Last weekend Mr. Macabre got a treat. I went out and saw the 1925 silent film, The Phantom of the Opera performed by, The Curse of the Vampire Orchestra which they had an original score for the picture.
This isn’t really a review. It’s more me telling you a tale of an experience. The film was hosted at the Granada Theater in Uptown Minneapolis. I have never been, but the interior was well put together. The theater itself was more long than wide which had more of an interesting feel than you’d think. It actually used to be a silent film theater back in the day and has been restored to function as one once more.
This gothic film is the first adaptation on screen of the book. The book originally written by Gaston Leroux and published in serialized format from late 1909 to early 1910. I could have sworn The Phantom of the Opera was published earlier, but I guess I was wrong.
The Curse of the Vampire Orchestra did a fantastic job performing! The music didn’t miss a beat. The unmasking of the Phantom was a scene I’ve watched before but the music really hit and made me feel like I was watching it for the first time.
The composer of the score, Philip Shorey wanted the music to evoke Christine’s perspective and I think he accomplished his goal to the fullest extent. Bravo to him and the musicians that played the music!
If you ever want to have a unique experience, go see a silent film with a live orchestra. It’s an opportunity you don’t get every day.
A Silent Film Experience is marked with CC0 1.0
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