Silent Movie Mondays: 'The Phantom of the Opera' (1925) Starring Lon Chaney, organist Russ Peck
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Back by popular demand - just in time to celebrate its 100th anniversary!
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!
After the show
All audience members are invited to stay for a post-show conversation with featured organist Russ Peck and a special guest film expert.
This is just one screening in our Silent Movie Mondays series at the Balboa Theatre. Learn more and see the full lineup!
Balboa Theatre
Built in 1924, the historic Balboa Theatre was an elegant vaudeville and movie palace in the heart of downtown San Diego. At the time, it was a state-of-the-art building that included six storefronts along Fourth Ave., with 34 offices on the floors above. Starting in 1986, the Balboa Theatre had been closed for over 20 years. After numerous efforts to privately renovate and reopen the Theatre, the commitment was made in 2002 to retain the historic Balboa Theatre as a public asset with the City's Redevelopment Agency funding its renovation and restoration and reopening the Theatre as a community performing arts center to be managed and operated by San Diego Theatres. The City of San Diego's Redevelopment Agency has invested over $26 million into the Balboa Theatre's renovation and restoration. This has included extensive seismic retro-fit to meet current requirements, complete replacement of all infrastructure systems including electrical, plumbing, HVAC, life safety, ADA accommodations, state-of-the-industry theatrical lighting, audio, rigging and production requirements, and audience accommodations including new seating. The project has embraced and restored the historic finishes and appearance of the Balboa Theatre while incorporating current audience and production expectations to ensure its use for generations to come. The historic Balboa Theatre reopened in January 2008 with much acclaim from audiences and performers. Additionally, it has received numerous special awards and recognition on a local, state and national professional organizations.
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