Halloween season continues: Warming up with 'Nosferatu' for two screenings of 'The Bat'

Looking more and more like Max Schrek: outside the Flying Monkey prior to last night's screening of 'Nosferatu' (1922). 

Sometimes it all comes together: a score flows seamlessly from one scene into another, the right music falls into place, and you go from one powerful scene to the next.

That's what happened, I think, on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center in Plymouth, N.H., where I accompanied 'Nosferatu' (1922).

You'd think this wouldn't be an issue with a film I've accompanied literally more than 100 times over the years. It ought to all be there, and fall into place just as a matter of course.

But it doesn't work like that, at least the way I accompany a film. Each screening is a fresh opportunity to bring a movie to life—and sometimes the movie just won't cooperate.

I think it's similar to how pilots talk about "staying ahead of the airplane," which means anticipating how an aircraft is likely to respond in advance of any adjustment while in flight.

Speaking of flight: this week brings not one but TWO screenings of 'The Bat' (1926), a Roland West thriller that's been recently been transferred to digital media by Ben Model, my silent film accompanist colleague. One screening is Saturday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. in Brandon, Vt.; the other is on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. in Wilton, N.H.

Thanks to Ben's efforts, audiences can once again enjoy a marvelously spooky picture that not only helped inspire the Batman comic strip after its release, but is also tailor-made for the Halloween season.

By the way, 'The Bat' is just one of many films that Ben's company, Undercrank Productions, has dusted off and brought out of the archives to be seen again. Visit the website and see if you can't resist stocking up on pristine transfers of some very entertaining material!

Okay, about 'The Bat': I'm pasting in below a press release for the screening on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Wilton (N.H.) Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.,but don't forget there's a screening of the same film on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Brandon, Vt.!

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Promotional material for 'The Bat' (1926).

MONDAY, OCT. 5, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Halloween treat! Rarely screened thriller 'The Bat' (1926) to take wing on Oct. 25 at Town Hall Theatre

Calling all Batman fans! Early silent comedy/mystery to be shown with live music; inspired Bob Kane to create the caped crusader 

WILTON, N.H.—It's a rarely screened movie credited with inspiring comic book artist Bob Kane to create the iconic 'Batman' character.

It's 'The Bat' (1926), a silent comedy/mystery directed by Roland West and released to theaters 100 years ago.

See 'The Bat' on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

Admission is free. Donations are gladly accepted to support the silent film series, with $10 per person suggested.

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

Cover art for the DVD release of 'The Bat' (1926) by Undercrank Productions.

The show will allow audiences to experience 'The Bat' the way its makers originally intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

The story: throughout the city a mysterious thief known only as The Bat is looting the wealthy. The Bat, who wears a full-head bat mask and cape, enjoys toying with his prey by sending notes telling where he is going to strike next. 

As the search intensifies, at the country estate of the recently deceased bank owner, Courtleigh Fleming, a disparate group assembles, each with their own agenda.

When Courtleigh Fleming’s nephew is shot to death on the mansion’s grand staircase, the race is on to unmask the killer, stop The Bat, and find a fortune in stolen money hidden within the house.

'The Bat' was originally a popular stage play by Mary Roberts Rinehart before being transformed into a movie during Hollywood's silent film era.

The cast, which includes period favorites Louise Fazenda, Arthur Housman, Jack Pickford, and Jewel Carmen, supports the ominous mood while providing plenty of amusement.

Director Roland West was a master visual stylist with a penchant for the macabre. In 'The Bat,' he expertly manipulated light and shadow.

West also assembled a top notch production crew that included art direction by William Cameron Menzies and photography by Gregg Toland, who would later shoot 'Citizen Kane' (1941) with Orson Welles. 

'The Bat' was a hit when first released, and was also influential, as the masked figure of 'The Bat' had a profound effect on young artist Bob Kane, who cited the film as one of his main inspirations for the creation of Batman.

 

 A trade publication ad for 'The Bat' (1926).

Rapsis, a composer who specializes in film music, will create a score for 'The Bat' on the spot, improvising the music as the movie unfolds to enhance the on-screen action as well as respond to audience reactions. 

Rapsis performs the music on a digital synthesizer, which is capable of producing a wide range of theatre organ and orchestral textures.

"Live music was an integral part of the silent film experience," Rapsis said. "At the time, most films weren't released with sheet music or scores. Studios relied on local musicians to come up with an effective score that was different in every theater. At its best, this approach created an energy and a connection that added a great deal to a film's impact. That's what I try to recreate," Rapsis said.

‘The Bat’ (1926) will be shown with live music on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

Admission is free. Donations are gladly accepted to support the silent film series, with $10 per person suggested. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. 

The 'spooky silent film steeplechase' continues as Halloween creeps ever closer... with 'Nosferatu' (1922) on Thursday, Oct. 22 at Flying Monkey

Hold for close-up: I'll accompany 'Nosferatu' (1922) on Thursday, Oct. 22 in Plymouth, N.H.

Last week I got the nicest post-show comment I've received in awhile.

On Thursday, Oct. 15, after accompanying a screening of 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927) at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine, a woman unknown to me came down to visit me in the area below the stage.

(She really did have to come down, as the Leavitt's century-old wooden floor is seriously slanted.)

This woman said she enjoyed the show. I responded with my usual self-effacing remark about how it's my therapy.

She scoffed, disbelieving, and then said this: "Ha! I could hear the joy in your playing."

Wow! 

After 20 years of accompanying silent films in more than 1,000 screenings, joy is still detectable in the music I do!

If a comment like that doesn't make this all worthwhile, then I don't know what would. 

Well, it's a good thing there's some joy left in my playing. A lot of music looms in my near future, as this year's pre-Halloween "spooky silent film steeplechase" kicks into high gear.

Two screenings this week: another 'Cat in the Canary' (1927) at the Nevins Public Library in Methuen, Mass. on Wednesday, Oct. 21 and then 'Nosferatu' (1922) on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H.

Then the real fun begins on Saturday, Oct. 24, when I start a marathon of eight films over eight days that will take me to four different states! (All right, it's New England, so the states are small, but still.)

Perhaps the peak will be on Thursday, Oct. 29, when I have a double scheduled: a 2 p.m. screening at a retirement community in Concord followed by an evening show down in Hopkinton, Mass. Ironically, this is the town that each year hosts the starting line of another exercise in endurance: the Boston Marathon!

Check the 'Upcoming Silent Film Screenings' link (in the upper right hand corner of this page) for details on all the shows. Hope to see you at a few of them!

For now, here's the press release promoting the screening of 'Nosferatu' (1922) on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. 

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

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A shadowy figure: 'Nosferatu' climbs the stairs in silhouette.

MONDAY, OCT. 19, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Creepy classic thriller 'Nosferatu' to screen at Flying Monkey on Thursday, Oct. 22

Prepare for Halloween with silent horror movie show accompanied by live music—see it if you dare!

PLYMOUTH, N.H.— Get into the Halloween spirit with a classic silent film thriller.

'Nosferatu' (1922), the first screen adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel 'Dracula,' will be shown with live music on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, N.H..

The screening, the latest in the Flying Monkey's silent film series, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

General admission is $15 per person. Tickets may be purchased online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com or at the door.

The show will allow movie fans to experience 'Nosferatu' the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.  

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

To modern viewers, the passage of time has made 'Nosferatu' seem even more strange and otherworldly.

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

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

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

Max Schreck travels by ship in 'Nosferatu' (1922).
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

In screening 'Nosferatu' at the Flying Monkey, organizers aim to show early cinema as it was meant to be seen—in restored prints, on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

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

The classic early horror thriller ‘Nosferatu’ will be shown with live music on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center, 39 S. Main St., Plymouth, N.H..

General admission is $15 per person. Tickets may be purchased online at www.flyingmonkeynh.com or at the door.

Up next: the annual Halloween marathon kicks in with five screenings over six days in three states

Tully Marshall receives a hand (or two, actually) in a scene from 'The Cat and the Canary' (1927).

Here a Nosferatu, there a Frankenstein...

With five upcoming spooky silent film shows in six days, it must be getting close to Halloween!

The schedule has me accompanying 'Nosferatu' on Wednesday, Oct. 14 in Natick, Mass.; the early talkie 'Frankenstein' (1931) in Somerville, Mass., and no less than three screenings of 'The Cat and the Canary (1927)—one in Vermont, one in Massachusetts, and one in Maine.

Good thing New England states are small!

It's an intense pace, but it'll only get more so as we approach Oct. 31. Halloween tends to be the busiest season for silent film screenings, and this year is no exception.

Consider:t his next upcoming stretch is followed by a string of 10 screenings in 11 days, from Wednesday, Oct. 21 through Saturday, Oct. 31. 

Let's see—it's three 'Nosferatu' screenings, two more of 'Cat and the Canary,' and a passle of one-offs ranging from 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame' (1923) to several thrillers starring legendary illusionist Harry Houdini on the 100th anniversary of his untimely death, which happens to coincide with Halloween.

Well, it all starts next week with 'Cat and the Canary' (1927) in the little seaside town of Mattapoisett, Mass., where I'll score Paul Leni's comedy/thriller on Tuesday, Oct. 13. Showtime is 6 p.m. and you can't beat the admission price: free!

More details in the press release below. See you at the movies—unless you're the Invisible Man. 

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The Mattapoisett (Mass.) Public Library vigorously promotes 'The Cat and the Canary.' 

MONDAY, SEPT. 28, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Silent film thriller 'Cat and Canary' (1927) to screen in Mattapoisett with live music on Tuesday, Oct. 13

Just in time for Halloween: classic creepy tale set in haunted mansion to be shown at Mattapoisett Free Public Library

MATTAPOISETT, Mass.—'The Cat and the Canary' (1927), a haunted house thriller from Hollywood’s silent film era, will be screened with live music on Tuesday, Oct.13 at 6 p.m. at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, 7 Barstow St., Mattapoisett, Mass.

The screening, a family-friendly event to celebrate the upcoming Halloween season, will feature live accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who specializes in creating music for silent films.

The show gives local audiences the opportunity to experience early cinema as it was intended: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience. 

Those who plan to attend are asked to register in advance online via the library's website: mattapoisettlibrary.org

 

'The Cat and the Canary' stands as the original movie thriller—the first picture to feature the reading of a will in a haunted mansion complete with clutching hands, a masked killer, disappearing bodies, and secret passageways.

Silent film starlet Laura LaPlante (that's her on the left, with Martha Maddox) leads the cast as a young heiress who must spend the night in the creepy old mansion, which is filled with relatives who all have motives to frighten her out of her wits. Meanwhile, a dangerous escaped lunatic is loose on the grounds. Can she and the others make it through the night?

Created for Universal Pictures by German filmmaker Paul Leni and based on a hit stage play, 'The Cat and the Canary' proved popular enough to inspire several remakes, including one starring Bob Hope. It was also the forerunner of all the great Universal horror classics of the 1930s and '40s.

The Mattapoisett Free Public Library screening will use a fully restored print that shows the film as audiences would have originally experienced it. 'The Cat and the Canary' will be accompanied by live music by New Hampshire composer Jeff Rapsis, who specializes in silent film scoring.

Rapsis will improvise the score on the spot during the screening.

"Silent film is all about the audience experience, and this one is a perfect Halloween crowd-pleaser," Rapsis said. "It has something for everyone—spooky scenes, some good comedy, and it's all fine for the whole family."

Critics praise the original 'Cat and the Canary' for its wild visual design and cutting edge cinematography.

Laura LaPlante receives a hand in 'The Cat and the Canary'—oops, sorry, I forgot I already used that joke!

Film reviewer Michael Phillips singled out the film for using "a fluidly moving camera and elaborate, expressionist sets and lighting to achieve some of the most memorable shots in silent film, from the amazing tracking shots down the curtain-lined main hallway to the dramatic zooms and pans that accompany the film's shocks."

Leonard Maltin called the original 'Cat and the Canary' a "delightful silent classic, the forerunner of all "old dark house" mysteries."

'Cat and the Canary' will be shown with live music on Tuesday, Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. at the Mattapoisett Free Public Library, 7 Barstow St., Mattapoisett, Mass.

The screening is free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to register online via the library's website: mattapoisettlibrary.org

For more information about the screening, call the library at (508) 758-4171.

Flying to Florida for 'The Flying Fleet,' then back to Boston for 'The Blot' at the Lois Weber Festival

Ramon Novarro poses with a prop in 'The Flying Fleet' (1929).

Heading down to the Sunshine State this morning for an unusual gig: doing live music for a screening of 'The Flying Fleet' (1929) at the Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala, Fla. 

What's going on is that awhile back I was up for auction as part of a fundraising event for the non-profit Aviation Museum of N.H., where I serve as Executive Director.

And the winning bidder, a longtime supporter of the museum, suggested that the best use of her "prize" would be for me to do my silent film accompaniment thing for residents of Leeward, where several Aviation Museum people have second homes. 

The suggestion was contingent on "when you're in Florida," with the only flaw in that being that I'm never in Florida. But a winning bid is a winning bid, and so, thanks to Rapid Rewards points, I'm now sitting at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport waiting for the 5:35 a.m. flight to Baltimore, then connecting to Orlando, where the temperature today is in the mid-80s.

So this evening, 'The Flying Fleet' will screen in the community center of the Leeward Air Ranch, with live accompaniment by me. (Get ready for a lot of 'Anchors Aweigh.') 

An original lobby card promoting 'The Flying Fleet' (1929).

Although no masterpiece, it's actually a great film for aviation buffs because it's filled with scenes of U.S. Navy flying as it was in the late 1920s. Filmed in partnership with the U.S. Navy, it includes scenes filmed on the U.S.S. Langley, the nation's first aircraft carrier—actually a converted coal barge.

And then the next morning, I'll zip back up north and be at my desk at the Aviation Museum before noon. Ah, the glamorous life of a silent film accompanist!

Next up after that is music for 'The Blot' (1921), the opening night attraction of the 4th Annual Lois Weber Film Festival, taking place this year at the West Newton Cinema in West Newton, Mass.

A trade publication ad promoting 'The Blot' (1921).

Conceived in the spirit of pioneering female filmmaker Lois Weber, the festival ... well, here's the official description: "The Lois Weber Film Festival is a female-forward 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting gender equality in the film industry by celebrating the legacy of silent film pioneer Lois Weber and the history of women in film, past, present, and future."

So it's not the usual silent film audience. But you can't have a festival named after Lois Weber and not show one of her films, and so each year I've been invited to accompany her work as part of the "Red Carpet Opening Night" festivities. 

It's my observation that most of those in attendance, although filmmakers themselves, have rarely experienced silent cinema in a theater with live music. So these screenings fall into the category of "so old it's new to us" category. 

And each time I've done this, the reactions have been overwhelmingly positive, with many comments along the lines of "It was so much better than I expected." And something about this inspires me to really bring my A Game, knowing that it's the first time many of those present have experienced silent cinema. 

Not that I don't always try my best at every screening. But it's definitely the case where the presence of an audience that's into the film, reacting to it and discovering something new, can influence the accompaniment just as much as what's on screen.

After that, following a relatively quiet period, things pick up with no less that eight screenings in 11 days leading up to Easter, including a spate of Cecil B. DeMille biblical epics—one silent 'Ten Commandments' (1923) and a couple showings of 'King of Kings' (1927).

Meanwhile, the one-quarter of me that's Irish wishes you all a happy St. Patrick's Day, and also somewhere in there spring arrives—a welcome development after an unusually cold and snowy winter in our part of the world.

Maybe I'll bring some of the Florida weather back with me! 

Saturday, March 14: accompanying the cape-wearing 'Phantom of the Opera' at a Cape Cod library

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

Next up: doing music for a screening of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) at the Falmouth Public Library in Falmouth, Mass. The show is Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m.

It seems somehow fitting to accompany a screening of the cape-wearing 'Phantom' on Cape Cod!

A press release with more info about the film and the screening is pasted in below.

Before pushing ahead, however, I'd like to report that this weekend's screening were well-received and quite successful. 

At the West Springfield Public Library in West Springfield, Mass., about 50 people enjoyed 'Sherlock Holmes' (1916) on Saturday, March 7, including members of the "Monadnock Sherlockians," a group of Holmes buffs who came down from New Hampshire to take in the screening.

And on Sunday, March 8, not sure if the first nice weather we've had in months helped, but a sizeable crowd cheered the exploits of canine stars Thunder and Klondike in a pair of dog-centric thrillers I accompanied at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

Okay, next up (after a private gig at a retirement community this week in Concord, N.H.), it's 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Falmouth Public Library in Falmouth, Mass.

See you on the Cape—and at the movies!

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Lon Chaney in the title role of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

MONDAY, MARCH 9, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

'Phantom of the Opera' starring Lon Chaney at Falmouth Library on Saturday, March 14

Free to the public! Pioneer classic silent thriller to be shown with live musical accompaniment

FALMOUTH, Mass.—It was a film considered so frightening when first released that theaters were advised to have doctors standing by in case moviegoers fainted.

It was the original big screen adaptation of 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925), starring iconic actor Lon Chaney in the title role.

This classic Universal Studios thriller will be shown on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main St., Falmouth, Mass.

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

The screening is free and open to the public. 

The film is suitable for all ages, although young children may find some scenes intense and frightening.

The show will enable audience members to experience the original silent 'Phantom' the way it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.  

'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 enhance by improvising live music on the spot for the screening.

Lon Chaney menaces Mary Philbin in 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925).

"The original 'Phantom' is a film that seems to get creepier as more time passes," said Rapsis, who accompanies films at venues around the nation. "It's a great way to experience 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 in productions around the world.

"Even with all the different versions of this story, Chaney's performance in the lead role stands the test of time," Rapsis said. "And remember—in silent film, no one can hear you scream!"

‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925) will be shown with live music on Saturday, March 14 at 3 p.m. at the Falmouth Public Library, 300 Main St., Falmouth, Mass.

The screening is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.falmouthpubliclibrary.org or call the library at (508) 457-2555.

 

A 10-minute 'Christmas Carol'? Early holiday silent films with live music on Sunday, Dec. 14 at Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

A scene from Thomas Edison's early version of 'A Christmas Carol' (1910), which runs all of 10 minutes.

Alas, there's no silent film equivalent of 'It's a Wonderful Life' (1946), the Christmastime classic starring Jimmy Stewart and directed by Frank Capra.

But there are some films from a century ago that make use of the holiday setting to good effect. 

For comedy, there's Charley Chase in 'There Ain't No Santa Claus' (1926), or Laurel & Hardy trying to sell Christmas trees door to door in 'Big Business' (1929).

For drama, there's Tod Browning's 'The Unholy Three' (1925), an extremely twisted Lon Chaney crime thriller made all the more twisted by taking place at Christmas.

On Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H., we'll take a peek at a selection of holiday-themed films from the silent era to see what people were watching before 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' mesmerized us all starting in 1964.

Call it a program of "B.R." cinema. (That's "Before Rudolph.") And yes, it includes such oddities as early short versions of 'A Christmas Carol' and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' as well as a Mary Pickford drama with a heart-warming holiday ending.

It's a great way to take a break from the hectic holiday season and look at things a little differently. More info in the press release below. In the meantime, Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all, and to all a good silent night!

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Mary Pickford stars in 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922).

MONDAY, DEC. 1, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

'Christmas Past' silent film program at Town Hall Theatre on Sunday, Dec. 14

Celebrate the season with family-friendly holiday classics from a century ago, brought to life with live musical accompaniment

WILTON, N.H.—What did people watch before special holiday TV programs such as "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas" made their debut in the 1960s?

See for yourself with a special program of holiday classics from way back during the silent film era, all accompanied by live music.

Included will be the first-ever film versions of such popular tales as 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' the poem by Clement C. Moore; each are more than a century old and less than 10 minutes long.

The family-friendly program will be presented on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested to support the Town Hall Theatre's silent film programming.

Live music will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs regularly at screenings around the nation.

The program will be highlighted by a screening of 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922), a full-length drama starring Mary Pickford that features a special Christmas-oriented ending.

 

Mary Pickford in a lighter moment from 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922).

"Even in the early days of cinema, the movies helped popularize classic holiday stories," Rapsis said. "So it's a real treat for us to turn back the clock and see where the tradition of holiday movies and TV specials first began."

The program will include the first known movie versions of 'A Christmas Carol' (1910) and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas' (1905).

The films each run less than 10 minutes long and were both produced as novelties by Thomas Edison, the inventor credited with pioneering the motion picture.

'Tess of the Storm County' (1922), a full-length feature, has been hailed as among Mary Pickford's best pictures.

The film tells a story of conflict between residents of a poor fishing village who live near the estate of a wealthy family.

As the feisty daughter of a village leader who is unjustly put in jail, Pickford plays a key role in a melodramatic plot that takes many surprising turns.

Pickford, a pioneering film superstar, was a major force in early Hollywood, helping establish the United Artists studio and serving as a founding member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which gives out the annual Oscar awards.

However, Pickford's films receive comparatively little attention today, in part due to the myth that Pickford often played wholesome and traditional female characters that conformed with society's expectations at the time.

In truth, Pickford's best movies often featured her in roles that required her to take action, challenge authority, and play strong roles uncommon for a woman of the era.

The "Christmas Past" Program at the Town Hall Theatre will give local audiences a chance to experience silent film as it was meant to be seen—on a large screen, with live music, and with an audience.

"All those elements are important parts of the silent film experience," said Rapsis, who improvises a movie's musical score live as it screens. "Recreate those conditions, and the classics of early Hollywood leap back to life in ways that can still move audiences today."

Rapsis performs on a digital keyboard that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra and creates a traditional "movie score" sound.

Critics review 'Tess of the Storm Country':

"The most insistently moving picture ever made, its climax is the most stunning visual event ever arranged for a film comedy."
—The New York Times

"The reason to watch is Pickford's elfin grace; she is at her criminally cutest here. Tess boasts rapturous pictorialism and an all-stops-out-climax."
—Richard Corliss, Film Comment

A 'Christmas Past' silent film program featuring Mary Pickford in 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922) will be shown at the Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. on Sunday, Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. 

The program is free and open to the public; a donation of $10 per person is suggested. For more information, call (603) 654-3456. 

 

An ambitious two-page trade journal spread promoting 'Tess of the Storm Country' (1922). Right-click to enlarge the image to see more detail.
 

 

Back to the future with 'Metropolis' (1927) on Friday, Sept. 26 in Derry (N.H.) Opera House

Me under the marquee of the Flying Monkey Moviehouse prior to a screening last week.

Up next, it's 'Metropolis' (1927) at the Derry (N.H.) Opera House on Friday, Sept. 26. Showtime is 7 p.m.; lots more info is in the press release pasted in below.

Recent screenings included 'Risky Business' (1925) on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine; Buster Keaton's comedy 'Seven Chances' (1925) at the Flying Monkey Moviehouse and Performance Center; and Abel Gance's seminal drama 'J'Accuse' (1919) at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

I had thought it was the first time I'd scored 'J'Accuse,' but in checking my records it turns out I did music for it in 2015 at the Harvard Film Archive. 

Wow! I've been doing this for nearly 20 years, and this is the first time I have absolutely no recollection about a screening or a film that I've scored. 

One thing about 'J'Accuse' was it marked the debut of a new speaker for my digital synthesizer output. The pair of old Roland studio monitors have been great, but they've lately been showing their age. 

Audience response afterward was highly favorable to the sound, so looks I'll be going through with the update.  

Okay, hope you can make it to 'Metropolis' (1927) on Friday. Here's a press release with more info.

*     *     *

A scene from 'Metropolis' (1927).

 

TUESDAY, AUG. 26, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more info, contact: Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Restored classic sci-fi epic 'Metropolis' to screen in Derry on Friday, Sept. 26

Landmark early futuristic fantasy, with half-hour of rediscovered footage, to be shown with live music at Derry Opera House

DERRY, N.H.—A silent film hailed as the grandfather of all science fiction fantasy movies will soon return to the big screen at the Derry Opera House.

'Metropolis' (1927), an epic adventure set in a futuristic world, will be shown with live music on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway, Derry, N.H.

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

The event is organized by the Derry Public Library, the Taylor Library, and the Greater Derry Arts Council.

Admission is free; advance registration is requested. To register, visit the Derry Public Library's website at derrypl.org and click on the online 'Events' calendar.

'Metropolis' (1927), regarded as German director Fritz Lang's masterpiece, is set in a society where a privileged elite pursue lives of leisure while the masses toil on vast machines and live in poverty.

The film, with its visions of futuristic factories and underground cities, set new standards for visual design and inspired generations of dystopian fantasies from Ridley Scott's 'Blade Runner' to Terry Gilliam's 'Brazil.'

In 'Metropolis,' the story centers on an upper class young man who falls in love with a woman who works with the poor. The tale encompasses mad scientists, human-like robots, underground spiritual movements, and industrial espionage, all set in a society divided between haves and have-nots.

The version of 'Metropolis' to be screened at the Derry Opera House is a newly restored edition that includes nearly a half-hour of missing footage cut following the film's premiere in 1927. The lost footage, discovered in 2008 in an archive in Argentina, has since been added to the existing 'Metropolis,' allowing plot threads and characters to be developed more fully.

When first screened in Berlin, Germany on Jan. 10, 1927, the sci-fi epic ran an estimated 153 minutes. After its premiere, the film's distributors (including Paramount in the U.S.) drastically shortened 'Metropolis' to maximize the film's commercial potential. By the time it debuted in the U.S. later that year, the film was only about 90 minutes long.

Even in its shortened form, 'Metropolis' became a cornerstone of science fiction cinema. Due to its enduring popularity, the film has undergone numerous restorations in the intervening decades in attempts to recover Lang's original vision.

Restoration work continues to this day. In 2008, the curator of the Buenos Aires Museo del Cine discovered a 16mm dupe negative of 'Metropolis' that was considerably longer than any existing print.

It  contained 25 minutes of "lost" footage, about a fifth of the film, that had not been seen since its Berlin debut.

The discovery of such a significant amount of material called for yet another restoration, a 2½-hour version that debuted in 2010 to widespread acclaim. It's this fully restored edition that will be screened at the Derry Opera House.

A scene from 'Metropolis' (1927).

" 'Metropolis' stands as an stunning example of the power of silent film to tell a compelling story without words, and reach across the generations to touch movie-goers from the real future, which means us," said accompanist Jeff Rapsis, who provides live music for silent film screenings throughout New England and beyond.

To accompany a silent film, Rapsis uses a digital synthesizer to recreate the texture of the full orchestra. The score is created live in real time as the movie is screened. Rather than focus exclusively on authentic music of the period, Rapsis creates new music for silent films that draws from movie scoring techniques that today's audiences expect from the cinema.

The restored 'Metropolis' will be shown with live music on Friday, Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. at the Derry Opera House, 29 West Broadway, Derry, N.H. Admission is free; advance registration is requested. To register, visit the Derry Public Library's website at derrypl.org and click on the online 'Events' calendar.

For more information on the music, visit www.jeffrapsis.com.

CRITIC'S COMMENTS on ‘METROPOLIS’

“'Metropolis' does what many great films do, creating a time, place and characters so striking that they become part of our arsenal of images for imagining the world.”
—Roger Ebert, 2010, The Chicago Sun-Times

“If it comes anywhere near your town, go see it and thank the movie Gods that it even exists. There’s no star rating high enough.”
—Brian Tallerico, Movieretriever.com

This month: I play at Harvard, make my Pittsburgh debut, and do music for a film made in Maine

I have a few unusual gigs coming up, including a return to accompanying films at the Harvard Film Archive and my debut at this year's Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival. Here's a quick round-up of upcoming screenings. See you at the movies!

A scene from 'Spies' (1928), Fritz Lang's thriller.

• Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Spies" (1928) directed by Fritz Lang; Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Main Street/Route 7, Brandon, Vt. Director Fritz Lang's tale of espionage was the forerunner of all movie spy sagas, packed with double agents, hi-tech gadgets, beautiful (and dangerous) women, and an evil genius with a plan to take over the world, mwah-ha-ha-ha! 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 support the silent film series. Rescheduled from Saturday, Sept. 20. 

A scene from Yasujiro Ozu's 1932 film 'I Was Born, But...'

• Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, 2 p.m.: "I Was Born, But..." (1932) directed by Yasujiro Ozu; Harvard Film Archive, 24 Quincy St., Cambridge, Mass. (617) 496-3211. Part of the Harvard Film Archive's, "New Dog, New Tricks: Youth in Cinema" film series. A blithe portrait of the financial and psychological toils of one Japanese family, as told from the rascally point of view of a couple of stubborn little boys. For two brothers, the daily struggles of bullies and mean teachers is nothing next to the mortification they feel when they realize their good-natured father’s low-rung social status. Admission: $10 general public, discounts for students/seniors/members; Harvard students admitted free.

An original lobby card promoting 'Risky Business' (1925).

• Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Risky Business" (1925) starring Vera Reynolds, Zazu Pitts; Leavitt Theatre, 259 Main St. Route 1, Ogunquit, Maine; (207) 646-3123. No, not the 1986 film starring Tom Cruise. In this silent-era 'Risky Business,' Zasu Pitts (from Parsons, Kansas) stars with Vera Ralston in a tale of a society girl's love for a country doctor in a film that is by turns harrowing, hilarious, and heart-warming. Join us for a summer season of movies and entertainment at the historic Leavitt Theatre, celebrating its 100th anniversary. See great silent films with live music in a summer-only theater opened in 1925 and barely changed since. 

Buster Keaton and an army of would-be prides in 'Seven Chances' (1925).

• Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Seven Chances" (1925) starring Buster Keaton; The Flying Monkey Movie House and Performance Center, 39 South Main St., Plymouth, N.H.; (603) 536-2551. Buster is about to be saved from bankruptcy by an unexpected inheritance of $7 million—but only if he gets married by 7 p.m. that very day. Can Buster somehow find the girl of his dreams while being pursued by an army of women eager to marry a soon-to-be millionaire? One of Buster's best comedies, climaxed by one of the great chase scenes in all silent film comedy. Silent film series at a restored moviehouse in Plymouth, N.H. Tickets $15 per person.

A scene from Abel Gance's World War I film 'J'Accuse' (1919).

 • Sunday, Sept. 21, 2025, 2 p.m.: "J'Accuse" (1919) directed by Abel Gance; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street, Wilton, N.H.; (603) 654-3456. French silent film directed by Abel Gance that juxtaposes a romantic drama with the background of the horrors of World War I. Work on the film began in 1918, with some scenes filmed on real battlefields. The film's powerful depiction of wartime suffering, particularly its climactic sequence of the "return of the dead," made it an international success and confirmed Gance as one of the most important directors in Europe. Silent film with live music at a theater where movies have been shown since 1912. Admission free, donations of $10 per person encouraged. 

Yesterday's vision of the future is now in Fritz Lang's epic 'Metropolis' (1927)

• Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Metropolis" (1927) directed by Fritz Lang; Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry; sponsored by Derry Public Library.  The eye-popping silent film sci-fi masterpiece of German filmmaker Fritz Lang is a vintage look at things to come. 'Metropolis' stands as an stunning example of the power of film to tell a compelling story without words, and reach across the generations to touch movie-goers from the real future that came to pass: us! Timeless silent film on the big screen and with live music. Free admission! For more information, contact the Derry Public Library at (603) 432-6140.   

Lillian Gish is up a creek as she heads down the Connecticut River via ice floes.

• Monday, Sept. 29, 2025, 6:30 p.m.: "Way Down East" (1920) directed by D.W. Griffith, starring Lillian Gish; Greenfield Garden Cinemas, 361 Main St., Greenfield, Mass.; call (413) 773-9260 or visit www.gardencinemas.net. Celebrate 'Silent Movie Day' (Sept. 29) with one of the genre's all-time classics. Griffith's enduring box-office smash sees Lillian Gish pitted against small town New England and one very large waterfall. Features Gish as a wronged woman who can't escape her past. Still-thrilling climax on ice floes heading towards the falls was filmed on the Connecticut River! Engrossing melodrama, and the silent era's fifth-highest grossing motion picture; an audience favorite for more than a century. Tickets $10.50 adults; $8.50 students, seniors, and veterans.  

Meet-cute between John Gilbert and Renee Adoree in 'The Big Parade' (1925).

• Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, 7 p.m.: "The Big Parade" (1925) directed by King Vidor, starring John Gilbert, Renee Adoree; Lawrenceville/Row House Cinema, 4115 Butler St., Pittsburgh, Penn. 100th anniversary screening of sweeping World War I saga about U.S. doughboys signing up and shipping off to France, where they face experiences that will change their lives forever—if they return. Shown as part of this year's Pittsburgh Silent Film Festival, organized by the Pittsburgh Silent Film Society and sponsored by the Pittsburgh Classic Movie Club. Tickets $16.

 

Promotion for a screening of 'In The River,' a silent film by Edgar Jones shot in Maine.

• Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, 2 p.m.: "In The River" (1920) and other films by Edgar Jones; Colonial Theater, 139 Water St., Augusta, Maine; (207) 209-3525. More than a century ago, Edgar Jones set up a studio in Augusta, Maine. From 1919 to 1921, Jones produced a series of two-reel films shot at the studio and on location in Augusta and the Kennebec River. Most have vanished, but a few have recently been unearthed by film preservation advocate Ed Lorusso, a local resident. Three films produced by Jones will be screened at the Colonial Theater in Augusta, Maine, a moviehouse that was in operation when the films were produced, and which is currently undergoing restoration. Besides the world re-premiere of "In the River" (which Lorusso recently located in a private collection at the U.S. Library of Congress), the program will also include "Cupid, Registered Guide" and "Caught in the Rapids." 

Well, that's enough! Something for everyone—so hope to see you at the movies in the next month before the annual "Halloween Silent Film Screening Staplechase" kicks in with a vengeance!

 

Hitchcock's 'The Ring' (1927) today at 2 p.m.: thoughts on silent film, boxing, and ballet

A scene from Alfred Hitchcock's boxing drama 'The Ring' (1927). 

Today at 2 p.m., the bell rings for the next installment of our mini-series of silent boxing films at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.

This afternoon, it's Alfred Hitchcock's early film 'The Ring' (1927), a drama in which two men do battle over a woman inside the ring and out.

Late this summer, the series conclude son Sunday, Aug. 24 with 'Battling Butler' (1926), Buster Keaton's boxing comedy.

I'm drawn to silent films that feature boxing because they show the enduring fascination a sport that's so basic and elemental.

Boxing: No teams, just two opponents. No fancy equipment. Everything out in the open for once, with no second-guessing what you're there to do.

Also, talking and words aren't important in the ring. So that's something that silent film and boxing share. Sometimes words aren't enough, or sometimes they're too much.

So there's a certain expressive power shared by boxing and silent film.

You could also make the same connection between boxing and ballet. No words there either: just music and movement—telling stories so elemental that words aren't needed.

Yes, kind of like boxing. 

This reminds me that a friend of mine had a T-shirt that said: "Boxing is like ballet except the dancers hit each other."

There's also the time element of boxing and silent film. When the bell rings, the fighters have no choice to face each other until the contest comes to an end one way or another.

Likewise, when the opening titles of a silent film appear on the screen, the accompanist has no choice to stay in the ring until the story is told—in this case, when 'The End' shows up, which is the cinematic equivalent of going the distance.

There may be other connections with silent film and boxing. So far, no one has thrown a punch at me during a screening, but that could happen at any time. 

If it happens this afternoon, be there to see it by getting a ringside seat at the Town Hall Theatre at 2 p.m. 

Here's the press release with a lot more info  about the film and the screening.

*    *    * 

 

A scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Ring' (1927).

 

MONDAY, JUNE 30, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Early Hitchcock film highlights Town Hall Theatre summer series of vintage boxing movies

'The Ring' (1927), silent drama of two fighters in love with same woman, to be screened on Sunday, July 20 with live musical accompaniment

WILTON, N.H.—An early film directed by Alfred Hitchcock is next up in a summer series of vintage boxing movies at the Town Hall Theatre.

'The Ring' (1927), an intense tale of two fighters battling over the same woman, will be screened with live music on Sunday, July 20 at 2 p.m.

The boxing series is part of the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's monthly silent film program. Admission to the screenings is free; a donation of $10 per person is suggested.

Live accompaniment will be provided by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film musician.

'The Ring,' an early Hitchcock effort, was made when the director was still working in his native Great Britain.

The future "master of suspense" was just 28 years old when he helmed this silent drama set in the colorful world of English carnivals and fairgrounds.

'The Ring' is based on Hitchcock's only original screenplay, although he worked extensively alongside other writers throughout his career.

Silent-era boxing dramas are of interest to fans because they're filled with scenes of the sport at the height of its mainstream popularity.

At the time, boxing rivaled baseball as the nation's most popular sport. Neighborhoods, communities, and ethnic groups all rooted for their favorite fighters, and heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey ranked as an international celebrity.

Boxing stories were popular with early movie audiences as well.

"As an elemental contest between two opponents, boxing inspired some great work by early filmmakers," Rapsis said. "It's a visual sport that doesn't require a lot of dialogue or commentary to understand, and so was perfect for silent movies."

The Wilton Town Hall Theatre has been showing films since 1912. The venue's silent series gives local audiences the chance to experience early cinema as it was intended to be seen: on the big screen, with live music, and with an audience.

The silent film boxing series concludes on Sunday, Aug. 24 with 'Battling Butler' (1926), Buster Keaton's uproarious comedy about a pampered millionaire mistaken for a champion fighter.

The Summer Silent Boxing Film Series continues with a screening of Alfred Hitchcock's 'The Ring' (1927) on Sunday, July 20 at 2 p.m. at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H. Admission is free; a donation of $10 per person is suggested.

 

To California to accompany 'Algol' (1920), then a new summer season of silent film in Brandon, Vt.

Outside the Jane Pickens Theatre in Newport, R.I. on Saturday, April 19.

April was a busy month for silent film accompaniment, but I didn't post much about it due to an overcrowded schedule. 

But now it's May, and with summer series of silent screenings starting soon (how sibilant!), here's an update.

Later today, I'll head out west to accompany the early German sci-fi tale 'Algol' (1920) at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum in Fremont, Calif. 

Then back home, May brings the start of two silent film series that I accompany: one up in Brandon, Vt., and another at the Leavitt Theatre in Ogunquit, Maine.

First to get going is Brandon, where we'll kick things off with Harry Langdon's 'The Strong Man' (1926) on Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m.

More info about the screening as well as the rest of this year's films is in the press release pasted in below. I'll preview the Leavitt Theatre series in Ogunquit in a later post.

See you at the movies!

*     *     *

 

A gangster's moll flirts with Harry Langdon in 'The Strong Man' (1926).

TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2025 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com

Classic comedy 'The Strong Man' with live music on Saturday, May 10 in Brandon, Vt.

Brandon Town Hall's 2025 silent film series kicks off with classic comedy starring Harry Langdon—and the first movie directed by a very young Frank Capra

BRANDON, Vt.—Classics from the silent film era will return to the big screen at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, which will host another season of vintage cinema with live music.

First up is Harry Langdon in 'The Strong Man' (1926), a comedy that marked Frank Capra's directorial debut. The film screens on Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt.

Admission is free; donations are welcome to help defray expenses.

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

'The Strong Man' tells the story of a World War I soldier (Langdon) who, following his discharge, finds work as assistant to a circus strong man. As the act travels the country, Langdon continually searches for a girl he corresponded with while stationed overseas in the military.

The search leads to a town controlled by Prohibition-era gangsters, which forces Harry to test the limits of his own inner strength even as he looks for his dream girl. Can Harry triumph over the bad guys? And is love more powerful than brute strength?

The feature-length film showcases the unique child-like personality of Langdon, who is largely forgotten today. For a brief time in the 1920s, however, he rivaled Charlie Chaplin as Hollywood's top movie clown.

Langdon's popularity, which grew quickly in the last years of the silent era, fizzled as the movie business abruptly switched to talkies starting in 1929.

'The Strong Man' was selected in 2007 for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

In recent years, 'The Strong Man' has been recognized as a major achievement of the silent film era—a satisfying and timeless balance of emotion and comedy.

"A little tragedy and a lot of laughs can be seen in 1926's The Strong Man," wrote critic Richard von Busack in 2007. "Director Frank Capra's energy and sturdy plot sense counterpoint Langdon's wonderful strangeness."

Harry Langdon stars in 'The Strong Man' (1926).

'The Strong Man' will be accompanied by live music by Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based silent film accompanist who performs at venues across the region and beyond.

"These films were created to be shown on the big screen as a communal experience," Rapsis said. "With an audience and live music, they still come to life in the way their makers intended them to.

"The silent film screenings at Brandon Town Hall are a great chance for people to experience films that first caused people to first fall in love with the movies," he said.

Rapsis achieves a traditional movie score sound for silent film screenings by using a digital synthesizer that reproduces the texture of the full orchestra.

It's the 14th year of the Brandon Town Hall silent film series, which gives residents and visitors a chance to see great movies from the pioneering days of cinema as they were meant to be shown—on the big screen, with an audience, and accompanied by live music.

Screenings are held once a month, generally on Saturday nights starting in May and running through November. Admission is free; donations are encouraged to defray expenses.

Over the years, silent film donations have helped support projects including handicapped access to the 19th century building; renovating the bathrooms; and restoring the structure's original slate roof.

Other films in this year's Brandon Town Hall silent film series include:

• Saturday, June 7, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Underworld" (1927) starring George Bancroft, Evelyn Brent. Director Josef von Sternberg's groundbreaking tale of big city mobsters, widely considered the father of all gangster pictures. Tale follows crime boss "Bull" Weed as he battles rival 1920s gangsters. Incredible black-and-white photography; winner of first-ever Oscar for original story by Ben Hecht.

• Saturday, July 19, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Grandma's Boy" (1922) starring Harold Lloyd, Mildred Davis.  A cowardly young man must learn to conquer his fears before dealing with a larger menace to his community. Riotous small town comedy that helped propel Harold Lloyd into the most popular movie comedian of the 1920s.

• Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Manhandled" (1924) starring Gloria Swanson. Uproarious comedy from silent screen legend Swanson tells the story of a down-on-her-luck salesgirl who climbs the social ladder by pretending to be a Russian countess.

• Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Spies" (1928) directed by Fritz Lang. Director Fritz Lang's tale of espionage was the forerunner of all movie spy sagas, packed with double agents, hi-tech gadgets, beautiful (and dangerous) women, and an evil genius with a plan to take over the world, mwah-ha-ha-ha!

• Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, 7 p.m.: "The Magician" (1926) starring Paul Wegener, Alice Terry, directed by Rex Ingram. Just in time for Halloween: a scientist uses an ancient spell to reanimate a dead body. The secret missing ingredient is, of course, the blood of a virgin, making it a good bet for all kinds of creepy goings-on.

• Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, 7 p.m.: "Seven Chances" (1925) starring Buster Keaton. Buster is about to be saved from bankruptcy by an unexpected inheritance of $7 million—but only if he gets married by 7 p.m. that very day. Can Buster somehow find the girl of his dreams while being pursued by an army of women eager to marry a soon-to-be millionaire?

See Harry Langdon in the 'The Strong Man' (1926) with live music on Saturday, May 10 at 7 p.m. at the Brandon Town Hall and Community Center, Route 7, in Brandon, Vt. All are welcome to this family-friendly event. Admission is free, with free will donations accepted to defray expenses.