The Devils Composer
Imagine Jaws without the sneaking tuba. Or Psycho without the shrieking violins. Music can help a horror film strike fear in the heart of theatergoers. And you can trace some of these musical scare tactics back to the era of SILENT films \u2014 when organists made up film scores on-the-spot.\xa0
To celebrate the spooky season this year, we're slashing apart a 1917 silent horror film with composer Andrew Earle Simpson to find out how music can be the beating heart of suspense. Grab your popcorn and get snuggly under the blanket. But be sure to check the closet for a pianist before turning out the lights.\xa0
Want to see this movie for yourself? Don\u2019t miss our live screening of The Devil\u2019s Assistant at the National Museum of American History! Join Lizzie, Andrew, and Ryan on Wednesday, October 30th at 7:30pm to see this movie the way it was made to be watched \u2013 with live musical accompaniment. We\u2019ll have objects from the Smithsonian collections and audience Q&A.\xa0 Reserve your FREE tickets here.
Guests:
Andrew Earle Simpson, composer and professor of music at the Benjamin T. Rome School of Music, Drama, and Art at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.\xa0
Ryan Lintelman, curator of entertainment at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History\xa0