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A masterpiece of silent horror cinema is coming to one of San Francisco’s Gothic revival jewels just in time for Halloween.
Director Rupert Julian’s 1925 adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel “The Phantom of the Opera” stars Lon Chaney – whose ability to transform himself using makeup techniques earned him the nickname of “The Man of a Thousand Faces” – in the title role of the scarred composer who haunts the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris.
The film is the first horror classic made by Universal Studios, and legend has it Chaney’s makeup was so realistic, people fainted in the audience. Its success paved the way for the studio’s later horror movies including “Dracula” and “Frankenstein,” both released in 1931, and 1932’s “The Mummy.”
Beyond the scares, it’s an impressive feat of filmmaking – best watched with a group of fellow cinephiles, whether you’re a seasoned silent film buff or just discovering the art form.
Presented by SFJazz, the screening will feature a live score performed on Grace’s 7,500 pipe Aeolian-Skinner organ by Dorothy Papadakos. A member of the Grammy-winning Paul Winter Consort and former Cathedral Organist at New York’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Papadakos has accompanied the film in venues around the world.
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SFJazz presents “The Phantom of the Opera”: With organ accompaniment by Dorothy Papadakos. 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30. $34.50-$44.50 Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St., S.F. www.sfjazz.org
This article originally published at ‘Phantom of the Opera’ haunts San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral just in time for Halloween.
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