As the perfect event to kick off spooky season, the evening’s feature is The Phantom of the Opera from 1925, the first film adaptation of Gaston Leroux's 1910 horror novel. Lon Chaney’s portrayal of the titular character, a deformed virtuoso haunting the Paris Opera House, has been lauded as one of the greatest performances in horror cinema to date. The screening of The Phantom of the Opera will be accompanied by live organ music, creating an immersive experience that harks back to the silent film era.
In 2004, renowned film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 4 out of 4 stars, saying "The Phantom is invested by the intense and inventive Lon Chaney with a horror and poignancy that is almost entirely created with body language." On the popular review forum Rotten Tomatoes, the site reads, "Decades later, it still retains its ability to scare – and Lon Chaney's performance remains one of the benchmarks of the horror genre." The film was added to the United States National Film Registry in 1998.
September 29 is Silent Movie Day, when film lovers, history buffs, and organ players celebrate the incredible legacy of this art form. We're thrilled to hold an event commemorating the day!