Halloween Silent Movie Special, Symphony Hall, Birmingham - review

With an eerie organ recital from the talented Nigel Ogden, the city's finest demons and ghouls put on their best witches' hats and sat down to watch the 1920 silent horror film, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's epic gothic novel, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the film was directed by John S. Robertson and stars John Barrymore in the titular role.

Coined as the first great American horror film, one of the main things that stuck out was the difference in how cinema was created back when it was released. The style of acting and the angle of the camera were a bit of a culture shock and provided an interesting look at the beginnings of film, an industry that is now worth trillions of dollars and a dominant part of our culture as a result.

The spine tingling evening demonstrated the power of music in film, especially silent film, as the work of Nigel informed the audience of the mood and tone of each scene.

The main characters transformation and the sinister camera angles created an eerie and uncertain mood, that was only amplified by the organ music.

Running throughout the film were the motifs of temptation and the conflicting sides of man, as the animal and the civilised vie for control.

Keeping in mind that the film was made in 1920, it proved as an interesting case study into how different classes, genders and ethnicities were represented.

Once turning into Mr Hyde, he associates himself with prostitutes, the working class and ethnicities, in comparison to the main characters who also happened to be wealthy. These groups served as tools to demonstrate Hyde's depravity rather than having their own agency as people.

Finishing with a warm address from Nigel himself, who had somehow managed to play the organ for 77 minutes, he thanked us all for our attendance and mentioned his own enjoyment at these events.

The night included a costume competition, prizes for first and second place in the competition went to Jack the Ripper and Victim as well as the Corrupted Cowboy receiving awards respectively.

Overall, the evening was thoroughly enjoyable. As someone who has never seen a silent film before it was an entertaining experience to say the least.

Both the film and the talented Nigel Ogden demonstrated how refreshing it can be to fight that desperate need to run home and watch TV after work and do something different with your evening.

By Eleanor Forrest