Brian Ebie Silent Movie Night 10/30/2019
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
St. John’s Episcopal Church
2220 2nd Street
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
7:00 PM
On Wednesday evening, October 30, 2019, Organist Brian Ebie will improvise accompaniment at the pipe organ for the Laurel and Hardy silent film Habeas Corpus. Filmed in 1928, this was technically both a silent film and a film with recorded sound. Victor released a set of recordings to go along with the film for syncronized playback. These recordings were lost shortly after, with a set only being discovered again in 1990.
During the early years of silent films, organists at movie houses often provided improvised accompaniment on Theatre organs, designed specifically with sound effects and, literally, “bells and whistles.” The “Mighty WurliTzer” theatre organ among other builders became very popular in theatres until about 1930, when talking pictures mostly replaced silent movies. Organists had a virtual orchestra at their fingertips and were armed with improvisations for chase scenes, air raids, suspense scenes, love scenes, and so forth. Organist Brian Ebie has also mastered these skills and will provide an improvised accompaniment, at the console, while the movie plays.
Stan and Ollie are hired by a mad scientist to retrieve a body from the graveyard and they set about the task with their usual bumbling, hapless craziness! The plot summary from Wikipedia, (retrieved 10/18/2019):
“Professor Padilla is a mad scientist whose plans have drawn the interest of the police. His latest scheme is to perform a medical experiment on a corpse. Stan and Ollie, by chance, happen to arrive at the professor's home in search of a free meal. The professor offers the duo $500 if they will steal a body from a local graveyard. They think the professor is balmy, but they agree to his offer anyway. The conversation is overheard by the professor's butler, Ledoux, who happens to be a police informant. Ledoux calls police headquarters and is told to go to the graveyard to thwart any theft. Meanwhile the police arrest the mad professor. At the cemetery, Stan and Ollie get into a series of comical misadventures trying to enter the grounds and while digging up a fresh grave. Ledoux manages to slip into the grave while covered in a white sack. Stan and Ollie take Ledoux from the grave. With Ledoux's "corpse" slung over Stan's back, Ledoux's legs rip through the bottom of the sack--and he walks step for step behind Stan. Stan and Ollie realize their stolen corpse is still alive and begin to run in panic. The chase ends with Ollie and Ledoux falling into a deep, water-filled hole.”
Come and join us at St. John’s for a great evening of entertainment!