Category: Podcast

On this episode, Ben Model talks about creating and performing a live score on theatre organ for the 1931 “Dracula” with Bela Lugosi, shares some insights about programming the “Silent Comedy International” series at MoMA, and discusses why playing at a suburban library is just as important as playing a big film festival. Performance recordings…

On this mini-episode, Ben Model gives you some tips and some do’s & don’t’s on how to accompany a silent movie if you’re doing one this Halloween…or any time of the year. Plus, there’s news about Ben’s upcoming silent film shows and DVD projects. Be sure you’re on Ben’s email list!

On this episode, Ben Model recaps his summer silent film shows, discusses musically wrapping up a scene to match the film, talks about what to do musically when the film breaks, traces a 14-year trajectory in a “how’d you get that gig?” story, shares some info on Lee Erwin’s synthesizer-based theatre organ and his novelty…

On this episode, Ben Model takes you above the Arctic Circle to hear a pipe organ accompanying a Swedish silent, to Boise ID to its historic 1927 Egyptian Theatre, and to Hollywood for the TCM Classic Film Festival. Ben discusses choosing a main theme for his score “Show People”, the importance of John Morris’s music…

Welcome and intro – reports on recent shows and recordings, and October DVD releases – starting a score at a performance: playing the audience into the film – performance clip: “The Temptress” with Garbo & Moreno, on organ at the LoC – explanation of the podcast’s theme – anticipating mood shifts and when to make…

Welcome and intro – “Silent Film Days” in Tromsø, Norway – demonstrating musical moods for 5th graders – the universality of silent comedy – recording of score for One Week for students – making underscoring fit physical actions in an unobtrusive way – performance recording ofexcerpt from score for L&H in From Soup To Nuts…

Welcome and intro – Stuart Oderman – DVD/Blu ray release of “When Knighthood Was In Flower” – holding back in playing in order to get audience inside a character’s head – performance excerpt from “Show People” – underscoring a moment that extends into a scene with different energy – performance excerpt from “The Crowd” –…

Welcome and intro – “Silent Film Days” festival Tromsø (Verdensteatret 100 År!) – performance clip “Madame de Thebes” – scoring “Why Change Your Wife” and hunting for “Hindustan” for the Kansas Silent Film Festival – performance clip “Why Change Your Wife?” – more about scoring WFYW and about seeing William DeMille’s films – show prep…

00:00 Welcome, and intro to Cruel and Unusual Comedy — 04:02 More Plots and Plotters — 11:21 Ethnic Profiling: Stereotypically Speaking — 19:47 Loco Motives: On the Wrong Track — 27:52 Scared Silent — 36:27 Hits of the Past — 45:29 Working Girls.This episode contains chapter stops. (Your podcast player may or may not recognize…