; I think the live music really pulled me into the movie and helped draw me into the film's world. Thanks again!"

Wow, I'll have to tell Bill to give that gal an A.


• I had a ball doing music for 'Aelita, Queen of Mars' (1924) at Wellesley College, which was still digging itself out from under the Blizzard of 2013 at the time of our screening on Sunday, Feb. 10. What a crazy film! I would have to say that the last 20 minutes rank as some of the most bizarre filmmaking of the entire silent film era. Best intertitle: "Follow our example, comrades! Form the Federal Socialist Republic of Mars!"

One interesting thing at that screening was that a film print of the newly restored 'A Trip to the Moon' had not arrived due to the storm, so we showed an earlier restoration on the Flicker Alley DVD with recorded music, and then a 16mm print from Blackhawk (missing the full ending) with me doing live music. Never had to accompany the same film after recorded music, but there's a first time for everything, I guess.


• And then prior to that, I did Rudolph Valentino in 'The Eagle' at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth, N.H., and Gilbert and Garbo in 'Love' at the Manchester (N.H.) City Library, which was more than enough for Valentine's Day. Next year I think I'll counterprogram with a film like Keaton's 'Spite Marriage' (1929). And before that, there was a Keaton program for which the wife and I drove 300 miles to New York state and back. All that in February, and it's only the 17th. Sheesh!

My Mid-Winter Big City Tour: A quartet of silent films in Beantown

In my part of the world, the big city is BOSTON. It's about an hour south of here by car, unless you're driving there during the morning rush, in which case you should budget three hours. (No kidding! Just look at the bus schedules.)

As I've tried to build my proficiency at creating live music for silent films, I've become more eager to get gigs down in Boston, otherwise known to us as Beantown or, more grandly, "the HUB of the UNIVERSE."

Whatever you call it, around here it's the big time—New England's world-class city, a center of finance, culture, education, research, medicine, technology, and hopelessly obsessed sports fans. (And starting last year, non-stop flights to Tokyo on the new 787, when the plane isn't catching fire.)

I've had a few gigs in Boston. But for some reason, recently the stars came together to bring me no less than four screenings in four separate venues in the coming month. A quartet of silent film diversity! And though it wasn't planned this way, I'm thinking of it as my "Mid-Winter Big City Tour," with silent films filling up that dead space in the calendar between MLK Day and Valentines Day.

Truth by told, even if this had actually been planned, it would seem pretty random. But still, I was impressed enough by the synchronicity of the bookings (they just happened!) to send out a press release today to the Boston media that reads like this:

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Bessie Love is menaced by a prehistoric creature in 'The Lost World' (1925), a silent film to be screened with live music by Jeff Rapsis on Friday, Jan. 18 at the Westin Boston Waterfront as part of the 2013 Arisia Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention.

SUNDAY, JAN. 13, 2013 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

On the big (and silent) screen: Dinosaurs, Satan, Mars, and Romance

In mid-winter Boston area tour, silent film musical accompanist to bring four rarely seen movies to life

BOSTON—When silent film musician Jeff Rapsis sits down to accompany a feature film, there's a reason he brings no sheet music.

That's because Rapsis improvises complete movie scores from scratch, making up the music on the spot as the film runs. As a result, he's never sure how the music will go until the movie is run in real time with an audience.

"It's a high wire act, but I find that improvising music live adds a special kind of energy and immediacy to a silent film," Rapsis said. "It helps bridge the gap between a film that's eight or nine decades old and today's audiences."

In the coming weeks, Rapsis will take his brand of improvisational silent film scoring to four separate Boston area venues for screenings of a quartet of classics from cinema's silent era. The films include Hollywood's first "dinosaur" feature, an adaptation of the 'Faust' legend from director F.W. Murnau, a Russian science fiction film involving a rebellion on Mars, and a rollicking romantic comedy from Harold Lloyd to be screened on Valentine's Day in 35mm.

"They're four very different movies," Rapsis said. "But having them all available for viewing in the next month is a rare chance for Boston-area film fans to experience the breadth and range of early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience."

The screenings will take place in four locations as diverse as the films themselves:

• On Friday, Jan. 18 at 10 p.m., Rapsis will accompany the original 1925 silent film version of 'The Lost World,' Arthur Conan Doyle's story of a land where prehistoric animals still roam. The screening is a highlight of the film program at this year's Arisia Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention, which runs from Friday, Jan. 18 to Monday, Jan. 21 at the Westin Boston Waterfront.

'The Lost World' will be shown in 16mm in the Weston's Harborside Ballroom 3, which will function as the convention's cinema. The screening is open to registered Arisia attendees; more information can be found at www.arisia.org.

Emil Jannings stars as Mephisto in 'Faust' (1926), a silent feature directed by F.W. Murnau to be shown with live music by Jeff Rapsis on Wednesday, Jan. 23 as part of the 'Dead of Winter: Satan on Screen' series at the Brattle Cinema, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, Mass.

• On Wednesday, Jan. 23 at 7 p.m., Rapsis will accompany F.W. Murnau's 'Faust' (1926) at the Brattle Cinema, 40 Brattle St., Cambridge, Mass. 'Faust,' an ambitious and visually stunning adaptation of the Faust legend, stars Emil Jannings and was the last film that Murnau directed in Germany before moving to Hollywood in 1927.

'Faust,' part of the Brattle's ongoing "Dead of Winter: Satan on Screen" series, will be paired with a screening of 'Witchcraft Through the Ages,' to be shown at 5:15 p.m. and repeated at 9:30 p.m. 'Faust' will be screened from a remastered digital transfer. Admission for the double feature is $12 general admission. For more information, call the Brattle at (617) 876-6837 or visit www.brattlefilm.org.

• On Sunday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m., Rapsis will accompany 'Aelita, Queen of Mars' (1924), a Russian science fiction film as part of the 'Cinephile Sunday' series at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Mass. 'Aelita,' directed by Soviet filmmaker Yakov Protazanov, is notable for it constructivist sets; its design influenced pictures ranging from 'Metropolis' (1927) to the Flash Gordon serials.

The program also includes the short French film 'A Trip to the Moon' (1902) by pioneer moviemaker George Méliès. The screenings will take place in Collins Cinema, located in the Davis Museum complex of Wellesley College, 106 Central St., Wellesley, Mass. The program is free and open to the public.

Harold Lloyd takes matters into his onw hands in 'Girl Shy' (1924), a silent romantic comedy to be screened in 35mm with live music by Jeff Rapsis on Valentine's Day, Thursday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

• On Thursday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m., Rapsis will accompany 'Girl Shy' (1924), Harold Lloyd's effervescent romantic comedy, in the main theater of the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. 'Girl Shy,' one of Lloyd's most popular features, will be screened with Lloyd's 'Never Weaken' (1921), a short comedy. Both films will be shown in 35mm. General admission is $15 per person. For more info, call the Somerville at (617) 625-5700 or visit www.somervilletheatreonline.com.

In accompanying films, Rapsis tries to subvert the stereotype of silent movie music as "rinky-tink" melodies played on an out-of-tune piano. Instead, he uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of a full orchestra, and aims to create music that sounds like what today's audiences expect to hear when they attend a movie.

"I don't limit myself to authentic music of the silent film era," Rapsis said. "Today, we've all grown up hearing movie music by composers such as Bernard Hermann, John Williams and so many others. In bringing a silent film to life for modern audiences, I try to use the full vocabulary of scoring that's developed over time. I think this helps today's audiences really connect with a silent film, instead of regarding it as a museum piece or a mere curiosity of bygone days."

Rapsis, a resident of Bedford, N.H., performs at about 80 screenings each year, mostly around his home base in Northern New England but also at events such as the Kansas Silent Film Festival (February 2013), the Cinefest Vintage Film Festival in Syracuse, N.Y. (March 2013), and the Carnegie Center for the Performing Arts in Covington, Ky. (May 2013).

A lifelong silent film buff, Rapsis believes that the true value of Hollywood's early films can only be appreciated if they're screened as originally intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience present.

"These factors were baked into the films by the people who conceived and created them," Rapsis said. "They weren't designed to be watched alone or on a home entertainment center. They were intended to be communal experiences. The bigger the audience, the better."

Rapsis said his accompaniment experiences have convinced him of how essential all these elements are to silent film.

"And I've seen it happen again and again—a film that seems only mildly interesting when viewed alone just leaps to life on the big screen, with live music and an audience," he said. "Somehow the comedy seems funnier, the drama seems more dramatic, and the action scenes seem more exciting. It was really all part of the experience, which is quite different from what today's movies offer."

Each of the four films being screened in the Boston area —'The Lost World' (1925), 'Faust' (1926), 'Aelita, Queen of Mars' (1924) and 'Girl Shy' (1924) — are proven crowd-pleasers when they're shown they way they were intended, Rapsis said.

"There's still a lot of excitement and power in these early films, if they're shown under the right conditions," Rapsis said. "And it's worth doing because the films are entertaining and in many cases ripe for rediscovery. Also, they provide a sense of why people first fell in love with the movies. Also, with the passage of time, they've become a window to the recent past of a few generations ago — a way to see how much we've changed, and how much we haven't."

Greetings, especially to Hippo readers curious about silent film

Coming on Sunday, Oct. 21: 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) at 2 p.m. at the Somerville (Mass.) Theatre.

If you're a new visitor, hello! I've been fortunate to receive write-ups in several regional publications recently, so I wanted to greet anyone new to this blog or to silent film in general.

First thing to note is that this blog is not the best way to get an idea of what silent film is all about. The only way to do that is to attend a screening where all the crucial elements are in place: a big screen, a real theater, live music, and an audience—the bigger, the better. (That's where you come in!)

The good news is that there are many screenings to choose from, and this blog is my way of keeping all the info together and making it easy for people to get what they need. There's a complete calendar of upcoming screenings on the right. It has all the who-what-where you need to join in.

Most of the screenings I accompany are in my home base of New England, but I occasionally get to travel and perform in other areas. In November, I have a screening of the great Josef von Sternberg drama 'The Last Command' (1928) in New York, and next May I go to Cincinnati to do music for Buster Keaton's 'The General' (1926). All the info is posted on the 'Screenings' page—in fact, it's how I keep track of where I'm supposed to be.

Friday, Oct. 19: 'Nosferatu' (1922) in Concord, N.H.

With Halloween coming up, it's a busy time for a silent film accompanist. My next local gig is on Friday, Oct. 19, when I do music for 'Nosferatu' (1922) at Red River Theatres in Concord, N.H. For more specifics about that, check out this earlier post.

There's a big screening this weekend, when I do 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) at the Somerville Theatre in Boston. For more on that, check out another earlier post. The Somerville is showing 'Phantom' using a 35mm print on loan from a collector in California, and I'm eager to see what it looks like with the expert projection of David Kornfeld on the Somerville's huge screen.

Sunday, Oct. 21: 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) in Somerville, Mass.

In 2010, when we did a series of Buster Keaton films in 35mm at the Somerville, for me it was like seeing them for the first time all over again. The projection and presentation quality is that good. So that alone is reason enough to look forward to 'Phantom' on Sunday, Oct. 21.

But another plus is that for 'Phantom," I'll attempt to hook my synthesizer keyboard into the Somerville's house sound system, something I'm really excited about. In prior gigs, we used my own small Roland speakers set up onstage. They did the job, but were no match for what the theater's house system can offer.

So I'm going down on Saturday to hook things up and see if we can get it to work. If it does, a new level of accompaniment nirvana awaits. Cross your fingers!

And following Phantom, more screenings await. There's the very odd German thriller 'The Hands of Orlac' (1924), in which a concert pianist gets a new set of hands after being crippled in a train crash. The trouble starts when it turns out that the "new" hands belong to an executed murderer. That's on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4:30 p.m. at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theater.

Tuesday, Oct. 30: 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1920) in Manchester, N.H.

And on Tuesday, Oct. 30 (the day before Halloween!), we're showing 'The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari' (1920) at 6 p.m. at the Manchester (N.H.) City Library. And a couple of other 'Phantom' screenings are lurking on the calendar, too.

So, if you've read this far, thank you for checking out this blog and pondering the world of silent film. Consider this an invitation to further explore this obsolete form of entertainment, story-telling, and artistry. It flourished for only three decades, but is now so old, it's new again.

Audiences needed immediately at a nearby screening. This means you! Hope to see you at a future show.

'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) in Boston on real honest-to-God 35mm film!

Coming up: 'The Phantom' on real film!

Yes—the original Lon Chaney version of 'Phantom of the Opera' will be shown in actual 35mm with live music on a big screen in a real theatre. Specifically, it's the wonderful Somerville Theatre, where we'll screen a collector print of this great flick on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. Admission is $15 per person—a bargain for the great (and increasingly rare) experience of seeing a film as it was intended to be shown.

I'm thrilled to be returning to the Somerville, where I did music for several screenings in 2010: a 1916 version of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" for a science fiction marathon, and then three programs of Buster Keaton features, all in 35mm. It's a pleasure to work with people so committed to maintaining the authentic movie-going experience, even as the industry demands conversion to digital.

I especially want to single out two people there who have really gone out of their way to keep the movie-going experience intact. Ian Judge, the theater's manager, is that rare kind of person who can operate a complex business entity (he actually manages more than one theater) but do it while also understanding the value of things that don't immediately translate to the bottom line. (Silent film as a whole fits into the latter category.)

Even before the industry began the transition to digital, Ian worked tirelessly for years to transform the Somerville from a second-run house to a place where the movie-going experience could be celebrated. It took a lot of polishing, and work continues even today, but the place is a real gem.

And then there's projectionist David Kornfeld, whose fanatical devotion to his craft is unlike anything I've seen anywhere. Projecting a film properly involves a great many technical variables, especially when handling older prints in all the various formats that have been used over the years.

David cares so much and so deeply about the art of getting a movie on the big screen, and is so knowledgeable about how it ought to be done, that he's capable of getting really, really angry when things don't measure up to his high standards. And I love that. I think the world would be a much better place if more people were as passionate about things as David is about what he does.

(For more on David, I recommend this excellent in-depth profile that ran recently in The Boston Phoenix.)

So, even when given dreck to work with, David does his best to make it look as good as possible on the Somerville's big screen. He has some issues, for example, with the 35mm print of 'Phantom' that we've obtained, but I'm sure he'll make it look great at showtime.

And showtime? Again, it's Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. For more details, I've pasted in copy from the press release that went out awhile back. Hope to see you there!

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SUNDAY, OCT. 7, 2012 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Phantom of the Opera'
at Somerville on Sunday, Oct. 21

Classic silent horror film starring Lon Chaney to screen in 35mm with live music

SOMERVILLE, Mass.—It was cinema's first real shocker—a movie so frightening that its original audiences would shriek in terror and even faint. It was 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the silent horror film starring legendary actor Lon Chaney. The classic tale of the mad musician who lurks in the shadows of the Paris Opera House will be revived with live music on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass.

The screening will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating live scores for silent films. Admission is $15 per person.

For this screening of 'The Phantom of the Opera,' the Somerville has obtained use of a collector's 35mm print widely regarded to be among the best in existence.

Adapted from a 19th century novel by French author Gaston Leroux, the film features Lon Chaney as the deformed Phantom, a mysterious figure who haunts the depths of the opera house. Seen only in shadows, the Phantom creates terror when he attempts 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, giving a skull-like impression to them. 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 caused audiences to shriek in terror.

"No one had ever seen anything like this before," said Rapsis, who will accompany the film. "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.

Despite its reputation for scariness, 'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal Studios to embark on 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, 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 original silent 'Phantom' featured lavish production values, including a large theater set the Paris Opera House scenes. The set was never torn down and continues in use today as part of Universal's Stage 28; it was seen most recently in 2011's 'The Muppet Movie' as the abandoned Muppet Show theater.

The Somerville Theatre’s commitment to 35mm film presentation in both contemporary and classic movies means a rare chance to see 'Phantom' in its original format.

“This is a great opportunity to experience silent film as it was intended to be shown -- on the big screen, in high-quality prints, with live music and with an audience,” said Ian Judge, the Somerville Theatre’s general manager. “With theaters converting to digital for first-run movies, we’re pleased to continue to present films in 35mm, the standard format for more than a century. There’s nothing like it, and that’s especially true for films of the silent era.”

Music will be performed by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based musician who accompanies silent film screenings at venues across New England. Rapsis works without sheet music, instead creating an improvised score on the spot. He uses a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra, creating a traditional "movie score" sound and helping link today’s audiences to films of the silent era.

“These films were not meant to be seen by people alone or at home,” Rapsis said. “They were created to be experienced by large crowds in a theater like the Somerville, and getting swept up in the audience reaction is one of the great things about silent film. When it happens, either in a comedy or drama or any kind of film, it can be almost cathartic.”

Organizers say the original silent film version of 'The Phantom of the Opera' is a great way for families to get into the Halloween spirit.

"Remember—in silent film, no one can hear you scream," Rapsis said.

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925), the classic silent horror film starring Lon Chaney, will be shown on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, Mass. Admission is $15 adults, general admission seating. For more information, call (617) 625-5700 or visit http://www.somervilletheatreonline.com. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

Coming up: Four—count 'em, four!— screenings of 'Phantom of the Opera'

As the old saying goes, four phantoms are better than one. Not sure if I have that exactly right, but even so, it's my current philosophy, as I have no less than four separate screenings of the silent 'Phantom of the Opera' (1925) in the upcoming weeks before Halloween.

Interested in taking in all four? Here's a quick run-down of the where and when:

• Saturday, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.: Brandon Town Hall, Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Free admission, donations accepted.

• Sunday, Oct. 21, 2 p.m.: Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville Mass. Admission $15 per person. In glorious 35mm!

• Thursday, Oct. 25, 6:30 p.m.: The Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H. Admission $10 per person.

• Wednesday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.: Rogers Center for the Arts, Merrimack College, Andover, Mass. Free admission, donations accepted.

I didn't plan on a four-in-one 'Phantom' season, but the requests kept coming in and this is the result. It'll be fun to do, as 'Phantom of the Opera' was the first feature I scored in live performance, and I haven't really done it since 2007, so it'll be interesting to see how my approach has evolved.

Ah, the iconic film still image.

I'm particularly excited by 35mm screening we've arranged at the Somerville (Mass.) Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 21. (All the others use digital transfers.) The print we're using belongs to noted film historian and preservationist David Shepard, and I understand it to be one of the best 35mm prints of 'Phantom' in existence.

I'm also thrilled that 'Phantom' will be presented by David Kornfeld, the Somerville's vastly knowledgeable projectionist who knows so much about the many things that go into presenting a vintage film print on the big screen—especially a real vintage one such as 'Phantom.' Bulb strength is only the beginning!

In addition, for the Somerville screening, we're hoping to patch my synthesizer output into the house theatre's amazingly powerful house sound system in the main theater. Assuming we can do this successfully (still a big if), the results should be spectacular. They may never get me to stop playing!

For now, I'm looking forward to the "starter" Phantom—a screening coming up on Saturday, Oct. 13 in Brandon, Vt. More info is below on the press release, but let me say that this marks the final silent screening in Brandon for the 2012 season. (Brandon Town Hall, where we show them, isn't heated, so we push as far as October, when we wind things up with 'Chiller Theatre' in honor of the season.) It's been a great year in Brandon and I want to thank everyone whose efforts make it possible for me to do films there. We've already got dates set for 2013 and I'm working on what films to program. So if you have a favorite, let me know!

* * *

MONDAY, OCT. 1, 2012 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Phantom of the Opera' at Brandon Town Hall on Saturday, Oct. 13

Classic silent horror film starring Lon Chaney to be screened with live music

BRANDON, Vt.—It was one of cinema's first real shockers—a movie so frightening that its original audiences would shriek in terror and even faint. It was 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the silent horror film starring legendary actor Lon Chaney, and it will be revived with live music on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. at Brandon (Vt.) Town Hall and Community Center.

The screening, the final installment of this year's Brandon Town Hall silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating scores for silent films. Admission is free; donations are encouraged, with proceeds to support ongoing renovation of the town hall.

'The Phantom of the Opera,' adapted from a 19th century novel by French author Gaston Leroux, featured Lon Chaney as the deformed Phantom who haunts the Paris Opera House. The Phantom, seen only in the shadows, causes murder and mayhem in an attempt to force the 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, giving a skull-like impression to them. 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 the film's original audiences to shriek in terror.

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

Chaney's other iconic roles of the period include 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.

Chaney's 'Phantom' looks a bit down in the dumps in this still—but not for long. The spigot of self-loathing will soon be turned on full blast.

'The Phantom of the Opera' proved so popular in its original release and again in a 1930 reissue that it led Universal to embark on a series of horror films, many of which are 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, 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 original silent 'Phantom' featured lavish sets, including a large theater designed to represent the sprawling interior of the Paris Opera House. The set was never torn down and continues in use today as part of Universal's Stage 28; it was seen most recently in 2011's 'The Muppet Movie' as the abandoned Muppet Show theater.

Organizers say the original silent film version of 'The Phantom of the Opera' is not only a great movie, but also a great way for families to get into the Halloween spirit. Audience members are encouraged to attend in costume, or at least dress warmly. Because Brandon Town Hall lacks a heating system, organizers have dubbed the screening of the horror film as "Chiller Theater."

And above all, everyone should be prepared to get scared.

"Remember—in silent film, no one can hear you scream," Rapsis said.

Sponsor for the Oct. 13 screening of 'The Phantom of the Opera' is Lake Sunapee Bank.

The final installment in this season's series of silent films at Brandon Town Hall will be 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), the classic horror film starring Lon Chaney, to be screened on Saturday, Oct. 13, at 7 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.brandontownhall.org. For more info on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.