Take a trip back in time with Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Friends of Music (FOM) and enjoy classic black and white films from the silent movie era. FOM will host its “Silents Are Golden” event beginning at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Alfresco Arts Center in Granite City.
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The fundraising event will feature a movie short, accompanied by SIUE music faculty, and a Buster Keaton double-feature, with movie scores performed by Jack Jenkins on a 1921 pipe organ. Jenkins is widely known as the “Emperor of the Organ” and is an alumnus of the SIUE Music Department.
SIUE music students in period costume will add to the ambiance with a traditional usher “flashlight drill” to open the evening’s programming. They will also lead a sing-a-long.
Jack Jenkins will play the organ during the films, much like what was done in the 1920s.
“I have been interested in movies of this time period because I am interested in theater organ,” he said. “This is a joint effort of four faculty members of SIUE, nine students and myself. I always have an interest and love of the theater organ to use it for its original purpose.
“I have written scores for ‘One Week,’ and ‘Halloween.’ I love how they are calling the program ‘Silence Is Golden.’”
Jenkins said he also thought what the students will do wish user lights in uniforms will also make people proud.
“This is fun, you will get a taste of two of the major ways that Silent Movies were accompanied for small theater houses.”
