Where can I see silent films in Dallas?

September 8, 2007 10:27 PM

Where can I see silent films on the big screen around Dallas?

Are there any theaters/drive-ins that consistently show old silent films, or are they all extinct? I can't seem to find anything in the Dallas area

posted by doppleradar to media & arts (6 answers total)

Hmm... good luck with that (maybe buy a pair of headphones that drummers wear to deafen the sound? I keed I keed)

A group I know and some friends of his do a screening of nosferatu around halloween and they make up a soundtrack. It's usually in San Antonio or Austin though.
posted by RustyBrooks at 11:21 PM on September 8, 2007

We've got a drive-in, and old movies, but I don't know about silents.
posted by erikgrande at 11:49 PM on September 8, 2007

There's nowhere around here that does it consistently, or more than rarely. There was an event of some sort at a performance hall sometime (how's that for vague, I just remember seeing a blurb in the Observer) where they showed some silent films and had a live organist playing the soundtrack, but it was a special occasion thing (possibly even a touring show) and not a movie theatre.

If it was going to happen, the Observer events page is probably where you'll find it. There's another drive in, the Brazos out in Granbury, but they show recent movies.
posted by Lyn Never at 5:34 AM on September 9, 2007

The touring group Lyn Never is referring to might be the Alloy Orchestra. They accompany the silent films most years at Ebertfest. You might want to keep an eye on their tour page and see if they'll be coming to Dallas anytime soon. But yeah, I grew up there and can't think of anyplace that shows silents on a regular basis.
posted by MsMolly at 4:38 PM on September 9, 2007

The Dallas Symphony Orchestra had a showing of the Battleship Potemkin last year, but I would definitely rather see Buster Keaton with a live score
posted by doppleradar at 9:25 PM on September 9, 2007

The Dallas Theater Organ Society shows silent films with live organ accompaniment at the McKinney Performing Arts Center a few times a year. The next show will be PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925) before Halloween. In the past we've shown WINGS (1927) with Clara Bow, THE GENERAL (1927) with Buster Keaton, and BEN HUR (1925) with Ramon Novarro.

The Alloy Orchestra has never made it to Dallas. The Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra did accompany THE GENERAL (1927) earlier this year.
posted by silent-film at 2:22 PM on September 10, 2007