Saturday, October 25, 2008

A not-so-silent film review

This evening I donned my new polka-dot blouse, my platform heels and my Audrey Hepburnesque black raincoat, and strolled the three blocks between my apartment and St. Anne's Church to watch the silent version of Gaston Leroux's Phantom of the Opera accompanied by Larry Molinaro on the church's magnificent organ music starting at seven in the evening.
It was quite an experience. I had never seen a silent film on any screen bigger than my computer before so that in itself makes it memorable. For an hour and a half I, and a score of others, sat mesmerized (despite the discomfort of the pews) and entertained by the alternating sepia, black and white, and occasionally the red or blue images on the screen in front of the altar. To call the famous drama a comedy is perhaps a strech, but the composer/accompanies Larry Molinaro swept the story along with the beautiful-yet-not-to-be-taken-too-seriously score which included variations on the cancan and Pick-a-little as well as other famous pieces that I couldn't quite put the name to.
All in all it is the best movie I have seen in a long time due, in great part, to the surround sound and the fact that I haven't been to see a movie since my return to the States.

3 comments:

Donald Sosin said...

Pick-a-little???? For Phantom? I can't imagine. Why introduce something so completely out of left field?

But glad you enjoyed the film and hope you will seek out more...

We are performing at the National Gallery Nov. 29 for DOCKS OF NEW YORK. Serious film. Breathtaking photography. No Pick-a-little.

Best wishes
Donald Sosin
oldmoviemusic.com

Anonymous said...

What fun for a fall evening in faraway Annapolis. Wish we could have joined you.

Anonymous said...

Time for an Update