Reel Films

I took Film Studies until I was forced to drop it after second year. I won’t dwell on it; the pain is still too fresh. I still remember a lecture concerning silent cinema. In the 1920s, films were shown in grand theaters called movie palaces, with live orchestras. Ever since that lecture, I’ve been desperate to see a film with a live accompaniment.

The Reel Film Society made that dream a reality. Although School III had to stand in for a movie palace, they did provide a live band and the place was almost full.

The first feature was Laurel and Hardy slapstick short Double Whoopee. This was the perfect way to introduce the night. Running at less than 20 minutes, the film eased us in to what the event had in store for us. The plot itself was predictably funny. No matter how sophisticated you are, everyone likes watching people fall flat on their face.

The music was provided by pianist Jane Gardner and percussionist Hazel Morrison. The two musicians are incredibly talented and their composition beautifully complimented the film. The score was accented by sound effects which punctuated key moments in the plot and enhanced the humour. I’ve seen plenty of silent films, but the accompaniment was  nonetheless an exciting addition which immersed the audience in the action.

The second choice was Murnau’s The Last Laugh. The tone of this film is far more serious than the short we had just watched. The only person you’ll see fall on their face in this film is an old man collapsing under the weight of a nervous breakdown. Not so funny.

To add to this sombre tone, violinist Roderick Long joined the band. While the accompaniment was entertaining, it could have easily lost its novelty after a while so adding a third instrument kept interest high. I’m a sucker for strings, and the eerie sound of the violin often left me in goosebumps. Once again the music was framed perfectly to enhance the film. The picture and the music went hand in hand; the sound never overpowered the sight, and vice versa.

The live band

There was an unforeseen hiccup when the English subtitles failed to appear over the intertitles. The only thing I can say in German is 99 red balloons, but thankfully the music came to the rescue. Whenever I was lost, the score told me the mood of the scene or the characters involved.

Although there are issues which should be smoothed out in the future, this was an excellent first event from the Reel Film Society. Their film choices were carefully considered and the musicians were an excellent find (they even stayed for a Q&A session afterwards).

Very few people have seen a silent film, let alone a silent film with a live accompaniment. This event gave us the chance to step back to a time when cinema was an accessible artistic experience rather than a way to kill time. The best thing? Not a mobile phone or bucket of popcorn in sight.

Images courtesy of empireonline.com, silentcomedians.com, Reel Film Society and silent-volume.blogspot.com