I just attended a special showing of "The Phantom of the Opera" at Orange County Performing Arts Center's Segerstrom Concert Hall with Pacific Symphony. The symphony performed the restored 1925's film score with Dennis James at the helm of the concert hall's concert Organ. I knew something great was going to happen when the opening scene of the movie on the big screen was accompanied with a wall of sound from the concert organ playing Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor. In my many years of movie going, I have never experienced watching a movie along with full symphony orchestra playing its score, it just brings watching a classic silent film up to a whole new level.
Even-though, the film was shown as film-to-video transfer, the images came out loud and clear, but not without some blotches, the film is after all some 84 years old. I have never watched any of the Phantom movies before nor the musical version, so last night's showing was my first exposure to the franchise. The story of the film was the timeless story of unacquired love and human hideousness. Much in the same vein as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "King Kong", and "Frankenstein". The plot of the the film was limited to what the title card of the silent film can express, but the words flashed before the screen speaks volume to the actors emotions and further more bring it up couple of notches by the organ and orchestra's film score. I was in awe by the movie's venture into Technicolor at the second half of the film. With color one could really tells the difference if the showgirls in the film were wearing white leg stockings or just barelegged. The acting style of the actors to those not accustomed to silent film did caused some snickers from the peanuts gallery, but mostly those of us at the concert hall were captured by the powerful imageries and music of this 84 years old film. In the end, I must remind myself that I'm watching a silent film.
Even-though, the film was shown as film-to-video transfer, the images came out loud and clear, but not without some blotches, the film is after all some 84 years old. I have never watched any of the Phantom movies before nor the musical version, so last night's showing was my first exposure to the franchise. The story of the film was the timeless story of unacquired love and human hideousness. Much in the same vein as "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "King Kong", and "Frankenstein". The plot of the the film was limited to what the title card of the silent film can express, but the words flashed before the screen speaks volume to the actors emotions and further more bring it up couple of notches by the organ and orchestra's film score. I was in awe by the movie's venture into Technicolor at the second half of the film. With color one could really tells the difference if the showgirls in the film were wearing white leg stockings or just barelegged. The acting style of the actors to those not accustomed to silent film did caused some snickers from the peanuts gallery, but mostly those of us at the concert hall were captured by the powerful imageries and music of this 84 years old film. In the end, I must remind myself that I'm watching a silent film.