This weekend, the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival, aka HippFest, will present a special screening of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1920) online.
The screening will be accompanied by musician and broadcaster Neil Brand on piano, with an introduction by silent film historian and film critic Pamela Hutchinson.
When it was first released, this classic horror tale was a box-office hit but some critics feared it was dangerously scary and not suitable for viewing by pregnant women and children!
The leading role is played by American actor John Barrymore, whose transformation into the hideous, brutish creature Mr Hyde, has been heralded as one of the most brilliant performances of his career.
The Hippodrome Silent Film Festival, aka HippFest, was launched in 2011 and draws audiences from across Scotland and beyond. The event is organised by Falkirk Community Trust with key funding from Creative Scotland and Falkirk Council.
The Festival was due to take place in March in Bo’ness with screenings at the Hippodrome Cinema, the oldest purpose-built cinema in Scotland. The Hippodrome Cinema is a pre-art deco picture palace dating back to 1912. In 2009, following a major restoration, it was reopened with digital and 35mm projectors and a state-of-the-art sound system, a café and licenced bar. The festival hopes to be back in March 2021.
When: 4th July 2020 at 8pm
Where: Watch online via Facebook
£: Free
More info: www.facebook.com and www.hippodromecinema.co.uk/silent-film-festival