Da-da-da!

Da da da da daaaa daa!
It's really too bad that you can't hear the creepy music in my head! :)

Mari and I attended another unusual evening activity last night: we watched The Phantom of the Opéra at the IU Auditorium last night. Dennis James, who has revived the playing of live music with silent films, played the Roosevelt pipe organ at the Auditorium.

It was great. I'd never seen the original PotO before, and boy, was that Lon Chaney scary! Mari and I both jumped when the Phantom was unmasked in the film: it was so sudden and the lighting was so well done you just couldn't help it! What's even better is that it was entirely real: some wires to keep his nose, ears, and eye sockets in place and some stage makeup to make him more creepy. They succeeded! (However, there were definately a few bits in the movie that made you wonder if they had been written with the express purpose of some comic relief!)

Dennis James, besides being an absolute ham when given the opportunity with a microphone, had a wonderful musical performance. There were several creative pieces that caught my attention and so I sometimes couldn't help watching him play rather than the show! He played so well and it was timed so precisely that I sometimes forgot the music was live. Most of the music he had prepared ahead of time: some old original scores that had historically been played with the piece, some he himself created for the film. And, of course, I think he was partly making it up as he went! It was mesmerizing; I became completely entranced - he even gave a scream at one point for the heroine! lol It was so unexpected, I jumped!

I highly recommend old black & whites to begin with, but after getting the experience of live (vs. dubbed) musical accompaniment, I encourage anyone to attend at least one performance. It's definately an unusual and entertaining experience.