Scoring the Silents

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog is a 1927 British silent thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It is Hitchcock's third feature film, it was released on 14 February 1927 in London and on 10 June 1928 in New York City. I composed the music using traditional orchestral instruments. The feeling of foreboding permeates the entire film and I wanted to find out if I could evoke that feeling without resorting to modern sounds. For Hitchcock fans, this is a real treat as you will recognize the style almost immediately. Alfred Hitchcock's cameo occurs when he is sitting at a desk in the newsroom with his back to the camera and operating a telephone (5:33 minutes into the film). This is Hitchcock's first recognizable film cameo, and it became a standard practice for the remainder of his films.

The Ten Commandments is a 1923 American silent religious epic film produced and directed by Cecil B. DeMille. The film is divided into two parts: a prologue recreating the biblical story of the Exodus and a modern story concerning two brothers and their respective views of the Ten Commandments. Lauded for its "immense and stupendous" scenes, the expensive film proved to be a box-office hit upon release. It is the first in DeMille's biblical trilogy, followed by The King of Kings (1927) and The Sign of the Cross (1932). This is a colorized version in which some scenes worked well and others less so. But it does provide a more up-to-date version of this amazing film. I composed the music with electronic instruments. It was tempting to use a traditional orchestra, but I wanted the film to have original score with a unique overall sound of its own. My thanks to those who created this inspiring masterpiece of silent cinema, wherever they may be. EricR

This is a classics classic and still holds up well as dramatic and poignant horror story. Lon Chaney's portrayal of the Phantom is legendary and to this day, his makeup is unsurpassed. Remember, this was made in 1925 and he did the makeup himself. No special effects, no makeup department. Just a brilliant artist who evokes equal portions of horror and sympathy.

Sunrise 1927 is a silent romantic drama film directed by German director F.W. Murnau. It tells the story of a married farmer who is tempted by a city woman to murder his wife. What follows is a moving and beautiful portrait of love, commitment, and redemption. "For wherever the sun rises and sets, in the city's turmoil or under the open sky on the farm, life is much the same; sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet." May the beautiful innocence of this film inspire you to seek such goodness in your life.

This film needs no introduction. It is iconic and still has the best vampire portrayal in Max Schreck’s Count Orlock, even after all the on-screen Draculas since 1922. Much has been written about this film so I defer to others’ commentaries. I will say that I found this film genuinely creepy. This is partly due to the black and white cinematography, combined with the memorable character of Count Orlock. Finally, the silence itself invites one’s imagination and nothing is as frightening as that. It was tempting to use synthesizers, instrument effects, and creepy sounds to enhance the atmosphere of the film. While there are some of that such as background drones and odd sound clusters, I ended up relying on traditional orchestral instruments for the majority of the score. The string section in particular offered me the best entry into that dark melancholy with a constant hint of the lurking threat. I also did my best to avoid adding too many instruments in order to create a thick orchestral sound. As the composing unfolded, I kept sensing that a minimalist approach would be more effective in conveying the feel. So I removed some superfluous instruments and only kept what was needed to express a given scene. If you have the chance to watch this on a larger screen with the lights turned down, I highly recommend it. Allow yourself to be transported back to a darkened theatre in 1922 and see if you are not captivated by the symphony of horror that is Nosferatu.

A 1920 German silent horror film, directed by Robert Wiene and written by Hans Janowitz and Carl Mayer. Considered the quintessential work of German Expressionist cinema, it tells the story of an insane hypnotist (Werner Krauss) who uses a somnambulist (Conrad Veidt) to commit murders. The film features a dark and twisted visual style, with sharp-pointed forms, oblique and curving lines, structures and landscapes that lean and twist in unusual angles, and shadows and streaks of light painted directly onto the sets. While I was tempted to make the music as dark and twisted as the visuals, it seemed excessive to add to what was already present. So there are melodic lines that can be followed without strain while still using atmospheric sounds as supports.

This is the complete 1926 classic. It is the first time I composed an original film score. I chose Metropolis because the imagery is so powerful and the story so inspiring. I hope I have not violated any copyrights on it but if so, I will of course remove it. I did this for my own enjoyment and practice.