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“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?” asked Harry M. Warner of Warner Brothers in 1927. The question may sound ridiculous to today’s filmgoers, but it is not stopping River City Cinema and the Bangor Public Library from hosting “Anything But Silent,” a weekly series featuring five films from the silent era.
The screenings will feature live piano accompaniment by Harry Weiss.
Live accompaniment was common during the silent era of film. A piano or organ player would sit next to the screen and play music to correspond with the action. This trend began to fade in the late 1920s when “talkies” – films with pre-recorded soundtracks – grew in popularity. Talkies opened the door for recorded dialogue and other sound effects. The new trend prompted Warner, not alone in a pool of Hollywood skeptics, to doubt the medium’s future.
Today, films with audible dialogue are taken for granted. River City Cinema is excited to keep the tradition of silent films alive.
“A silent film puts all of its communication in cinematography. For modern viewers it may be difficult, but the wealth of the visual experience is in the silence,” said Michael Grillo, a founding member of River City Cinema and an art history professor at the University of Maine.
Live accompaniment will be a new experience to many who attend the series, but Weiss does not want his audience to focus on the novelty. “I try not to play any music that the people will recognize. It’s much more important that they pay attention to the film,” said Weiss.
Weiss has played piano for more than 80 years. The first time he accompanied a silent film was in 1935.
“Having a local piano player bridged the film with the audience. It was like having a Greek chorus that interacted with the film and the audience,” Grillo said.
Weiss improvises most of the music he plays during a film. He bases his performance on the characters, scenery, period and country of the film. “I love doing it because it’s a challenge every time,” Weiss said. Much of the music is also determined by how he feels about the film at a given moment, making each screening a new and unique experience.
River City Cinema chose to screen the films at the Bangor Public Library because it houses a grand piano.
Diane McCade, director of the library, is also excited to support the cinematic tradition. “The performance is good for the community. It’s art, and it’s a good time,” McCade said.
“Anything But Silent” will feature comedy, romance and horror films.
The screenings will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 11 and Wednesday, Oct. 29 in Bangor Public Library’s lecture hall. Additional showings will take place on Nov. 1, 22 and 29. For a list of titles, contact the Bangor Public Library at 947-8336. Screenings are free; donations are encouraged.
Bangor Daily News